Adult Learning Center News Fall 2016 Volume XIII, Issue 3 Giving adults in Strafford County a second chance, a fresh start or a new opportunity. Director’s Message Deanna Strand As the new school year begins, I’d Donaldson, Rochester Counselor and an individualized experience. like to share some exciting Outreach Coordinator for DALC, the In 2016, about a dozen BCA developments at our Rochester mixed level pilot was a success. students graduated with a high school program. Meeting once a week, it starting with equivalency certificate through DALC. Last year, 45 families of non-native 5 students, and grew to 7. Tracey said The support doesn’t end there; English speakers moved into the “We had two new people come in Tracey also connects students with Rochester school district. With after their daughter learned about the job training opportunities. “Our hope childcare and transportation class on our website. The need is is that this step is not the end, we challenges making it impossible to definitely here.” This year, the class want them to have a career with get to Dover, most parents had no meets twice a week and runs all year. advancement potential,” she said. access to English classes. Several people can only come at “We work very closely with Rad With the school district, we held a night, so we hope to run an evening Bolduc, Rapid Response Training family literacy night to welcome class later this year. Eventually, we Coordinator at Great Bay Community adults to DALC. Seven families may need multiple levels, as well. College. He focuses on the high attended, enjoying dinner and games The SAU is supporting childcare demand fields and advanced as they mingled with teachers and with a grant. “Childcare is crucial to manufacturing, the demands change staff. Shortly after that, we began a the success of some of our students,” based on the needs of the business pilot class. According to Tracey Tracey said. While intended for ESOL community.” families, childcare will benefit other Be sure to check out the new staff students, too. “Some young moms members on page 3. Rochester has a Be a part of our success: still live with their parents and don’t new teacher and teacher aide! Serve on a committee qualify for childcare assistance.” Become a volunteer tutor Our partnership with the Bud Inside this issue: Join our Board of Directors Carlson Academy (BCA) is another Take an enrichment class success. Our program can fulfill an In Their Own Words 2 Teach an enrichment class alternative learning plan developed by Become a Friend of the Center by Friends of the Center 2 making a donation the school. Some students face many Include DALC in your estate planning challenges: transportation, work, and become a member of the Helen supporting their own children and New staff & board members 3 Phipps Heritage Society their families. The school environment Become a corporate or event sponsor can be difficult for them. We provide A Donor’s Tale 4 Page 2 Adult Learning Center News Our Board In Their Own Words... A Memory of Stella’s First Lost Tooth … by Stella Zou Tyler Parkhurst - President Michael Kupfer - Vice President I don’t remember the exact age, but when I was a little girl, I can remember the Martha Caswell - Secretary pains. My tooth was loose for a long time, and the tooth was too strong to fall out. Every day, I felt a lot of butterflies in my stomach because I was nervous about my tooth. One Shauna Brown - Treasurer day when I had a meal, I chewed some firm food. Suddenly, I bit on what felt like a Christine Albert stone. ”Oh my God! My tooth finally fell out." My parents were so excited and told me, “You grew up! This is your first baby Christopher Burns tooth. Go and throw it up on the roof. That means your new tooth will grow well.” Morton Cherim But we were living in a huge building, so I just threw it up in the air and my mother Maria Faskianos stored it in a box. A top tooth you throw up to the roof; a bottom tooth you throw down on the Felicia LaBranche ground. It is the superstition in China. That’s our culture. As the times change, we do Diane Lambert that just as a symbol. The buildings are high now. We can’t throw our teeth up on the Vincent McGroary roof. You would have to be a superman to do that. Dennis Munson What I Like in New Hampshire … by Ali Alyousef Don Nary Bob Renshaw I like people in NH because they are very friendly. In the morning, I love listening to the sounds of birds because it makes me happy and calm. I like the weather Patricia Silberblatt in New Hampshire especially in the fall because the colors of trees are very attractive. I David Watters always go to the beach in Portsmouth. I like the weather there. I often go to eat at an Ellen Westbrook Arabic Restaurant because food there is very delicious. Rosemary Zurawel In Our Own Words… is a collection of original