|
Winter 2010
|
|
Volume 33, No. 4
|
A new year and opportunites for PAACE members
by Diane Inverso, Mayor's Commission on Literacy, PAACE President
All too often many people think of PAACE only in the context of our annual conference. And while the conference is a major activity of the organization, the PAACE board and members have also been busy with other activities to support adult and continuing education across Pennsylvania. As you read through the article about PAACE's activites, consider how you can be involved as a participant, volunteer, member, advocate, or board member.
This year's annual conference will be in State College on June 1-3. The conference is a wonderful professional development opportunity for people in our field. It gives everyone a chance to meet and speak with colleagues from across this large state. The PAACE website conference page has the most recent conference information so you will want to check this website often. Also take the time to consider submitting an online proposal to present at this year’s conference.
The PAACE Board has been working on various ideas to increase membership to the organization. With that thought in mind all PAACE memberships have expired in December and a new membership drive is in place for this current year. Please remember to renew!
Some Board members have been looking for ways to keep in touch with the membership and have looked at using LinkedIn as a resource for members to use. Also, we have begun using e-mail blasts that will let people know about positions that are open in adult education or related fields. These are new resources for members to explore. Let us know if you have any ideas about ways for us to best stay in touch. Of course there is always the PAACE website that is filled with information about the organization and resources that you can use. The website's advocacy page includes a recently added letter to Govenor Rendell on behalf of PAACE members advocating for at least $21.5 million dollars in state allocations for adult basic and literacy education including family literacy.
Every year PAACE has its general membership meeting at the Midwinter conference. To allow us to have the general meeting, we are looking into using technology as a way to bring people “together.” You will be hearing soon about how you can join us for that meeting in February. This will be the traditional time of when the leadership of PAACE will change over.
PAACE is a longstanding organization that is traditionally rich in the shaping of adult education in Pennsylvania. It has been an honor to represent you and adult education in Pennsylvania.
'Chart a Course' at the PAACE Conference
by Lori Keefer, Greater Pittsburg Literacy Council, PAACE First Vice-President
Now is the time to register for the upcoming 2010 PAACE Annual Conference, which will be held June 1-3, 2010 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA. Early bird registration runs through February 28, 2010. Your registration fee covers admittance to all conference sessions and the marketplace, two buffet lunches, and four snack breaks! Byron Pitts, CBS national correspondent and member of the
"60 Minutes" team, will be the keynote speaker.
Plus, the first 200 paid registrants will receive a copy of our keynote speaker Byron Pitts' book, which he will autograph at the conference. Early bird registration runs through February 28, 2010. As a CBS national correspondent and a member of the 60 Minutes team, Pitts covered many of the biggest stories of the past few years. He recently did a piece on illiteracy that ran on the CBS Sunday Morning show that can be found on the CBS website. Mr. Pitts recently published a book Step Out on Nothing, chronicling his astonishing story of overcoming a childhood filled with obstacles to achieve enormous success in life.
Hotel registration is now open as well. Single or double rooms are $99/night and triple rooms are $109/night. This rate is good at either the Penn Stater or the Nittany Lion Inn. Mention the PAACE conference (be sure to spell it with the double A) when registering.
|
Proposals to present are being accepted at this time. Go to www.paacesite.org and click on the conference tab for the online application. Proposals are due by February 1, 2010. Presenters of accepted proposals will be notified in time to register for the conference and receive the early bird discount. A schedule of the conference is also available at the PAACE website conference page. This year's conference brings many exciting changes. We hope that you will join us. If you have any questions about the conference or would like to help, please contact Lori Keefer at 412.661.7323 ext 131 or Lkeefer@gplc.org. |
 |
Advocacy update and your action needed
by JoAnn Weinberger, Center for Literacy, PAACE Legislative Committee Chair
State Appropriations
Now is the time for all PAACE members to communicate with their legislators to share the impact of the state funding cuts. This communication, which can be by letter, e-mail, or request for a visit, should occur during January. To support ongoing communication between PAACE members and their legislators, PAACE has provided each program with postcards stating “HELP! I’m on a wait list for adult education.” For each person put on a program’s wait list, a postcard should be sent to the state representative and the state senator. These postcards provide an ongoing vehicle for letting the legislators know the impact of the almost 24% cut.
PAACE President Diane Inverso has sent a letter to the Governor regarding the 2010-11 proposed budget. In that letter, she urges the Governor to recommend funding at the $21.5 million level, which is what he proposed for the 2009-10 year. To read this letter, go to PAACE advocacy page. The Governor sends his budget request for all departments and programs the first week in February.
