Overview
The Monthly Decode
CT-Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative Newsletter
Stay Informed with Updates and Announcements! 
The Monthly Decode at a glance:
[ This Month's Theme ] [ Upcoming CT-DAC Events ] [Coming Soon] [ Celebrating Past Events ] [ Podcast ] [ Community Outreach and Engagement ] [The Inside Scoop]
March Theme: Celebrating Women and the Power of Reading 
This March, we’re celebrating Women’s History Month and Read Across America Day! Join us in honoring the women making a difference in dyslexia research, education, and advocacy, while also celebrating the joy of reading in every form — print, digital, or audio.
Upcoming CT-DAC Events 
| Date & Time | Event | Location/Link |
|---|---|---|
| 3/6/26 1:00 -2:00 p.m. |
Read Across America: Carmen Agra Deedy | Virtual Registration |
| 3/10/26 10:00 -11:00 a.m. |
Decoding Dyslexia Statewide Library Campaign *Kristin Allen will visit one library* |
Preston Public Library 389 CT-2, Preston CT |
| 3/25/26 2:00 -3:00 p.m. |
Unlock Student Potential: Transform Assessment Data into Targeted Goals (High School) | Virtual Registration |
| Month of march | ODRD Podcast: Dawn Lavalle and Katherine Potter from the Connecticut State Library |
Virtual: Streamyard |
| Month of February | SLD: Dyslexia Online Webinars/Modules |
Canvas Modules Register |
| Month of February | Community Outreach and Engagement: Spotlight Women Leaders: Weekly posts will highlight women who have made an impact in dyslexia research, education, or advocacy. Poll: "Audiobooks, eBooks, or print - which do you prefer?" |
ODRD Listserv and Website |
Exciting In-Person Events are Coming Soon! 
Just 5 minutes over the Connecticut state line into Springfield, Massachusetts, your child can attend a free hockey game against the Hartford Wolfpack!
Additional information is available in the flyer: T-Birds Parent Letter and Reading Log
This will be an incredible evening with an inspirational author don’t miss it.
Event Registration: Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative: Honoring Those who Inspire Us: An Evening with Jordan Toma, Thursday, May 21, 2026, 5 - 7pm - Events - State Education Resource Center
Celebrating Past Events 
February has dropped lots of snow, but that did not slow us down!
Kristin Allen and Aimee Gauvin visited East Hartford Public Library on Saturday, February 7th. It was cold and snowy outside; however, inside was warm and bubbling with excitement. We had so many resources to share with families, and we met a new friend from the Connecticut State Library, Katherine Potter!
On February 27, 2026, Student Ambassadors Kierstin Brearley and Eleanor Farqhar, along with CT-DAC member and mentor Deborah Ramirez and CSDE’s Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities Education Consultant Kristin Allen, presented at Thompson Elementary School and delivered Assistive Tech Tool Kits.
"We loved today! The students talked about it all day!" -Lindsey Calarco, Thompson Literacy and Title 1 Coordinator
If you were unable to attend, or would like to rewatch the webinar, please use the following link: Using Assessment Data to Develop Present Levels of Performance and Goals and Objectives. The recording is also available on the Webinars page on the ODRD website.
We had some amazing webinars in the month of February. Valery Dragon had a total of 127 attendees who learned about unique pathways of language and literacy acquisition.
Migdalia Fletcher led an engaging webinar that helped 81 attendees better understand dyslexia.
Migdalia’s webinar will be available for anyone to watch for the next two weeks.
ODRD RewirED Podcast 
Upcoming Podcast:
Dawn Lavalle and Katherine Potter from the Connecticut State Library
Previously recorded podcasts are listed below:
Previously recorded podcasts can be found here: ODRD Podcasts.
May take up to 60 days from recording to edit and post podcasts.
ODRD is Out and About
Don’t miss Associate Education Consultant Kristin Allen on Saturday, March 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. In partnership with the CT State Library and Decoding Dyslexia-CT, she will share resources and answer families' questions about dyslexia and other reading disabilities at the Preston Public Library.
Thanks to the CT State Library, the Dyslexia Awareness display created by Decoding Dyslexia, which features facts, book lists, and linked video resources, is available to all 191 libraries statewide! Libraries will also be able to borrow a curated collection from the State Library, which they can, in turn, lend to the public. Books in this collection include the Dr. Dyslexia Dude series by Dr. Shawn Robinson, the Molly’s Great Discovery series by Krista Weltner, and the second edition of Dyslexia Advocate by Kelli Sandman-Hurley.
Learn More:
- Library Campaign — Decoding Dyslexia
- Dyslexia Support Kit Book Bundle # 1 - Middletown Library Service Center CE and Equipment - CSL, Division of Library Development
The Inside Scoop
Lisa Gianni and Kristin Allen will be presenting at the Connecticut Reading Association Conference, where this year's event is titled "Charting Your Course: Planning for Literacy Success". The conference takes place on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the Sheraton Hartford South Hotel in Rocky Hill.
LEARN’s disABILITY Summit is not to be missed if you have time and would like to experience this event on Saturday, March 14th, at Great Wolf Lodge in Mashantucket. Kristin Allen and Aimee Gauvin will be there to share resources on dyslexia. We hope to see you there!
