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Winter 2008
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Volume 31, No. 4
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PAACE Surveys Adult Education Programs to Help Guide Advocacy Efforts
by Chuck Klinger, TIU 11 Community Education Services, PAACE President
One of the primary functions of PAACE has been to lead advocacy efforts for adult education in Pennsylvania. This typically has been a basic push for increased funding, based on numbers of students served, successes in the field, and concerns over funding decreases over recent years. We had been somewhat pleased (or maybe the word should be relieved) that for a few years there had been level funding, this year notwithstanding.
The thought was shared, though, that it is difficult to maintain status quo in a program with level funding when operating expenses increase – things such as salary/wages, benefits, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses. We thought it would be an interesting area to collect some data, which we plan to use to justify advocating for increased funding. We developed a survey asking various adult education programs across the state to indicate such increases, changes made to accommodate them, and anything else they would like us to know regarding to the advocacy efforts of PAACE.
To have any possible effect on funding for 2008-09, we needed to turn this around very quickly, so we conducted the survey online and attempted to make the items easy to answer. As of this writing, we have heard back from approximately 40 programs which is about a 30% response rate. One challenge was finding a way for programs to reconcile situations where funding cuts forced operating expenses to decrease. For example, a program facing a funding cut may have needed to reduce the hours of one or more instructors, which would lead to a decrease in operating expenses. While this reduction in wages is accurate, it doesn't reflect the challenges of maintaining an effective program with level funding.
Accounting for increased operating expenses during periods of level funding creates difficult decisions for program administrators to keep their programs running and viable. During periods of funding cuts it is even more daunting. As noted below, these decisions stand to affect quality of service and retention of high quality staff. The Legislative Report in this newsletter includes information about how you can educate legislators on the importance of adult education services and how increased funding can positively impact services.
Number of students served for programs responding:
- 10% serve fewer than 100 students
- 45% serve between 100 and 400 students
- 20% serve between 400 and 800 students
- 25% serve over 800 students
Types of adult education offered
(Respondents could choose more than one type):
- Literacy level: 68%
- Adult Basic Education: 97%
- GED: 90%
- ESL: 71%
- Workforce Education: 48%
- Family Literacy: 45%
Responding programs averaged 9 full-time staff, 10 part-time staff, and 55 volunteers.
| Approximate increases in operating expenses: |
2006-2007 | 2007-2008 |
| Wages | 6% | 5% |
| Benefits | 7% | 8% |
| CareerLink rent | 6.5% | 6.5% |
| Other rent | 10% | 7% |
| Miscellaneous expenses | 11% | 10% |
Program decisions to offset fiscal issues and percentage of responding programs taking these actions:
(Respondents could choose more than one type):
- Decreased instructional time: 50%
- Reduced the number of staff: 40%
- Reduced staff benefits: 30%
- Provided students with fewer instructional materials: 30%
- Reduced staff hours: 20%
- Provided less professional development for staff: 20%
State Advocacy Importance Grows Due to Federal Actions
by JoAnn Weinberger, Center for Literacy, PAACE Legislative Committee Chair
State Appropriations:
PAACE advocacy for an increase in state appropriations for the 2008-09 fiscal year has begun. The following letter was sent to the Governor (with copies to the Policy Secretary Donna Cooper and Budget Secretary Michael Masch) on December 17. This letter requests a 3% cost of living allowance increase.
PAACE Letter to Governor Rendell re: 2008 Budget 
A Legislative Alert was also sent to all members asking them to send letters the week of December 17.When the Governor announces his budget in early February, we will know if our advocacy efforts have been successful.
Federal Appropriations:
The Congress and the President have agreed to a 1.747% decrease in funding for adult literacy, and $66 million for Even Start Family Literacy. This was an across-the-board decrease on education programs. This compromise was reached in Conference Committee. Unfortunately, this dashes our hopes for a $25 million increase in adult education and $99 million for Even Start--both of which had been agreed to in the House.
So, we live to fight another day! The news on the federal front makes our state advocacy that much more important!!!