Federal Appropriations
For FY 2010-11, the appropriations bill that includes adult literacy has been finalized by the Senate and House. Even Start will be level funded at $66 million and adult education will receive a $72 million increase. The increase in adult education funding is distributed as follows: $46 million to those states that lost funding from 2003-08 due to an administrative error in the funding formula. Pennsylvania is not one of those states. The other $26 million will be distributed to all states based on the new Annual Community Survey (ACS) funding formula. It is important to note that PA’s funding by the ACS funding formula which was used for 2009-10 is less than by the former formula. For FY 2011-12, President Obama will be sending his budget proposals to Congress in early February.
Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
Congress is planning to work on the reauthorization of WIA, of which Title II is for Adult Education and Family Literacy, starting in January, assuming that the healthcare debate has been completed. PAACE will be forming an advisory group to work on recommendations to the U.S. Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation. Would you like to be part of this advisory group? Please contact JoAnn Weinberger at weinberger@centerforliteracy.org
This advisory group will do its work via e-mail and conference calls. Some of the issues include the relationship of adult literacy to the workforce development system, key outcomes to be included, and whether “direct and equitable access to funding” should remain.
New Year’s is perceived as a chance to start over or to eliminate bad habits and take on a fresh, positive way of life. People look at resolutions as self-improvement and better health. Resolutions were dated all the way back to 153 B.C. when Janus, a mythical Roman King, was placed at the head of the calendar (January). It was believed that Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions. Romans looked for forgiveness from enemies and exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year. Although the date for New Year’s is not the same in every culture, it is often a time for celebration and for customs to bring good luck in the coming year.
Are you planning to make a New Year’s Resolution for 2010? If so, here are a few to consider:
- Share a favorite book with a friend.
- Read to a child.
- Write down a story from your past and share it with your family.
- Attend the PAACE Conference in June.
- Become more involved with the PAACE Family Literacy Division.
- Celebrate being a lifelong learner and pick up a hobby you have always wanted to try.
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Holidays and everyday activities create teachable moments
by Susan W. Adams, YMCA Education and Technology Center, ESL Division Co-Chair
The mother of a staff person volunteered four full turkey dinners with all the trimmings to be raffled off. One of our ESL students, Yukie, won an uncooked turkey and brought it to me with a perplexed look on her face and replied, “What do I do now?” Her instructor, Muriel, a volunteer at the Y, whom I have known for more than 35 years, (she was my children's teacher in Middle School) quickly informed Yukie that she should bring the turkey to her apartment in order for her to learn how to prepare the bird. The story that follows is a message for all ESL instructors to remind us that we assume so much more about our students than is the reality.
Our program runs with dedicated instructors and volunteers who go the distance for their students. I hope that you enjoy reading a holiday story that demonstrates how the everyday, becomes even more special when it is shared by a teacher and her student.
|
I didn't win the raffle but I won Thanksgiving
by Muriel Holland, Tutor at YMCA Adult Education and Technology Center I didn't win the fabulous Thanksgiving treats when the raffle was held at the YMCA last Tuesday afternoon; in fact, I had no ticket to make me eligible, but I won the greatest Thanksgiving treat the raffle provided. On late Tuesday afternoon I got a call that had a bit of anxiety in the voice that asked, "Muriel, do you want a Thanksgiving turkey?" "No, I am eating with my daughter who already has a big Butterball waiting to be roasted. Why do you ask? I keep asking you not to give me so many treats." "Well, I won the turkey and the most food at the luncheon today," my student and friend Yukie responded, and I don't know what to do with it." Having discussed this with her sushi chef husband, she decided to give me the bird. Our conversations about using the traditional bird revealed that Yukie has a regular range in her apartment and an oven which she had never used since the idea of having 100 degrees of heat was frightening. We further discovered that directions we consider so simple as to be ignored, are baffling to one who never thought "10 pounds, 325 degrees, 15 minutes per pound." Not being able to determine the real problem, I suggested that Yukie keep the bird in the refrigerator until Thanksgiving morning and that she bring it to my condo about 8 o'clock, and we could roast it together. About 8:30 my doorman announced that my guests had arrived, and soon at my door stood Yukie and daughter Linda with enough luggage to spend a few days. Little did the doorman know that the bags were filled with roasting pans, frozen potatoes, turkey stuffmg, gravy and an 11 pound "pre-cooked glazed young turkey". "Doh, it was young when they killed it," Linda responded while I cynically said, "fortunately or we'd make turkey soup." For the next half hour we poured over the weight of the turkey and how to prepare the turkey in a "conventional oven" after distinguishing the oven choices given on Butterball's clear instructions. But we still had a problem. Yukie had never used the oven in her apartment where she has lived about two years. Fortunately I was baking a ham that would not be marred if we practiced setting temperatures, changing temperatures, distinguishing baking and broiling, turning on and canceling when complete. Then ensued a discussion of roasting pans, the bottom drawer in the range and using the drawer for storage. The conclusion was that Yukie would take home all the good things, even the gravy that could boil in a pot and have her first traditional American Thanksgiving as she experimented the "American way". While we enjoyed a few free moments together, Linda took out her violin to give us a little recital. After a "Happy Thanksgiving to you" to the tune of Happy Birthday, she played Jingle Bells and an old Chinese love song from classical times. It was a wonderful morning for me, an educational time for Yukie who increased her English as well as her cooking skills, and Linda's enrichment. |
