Oak Park Language Communities

WLAC Public Presentation at Dole Learning Center

The WLAC presented to the general public on May 16th at Dole Learning Center it's main presentation "Language Communities in Oak Park". About twenty parents attended the presentation by Kathleen Priceman (Senior Faculty of the PSIP) and Dawn Fogle Deaton (Teacher Leader of FLES). Dr. Kevin Anderson, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning for District 97 introduced the presentation and also stayed for questions and answers.

Attendees queried about Mann's FLES program, how to expand PSIP to other schools, teacher union support of language programs, comparative performance of PSIP and FLES, the strategic plan's addressing of language, and the needs of Mandarin speaking children.

June All Parent Meeting at Lincoln School

June 5 (Tuesday), 7pm to 9pm
Lincoln School Media Room (second floor)

The faculty of the District 97 in-curricular language programs -- Partial Spanish Immersion Program (PSIP), World Language FLES, and Middle Level -- invites all District 97 parents to become involved in the World Language Advisory Committee’s newly created Parent Group (WLACPG) and at the school PTO level as a language advocate or liaison to the WLAC.

The WLAC has set specific goals and objectives for the 2007-08 academic year, aligned with those of the emerging District 97 strategic plan. While much of the work will be done by faculty, these goals can only be reached if there is parent participation.

It would be helpful in preparation for the meeting to review the WLAC vision and goals, by downloading the presentation “Language Communities in Oak Park” at : www.op97.org/curriculum/worldlang/index.html

Parent involvement has been key in the development of our long standing language learning tradition. In order to strengthen and continue that, it is essential to have focused and sustained parent involvement. We estimate time commitment for the WLACPG will be about four hours a month, and about 1 hour a month for PTO (not including other PTO commitments that may be requested by school PTOs).

We invite you to an open parent meeting on June 5 at Lincoln School 7-9 pm to discuss the WLACPG and PTO participation. We urge all parents interested in the future of language in District 97 schools to attend this meeting. We look forward to our continued work together.

For more specifics about the parent groups or if you are interested in being involved, please contact:

WLAC/PG Contact
Nance Zartman
zarticeks@comcast.net

PTO Language Coordinator Contact
Megan Clarke
mclairch@sbcglobal.net

Please download an adobe acrobat announcement, by pressing on this link:
Download WLAC_Parent_June.pdf (18.8K)

Parent Meeting at Lincoln School

Dr. Kevin Anderson, Kathleen Priceman, Dawn Fogle Deaton and parents representing Lincoln, Hatch, Whittier, Irving, and Mann attended a meeting on June 5th at Lincoln's Media Center to hear specific WLAC goals for 2007-08 and how parents could help. Questions varied from how to share information more effectively with parents who are searching for consistent language development of their children, what resources WLAC will need to meet it's objectives, and how the upcoming srtategic plan may affect current language programs.

Several parents signed up, either to be a local school PTO liaison to the WLAC or to be involved with the World Language Advisory Committee Citizen Group. If you are interested in being part of either of these, please contact Nance Zartman (WLACCG) at zarticeks@comcast.net or Megan Clark (PTO) at mclairch@sbcglobal.net.

The WLAC plans to have a social/initial working meeting with signed up parents later in June, with a follow-up workshop to mobilize working committees and communications in August.

July Meeting Social

On July 11th, interested parents who have participated in earlier public meetings sponsored by the WLAC attended a social at Megan Clarke's home. On a cool summer's evening, parents created stronger links with one another.

Dawn Fogle Deaton discussed several goals that the newly forming WLAC Citizen Group and PTO representatives could help. Parents asked questions around World Language extra-curricular options at individual schools, World Language parity between schools, metrics around language performance, and how to increase the visibility of the WLAC to individual PTOs.

This meeting proved that having more social/issue events are important to revitalize language community building. The WLAC is planning to have a working meeting to mobilize interested parents or citizens to be part of the WLAC Citizen Group or to be a PTO representative.

If you are interested in being part of the citizen group, please contact Nance Zartman at zarticeks@comcast.net, and PTO please contact Megan Clarke at mclairch@sbcglobal.net. We are looking for PTO representatives at the following schools : Beye, Lincoln, Irving, Julian, Brooks, Whittier, Mann, Hatch and Longfellow.

4th Annual Spanish Immersion Picnic!

Lincoln School is hosting the annual Partial Spanish Immersion Program (PSIP) Pot Luck Event on Monday, August 27, 2007 @ 6PM at the Lincoln School Activity Room.

Families of students entering the following grades are asked to contribute…
All families are asked to please bring their own plates, napkins & utensils.

