Click on the image above to view the Guam Council IRA February 2011 Newsletter. If you are unable to view the newsletter, visit the IRA website at http://iraguam.blogspot.com. Enjoy!

We wish to congratulate the newly-elected SOE Alumni Association Officers! It is an honor that they have accepted, and we are confident that they will lead our alumni organization to be the best that it can be!

INCOMING SOE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS:

President - Elizabeth “Liz” Hamilton

Vice President – Graziella “Grace” Griffin

Secretary – Kenneth “Ken” Duenas

Treasurer – Eleanor “Ele” Le Brun

Dr. Lourdes Palomo Klitzkie, Professor Emerita, will remain the Advisor and work closely with the new alumni officers. An induction ceremony is forthcoming, and we hope that you can join us to celebrate the occasion. The time and date will be announced soon.

We thank you for your support throughout the years, and it has certainly been an honor working closely with all of you! Un Dangkulo Na Si Yu’os Ma’ase’ Todos Hamyo!

Your outgoing alumni officers,

Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, Lois Taitano Gumataotao, Liwanag Dominguez, and Mae Marie Cruz Mendiola

An SOE Alumni Association election of officers will be held at the February 5 Guam IRA meeting/Read-A-Thon 2011 “Read to Succeed” Kick Off at Ordot-Chalan Pago Elementary School from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. SOE alumni members are encouraged to vote for their favorite candidates at the SOE Alumni table. Please note that only active SOE alumni members can cast their votes. SOE Alumni membership forms will also be available. For more information, you may e-mail soe.alumni@gmail.com or mnrivera1@yahoo.com.

SOE ALUMNI CANDIDATES

President:

Margaret Beem
Elizabeth “Liz” Hamilton

Vice President:

Graziella “Grace” Griffin
Laura Taisipic

Secretary:

Kenneth “Ken” Duenas
Martha Sudo

Treasurer:

Maria Elena Blas
Eleanor “Ele” LeBrun

Guam IRA will be Launching Read-A-Thon 2011 "Read To Succeed" this year at Ordot-Chalan Pago Elementary School’s Cafeteria on February 5, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

IRA Read-A-Thon 2011 CALENDAR OF EVENTS


FEBRUARY 5, 2011
Saturday

Read-A-Thon 2011 "Read To Succeed"

Kick-Off

Ordot-Chalan Pago Elementary Cafeteria

8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.

FEBRUARY 16, 2011
Wednesday

Turn in Pledge Cards and Money to Teachers

(ON-TIME MONEY IS DUE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR

TOP 10 STUDENT PRIZES ISLAND-WIDE)

FEBRUARY 18, 2011
Friday

5th Annual Writing / Poster Contest Entries DUE

MARCH 12, 2011
Saturday

Read-A-Thon 2011 "Read To Succeed"

Winners will be announced at the Sheraton Hotel

Read-A-Thon 2011 "Read To Succeed" Student, Teacher, and IRA Representative Prizes and Guidelines .

Click on the image above to view this year's IRA Read-A-Thon student prizes.

Click on the image above to view this year's IRA Read-A-Thon School Representative/Teacher prizes.

Click on the image above to view this year's IRA Read-A-Thon School Representative/Teacher Guidelines.

23rd Annual Rainbows 3.5 Mile Run Walk for Youth 2011, March 5, 2011, Saturday, Micronesia Mall facing Marine Drive Corps, from 5:30 am to 9:00 am. Grand Prize roundtrip ticket to the US donated by Delta Airlines. You have to be present to win. For more information please email Marie Halloran at rainbbows@yahoo.com. Rainbows Mend Hearts, Inspire Minds.


RAINBOWS is a not-for-profit, international organization that offers curricular and training for peer support groups for children, adolescents, and adults who are grieving due to a death, divorce, or painful transition in their family.

Click on the image above to view the Autism flyer to view details of the training.