PAACE is an organization that is made up of dedicated individuals who volunteer their time to support the field of adult and continuing education. It is with pleasure that we announce the newest nominees to join the PAACE board. An online ballot will be sent to all current PAACE members via e-mail. We look forward to having these experienced individuals join the board. We also invite you to become more involved in PAACE. There are ways to be involved on an ongoing basis, as-needed basis, and for specific events/tasks. Please contact a board member if you are interested in learning about how you can share your talents with PAACE.| Second Vice-President: Shawn Barnum | |||
| Shawn Barnum has been working with Center for Literacy in Philadelphia for five years. He has taught ABE and ASE level community based classes, Move-Up classes and Impact Transition classes. Shawn currently functions as Program Manager – Community Based Adult Education/Information Services Manager, which entails ensuring quality education programs through the supervision of the coordinators of CFL’s Adult Diploma Program and 14 instructors in 27 classes across the city; additionally, he supervises data entry for the entire agency, which served nearly 4,000 learners last year. Shawn has served as Eastern Regional Representative for PAACE for nearly a year and has a rather extensive background in finance and sales. |
|
| 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. She currently holds the position of PAACE Secretary and is running for another term. |
|
| Treasurer: Alexander Dow Alexander Dow is currently the interim Treasurer for PAACE. Previously Alexander served as Western Regional Representative for the organization from 2007-2009. Alexander works for Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) as the Downtown Center Manager and serves as President of the Allegheny County Community Services Advisory Council. Alexander also served two years as an AmeriCorps member with GPLC from 1999-2001. Alexander graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Philosophy and earned a certificate in Accounting. |
|
|
||||||
Connect with other members virtually
By Sara Ward, Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council, PAACE Communications Chair
PAACE now offers members an opportunity to network beyond the annual conference – virtually! 
is a professional social networking website. With a LinkedIn account, you create free profile to showcase your education, experience, credentials, and areas of professional interest. LinkedIn offers opportunities to connect and network with current and previous colleagues, coworkers, and classmates who also have a LinkedIn profile.
Here are a few videos and articles that explain LinkedIn and profile creation:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-join-linkedin.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-set-up-a-profile-on-linkedin.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/linkedin-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzT3JVUGUzM
| After you create your free LinkedIn profile, the fastest way to find the PAACE group is to click once on the word Groups at the top of the page, then you will click on the blue “Find a Group” link on the upper right portion of the page. In the Search Groups box on the left side of the screen, type in the keyword PAACE and click the blue search button. |  |
PAACE Annual Meeting features health literacy speaker
By Sara Ward, Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council, PAACE Communications Chair
This year’s annual meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 17th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. via webinar. In previous years, this meeting was held during a luncheon at the PAACE Midwinter Conference. However, due to the change of conference dates the annual meeting will now take place as an online webinar. The guest speaker for this year’s meeting is Rebecca Carpenter, who will answer your questions about health literacy.
The webinar is open to any PAACE member from the current (2009-10) or previous membership year (2008-09). The webinar will be recorded and available after the session for those unable to participate. PAACE members can submit questions for the guest speaker in advance to web@paacesite.org. In your question please indicate your position and the county or region in which you work. Names will not be used when the questions are posed to Ms. Carpenter during the webinar. The deadline for question submission is Saturday, February 13, 2010.
Rebecca Carpenter, Ph.D., is the Director of Special Projects at Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council and a member of the Health Literacy in Rural Pennsylvania Initiative. Rebecca has worked in health literacy for over nine years with collaborations that include the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Highmark, Gateway Health Plan, UPMC Health Plan, and the Birmingham Foundation. Additionally, she serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at Duquesne University and as a Team Leader for English Curriculum at Duquesne’s School of Leadership and Professional Advancement.
Attendees and those interested in viewing the webinar recording if they cannot attend must pre-register with their e-mail addresses. Registration will open February 1, 2010 with a Dimdim registration box placed on the main page of PAACE’s website. A reminder will be sent through the PAACE Members e-mail list as well.