The Family Literacy Division has many activities planned as part of the PAACE Conference! Visit www.paacesite.org to view the variety of sessions being offered, including a wonderful Family Literacy strand. Also, we hope you will join us for Friday’s Division Luncheon, where the Goodling Family Literacy Best Practice Awards will be presented. Remember to visit us in the Marketplace! As part of the Marketplace activities, the Office of Commonwealth Libraries and PAACE Family Literacy Division are pleased to announce special guest Suzanne Bloom, author and illustrator of A Splendid Friend, Indeed, the 2007 selection for the second annual Pennsylvania One Book, Every Young Child program. Suzanne has been writing and illustrating children's books for nearly twenty years. Other books she has authored include The Bus for Us, We Keep a Pig in the Parlor, A Family for Jamie, My Special Day at Third Street School, and Piggy Monday. Since March of 2007, Suzanne has visited over 50 libraries, museums, and early childhood programs in 24 counties across the state as part of the One Book, Every Young Child Program. Suzanne will talk about the creation of her books and the importance of making reading aloud fun. The first 25 people to attend her program in the Marketplace on Wednesday evening will win a free copy of A Splendid Friend, Indeed that Suzanne will sign after her talk.
Continuing Higher Education
The Regional Learning Alliance meets needs of Western PA
by Judy Dahlbeck, Director of KnowledgePoint Academy, Regional Learning Alliance
The Regional Learning Alliance, on the border of Allegheny and Butler counties in the Cranberry Woods business park, is an innovative three-part approach to meet the education, professional development and conferencing needs of the region. By offering comprehensive services under one roof, both clients and providers have access to a range of services and options otherwise impossible from any single source. “The RLA is the most comprehensive learning facility in southwestern Pennsylvania, meeting the development and education needs of all residents,” said Justin Griffith, General Manager.
The RLA houses fourteen educational “partners” under one roof to provide an “Education Mall” that serves the educational needs of adult students. By collaborating rather than competing for students, the educational partners offer services and facilities that would be impossible to offer individually. This approach is designed to strengthen the economy of southwestern Pennsylvania while providing a life long learning environment. RLA Educational Partners include: The Art Institute, Butler County Community College, Carlow University, Community College Allegheny County, DeVry University, Geneva College, La Roche College, Penn State University, Pittsburgh Technical Institute, Robert Morris University, Slippery Rock University, Strayer University, PA Cyber School, and Heart Prints Center for Early Childhood Development. IDEAS (Innovative Deliveries for Educational Alliance Students) is an innovative program that allows RLA students to cross register at any IDEAS educational institution. This sharing of resources, insights and information among the member institutions makes cross registration and joint cooperative course scheduling a reality.
KnowledgePoint Academy, introduced in 2007 as the newest arm of the RLA, is a distinct model for professional and personal development. Through collaborative partnerships, professional programs and events, and networking, KnowledgePoint creates learning communities for adults to experience personal and professional growth. KPA’s programs are designed to improve job skills, increase employee retention, and provide a pool of skilled employees that add economic vitality and strength to the region. Together with the 14 educational partners, KnowledgePoint training associates include the Callidus Group, Compression Planning Institute, Enlightened Leadership, G.A. Puleo and Associates, KEYGroup, and SellingPoints Group.
The RLA conference center offers a unique learning setting with a corporate atmosphere. The RLA is LEED certified and offers state-of-the-art facilities that are second to none. It not only offers a distraction-free environment with every imaginable amenity, it sits in the middle of a scenic woodland setting, and is conveniently located at the intersection of I-79 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Just 20 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, the RLA is easily accessible and offers ample free parking. The flexible-designed meeting rooms and classrooms can hold from 4 to 400 people. The RLA also offers outstanding in-house food services, and professional event planning and coordination staff exceeds all expectations, which allows clients to focus on the strategic objective of their programs.
Other RLA innovative learning services include the Virtual Library and the Writing and Research Center, generously supported by the Buhl Foundation. These services are new approaches which offer creative options and support to RLA students, clients and visitors. Other services offered include a Cyber Café for quick meals and snacks, public access computers, computer labs, free high-speed wireless access and the award-winning Child Development Center. For more information on all of the RLA services, visit www.therla.com.
