Happy Birthday Fausto!

Wow! Fausto is now of legal age! Where did all the time go? We love you, Faust!

Assistive Technology Training

Assistive Technology Program will be conducting a Parent Training. The training is an OVERVIEW of the assistive technology that promotes access to the curriculum!

LOCATION: School of Business and Public Administration Building

Multi-Purpose Room

University of Guam

TIME: 5:30pm to 7:30pm

TOPIC/DATE:

SOLO Suite Program November 13 (Tuesday)

iPad Applications November 27 (Tuesday)

Bookshare Program December 11 (Tuesday)

Please call or email to register for the training at 300-1322 or lktaisipic@gdoe.net

For more information and special accommodations contact Parent Services @ 300-1322 or sped@gdoe.net.

AmeriCorps Alums Newsletter - October 2012

October 2012 Issue

 

In this issue

1. October's One Thing - Give	2. Donate to Alums
3. Serve for Halloween	4. Alums in the News

 

AmeriCorps was among the most important things I have ever done in my life. I helped finish a house for a York, P.A. family so that they could move-in before Christmas. I served past sunset for two years with Boston middle schoolers in an after-school program, and stayed up later checking-in with their parents by phone and prepping for the next day's class. Now, as the Executive Director of AmeriCorps Alums I also have the honor of leading the only national nonprofit network for alumni of all AmeriCorps programs.
AmeriCorps matters to each of us. I'm writing to ask you to support AmeriCorps Alums.
I believe AmeriCorps Alums are THE pipeline for 21^st century leaders, living out a commitment to a lifetime of service. In 2012, AmeriCorps Alums has:

• Grown chapters 200%, from 20 to 60, and completed our first ever chapter impact survey
• Launched a FREE career development program with online trainings that engaged over 1000 alumni live
• Convened over 200 alumni and honored 12 Champions for Change at the AmeriCorps Alums Day at the White House

So our "One Thing” this month is GIVE. Our goal is to get 1000 new alumni donations during our Fall campaign from October 23 – November 16. Please join us by donating today and thank you for your time and service.
In Service,

Ben Duda
Executive Director and an AmeriCorps Alum

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 Donate to Alums

Remember your best day in AmeriCorps? You made a difference in someone's life; you left a neighborhood better than you found it. You've carried that moment forward with you as an AmeriCorps Alum – influencing how you've lived your life and how you see the world.
Now it's time to pay-it-forward and support AmeriCorps Alums, giving back in the spirit of the program that helped shape who you are today. Your contribution will: help us develop more webinars, organize more chapters, advocate for national service, and sustain the spirit of AmeriCorps beyond our own experiences and for the next generation.
Please consider donating to AmeriCorps Alums today. You can make a big difference!

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Serve for Halloween

Serving after AmeriCorps doesn't have to be scary. ‘Tis the season of giving, so why not start with by giving back this Halloween. Alums from across the country have found timely ways to serve through the planning of timely events that are both fun and spooky. What are some of the ways you can serve during All Hallow's Eve?

• Stop Hunger & Eat Brains for Service This Halloween
• "Stop Hunger, Eat Brains" – Photo Album
• The Brickell Trick-or-Treat Crawl – Register to Serve with Miami AmeriCorps Alums
• I Didn't Come Here To Die – An AmeriCorps Inspired Horror Movie
 

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Alums in the News

AmeriCorps Alums continue to be leaders in their years after service and it's always great to see our stories be lifted and shared through the media streams, especially if it's told in gifs. We continue to see Alums' in the news and we'd like to share our favorite Alums headlines from the past month:

• One Way Ticket to Be Fearless: an AmeriCorps Alum's Journey - The Case Foundation
• Our Talking Hands - Interview via Hey Jenny Rogers
• Hundreds of Habitat AmeriCorps members gather for annual conference to learn and serve
• Unemployed Veterans Get Help From New AmeriCorps Program, Community Blueprint

                             

Source:  AmeriCorpsAlums.org

Happy Birthday Julia and Kinny!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our oldest and youngest children! Time goes by so fast! WE LOVE YOU!

UOG Culture and Learning Forum

The University of Guam's Enrollment & Student Services in collaboration with the School of Education and Human Resources Office held a meaningful Culture & Learning Forum on October 19, 2012 with focus on "enriching and contextualizing teaching and learning in Pacific Island settings to improve achievement."