writings. In poetry, personal reflection and artwork, students reveal their diversity, as well as their commonality as learners. Tyler Parkhurst Donna & Bruce McAdam 2016 Friends of the Center Robert Renshaw Christina Mukankaka Robert Schummrick Donna Melillo Ann Schultz Bev O’Brien Founder’s Circle ($500+) David & Belinda White F. Doyle Skeels Anthony & Linda Palmer Mr. & Mrs. Duffy Douglas K.Wyckoff Anne & Bruce Smith Judith Parks Phil Hatcher & Peggy Kieschnick Rosemary Zurawel Gordon & Susan Smith Sandi Phipps & Tom Casey Measured Progress Martin & Pat Sorensen Michelle Rowan Joe & Maggie Moore Benefactor ($100+) Thomas Stevens Terry Snook Carlo Nittoli & Jim Verschueren Robert Adams Deanna & Paul Strand Darlene Therrien Charles Reynolds Jean Bullen David & Maureen Staples Thomas Towle Riverstone Resources LLC Lawrence Kane Jill Taylor Juan Wang Art & Debbie Tasker Martha Caswell Diane J. Thayer David Watters Julia & John Ver Ploeg Maureen Claussen Mark Townley Susan Wheeler Matthew Costanzo Stephen Varney Paul Zocchi Advocate ($250+) Andrew Cramb Denise L. Adams Gerald & Patricia Daley Friend ($50+) ~~~~~~~~ Bill Badgley & Carol McEntee Z. Demopoulos Maybeth Anderson Michelle L. Baussmann Paula DePlanche Cathleen Beaudoin Helen Phipps Heritage Society: Stephen & Tiffany Brand Safira Milanez Drumond Gerald & Irene Boyle members have remembered Abraham Burtman Charity Trust Ed & Kathy Eagan Shauna Brown DALC in their estate planning D.F. Richard Energy Muriel Farrar Burns, Bryant, Cox, Rockefeller & Andrea L. Dupere Ana Garnica Durkin Ann Schultz Maria Faskianos Robert & Marjorie Goldberg William & Janet Caddle Martin and Pat Sorenson Mark L. Hale Brian & Susan Gong Kenneth Calci Deanna Strand William & Jean Irvine Tony & Minnett Induisi Bryan Campbell Jim Verschueren Thomas R. Jost Leigh Ivey Jr. Lawrence Kane Paula DePlanche C. Valerie Leavitt Matthew Lahr Mort & Nancy Cherim Kathy M. MacDonald Holly Littlefield Judi Currie Donations Received Mary Jo Mahoney Susan Long Elsie & Baldwin Domingo In Memory Of: Vincent McGroary Celia McCormack Paula Dubois Adrienne Day-Cuff James McNamara John & Judy Mettee Joe & Paula R. Dubois Ruth Davison Feuer Patricia L. Mengi Dennis Munson Bill & Mary Jo Dudley Theresa Taylor Robert & Patricia Silberblatt John & Jane O’Connor Tom & Aline Goss Cathy & Leonard Small Lucy & Charles Putnam Phyllis Heilbronner Donations Received Chikara Tsuchiya Pamela Raley Russell & Kate Huntress In Honor Of: Ellen Westbrook State Farm Ins/Sam Haddain Betty Lathrop Cameron Dupere Meet our new staff members - Marian, David and Amy Page 3 David Marian LeBlanc has been a special educator Amy O’Connell joined DALC in September Ramsay throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts as the evening office assistant/receptionist. is a for the past 20 years. In October 2015, she Amy has worked as an administrative resident retired from full time teaching only to realize assistant, primarily in the medical field and in of South how much she missed her teaching career. conjunction with Wentworth-Douglass Berwick, Now as a Hospital, for the past 30 years. She is excited Maine teacher at about her new position as DALC. and DALC, she During the day, Amy works at works said she feels Paradis Farm in Dover, a local horse farm during she has which offers a the found the wonderful summer perfect therapeutic as a tour teaching riding guide and position, and program. As narrator looks well, she is on the motor vessel Thomas Laighton and forward to very involved guide at the Sarah Orne Jewett House. the with Special In addition, David gives history talks at opportunity Olympics retirement communities throughout the to help New region and is a newspaper correspondent for adults to Hampshire the York Weekly. further their education. and is a Prior to coming to Maine, he had a Her position before retirement was mentor for career as an environmental planner with with the Peabody Public School District, the equestrian river groups and taught in special education located in Massachusetts. Her undergraduate athletes of and at a private high school in Chicago. He degree is in Journalism/Mass Communication Team Paradis Farm. and his wife Marianne have two sons, one from Emerson College in Boston, Mass. and Amy and her husband, Tim, reside just graduated from college and the other is her graduate degree is from Salem State in Rochester along with their dog, Piper. Her a sophomore at UMaine, Orono. David is University, Her interests include writing, interests include enjoying outdoor activities in excited about his new position as teacher’s photography, and spending time with friends all four seasons, horseback riding/training/ aide at the Rochester branch of the Dover and family. She has three children, and six competing, and spending time with family in Adult Learning Center.