Bureau of ABLE encourages PAACE Midwinter Conference attandance
by Rose Brandt, Director, Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education
Professional development is a way for adult educators to reflect on and update their practice. Each year, adult educators in PA have a wonderful opportunity to do this at the PAACE Midwinter Conference.
The Bureau of ABLE is encouraging attendance at the 2008 PAACE Midwinter Conference, February 6-8 at the Hershey Lodge. The conference is a great way to network with colleagues from across the state and to learn more about best practices and research. The Bureau’s Session will be offered on Thursday and there will be a series of Bureau-designated sessions throughout the conference. Administrators of ABLE-funded programs will have the opportunity to network with their colleagues over breakfast on Friday morning.
In line with this year’s conference theme, “Opening Windows,” the PAACE Midwinter Conference will provide many opportunities for teachers, tutors, case managers, administrators, and other adult education staff to catch a breath of fresh air. We all need to reinvigorate ourselves from time to time in order to do our best work. I invite you to attend this conference and join in planning ways for “opening windows” for the adults we serve.
Everyday Life: Online adult basic education and ESL resource now available
GCFLearnFree.org, offering free computer training online since 1999, has launched Everyday Life, geared toward adult basic education and basic literacy learners and ESL students. Initial "how to" lessons include using an ATM, completing a bank deposit slip, reading bus maps, and filling out a job application. Not intended to teach vocabulary and reading skills, the interactive lessons provide learners with a safe environment for practicing new skills without real-world consequences and the fear of failure.
Is now the right time for you to think about continuing your education?
by Michael Powell, Point Park University, Assistant Director of Adult Enrollment
For many adults, the thought of going back to a college or university has an anxiety- producing effect. Many feel that they don’t have the time, or they feel uncomfortable being more “mature” than the rest of the students. However, a little known fact is that now is the best time to continue with your education!
As with anything else, academia has progressed with the changing times and now understands that more adults are coming back to complete their degrees or acquire additional ones. To help, many colleges and universities have special programs designed for the “working adult.” These programs are typically accelerated in their format and can either be offered in the evenings or on the weekends. The accelerated schedule allows students to maximize their course loads and minimize their actual time commitment in class. Moreover, since these programs focus on adult learners, the students will be in an environment with other students of the same age and similar situations.
Another venue popular to adult students is the online offerings. Depending on the university/college and the degree one is seeking, some to all of the classes may be offered online. This allows students to “set their own pace” and learn in the convenience of their homes or offices. Online classes and degrees are just as rigorous and enlightening as being in a “physical” classroom setting. Many institutions that offer online degrees or classes promote some level of group work so that students still have interactions with other classmates.
Understanding that adult students have different concerns and goals than that of “traditional” students, many colleges and universities have departments completely dedicated to adult learners. These departments are usually referred to as “Part-Time,” “Adult Enrollment,” or “Continuing Education.” The counselors in these departments are well-versed in issues pertaining to adults and are extremely helpful when it comes to advice on what type of degree is the right one, or simply making the potential student feel more at ease and able to make a clearer decision regarding enrolling.
After a university or college is chosen and a degree is selected, the next major issue concerns the cost. Most institutions have payment plans, and some have deferment plans for those who receive corporate reimbursement. Financial aid is offered to all students as long as the student takes at least six credits a semester. A majority of students, regardless of whether they are full- or part-time, traditional or non-traditional (i.e., adult) are eligible for student loans.
So, if you are debating about finishing or starting your degree, you can be confident that colleges and universities really do understand you and your needs, and now is the right time!
Writing for and Reading ‘The Change Agent’ –a Tool for Empowerment in Adult Education
by Cynthia Peters, World Education, The Change Agent Editor
Over and over again, as a teacher in a union based adult-education program, I would see students arrive in class exhausted from overwhelming responsibilities and dehumanizing work. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of teaching was to see the fatigue fall away in the subsequent two hours. If the materials affirmed students’ experiences and knowledge and if the class created pathways for us to all treat each other as if our minds and our thinking mattered, then people often left the class feeling energized and positive.
