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NYACCE 59th Annual Conference:
Workshop Session Tuesday May 4, 2010

Pre-Session Fitness Workshop
7:00 a.m. — 8:00 a.m.


Sunrise Basic Yoga Stretch
Presenter: Maria Chefalo, Director of Community Education,
Gates -Chili Central School
Room: Salon F

Start your day off right and enjoy a basic yoga stretch class. Discuss the basic concepts of yoga, learn yoga breathing and try a few feel good yoga flow moves. This class is for everyone! The goal is to relax, celebrate and focus on you for an hour. If you have always wanted to try yoga or already enjoy the benefits of yoga, join us today. If you can, bring yoga mat, beach towel, or blanket and dress comfortably. Come see if you might like yoga.

State Education Department: 8:30 a.m. —10:00 a.m.

Presenters: Robert Purga, Supervisor of the Adult Education and Workforce Development Team,
Dr. Patricia Mooney, State General Education Diploma Test Administrator,
Constance Carroll, Associate, Adult Education and Workforce Development Team
Room: Salon A, B & C

New Directions for Adult Education for 2010 – The merger of the Adult Education and Workforce Development Team with VESID and the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision will create a new Deputy Commissioner-level office dedicated to adult education and training. Robert Purga, Supervisor of the Adult Education and Workforce Development Team, will discuss the goals of the new office and the benefits and opportunities that this reorganization will provide. Pat Mooney, GED Test Administrator, will provide an update on the Board of Regents’ Career and College Readiness Committee. This committee was formed in January 2010 to develop recommendations to be submitted to the Board of Regents for discussion and approval in July. The recommendations will focus on High School Diploma Requirements, High School Assessments, and GED policy and program. Constance Carroll will present the final draft of the Quality Framework for Adult Education, first unveiled at the 2008 NYACCE conference and discuss the process for implementation.

Keynote Speaker - Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier
10:15 a.m. —11:15 a.m.

Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier was nominated by President Obama to be the Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education on July 14, 2009. On October 5, 2009 she was confirmed by the United States Senate and began her official duties on October 13, 2009. Prior to coming to the United States Department of Education, Dr. Dann-Messier served for a decade as the President of Dorcas Place a community-based adult education agency based in Providence, Rhode Island. While working to expand educational and career opportunities for low-income, low-literacy adults, Brenda has been commended by the R.I. Department of Education for her commitment to the low-skilled learner. Under her leadership, Dorcas Place Adult & Family Learning Center has built its capacity to address the persistent demand for adult education in Rhode Island. Since opening nearly 30 years ago in Providence, Dorcas Place has expanded from helping four single mothers earn their GEDs to serving more than 1,000 adults statewide. Programs include day and evening ABE/ASE/ESOL classes, civics and financial literacy education, college preparatory, family literacy, workforce education and job training programs linked with employers
and industry sectors. The agency also has a statewide Clothing Collaborative program that provides professional attire free of charge to low-income adults. Dorcas Place has created innovative programs to meet the changing needs of the diverse community it serves. In 2008, it opened the RI Welcome Back Center, one of only seven programs in the nation to help foreign-trained health professionals enter the health care workforce in RI. Recognizing the need to provide intensive academic and personal support to help low-income adult learners succeed in college, Dorcas Place also recently opened the Developmental Education Institute for reading and math, in collaboration with the Community College of Rhode Island. In 2008, the agency was one of only 10 in the nation to receive a five-year, federal Full Service Community Schools grant to establish school-based family literacy and support services at five inner city elementary schools in Providence. Dr. Dann-Messier has been a tireless advocate for the adult learner, serving on numerous state and local boards. She was a member of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education and chaired its Academic and Student Affairs Subcommittee. Brenda frequently presents at national and international conferences and forums, including the National Commission On Adult Basic Education, Council for Opportunity in Education, National Center for Family Literacy, and the European Access Network.

Workshop Session 5: 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Roundtable Discussions — Join your colleagues in relevant, solution-focused discussions on the following topics:

ABE/GED
Facilitator: Lorraine Bouchard, Herkimer County Boces
Room: Albany
Work Force Development
Facilitator: Jeremy Donlon, Literacy West, NY
Room: Troy

ESOL
Facilitator: Deborah Bokobza, Teacher, Buffalo Adult
Learning Center, Buffalo Public Schools
Room: Colonie

Program Managers
Facilitator: Kate Buckley, Greater Southern Tier BOCES
Room: Salon A
Community Education
Facilitator: Bonnie Coddington, Rush-Henrietta Schools
Room: Schenectady
Distance Learning
Facilitator: Alex Pacific
Room: Salon F