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August 2009

As a Council leader,
you are the most
important stakeholder
in the
National Day
on Writing,
October 20, 2009.
There are only two
requirements:

• contribute writing that matters to you, and
• boldly encourage your friends, families, and neighbors to do the same.




A quick tour of the National Gallery of Writing site and the National Day on Writing pages provide a wealth of information:

• celebrity testimonials about writing
• samples from the galleries
• tips for writers
• updates on congressional action to establish the National Day


Join the National Day on Writing discussion group in the NCTE Ning!




Place this ad on your group's website or in its journal or newsletter to spread the word about taking part in the National Day on Writing!

Your Actions Count
by Kent Williamson, NCTE Executive Director

What do renewing your NCTE membership, participating in the National Day on Writing, and commemorating the NCTE Centennial have in common? They all demonstrate your belief that literacy educators, acting together, make a difference.

Whether it means affirming your support for keeping our voice strong and our common efforts to improve literacy learning vigorous by maintaining membership; celebrating the grit and wisdom of generations who kept our profession vital by honoring the Centennial; or making the time to contribute to the national portrait of how we write today, your actions count.

Council Historian Leila Christenbury has an excellent piece below about progress on the Centennial celebration; opportunities to take part will multiply over the next few years. But the time to affirm your support by renewing membership is now. If you haven't renewed, please take a moment to secure your membership and our Council for another year.

Similarly, our historic opportunity has arrived to provide a vivid picture of writing today, and what is needed to advance it. See the sidebar at left for details and links about the National Day on Writing and the National Gallery of Writing.

Leaders make time for what matters most. I hope you’ll find time to celebrate, renew, and participate with NCTE now, when our wider professional community depends upon it!


Centennial Celebration Update: NCTE's Birthday Approaches
by Leila Christenbury, Chair, Task Force on Council History and 2011

One hundred years of leadership in literacy education is the legacy of NCTE, founded in 1911 and now on track for a birthday bash at the 2011 Chicago Annual Convention. Over the decades, NCTE has worked -- through professional meetings, sponsored research, publications, and advocacy-- to foster literacy education in America as well as public awareness of issues in literacy education. What better way to spread the word than through our 100-year celebration? Read Leila's update on the plans for NCTE's Centennial Celebration and how Council leaders can encourage members to take part. 


Register Now for NCTE's Annual Convention
Award-winning authors, more than 700 sessions, postconvention workshops, and a host of speakers are on the schedule for this year's Annual Convention in Philadelphia. Don't wait! Register now, make your hotel reservations, see the online Convention Preview, and start planning your convention program today.

Many Council groups (affiliates, assemblies, Sections -- elementary, middle level, secondary, and college -- committees, commissions, Conferences -- CCCC, CEE, CEL, WLU -- and Associations -- TYCA) hold sessions, luncheons, or workshops during the Convention; search the Convention Program for these events (working meetings aren't listed in the Program; if you need information on when your group is meeting, please contact your group's chair or NCTE).

2009 NCTE Annual Convention

Council-Grams, a bimonthly newsletter for NCTE members who are leaders in the Council (committee chairs, executive committee members, editors, affiliate or assembly officers, etc.), is distributed by email by the National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096; 800-369-6283. If you would like NCTE to have a different email address on file for you, please email Council-Grams@ncte.org.

Email a Friend.
Copyright 2009 National Council of Teachers of English
NCTE...The Professional Home of the English Language Arts Community

Some linked documents are provided in PDF format and can be viewed using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program. To download a copy of Adobe Acrobat, visit the Adobe website.

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