Such interactions shouldn’t be a radical departure from everyday life, but unfortunately they are for many people. The adult education classroom provides an important forum for contradicting messages of powerlessness, and as an ABE and ESOL teacher, I found The Change Agent to be a key tool in that effort.
I remember bringing The Change Agent call for articles on Building Peace to one of my classes. The “call” prompted one of my students, Mariela Bustamante, to share her childhood experiences dealing with the death squads in El Salvador. Having a chance to tell her story transformed her role in the class. Previously, she had been a very quiet student, but the more she shared about the violence she experienced in El Salvador, the more people in the class turned to her for understanding about how it is possible not just to survive but to be hopeful after experiencing such terror. “I used to only talk to my husband about these things, and we cried a lot. This is the first time I have talked about this with other people.”
When the issue came out with Mariela’s article and her name in print, we all celebrated as we imagined other classes in other parts of the country reading it and thinking about it and growing in their own ways as a result.
Such was the case in Anne Erde’s ESL class at UMASS/Boston. She used the “Building Peace” issue of The Change Agent in her pre-freshman writing class. “It was tremendously successful,” she says, “because the students could find ways to directly connect with the articles they read.” Using the peace issue during the third year of the Iraq war and during a time of heightened urban violence in Boston, The Change Agent helped people connect historically specific issues of war and inner-city violence with universal themes of reconciliation and forgiveness.
It’s not surprising that students find in The Change Agent an authentic voice that speaks directly to their own experiences and provides a context not just for learning, but for empowerment. Each issue of The Change Agent aims to be an antidote to the many forces that make people feel devalued and disconnected. Its lesson plans, graphics, policy pieces, and teacher reflections provide tools for people to see themselves as thinkers and actors who can, by sharing with others, be agents of change.
Cynthia Peters (cpeters@worlded.org) is the editor of The Change Agent. Find the latest “Call for Articles” at www.nelrc.org/changeagent. Individual and bulk orders are available.
NIFL Announces New Resources Available for Adult Educators
QEd: Scientific Evidence for Adult Literacy Educators brings ideas and information from the expanding scientific research base on how adults learn to read. The first issue tells the story of how researchers are using the high quality, scientific standards that adult literacy deserves and demands. Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults: First Steps for Teachers (see http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications.html), an exciting publication that offers specific connections between the research and the classroom is also highlighted. To access the first issue: www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/qed_1.pdf
From Assessment to Practice: Research-Based Approaches to Teaching Reading to Adults webcast presents a practical and compelling rationale for the use of research-based principles for adult reading instruction. Dr. John Kruidenier, Dr. Rosalind Davidson, and Ms. Susan McShane use two components of reading, word analysis and comprehension, as examples to illustrate research-based practices, focusing on specific assessment and instructional strategies derived from the research. Participants learn about the direct link between research and evidence-based practice. The presenters also explain how all four major components of reading provide a framework for assessing students' reading ability and how assessment results can lead to a program of instruction that improves students' reading. To access the webcast: www.nifl.gov/nifl/webcasts/assesspractice/webcast0928.html
Looking for basic information and strategies for building the reading and writing skills of adolescents? A new 61-page report titled What Content-Area Teachers Should Know About Adolescent Literacy can help. The report is designed to support the needs of middle and high school classroom teachers, administrators and parents in search of basic information about how to build the reading and writing skills of adolescents. To download the report: www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/adolescent_literacy07.pdf.
Literacy Begins at Home: Teach Them to Read is a handy checklist for parents of toddlers through third graders for information about literacy and reading. To download a copy of the insert: www.nifl.gov/nifl/news_events/essence_insert.html.
