Minnesota Reading Association

Minnesota Academy of Reading 

Officers

Co-Presidents

Joan Sax-Bendix

Lisa Krall

Vice President

Wendy Richards-Burgett

Secretary

Katie Barofsky

Treasurer

Catherine Kelly

Legislative Liaison
Open

MACTE Liaison
Open

Membership
Sonya Vierstraete

MDE Liaison
Jennifer Wazlawik

Past Presidents

Wendy Richards
Lisa Krall

Keitha-Gail Martin-Kerr
Debra S. Peterson

Christopher W. Johnson
Catherine Kelly
Karen Moroz
Debra Peterson
Amy Smith
Terri Christenson
Carolyn Gwinn

Past Secretary

Joan Sax-Bendix

Lisa Krall

Pamela Solvie


What is the Minnesota Academy of Reading?

Background and Mission Statement
Approximately 20 years ago, the International Reading Association commissioned the Minnesota Academy of Reading (MAR) as a Special Interest Council, giving the organization this charge:

The purpose of this council shall be to (1) provide an opportunity for members to actively engage in the process of sharing and testing professional ideas; (2) engage in service functions of instruction, consultation, and evaluation.

Currently MAR serves as one of the local area councils supporting the Minnesota Reading Association.

The purpose of the Minnesota Academy of Reading is to bring various groups of reading stakeholders together to discuss and respond to reading practices/policies in Minnesota.

  • We provide opportunities for reading stakeholders to share, analyze, and evaluate reading policies and practices. We gather groups of reading stakeholders together to impact the licensure requirements for reading professionals in Minnesota. Rather than reacting to policies, this group desires to have a visionary role in the direction of future policies.
  • We provide opportunities for reading stakeholders to celebrate the work of their colleagues. Each spring, we host a banquet honoring a Minnesota reading professional who has made significant contributions to reading locally and nationally, including Barbara Taylor (2005), Michael Graves (2006), Jay Samuels (2007) and Alton Greenfield (2008), Maureen Prenn (2010), Deborah Dillon (2012), Gail Jordan (2014), and Rick Beach (2016),  Cindy Whaley (2017) and Debra Peterson (2020), Lori Helman (2022).
Constituents
Our members are K-12 teachers and higher education professors, mostly the latter, with extensive research, teaching, and publication experience. However, this is an inclusive group, open to any interested reading professional.

Becoming a Member of the Minnesota Academy of Reading

To become a member of the Minnesota Academy of Reading, first join the Minnesota Reading Association and then identify MAR as your local council. 

For more information, contact:

Joan Sax Bendix at mailto:jbendix@winona.edu

Lisa Krall at lisa.krall@bemidjistate.edu 


Upcoming Literacy Events:

Northwoods Literacy Conference July 21-22, 2025



2025 Board Minutes

2024 Board Minutes

2023 Board Minutes

Minnesota Academy of Reading Minutes May 16, 2023.docx

MAR Minutes 4.11.2023 .docx

MAR Minutes 2.14.2023 .docx

MAR Minutes 1.10.2023 .docx

2022 Board Minutes

Minnesota Academy of Reading-11.15.2022 Minutes.docx

Minnesota Academy of Reading-10.18.2022 Minutes.docx

MAR Minutes 3.16.2022.docx

MAR Minutes 2.16.2022.docx

Minnesota Academy of Reading Minutes 1.19.2022.docx

2021 Board Minutes

MAR Minutes 12.15.2021.docx

MAR Minutes 9.15.2021.docx

MAR Minutes 6.10.2021.docx

MAR Minutes 4.24.2021.docx

2020 Board Minutes

MAR Minutes 10.21.2020.docx

MAR Minutes 9.18.2020.docx

MAR Minutes 6.19.2020.docx

MAR Minutes 4.18. 2020 .docx

2019 Board Minutes

MAR Minutes 6.28.2019.docx

MAR Minutes 5.17.19.docx

MAR Minutes 3.21.19.docx

2018 Board Minutes

MAR Minutes 11.8.18.2.docx

MAR Minutes 9.13.18.docx

8.2.18 MAR Minutes .docx

MAR Minutes 6.22.18.docx

MAR Minutes 4.21.18.docx

MAR Minutes 3.1.18.docx

MAR Minutes 2.15.18.docx

2017 Board Minutes

MAR Minutes 12.14.17.docx

MAR Minutes 11.9.17.docx

MAR Minutes 10.12.17.docx

MAR Minutes 9.14.17.docx

MAR Minutes 8.8.17.docx

MAR Minutes 03.23.17.docx

MAR Minutes for 02-16-17.doc

2016 Board Minutes

2015 Board Minutes

2014 Board Minutes

2013 Board Minutes
2012 Board Minutes

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