The GDOE Special Education-Autism Program is conducting a series of parent and teacher trainings on various topics on Autism. It aims to provide information to assist families and teachers in meeting the needs of our children. Different topics will be held on the following dates: January 20, February 17, March 17, April 28, and May 19, 2011. Click on the image above to view the Autism flyer and additional details.

The SOE Alumni Association is accepting final nominations of officers, namely President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The call for nominations will close Tuesday, February 1, 2011. The alumni election will be held on Saturday, February 5, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. during the monthly IRA meeting/Read-A-Thon 2011 “Read To Succeed” Kick Off at Ordot Chalan Pago Elementary School.

Exercise your right to vote for your favorite candidate at the SOE alumni table on February 5, 2011. Please note that only active SOE alumni members can cast their votes. SOE Alumni membership forms will also be available for membership. For more information, you may e-mail soe.alumni@gmail.com or mnrivera1@yahoo.com.

The current SOE Alumni Officers include the following:

President: Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera

Vice President: Lois Taitano Gumataotao

Secretary: Liwanag Dominguez

Treasurer: Mae Marie Cruz Mendiola

*Dr. Lourdes Palomo Klitzkie, Professor Emerita, is the Advisor for the SOE Alumni Association.

Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, AmeriCorps alumni, 2004 graduate, created the AmeriCorps Alumni Connection website to keep alumni abreast of AmeriCorps-related activities, alumni news, events, etc.  For more information, visit the website at http://americorpsalumniconnection.blogspot.com/.

Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, Notre Dame High School alumni, Class of 1991, created the ND Royal Connection website to keep alumni abreast of ND-alumni related activities, events, news, etc.  For more information, visit the website at http://ndroyalconnection.blogspot.com/.

In celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, UOG-ACEI held its annual poster contest and Michael Jackson look alike dance contest. This year's theme was "Sustaining the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." Congratulations to all the winners and participants! Enjoy the following snapshots taken during the celebration!

Congratulations, Julia on your induction into the ND Chapter of the National Honor Society!

Kathryn Erskine, 2010 National Book Award winning author of Mockingbird, will be the speaker at the January meeting of the Guam Council of the International Reading Association at the Sheraton Laguna Resort on January 15, 2011, from 8:00 am to 11:00 am.

She will be traveling from Charlottesville, Virginia to share her "SASSy" writing tips, how to "Snag your reader, Act your character, Show your story, and Shake your world". School visits are Tuesday, January 18 to Friday, January, 21. A teacher workshop and a teen writing workshop are also scheduled. Call Cyndy at 789-1996 for more information.

The University of Guam School of Education student organization, Association for Childhood Education International (UOG-ACEI) is sponsoring a Michael Jackson Look-a-Like Competition on January 17, 2011 at the Micronesia Mall. Those interested are encouraged to dance and/or sing like the legendary Michael Jackson. Same-day registration is $5.00 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the center court. The competition will begin at 2:00 p.m. and there will be prizes for 3 age categories. Previous winners are ineligible to win.

The UOG-ACEI is also sponsoring the annual island-wide poster contest in recognition of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration. The contest theme is Sustaining the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is open to all public, private, and DODEA school children in K-12 grades. Art submissions are due by January 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the UOG School of Education (2nd floor) to Anita Palomo. Entrants must follow the poster contest rules. For details about the requirements, contact the UOG-ACEI President Heidi Cameron at 482-0714 or e-mail aceiuog@yahoo.com. Judging will take place on Saturday, January 15, and the announcement of winners will be held at the Micronesia Mall on January 17, 2011.

UOG-ACEI hopes to raise, enhance, and broaden the awareness and knowledge levels of students about the life of Dr. King, Jr., and about the significance and application of the major tenets of non-violence.

The following URLs are resourceful websites that ICC members/parents/teachers would find useful in meeting the needs of children with disabilities.

TECHMATRIX - http://techmatrix.org/
.
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) - http://peatc.org/