Register now for ‘Opening Windows’
by Tana Reiff, TIU 11 Community Education Services, PAACE First Vice-President
The program is in place, the planning committee is finishing up 1,000 details, and registration is open for the 43rd Annual PAACE Midwinter Conference on Adult Education, at the Hershey Lodge, February 6-8, 2008. With the theme “Opening Windows,” this is not only Pennsylvania’s premier adult education conference, but also a golden professional development opportunity. As program chair, I can assure you this conference will be worth your while. An array of high-quality sessions and speakers will address all aspects of adult education. Don’t be surprised if you have a hard time choosing a session because all the offerings sound so appealing. Whether your interests lie in adult literacy, ABE/ASE, ESL, family literacy, adults in higher ed, corrections, workforce development, administration, research, or public policy (or all of the above), this conference will offer you a full program.
The keynote speaker is Dr. Cheryl D. King, Study Director for the National Commission on Adult Literacy. She will speak on “Connecting the Dots to Improve Educational Attainment of Adults,” about the importance of coordinating with postsecondary education as well as workforce development to better serve adults and achieve greater outcomes. A follow-up session will continue the discussion.
Wednesday’s Recognition Luncheon will honor adult students and teachers of adults. It will be followed by a special session, “The Politics of Adult Education,” with Art Ellison, New Hampshire State Director of Adult Education. The PAACE Luncheon on Thursday will fill you in on organization business and introduce Cheryl Keenan, Director of the U.S. Department of Education’s Division of Adult Education and Literacy. PAACE Night will feature a reception and banquet with a Chinese New Year theme, followed by Mardi Gras (with an out-of-the-ordinary deejay dance). ABLE administrators are being invited to a breakfast meeting Friday.
Honorary conference chair is the PA Workforce Investment Board. Executive Director Dr. Robert Garraty will be on hand throughout the conference and deliver remarks at the PAACE banquet Thursday evening.
If you haven’t registered yet, you may still have time to take advantage of the early bird discount. PAACE memberships active through March 1, 2008 also are entitled to take a substantial discount on the registration fee with your user ID and password. To check your membership status, contact Membership Committee Chair Suzanne Webster at ssw133@psu.edu.
Check out the Conference page for much more information, including the tentative schedule and description of concurrent sessions.
See you in Hershey!
Capital Hill Day visits make an impact with US Senators offices
by Karen Mundie, Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council
On November 7, representatives from three Pennsylvania adult education agencies participated in ProLiteracy's Capital Hill Day. Rosemary Grove (Susquehanna Valley Adult Literacy Cooperative- Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit), Marianne Bellesorte (Pathways PA), and I met with aides from Senator Specter's and Senator Casey's offices. Walter Long, a former GPLC student who is now on the ProLiteracy Board of Directors came along as well.
We met with Rich Spiegelman, legislative aide for Senator Casey and Jennifer Castagna, education aide for Senator Specter. We sat with both aides for over 40 minutes and talked about our programs which varied from very small to very large. We stressed that we represented PAACE, our professional organization, and the 128 federally funded programs in PA. We thanked the senators (through their aides) for the 12.5 million dollar increase after so many years of flat funding and threw in a pitch for future funding, noting that all PA programs had lost funding in 2007/2008 because of the on-going effects of reapportionment.
Walter was wonderful in stressing that he viewed himself as a participant in PA adult ed and that others like him could be found in any of our programs. He talked about his history and the ways his life and his children's lives have been enriched by adult education. As soon as Walter realized that Rich Spiegelman from Senator Casey's office had also worked for the late Governor Robert P. Casey, he started talking about how much the Governor's wife Mrs. Ellen Casey had affected his life. Walter mentioned that in the year he was honored as an outstanding adult learner, she had given a speech about how important it is to give back to your community, and that he had taken that really to heart. He then talked about his own outreach efforts and his recent visit to literacy programs in South Africa. He suggested that Senator Casey might want to follow in his mother's tradition and make adult literacy his issue as well.
We left information about our programs with both aides. Both mentioned how important it was that we had brought along with us someone who had received services from our programs. We all left the meetings feeling that we had been a good team and that we had made a real impression on both Jennifer and Rich. Visiting your elected officials and/or their aides is an effective way to add a personal touch to your advocacy efforts.