Participants were enlightened by various cultural speeches. Among a few of the highlights are the following:

"I have my own story, my own identity, and I need to accept that," said Dr. Isebong Asang, Palau Community College. Asang said that it's essential to have "knowledge, history and truth specific to Palau." MESULANG, Dr. Asang, for the inspirational speech!

Dr. Nicholas Goetzfridt shared that we must genuinely focus on ethnomathematics, the language of numbers. He said that it "requires different people around the world, and in this case the Pacific, to adapt (relevant mathemathetics)."

Traditional ethnomathematics in the Pacific involve "navigators of the past, navigators of the present, and values to live on," Goetzfridt said. He stressed the traditional ideas of patterns and that if the indigenous mathematics is unable to be carried out, it is done through imperial colonial means.

Our traditional mathematics need to be preserved in education, because it is the essence of communal identity. In fact, the UH Project MACIMISE is doing research to recover mathematical ideas and curriculum ideas to be used in schools. This will allow us to imagine with purpose and resolve for our own ethnomathematical identity. To get an insight of the experience on one of the UH candidates' first phase of Project MACIMISE, visit http://projectmacimise-rivera.blogspot.com.

Dr. Frankie Santos Laanan, SOE Dean focused on "Sieving Through Asian and Pacific Island Data on Culture Variation and Achievement." He mentioned about the importance of STEM. He further shared videos and websites to provide explicit, yet meaningful visuals pertaining to its relevance. Check out Pathway2.stemdegree.org for more information.

Students in the videos shared powerful messages, such as the following: "I'm just as good as anyone else in college." Another student said, "I deserve to be here. I work just as hard as anyone here."

The CARE was also highlighted and its relevance in research regarding Asian Americans, risk factors of AAPI students, and other critical areas of research. Laanan also presented statistics and terminologies, such as MSI-Minority serving institution and AANAPSI-Asian Americans Native Americans Pacific Islanders.

Laanan expressed the need to expand knowledge, broaden awareness, and build institutional capacity. He shared DOE and UOG data to stress the critical needs. He mentioned that of the 31,000 students in DOE, there is a high ESL population. This entails that we are faced with the challenge to meet the unique needs of ELLs.

Unfortunately, Guam's latest SAT10 performance data shows low scores. This makes us question what's happening in these areas. "What are we going to do about it? How do we serve these students? What do we do to ensure that they understand?" Laanan asked.

He presented student demographics, trends, enrollment by ethnicity, gender, and status. He also shared that for the UOG English placement, 2/3 placed in developmental English (EN085 and EN100).

Laanan further shared retention and graduation tracking by program statistics, so that we can reflect and analyze the data. He then showed a Robert Feldman video that mentioned we need to take action, so that we don't endanger college student success. We need to provide opportunities for first year experiences before college students arrive on campus.

Dr. Michael Bevacqua focused on decolonization. He said that Guam is a colony and shared the expansive definition of decolonization. He stated that some people think that "if he (colonial power) ever leaves, all the things disappear" or "so long as the colonizer is in power, you are out of luck."

He questioned, "What is the role the university should take in regards to this situation?" He stressed that we should "look more regional for things," because it's important that we tap on our own resources that are within reach.

UOG President, Dr. Robert Underwood, also highlighted the importance of culture and education. "Education is one through which cultural knowledge is formulated," he said.

Underwood said, "It takes the strength of soul for a child to struggle, to travel, to succeed." He reminded participants to make a difference. "As you navigate, you must help them learn," he said.

He highlighted culture as a process and that we must understand where those places are. Underwood further questioned, "What do we do about our students? What do we know about our students? Did we do anything about it (data performance)?"

Enjoy the following snapshots taken during the forum!

Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President, says his speech on culture and learning.

Dr. Isebong Asang, Palau Community College Professor, conducts her presentation titled, "Palauan Epistemology: Implications on Teaching & Learning."

Dr. Frankie Santos Laanan, SOE Dean, conducts his presentation titled, "Sieving Through Asian and Pacific Island Data on Culture Variation and Achievement."

Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua conducts his presentation titled, "Decolonization at the University of Guam."

Larry Gamboa, UOG Chief Human Resources Officer, welcomes the participants of the Culture & Learning Forum.

Dr. Nicholas Goetzfridt conducts his presentation titled, "Ethnomathematics in Micronesia."

