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The Communicator, CCAE's Monthly Newsletter                            September 2015
In This Issue
OTANSEOT

 

Save the date for

the State Conference,

which will be hosted

by the Bay Section,

on April 21-23, 2016.

Get details (here)  

 

 

OTANSEOT

  
Training and Technical Assistance: Summer/Fall  
Starting in mid-July, CASAS now offers facilitated online trainings to help agencies clean up their data and improve payment points results for the End-of-Year data submission deadline for PY 2014-15, and to look ahead to the new fiscal year with CA Accountability and CA Assessment Policy training.  Starting in September, CASAS will offer the three options that help meet the CDE training requirement for Implementation -- California Assessment Policy: Statewide and Local Considerations and California Accountability; Assessment to Instruction: Using CASAS Handbooks; and CASAS eTests Online Implementation - as well as a fourth new option, CASAS from the Inside Out.
 
2015 CASAS Summer Institute
The 35th Annual CASAS Summer Institute took place in San Diego, on June 23-25, 2015, where over 700 participants attended the conference, and participated in discussions, panels, and workshops related to Adult Education. This years' Institute focused on the implementation of WIOA, and featured Virginia Hamilton, the U.S. Department of Labor's Region 6 Regional Administrator, as the Keynote Speaker. In addition, Russ Weikle and Chris Nelson addressed the California Adult Education Block Grant, and the transition to meet the new requirements for WIOA. CASAS SI also included panel presentations with representatives from AB 86 Consortia who successfully incorporated the principles of the new WIOA legislation into their regional plans.
 
CASAS Study for the 2014 GED and HiSET
CASAS has initiated studies to compare CASAS assessment results to student outcomes on the 2014 GED and the HiSET. The goal will be to provide agencies with the correlation between CASAS scores and both HSE exams, similar to the 2002 study which provided this relationship with the previous GED. This will assist instructors in determining a learner's readiness to prepare for and pass the HSE exams.
 


OTANSEOT

    
OTAN provides California with a state license for
For program information or to order online with the California discount, you can visit the website at: http://tinyurl.com/qanqnz3 or contact Arlene Mickley at (818) 898-3340.


OTANSEOT

 
 
Be sure to register for CALPRO's professional development offerings. CALPRO is offering two regional communities of practice on College and Career Readiness Standards, just in time for the start of the new school year.  We're also conducting Training-of-Trainers for our newest module, College and Career Readiness Standards, Part 2.  There's also our popular Teaching Critical Thinking online workshop series and webinars. You can register here for these events.
 




OTANSEOT


 

 


President's Message
 
I certainly hope that you were able to take some time off this summer and recharge your batteries. It is with great pleasure that I write to you, as the new President of CCAE. The Executive Board (Lorrie Christie, Steve Curiel, Bob Harper, Sonya Ramirez, Larriann Torrez, and I) has several exciting events in the works, as well as some special focus items for this year.
 
We are reverting to quarterly editions of the Communicator (September, December, March, and June). In months when the Communicator doesn't come out, we will still send e-mail blasts when necessary.
 
Membership is a focus for the year. It is extremely helpful if site leaders foster opportunities for staff to learn about CCAE's mission. These might include social events, presentations to staff, sign-up tables, renewal or new member incentives, membership drawings, electronic newsletters, or even more creative outreach ideas.
 
Is your school an institutional member? Last year 61 adult schools took a stand to directly support the work of CCAE, by registering as Institutional Members. Included with institutional membership is a beautiful wall plaque, acknowledgment on our state website and conference program, and full membership rights for two staff members named by the institution. Go to www.ccaestate.org for an Institutional Membership enrollment form.
 
Legislative Advocacy will continue to be a focus for the year. We will rely on our advocacy team--including the chair, Vittoria Abbate-Maghsoudi, and our Legislative Analyst, Dawn Koepke, and the section legislative representatives--to keep you informed of what is happening at the Capitol and how you can help.
 
As President, I look forward to visiting CCAE Chapter and Section events. Please invite me to your events. I'm looking forward to attending Bay Section's Silent Wine Auction, on the 20th of September.
 
If you have any questions or suggestions for the Board, don't hesitate to contact me at [email protected].


Susan Lytle Gilmore, Ph.D. 
CCAE President


________________________________________________________________ 
 
MissionImpossible

Renew your membership in CCAE for the 2015-2016 school year. Show your support for CCAE when you join as a Diamond Member! 

 

 

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MissionImpossible
  
Special Back to School Savings for Students

It's back to school time - the perfect time for your students to get their GED� credential! From September 21 - October 31, students can take advantage of these two special offers:
  • GED Ready� practice test for $1 - Students can take the practice test and find out if they're ready for the real test, see what they need to study to score higher, and get a personalized study plan ... all for just $1!
  • GED Ready� Practice Test Guarantee - Students who take the GED Ready� practice test and score "Likely to Pass" are guaranteed to pass that test subject of the real test ... or their retake is free!
Don't let your students miss out on these special offers!
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Spotlight on Student Success

Michael Gonzaga, a graduate of Fremont Adult School, never thought that he would one day become a senior medical student with plans of applying to a residency program and becoming a future physician. Currently finishing up his third year of medical school at Meharry Medical College, in Nashville, Tennessee, Michael strives to carve out a path in medicine that focuses on bringing resources to low-income patients and being an advocate who spotlights the issues that underinsured patients face, in order to gain greater access to needed healthcare services.

Mr. Gonzaga's path started over 15 years ago, when he was invited to complete a fifth year of attendance at Irvington High School. With no solid direction for his future aspirations, he completed his high school degree, in 2000, at the Fremont Adult School and began his coursework at Ohlone College, while leaning on mentors such as librarians, professors, and academic counselors to complete an associate's degree. He transferred to the University of California-Davis, in 2002, and graduated with a degree in Sociology, two and a half years later. Realizing that becoming a doctor was how he could make the greatest impact, he continued his education at Ohlone College, Chabot College, Berkeley City College, Merritt College, Solano College, and the University of California, Berkeley Extension, while working as a sales representative, fork lift driver, front desk staff, call room operator, researcher, and coordinator, in order to obtain a post baccalaureate degree which would allow him to apply to medical school.

Michael was accepted to Meharry Medical College and began his first year of coursework, in 2011. Since then, he has served on the board of directors to initiate the first free student-run clinic at Meharry, known as the 12 South Community Clinic, received a yearlong scholarship to participate in community engaged research, and has been working as a Patient Advocate in the Nashville General Hospital's Emergency Department, providing comfort for families visiting the ER, while working with the medical team to provide triage, ancillary, and procedural support. Michael hopes to attend a residency program that will provide training to prepare him for establishing comprehensive health centers in low-income communities while mentoring community leaders of color, aspiring physicians, and other health allies who will have access to scholarship, training, and educational opportunities.