Online PAACE Board Ballots Coming Soon
PAACE members will have the opportunity to complete their ballots for PAACE Board nominees online this year. An email with a link with the online ballot will be sent soon. One of the benefits of being a PAACE member is the ability to vote for the volunteers who guide the PAACE organization. Take advantage of this membership and be sure to complete your online ballot. It will be easy and quick!
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Second Vice President: Lori Keefer Lori Keefer is the program director at Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council and has worked in the field of adult education for over nine years. She has been the secretary of the PAACE board for the past two years. |
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Treasurer: William Schaffer Mr. Schaffer currently is employed as the Director of Adult Literacy at Northampton Community College. As the Director of Adult Literacy, he serves as the education representative for Pecan Counties WIA and is involved in Jobs for the Future's Breaking Through Initiative, which links ABE students to postsecondary education. He possesses over 13 years experience in adult literacy and workforce development, ranging from instructor to program manager. William also has 17 years of experience in bookkeeping and tax preparation. He holds a Masters Degree in Education from Capella University and is pursuing a doctorate in Leadership of Higher Education. |
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Secretary: Anita Cola Anita Cola started working in the field of adult education in 1990 when she answered an ad in the newspaper about becoming a volunteer tutor working with adults at Lackawanna College in Scranton. She did that for approximately two years until the College received grants from the PA Department of Education to provide Adult Basic Education classes. She was primarily an ABE, GED and ESL instructor until July 2000 when she became Director of the Adult Education Department at the College. |
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Eastern Regional Representative: Rebecca S. Wagner Rebecca holds a doctorate degree in Adult Education from Penn State University. She is the Coordinator for the Southeast Professional Development Center. In this role, Rebecca organizes the activities of the SEPDC, offers workshops for adult education staff, provides technical assistance to programs and writes articles for the newsletters. She also oversees the data management program for the Lancaster Lebanon IU 13 Adult Education program. Rebecca designs reports and queries to use in evaluating program performance. Rebecca has taught ABE/GED classes, ESL classes and conducted orientation for the adult education program. |
Midwinter Conference Volunteers Needed
by Anita Cola, Lackawanna College, Director of Adult Education Department
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| Anita Cola, Frank Wascalis, and Suzanne Webster having fun volunteering at the registration desk. |
The conference will run from February 6 – 8, 2008 at the lovely Hershey Lodge and Convention Center and we need volunteers to help with some duties such as greeting guests, providing general information, assisting presenters, helping with special events and registering conference attendees.
If you’re interested in helping, email Anita Cola at Lackawanna College, colaa@lackawanna.edu or Frank Wascalis at Luzerne Intermediate Unit, fwascalis@liu18.org.
Please consider volunteering for a two hour shift sometime during the conference. It’s a great opportunity to meet with colleagues from around the state and have some fun at the same time. Thanks in advance for all of your help.
COABE Registration now Open
COABE and the Missouri Association for Adult, Continuing and Community Education (MAACCE) invite you to register for the 2008 MAACCE/COABE National Conference to be held in St. Louis, Missouri. Conference dates are April 28-May 1, 2008 at the Adam's Mark Hotel.
The conference will feature outstanding and innovative practices in all aspects of adult education including basic literacy, basic numeracy, workforce development, family literacy, English as a Second Language, volunteer/community-based literacy, correctional education, higher education, after school programming and many other areas. The planningcommittee is working hard to make this conference a huge success filled with presentations based on successful implementation, current research, and sound practices.
Catch the Martin Luther King Special rate $275.00 for MAACCE and COABE Members. This special rate is available until January 21. Access further information and the registration form online at www.coabeconference.org.
A special conference strand for students has been added. The Adult Learner Leadership Strand will provide student-friendly workshops, opportunities for students to volunteer, and for students to network with others nationwide. The benefits of this strand for teachers/administrators are to broaden the student scope of adult literacy, generate student leadership and promote advocacy and increased retention and expanded participation in your program. Martin Luther King Special Adult Learner Rate until January 21 is $185. For more information on the Adult Learner Strand, contact Marcia Hayes-Harris, Student Leadership Chair, at Marcia.hayes-harris@slps.org.
