March 2021 Adult and Community
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Adult and Community Education Advisory Committee March 18, 2021 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Virtual (Blackboard Collaborate Ultra) Link provided by email on 3/18 from Blackboard Collaborate Those in Attendance: Nonye Oladimeji – At Large Dolly Whelan - Dranesville Helen Cole – Hunter Mill Irv Varkonyi, Vice Chair - Providence Johnelle Sweet – Springfield Lois Passman – Mt. Vernon Sean Arthurs - Lee Susan Beeman – At Large Jessica Strelitz – Mason Akshay Deverakonda – Sully Ken Balbuena - Braddock Those absent: Kelly Guzman – Student Karen Corbett Sanders – SB Member Liaison Bryan Graham, Chair - At Large Staff in Attendance: Karin Williams – Director, Operations and Strategic Planning and ACEAC Staff Liaison Rich Pollio – Director, ESOL Paul Steiner – Administrator, ACE Mary Ann Cunningham Florez – Manager, ACE Adult ESOL Shekera Alvarado – Manager, ACE Regional Grant Jen Mattice – Staff member assisting Karin Williams Visitors: Alison DeCorcey, President and CEO, United Community Steve Luteran, Chief Programs Officer (CPO), United Community 1. Approval of Agenda and Minutes 2. Presentation from United Community Mr. Varkonyi, Vice Chair, introduced Alison DeCourcey and Steve Luteran from United Community. United Community Ministries (UCM) was founded in1969. The Board of Directors renamed this historic organization “United Community,” in 2019, recognizing the power of collaborators working in unison to end 1 multigenerational poverty. United Community has become the leading human services non-profit agency in southeastern Fairfax County. Their work focuses on the Richmond Highway Corridor, where 83 percent of the clients are at or below the federal poverty level. They work with groups ranging from Early Learners to Citizenship and Literacy programs for immigrants, and programs for youth with emotional, social, and academic issues. The Bryant Early Learning (BEL) Center, located at Bryant Alternative High School, which was closed due to COVID-19, has just been reopened. Pre-COVID, Bryant served 6500 unique individuals of which 40 percent are children. Ms. Cunningham Florez stated that ACE had an active center too, pre-Covid at Bryant. She welcomes information about family needs from United Community that can be shared with ACE instructors. ACE also helps in employment readiness for English Language Learners (ELLs) and some Medical Records certification for ELLs beyond the regular classes. Ms. DeCourcey supports information sharing. Mr. Balbuena asked about collaboration with ACE as an educational arm for United Community, perhaps by offering classes exclusively through ACE. Ms. DeCourcey stated that is something they can certainly bring forward. Mr. Steiner said that he will be happy to discuss collaboration. Ms. Oladimeji said she was very aware of the United Community programs and asked how ACE goes about finding out what skills families are looking for that would be beneficial. Mr. Varkonyi thanked Ms. DeCourcey for sharing the information about United Community. He said that Ms. Passman will follow up to discuss a partnership and having United Commuity as part of the Advisory Committee. Ms. DeCourcey thanked Ms. Passman for being active in the community for many years and for inviting her to ACEAC. Ms. Williams said that she wants to make sure everyone understands that the committee cannot join into any formal agreement with organizations and that any group joining the Advisory Committee would be under the Committee and not under ACE. Mr. Varkonyi stated that Karen Corbett Sanders is in favor of representatives from relevant organizations joining the committee and is in discussion with the School Board. 3. Program Updates from ACE Staff a. General ACE Update – Mr. Steiner shared that he has scheduled the ACE K- 12 Virtual Open House Event for June 1 and June 7. He will be making a presentation and respond to questions. He has been meeting with various College and Career counselors to promote this opportunity for students and families. He has developed an information flyer. There will be a sign-up link. 2 b. Adult ESOL/Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) grants – Mr. Pollio, Director of ESOL Services, Ms. Cunningham Florez, Manager, ACE Adult ESOL, and Shekera Alvarado, Manager, ACE Regional Grant program, who is responsible for developing and implementing Adult Education and Literacy in the region, presented an overview. 