I SONGSONG SINAJANA: A PHOTO COLLECTION OF SINAJANA

INVITATION TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY:

As part of the Sinajana Fiesta activities this year, you are cordially invited to the exhibit opening of I SONGSONG SINAJANA:  A PHOTO COLLECTION OF SINAJANA this coming WEDNESDAY, October 24, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sinajana Community Center exhibit hall.  The photo exhibit showcases the L. Ron Hubbard Collection of black and white photos of the resettlement of Sinajana village by WWII refugees from both old Sinajana, Hagatna and surrounding areas.  As a result of the WWII resettlement, this ancient village (indicated in 17th century records) became the largest village in Guam with many residents establishing themselves as parishioners of St. Jude Church.  The collection dates from late 19th century to post Urban Renewal period.  The exhibit was made possible through a grant from the Guam Visitors Bureau as a way of augmenting and enhancing Chamorro cultural celebrations.  Photos were also provided by Sinajana residents, the Capuchin Collection, and the Micronesian Area Research Center at UOG.

The multi-page exhibit catalogue will be provided to the first 100 signed-in guests--one per family.

PLEASE COME, SEE and ENJOY OUR EXHIBIT of over 50 photos.  And, please kindly pass this invitation on to relatives, friends, off-island guests and military visitors.  The Exhibit Hall will also be opened from Thursday, Oct. 25 to Monday, Oct. 29, 10a.m. to 5:00p.m.

Respectfully,

HOPE A. CRISTOBAL 

and WILLIAM L. HERNANDEZ, Curators

on behalf of the 2012 SINAJANA JUBILEE FIESTA COMMITTEE

Peter Onedera, Chairperson & PIBBA International President

Guam will host the 32nd Annual International PIBBA Conference

Get ready for the upcoming PIBBA Conference in Guam in July 2013! Stay tuned, and visit http://pibbainternational.blogspot.com or http://pibbaguam.blogspot.com for updates!

Join us for the SOE Alumni Association Membership Drive

Please join us for the SOE Alumni Association membership drive to be held during the Guam Council IRA meeting on Saturday, October 13, 2012 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Guam Aurora Resort & Spa (Old Hotel Okura). Visit us at the SOE Alumni Association table this Saturday, see any officer at the Guam IRA meetings, or check out our website at http://soealumniassociation.blogspot.com for further details.

The SOE Alumni Association supports SOE’s mission of effectively preparing educators and other education personnel for professional per-formance in diverse cultural contexts. It serves as a connection for which SOE alumni can give back to their alma mater by sharing their talents, resources, etc. in different SOE events. It further serves as a source for developing alumni pride, spirit, and life-long commitments to the School of Education.

We hope to see you soon!  Si Yu'os Ma'ase'!

Community invited to UOG Alumni Association Family Expo

The University of Guam Alumni Association invites the community to a Family Expo from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 13, 2012 at the UOG Field House. There will be games and activities, jumpers, a photo booth, food and drink sampling, raffle prizes and more. For more information, call UOG Alumni Association President, Robert Paulino, at 647-6841 or email robert.paulino@pfcguam.com.

Guam Micronesia Island Fair Eventful

Hafa Adai!  Despite the rain, the Guam Micronesia Island Fair was meaningful.  It is the annual signature cultural event of the Guam Visitors Bureau with presentations of the vibrant cultures of Micronesia. This year’s theme, Celebrating 25 Years of Unity Through Culture, commemorates and reinforces the solidarity we have shared through our arts and traditions.

Participants were able to experience the culture and arts of Micronesia on October 5, 6 and 7.  Delegations from the Federated States of Micronesia, Rota, Saipan and Tinian and the republics of Kiribati, Nauru, the Marshall Islands and Palau, gathered on Guam to commemorate the region’s largest cultural event. They had the opportunity to meet Micronesia’s master carvers, blacksmiths, traditional fishing experts, jewelers, weavers, dancers, musicians and chefs.

SNAPSHOTS OF CULTURAL PERFORMANCES

Source:  Guam Visitors Bureau
Images:  Pacific Daily News

Guam Council IRA October 2012 Newsletter

Click here to view the Guam Council IRA October 2012 newsletter.

Source: http://iraguam.blogspot.com

Early Childhood Conference on Oct. 13

The Early Childhood Conference: Supporting Language Development for ALL Young Children is on Saturday, October 13, 2012.

Seats are limited, so please REGISTER NOW.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Laura Taisipic at 300-1322 or lktaisipic@gdoe.net.