Say Yes To Success: Pathways to Global Education, at CSN West Charleston campus. If interested in presenting, contact Sylvia Villalva (svillalva@interact.ccsd.net). For registration forms, contact Jodi Ruback (jodi.ruback@csn.edu). More information will be posted in September at http://www.snvcatesol.org.

September 13 – 19, 2010 is Adult Education and Family Literacy Week! Recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and supported by the National Coalition for Literacy, this is a one-time only dedication to raise public awareness of adult education and family literacy, assist adult learners in need of literacy services, and support increased access to adult education and family literacy programs. Use this opportunity to elevate adult education and family literacy nationwide with policymakers, the media, and the community.

See the NCL Advocacy Clearinghouse and Toolkit for new resources, the latest fact sheets, sample press releases, and commemoration ideas for program directors, instructors, and partner organizations to raise awareness. Leverage the attention of International Literacy Day, September 8, to build momentum for attention to your program.

Mary Katherine Moen

Mary Katherine Moen will retire on August 13 after serving as Nevada’s adult education director for 11 years. Charged with overseeing the state’s Adult Basic Education and GED Testing system, Mary Katherine focused her tenure on developing infrastructure to serve the state’s rapidly expanding population of adult learners.

“I’m very proud that we’ve codified policy, developed an Administrator’s Handbook to document it, created Adult Education Content Standards for the AEFLA-funded programs, improved our professional development system, and boosted accountability,” she said. “I am extremely blessed and honored to have worked with such dedicated people doing such important work.”

Mary Katherine served on the Executive Committee of the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium and is recognized as an effective advocate for adult education by her colleagues throughout the country.

She plans to move to Portland, Oregon, near her brother, sisters, children, and granddaughter Louise.

The AEFLA-funded programs will celebrate Mary Katherine’s life change at the end of their annual summer retreat on Thursday, August 12 from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. at the Plaza Picnic Pavilion (near the Brick House) at Bartley Ranch Park, 6000 Bartley Ranch Road, Reno. Contact Claudia Bianca (cbianca@tmcc.edu, 775/824-8604) by August 1 if you’d like to join the party!

To pay by credit card, debit card or bank transfer, click the “Pay Now” button.

To pay with check or money order, send your payment along with your name, address and telephone number to:

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow:
Why our students leave and what we can do to help them stay.

Part I:  Tuesday, April 6, 2010, 2:30 PST

Part II: Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 2:30 PST

Click Here to Register for Part II Now!

We finally have good research on adult learner persistence.  In preparation for Part I, you will read four short research briefs and during Part I we will review those findings to learn what that research tells us about adults’ participation in our programs.

Between Part I and Part II, each of you will use a framework derived from that research to list classroom, program policy, and professional development strategies you use now to promote persistence.  (Everyone has successful strategies.)

In Part II we will discuss strategies for each of the parts of that framework.  Dr. McLendon will share with you strategies that come out of the research as well as strategies that he has collected from working on student persistence with your colleagues in more than sixteen states.  He will also ask you to share strategies that you have found to work to add to his list.  As a result of our discussions, your task will be to think about matching strategies that fit your local program, your staff, and your students.  To wrap it all up, we will discuss a template for your using these materials to engage your colleagues in your program to create a student persistence learning project.

Free Webinar for NAE members – Register Here

Download the Learner-Persistence-Training-Packet

Download Required Reading for Part I: Learner-Persistence-Research-Briefs

Download Presentation Slides for Part I

If you believe that funding cuts to K-12 and the Nevada System of Higher Education are not solutions for the state’s budget crisis, then consider adding your name to Fight for Nevada: A Petition in Defense of Education.

The Fight for Nevada website is sponsored by The Associated Students of the University of Nevada (ASUN) and has collected thousands of signature from alumnus, alumna, students, faculty, staff, and supporters of Nevada’s institutions of higher education.

Arizona, host of MPAEA 2010: Mining the Treasures in Adult Education” recently released many details for the annual conference. At www.mpaea2010.org you’ll find a conference overview, schedule-at-a-glance, and information about the Fiesta Resort Conference Center in Tempe. You can register online or print hard copy for mail-in registration.

NAE members Kim Forney (Humboldt County School District), Joy Zimmerman and Gail Hettich (TMCC), and Teri Zutter and Angela Andrade (WNC) will be presenting. (Anyone else out there? Let us know!)

Nevada Adult Educators will meet Thursday from 5-6 p.m.

Hope to see you there!

Olu Akinyele

Olu Akinyele taught math at Cheyenne High School for five years and has served as Math Instruction and Mathematics Depart­ment Chair for the Department of Adult Education, Clark County School District, since August 2005. Challenged by the tremendous growth in southern Nevada during much of the past decade, the Nigerian native is especially proud of his participation in the development and implementation of an adult education math curriculum that has produced an increase in the completion rate for the state math proficiency exam. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Idaho State University and a master’s in accounting from UNLV, where he also completed the Graduate Teacher Licensure Program.

“I am a firm believer in the old adage ‘it is never too late to learn,’” said Olu. I joined the board because I see it as an opportunity to serve with other adult educators in building on the achievements of this last decade and channeling a course for the future that will benefit every stakeholder.”

Vivian Vasquez Fully, Ed.D.

Vivian Vasquez Fully, Ed.D. currently teaches in and serves as Science Chair for the Adult Education Department for the Clark County School District. She holds a B.F.A. in art and design from the University of Texas, M.Ed.’s in counseling and in curriculum and instruction/creative arts, and a doctorate in educational/organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University. She has developed a Training Manual based on her dissertation, Development of a Training Program in Teacher-Mediated Class Meetings.

Vivian applied for Board membership because “ I am interested in becoming involved with educational issues that would benefit adult educators and students. I believe that my total experiences — in business as well as education — can benefit the organization as a whole.”

Kim Forney with son Michael

Kim Forney shown at left with son Michael, has worked with JOIN and the Humboldt County School District for more than nine years, the last four with the adult education program. She serves juvenile and adult offenders, as well as adults ranging widely in age and life experiences. She holds a B.A. in elementary education from Great Basin College and a master’s degree in secondary education from Grand Canyon University.

“Now that I have completed my M.A. I am ready to put back into education all the wonderful experiences I have gained through my educational journey. I enjoy the challenges of adult education and working with the wonderful organizations that serve this alternative group of educators.”

What depth and breadth these three new members bring to NAE’s Board of Directors! Much thanks to them for taking a leadership role in the organization!

Heath Horvat

Heath Horvat began his career as an elementary teacher for the Clark County School District in 1996; last August he became coordinator of the English Language Learner Program, overseeing 42 CCSD schools. He also teaches adult ESL and GED classes for the College of Southern Nevada and science education in the Bachelor’s of Elementary Education program at Nova Southeastern University. He holds master’s degrees in educational leadership from Nova and in education with a focus on technology and instruction from Western Governors University.

The Pennsylvania native enjoys swimming and music, but what really touches his soul is when he feels he’s made a difference. “When I see a former student and hear a ‘Thank you, Mr. Horvat, for teaching me English,’ I know that I have helped to make that student’s life better. By serving on this Board, I hope to help even more of the adult learners in our community.”