A Note from the President
Emily Henley, IDA Kansas-Missouri

As we enter May, the school year is quickly coming to a close. For families, this is the time to keep an eye out for end-of-year benchmark data. These literacy assessments can offer a helpful glimpse into your child’s growth and progress. For educators—you’re almost there! Take a moment to pause and celebrate the incredible work you’ve done. Dig into your data, recognize the gains, and give yourself credit for the progress your students have made.

The end of the year can be tough, but it’s also a powerful time to reflect. Write yourself a note—yes, actually write it down! Something like: “Next year, I’ll do this differently.” Future-you will thank you for the reminder.

For all professionals: start spreading the word now! Our annual conference is coming up September 26–27, and you won’t want to miss it. We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Tim Odegard and Dr. David Hurford on Friday, along with three incredible activities across the two-day event.

A few final updates:

• We have 8 open board positions and 8 candidates on the ballot. Please take a moment to vote by June 1st.
  
  

• Know someone who missed the board application? We’ll soon be sharing information about volunteer advisor roles—non-voting but vital positions that help keep our organization thriving.
  
  

• And finally, our membership drive is in full swing! We’re trying to reach more people across Kansas and Missouri, especially those we don’t regularly connect with. Please help us by sharing our posts and spreading the word.
  
  

Together, we’ll keep pushing forward—#UntilEveryoneCanRead.

Warmly,
Emily Henley
President, IDA Kansas-Missouri

🚨 MEMBERSHIP DRIVE IN FULL SWING! 🚨
We need your help! The International Dyslexia Association Kansas-Missouri branch is working hard to connect with more educators, families, and advocates across our two states—especially those we don’t see regularly.

👉 Help us grow our reach by sharing this post and inviting others to join our mission to support structured literacy and dyslexia awareness. Together, we can make sure every voice is heard and every learner is supported.

#IDAKSMO #MembershipDrive #UntilEveryoneCanRead #DyslexiaAwareness #StructuredLiteracy