The webinar platform used for the annual meeting is Dimdim. The technology requirements for the session include:
- Operating System: Windows 2000 or higher –or– Mac OSX
- Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 6 or higher, Safari 2 or higher, or Firefox 1.5 or higher
- Adobe Flash Player: Version 9 or higher (Visit http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ to see if you player is up-to-date.)
- Speakers or headphones
- Microphone (optional – see below*)
*If time permits, Rebecca will answer additional health literacy questions posed from the audience at the end of her session. Attendees may use their microphone or the chat window ask questions. For those who want to test their microphones, the webinar room will open at 9:30 a.m. prior to the start of the annual meeting.
New streamlined FAFSA now available
Now is the time for students to submit their Free Applicaton for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Completing this form is required to recieve any federal financial aid including loans for post-secondary education. The US Department of Education has announced that it has streamlined the web-based application process. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) also uses the FAFSA to determine state aid.
The deadline for completing this form varies by type of educational program and whether this is a new application or renewal. Pennsylvania student deadlines are posted on the PHEAA website. If you have earners who are interested in college, World Education has developed a website just for adult learners. The College for Adults website provides helpful information about career planning, applying for college, financial planning, academic skills, and resources. With a computer and these resources, you or your adult learner can successfully naviagate the college admission and financial aid process.
Pennsylvania Career Guide updated
Do you have learners that aren't quite sure what career path they want to take or are you curious about different occupations? The Pennsylvania Department of Labor has updated their popular Pennsylvania Career Guide for 2009-10. This resource has wage and job outlook information for Pennsylvania occupations, personal assessments to help determine career choices, and information about state agencies and resources available to help job seekers. It can be helpful for first-time job seekers or those looking to change a career.
The Pennsylvania Career Guide can be found at online at: www.paworkstats.state.pa.us/gsipub/index.asp?docid=405. Additional workforce data and resources can be found at The Center for Workforce Information & Analysis website.
Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C)
February 21-24, 2010
Hershey Lodge
Hershey, PA
www.peteandc.org/
COABE Proliteracy Conference
March 15-19, 2010
Chicago Hilton
Chicago, IL
coabeproliteracy2010.org
TESOL’s 44th Annual Convention & Exhibit
March 24-27, 2010
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
Boston, MA
www.tesol.org/s_tesol/convention2010
PA Partners 26th Annual Employment, Training and Education Conference
May 19-21, 2010
Hershey Lodge
Hershey, PA
www.papartners.org
2010 PAACE Conference
June 1-3, 2010
Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel
State College, PA
www.paacesite.org/web-data/Diagrams/PAACE%20Site/conference.html
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsyvlania (AICUP) Member
Meeting on Collaboration
June 10, 2010
Heritage Hills Conference Center
York, PA
www.aicup.org
2010 American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) Conference
October 24-29, 2010
Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort
Clearwater Beach, FL
www.aaace.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: Diane Inverso (Mayor's Commission on Literacy)
First Vice-President: Lori Keefer (Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council)
Second Vice-President: Cheryl Hiester (Literacy Council of Lancaster-Lebanon)
Secretary: Anita Cola (Lackawanna College)
Treasurer: Alex Dow (Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council)
Immediate Past President: Tana Reiff (TIU 11 Community Education Services)
Remote Past President: Chuck Klinger (TIU 11 Community Education Services)
Western Region Representative: Marcia Anderson and Lynne Watson (Lifelong Learning Choices)
Central Region Representative: Mary Mingle (Central Intermediate Unit 10)
Eastern Region Representative: Shawn Barnum (Center for Literacy)
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: Kathy Pavel (Intermediate Unit 1)
ESL Division Directors : Susan Adams (YMCA of Philadelphia), Martin Senger (GECAC), and Cathie Whitmire (Hispanic American Council)
Family Literacy Division Directors: Lori McMonigal (TIU 11 Community Education Services) and Katherine Vastine (Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16)
Tutors of Literacy in the Commonwealth Division Director: Kim Rossman (Tutors of Literacy in the Commonwealth)
Workforce Development Division Director: Tim Shenk (Lancaster-Lebanon IU 13)
PDE Bureau of ABLE Representative: Susan Mansuetti
Postsecondary & Higher Education: Sandra Edmunds
Commonwealth Libraries: Eileen Kocher
Organizational Director: Monica Shields
Committee Chairs/Full Board list: See the PAACE website.
PAACE News Editorial Board
Destiny Long, TIU 11 Community Education Services, Editor
Lynette Hazelton, District 1199C Training and Upgrading Fund
Peggi Kelley, Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council
Diane Inverso, Mayor's Commission on Literacy
Chrissie Klinger, Bedford County Literacy Council/Chestnut Ridge School District
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 January 18, 2010.
To submit material for PAACE News, please e-mail Sara Ward at sward@gplc.org.