The New York State Reading Association (NYSRA) is an all-inclusive volunteer organization of members who are passionate about literacy.  We share and support efforts to improve literacy education for people of all ages on local, state and global levels.  We are teachers, librarians, parents, students, writers, researchers and professors.  We welcome anyone to join us either as an at-large member, or better yet, through one of our many local councils!

NYSRA's Annual International Literacy Donation for 2022-2023

Each year NYSRA makes a donation to an international literacy organization.  This year we've selected Book Aid International.  We will collect funds through March 1, 2023.  If every NYSRA contact gave only $1, we would exceed our goal. Please consider donating. 

Here is a quick summary of the work done by Book Aid International gleaned from their website:

We provide brand-new books around the world and work with our global network of partners to support and establish reading spaces, train teachers and librarians and spark a love of reading.

• Enriching education - We provide brand new books to over 1,000 school libraries every year and support teachers to bring those books to life.

• Training teachers and librarians - We provide training that helps teachers, librarians and volunteers gain the skills and confidence they need to share the power of books with people in their own communities.

• Reaching refugees - When you’ve been forced to flee your home, books can help you believe that a better world is still possible – so we provide thousands of brand new books to refugees every year.

• Responding when books are lost - When books are destroyed during conflicts or disasters, the potential they create is lost too – so we work around the world to restore lost book collections.

For more information about the work of Book Aid International and how they accomplish it, visit their website at bookaid.org.

Member News: After 44 years, Herkimer BOCES teacher, Mary Kline receives Outstanding Educator Award!

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Director of Adult, Early Childhood and Outreach Education Mary Kline recently received an Outstanding Educator Award at the Genesis Group’s annual Celebration of Education.

As Kline nears 44 years at Herkimer BOCES in January 2023 and retirement in June 2023, she reflected on going to college with plans to become a reading teacher, starting out doing substitute teaching, working as a teacher aide, joining Herkimer BOCES as a migrant tutor in January 1979, becoming the migrant coordinator and taking on additional administrative roles over the years.

Kline said she is happy with the path her career took. She has enjoyed the job because her involvement with multiple programs provided her with a variety of experiences and kept each day feeling unique.

“You have so many different programs to work with, and they all help people – which I like,” she said. “And I’ve worked with wonderful staff – some of them worked with me for more than 30 years.”

Kline received the Outstanding Educator Award on Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Genesis Group’s annual Celebration of Education at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro. Kline was also a recipient of the School Administrators Association of New York State Leadership and Support Award in 2016.

Outstanding Educator

When Kline was first notified by Herkimer BOCES District Superintendent Sandra Sherwood that she won the Genesis Group Outstanding Educator Award, it felt “sort of humbling,” she said.

“It was also nice to be recognized for serving in the various capacities that I operated in,” she said.

Kline had previously worked as a substitute teacher and was working as a teacher aide in the former Ilion Central School District, when the Herkimer BOCES migrant coordinator was in her graduate class and mentioned a migrant tutor opportunity. Kline accepted the position in January 1979, and it turned into a 44-year career at Herkimer BOCES.

Later on, Kline became the new migrant coordinator. Then through her involvement with an Even Start Program grant that dealt with various aspects of education from early childhood to adult, doors opened for her to take on administrative duties in those areas. She added the Adult Practical Nursing Program and other aspects, and the position continued to have shifts in responsibilities over the years leading to her current title of director of adult, early childhood and outreach education.  To read the remainder of the press release published on herkimer-boces.org, click here.

Click here watch a video of the presentation available on YouTube.

The New York State Reading Association recently submitted a letter to the New York State Education Department Board of Regents regarding the proposed amendments to Section 30-1.8 of the Rules of the Board of Regents and Sections 52.21, 80-1.2, 80-3.2, and 80-3.7 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. The letter was submitted on behalf of all New York State Reading Association members and can be read below. You can also download a PDF of the document here.