1) Region 8: Adult Education Program. In addition to Fairfax County, Region 8 includes schools in Fairfax City, Falls Church City, Alexandria City, Arlington County, Manassas Park, Manassas, Loudoun County and Prince William County. FCPS is the fiscal agent and lead agency for the Region 8 Adult Education Program. a) Pre-COVID. ACE held some 200 classes for some 5000 students including Adult Basic Education (ABE), ESOL, Adult Secondary Education (ASE), GED Preparation and Attainment, Integrated Education and Training Cohorts (IETs), Digital Literacy, Job Readiness and Workforce Preparation. The financial responsibilities for the grant include AEFLA, Corrections and Institutions (C&I), General Adult Education (GAE), Race to GED, Integrated English Literacy & Civic Education (IELCE), and State Leadership Coordinating Agency (SLCA) under the WIOA Title II (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Grant). The total grant fund is $2.7 mil with Fairfax ESOL receiving $1.2 mil or 46% of the total. ESOL is also responsible for managing enrollment. Pre-Covid, ACE operated 7 facilities, 2 county centers and some schools. b) COVID. After March13, 2020, classes moved to virtual platforms, both synchronous and asynchronous. One specialty in-person class at The Plum Center began recently for a trial run. Online and in-person elements have been added to our programs, along with online placement and registration processes, with extensive training/support/resources for teachers and students, adapting outreach and customer service resulting in steadily increasing enrollments. Grant funds have been recast in new ways to build program capacity. Enrollments are now at 1283 and increasing. c. Other Topics: Funding and Zoom Ms. Sweet asked if we are limited to use of funds or have freedom to work with elements that meet more needs? Training with Zoom. Ms. Whelan asked about when we will use Zoom at the end of the school year. Schoology is a separate contract, and Zoom will be separate. 4. Main Topic: Initial Recommendation Brainstorming 3 Mr. Varkonyi shared the following recommendations presented in the ACE 2020 School Board Report to guide the discussion on recommendations for the 2021 report. ACEAC will finalize our recommendations at the April meeting. 1. Demonstrate alignment of the Adult and Community Education program with the new Fairfax County Strategic Plan, especially regarding the “Lifelong Education and Learning,” “Economic Opportunity,” and “Empowerment and Support for Residents Facing Vulnerability” priority areas. Ms. Passman volunteered to rewrite this recommendation. 2. Shift focus of ACE to virtual instruction to ensure continued educational opportunity while sustaining revenue during the ongoing effect of COVID-19. Mr. Balbuena suggested updating and shifting focus of ACE to virtual instruction to ensure continued educational opportunity while sustaining revenue during the ongoing effect of COVID-19. 3. Strengthen ACE’s connection with the Foundation for FCPS and the ACE Training and Scholarship Foundation by updating the rules of funding for Adult Education to increase program funding. Ms. Williams suggested this could use additional support. 4. Ensure the permanent consolidation of all Adult and Community Education courses, which include Adult ESOL, and Fairfax County Adult High School offered in the Herndon area into quality space enough for all classes and staff by FY2022. Mr. Pollio feels it would be good to have for support. 5. Provide a “fast-track” pathway for both adults who are working (whether working in their desired field) and for recent high school graduates who want to be trained/certified and begin working as soon as possible. Mr. Steiner said they are working toward a fast track pathway. Ms. Williams added to use non-traditional staff 6. Begin investigating how ACE and potentially the FCPS County Adult High School can work to serve students younger than 18 who have dropped out of traditional secondary education. a. Ms. Sweet stated to include the recommendation again for those dropping out under 18 due to COVID. (Note that the FCPS non- traditional programs have responsibility for those under 18) Mr. Balbuena wants to work on a new recommendation regarding in-person learning for 2021-22. Ms. Williams suggested putting some effort into budget loss and needs. Ms. Whelan asked Ms. Williams if there is still a “grants” program for the non-traditional under 18 group, and she responded that there is one. 5. Old Business -Organizations for Potential Membership/outreach 4 Mr. Varkonyi reminded the committee to provide names of any organization they would like to see on the ACEAC along with United Community. Ms. Strelitz has a presentation ready but she thinks we need some shared language. She would be happy to put together some consistency in language that gives an update on who we are, so we provide more out of initial conversation. Mr. Varkonyi said group emails are allowed so she can share with them and they can give feedback. He would like to get the list together soon so he can send it to Karen Corbett Sanders. Ms. Williams again reminded the committee that any of these organizations, whether partner or members, would have to be approved by the School Board. 6. New Business Mr. Balbuena suggested that at the next meeting the Committee elect a secretary for the remainder of the year. 7. Mr. Varkonyi adjourned the meeting at 9:00 p.m. with no objections. 5 .