2008 PAACE Midwinter Conference
February 6 - 8, 2008
Hershey Lodge and Convention Center
Hershey, PA
www.paacesite.org/web-data/Diagrams/PAACE%20Site/conference.html
2008 Pennsylvania Educational Technology and Expo Conference
February 10 - 12, 2008
Hershey Lodge and Convention Center
Hershey, PA
www.peteandc.org
2008 MAACE/COABE National Conference
April 28-May 1, 2008
Adam's Mark Hotel
St. Louis, Missouri
www.coabeconference.org
PA Partners Conference
May 7 - 9, 2008
Hershey Lodge and Convention Center
Hershey, PA
www.papartners.org
Comprehensive conference listing!
Whatever your interest in adult education may be, the LINCS conference calendar has something for you--actually, LOTS of things for you. Check out this thorough list of conferences and events related to adult education, technology, and affiliated topics at:
www.nifl.gov/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi
PAACE News available in PDF
For those who like to print out PAACE News, you have the option of printing directly from your browser or downloading a PDF file of each issue.
Download the current issue of PAACE News as PDF file here.
Are you subscribed to the PAACE members e-mail list?
If you are a PAACE member and are not subscribed to the members e-mail list, you may use the simple sign-up process by going to www.paacesite.org, clicking on the link on the main page for the PAACE lists, and following the link for the members@paacesite.org list. Subscribers also may follow the link to change subscription information. Only subscribers may post to the list.
PAACE members are encouraged to be on the e-mail list in order to receive announcements and late-breaking legislative news, especially now!
President: Chuck Klinger (TIU 11 Community Education Services)
First Vice-President: Tana Reiff (TIU 11 Community Education Services)
Second Vice-President: Diane Inverso (Mayor's Commission on Literacy)
Secretary: Lori Keefer (Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council)
Treasurer: Mary Hohensee
Immediate Past President: Debbie Hrach
Remote Past President: Robert McNeill (Delaware Valley College)
Western Regional Representative: Alex Dow (Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council)
Central Regional Representative: Ruth Love-Schooley (Lycoming County Library System)
Eastern Regional Representative: vacant
Adult Basic and Secondary Education Division Director: Bootsie Barbour (Stairways Behavioral Health)
Continuing Higher Education Division Director: Mary Anne Varacalli (Delaware County Community College, retired)
Corrections Education Division Director: Randy Bacon (Allegheny County Prison)
ESL Division: Susan Adams (YMCA of Philadelphia), Martin Senger (GECAC), and Cathie Whitmire (Hispanic American Council)
Family Literacy Division: Lori McMonigal (TIU 11 Community Education Services) and Julie Shumaker (Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit)
Tutors of Literacy in the Commonwealth: Kim Rossman (Tutors of Literacy in the Commonwealth)
Workplace Education Division: vacant
PDE Bureau of ABLE Representative: Susan Mansuetti
Commonwealth Libraries: Eileen Kocher (ABLE Resource Center)
Committee Chairs/Full Board list: See the PAACE website.
PAACE News Editorial Board
Destiny Myers, TIU 11 Community Education Services, Editor
Lynette Hazelton, District 1199C Training and Upgrading Fund
Peggi Kelley, Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council
Chrissie Klinger, Bedford County Literacy Council/Chestnut Ridge School District
Chuck Klinger, TIU 11 Community Education Services
Ruth Love-Schooley, Lycoming County Library System
Karen Mundie, Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council
Tana Reiff, TIU 11 Community Education Services
Mary Anne Varacalli, Delaware County Community College (ret.)
Drucie Weirauch, The Pennsylvania State University
The purpose of PAACE News is to inform members of PAACE about the activities and plans of the Association and how they can participate in them. Remaining consistent with the mission of the organization, the newsletter connects a diverse audience of adult education practitioners, researchers, and students throughout Pennsylvania. The opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of PAACE and no official endorsement should be inferred.
This issue published December 20, 2007
To submit material for PAACE News, please e-mail the editor at dmyers@tiu11.org.