1st Appetizers or Main dishes (10-15 servings)
2nd Main dishes (10-15 servings)
3rd Salad, fruit, or veggies (10-15 servings)
4th Desserts (15-20 servings)
5th Cups and Beverages (20-25 servings)

Questions? Please contact:
Katy Moore (1st, 2nd & 5th grades)
Anna Miller (3rd grade)
Nancy Scullion (4th grade) Download the pdf announcement Download Immersion_Picnic_2007.pdf

PSIP Pot Luck Dinner a Success

On August 27, 2007 at Lincoln School, faculty, parents and children of the Partial Spanish Immersion Program (PSIP) gathered for food and conversation to get ready for the new academic year. Over 100 people attended this event with the introduction by Kathleen Priceman (1st Grade and Senior Teacher), and words by Principal Catherine Hamilton. A new third grade teacher, Jessica Parra was introduced. Thanks to all the parents who coordinated this important event.

October 1st Working Meeting at Lincoln School

The WLAC has set specific goals and objectives for the 2007-08 academic year, aligned with those of the emerging District 97 strategic plan. While much of the work will be done by faculty, these goals can only be reached if there is parent participation.

As promised, we are having a working meeting on October 1st, from 7 to 9pm at Lincoln School's Media Center (Library). The goal is to review goals and match parents to help faculty meet specific goals.

If you are interested in becoming involved for a few hours a week, it would be helpful in preparation for the meeting to review the WLAC vision and goals, by downloading the presentation “Language Communities in Oak Park” and downloading the WLAC 2007-08 goals.

Parent involvement has been key in the development of our long standing language learning tradition in Oak Park. If you know of other parents that you have a good working relationship with who may be interested being involved with specific working committees, or to be involved with individual PTO's as a language representative, please invite them to come to this working meeting.

We thank the citizens who have signed up thus far for their continued interest in being involved, and we look forward to a successful and productive year.

October 1st Working Meeting at Lincoln School Successful

The WLAC thanks all those who attended last night's workshop on mobilizing on specific internal and external goals for 2007-2008. Presently we have 26 citizens representing Brooks, Julian, Irving, Lincoln, Longfellow, Mann and Whittier schools involved with the Citizen Group and have 5 citizens from Hatch, Lincoln, Mann and Whittier Schools interested in being PTO language representatives.

Kathleen and Dawn commented on the positive energy and focus to help the in-curricular programs to meet goals as well as strengthen the connection between in-curricular and extra-curricular programs.

If you know of other individuals who would be interested in investing about four hours a month in the WLACCG, or be a PTO representative, or if they are supporters of language, please forward their name, school affiliation (if any), and e-mail address and send it to wlacop@gmail.com.

Bilingual Education & World Language Commission Symposium

Bilingual Education & World Language Commission
January 24 & 25, 2008
Marriott Chicago at Medical District/UIC
625 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, Illinois

Learn from experts in the fields of language acquisition, bilingual education, dual language, world language, English Language Learners (ELLs), and education policy reform as it relates to ELLs; share best practices from local, national, and international programs; begin discussion on policy and program recommendations to CPS.

Audience: BEWL Commission members; CPS central office staff, bilingual ed and World Language teachers, school administrators; supporters of multi-language learning; educators from neighboring school districts; funders.


Agenda
January 24
3:00 pm Registration
3:30 pm Opening Keynote: Dr. Myriam Met, National Foreign Language, Center, University of Maryland
Reception to follow

January 25
8:00 am Registration
8:30 am - 4:30 pm presenters:
Fred Genesee, McGill University
Kathryn Lindholm-Leary, San Jose State
Rita Oleksak, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
Kim Potowski, University of Illinois at Chicago
Carola Suarez-Orozco, New York University
Irma Rohatgi, Houston Independent School District

To confirm your attendance please contact the BEWL project assistant by Jan.18, 2008 at bewlcommission@live.com or 773.553.1902.

Download BEWL_Symposium.pdf

“A New Perspective on Assessment: A Holistic Approach” Symposium

“A New Perspective on Assessment: A Holistic Approach”
Mercedes Gallegos, Kathleen Priceman, & Denise Meuser

Saturday, Feb, 9
Normal Community H.S.
Normal, Illinois
9 AM – 3 PM

Tuesday, Feb. 12
Glenbrook South H. S.
Lombard
9 AM – 3 PM

Registration Deadline: Friday, February 1, 2008

Come to this all-day workshop which will give you the latest information on a technique called “Backwards Design” and about such assessment tools as LinguaFolio and LinguaFolio Junior.

Portfolio-based profiles like these serve as effective motivators by clearly showing our students that effort really does equal achievement. Our presenters all attended the Central States Extension Workshop last spring where they were trained in these methodologies.

Now they will share them with you and discuss their first-hand experiences using these approaches in their own classrooms. In order to better serve our members, ICTFL is sponsoring this workshop at both a Downstate site and Chicago-area site. Choose the one that is most convenient for you.

Participants in this workshop will earn five CPDUs and will be provided with a large packet of workshop materials.

Registration form also found online at www.ictfl.org

Download winterfest-1.pdf