The Word from Literacy Kansas City

Spring 2012 In-Service Workshops

Literacy Kansas City — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:09:43 +0000

In-Service Workshops are an important part of your Tutor Certification. In-Services also offer you the opportunity to discuss problems, share ideas, and meet your peers! These in-services are designed to provide you with resources and activities to help you help your student. Learn about teaching techniques, find out how you can develop strategies to address your student’s needs, and contribute to thought-provoking discussions!

To register for these in-services, call (816) 333-9332 or e-mail volunteer@literacykc.org
Seating is limited. RSVPs are required.

All in-service workshops will be held at the Literacy Kansas City office:

Jump-Starting the Pen: Moving New Writers in the Write Direction

Monday, February 13 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tutors will learn methods to approach writing instruction for literacy students who have little to no background in writing. As part of this discussion, Casey will demonstrate verbal and non-verbal activities that can be used to help new writers jump-start their writing lives. Tutors will learn how to keep new writers writing, directions for what to do once writing takes off, and strategies for responding to the work of developing writers. Participants will receive print and Internet resources to help them put ideas from the session into practice.

Comprehension*

Saturday, February 25 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
We’ll take an in-depth look at your student’s comprehension issues ranging from vocabulary development to critical thinking skills. Adult learners who are having trouble with comprehension may say they can’t remember what they read. Often it is not a matter of memory, but rather a sign of poor comprehension. Please bring your tutor handbook to this workshop. * This is a required in-service for tutors.

Helping Your Student Prepare for the GED

Wednesday, March 7 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Your student aspires to complete the GED… and needs your help to get there. At this in-service, tutors will learn about the parameters of the GED test, specific and general test-taking strategies, and confidence-building tips for your adult learner. If you have particular GED questions that you would like to have answered at the in-service, please e-mail them to kelli.kalberer@mcckc.edu

Filed under: For Tutors, For Volunteers, In-Service Workshops, Programs & Services, Tutor Resources

AMI & LKC

Literacy Kansas City — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:14:23 +0000

Last week, the national AMI (Alliance Management/Leadership Institute) conference was in town! Hosted annually by the Non-Profit Leadership Alliance, this event is targeted to students who are majoring in (or wish to work in) non-profit management. There were 600 students in attendance! Literacy Kansas City volunteered to be one of the local non-profit agencies who host Case Study sites for a group of these students. During the Case Study, the organization identifies a problem/issue/concern to the group and provides background information for them to review. Literacy Kansas City was interested in gaining new insights on the issue of tutor recruitment, training and retention.

Our group of 15 students were from all over the United States, and they were great! We prepared them for their Case Study through a tutor training overview by longtime tutor and volunteer, Casey Reid. They also took a tour of our offices, met with staff and Board members, and had a roundtable discussion with a tutor/student pair over lunch. After all of that, they spent a couple of hours coming up with recommendations and presented them to a panel of Board members and staff.

They were very enthusiastic and came up with a couple of really valuable ideas. A number of them even pooled together money to make a donation, and two participated in our “New Year, New Semester, New Books” campaign! The staff was truly grateful for their time, and the students were able to get a real-world look at how a non-profit functions internally. It was definitely a valuable experience for all!

See some pictures from our AMI Case Study below. Thanks again to all who participated!

Filed under: In The News, Programs & Services, Special Events, Tutor Resources

Holiday Office Hours: December 23, 2011 – January 2, 2012

Literacy Kansas City — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:34:04 +0000

Below are the operating hours for staff, tutors, students and volunteers this holiday season. If you plan to tutor or volunteer at the office during this time, please make arrangements according to this schedule. If you have any questions, please call us at (816) 333-9332. Have a happy holiday season!

Please also make note of our inclement weather policy: When the Kansas City, Missouri School District is CLOSED due to inclement weather, the Literacy Kansas City office will be CLOSED for tutoring.

Holiday Office Schedule

Friday, December 23: Office CLOSED

Monday, December 26: Office CLOSED

Tuesday, December 27: Office open from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 28: Office open from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 29: Office open from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Friday, December 30: Office CLOSED

Monday, January 2: Office CLOSED

Regular office hours will resume on Tuesday, January 3.

Again, we thank all of our students, volunteers, and tutors for their dedication to our organization. In this season of thanks we are grateful for all you do!

Filed under: FAQs, For Students, For Tutors, For Volunteers, Programs & Services, Tutor Resources

2012 Volunteer Orientation Schedule: January – June

Literacy Kansas City — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:27:08 +0000

Volunteer Orientations introduce prospective volunteers to the issue of adult literacy and ways they can make a difference by volunteering with Literacy Kansas City.

Led by Beth Seberger, our Volunteer Coordinator, these sessions provide an overview to our tutoring program along with the many other volunteer opportunities we have available.

All Volunteer Orientations are held at the Literacy Kansas City Office, located on the third floor of the American Red Cross Building at 211 W. Armour Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64111

To register, call Beth Seberger at (816) 333-9332 or e-mail bseberger@literacykc.org

Saturday, January 7
9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Monday, January 30
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 25
9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday, April 3
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Monday, May 7
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 5
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Filed under: FAQs, For Tutors, For Volunteers, Tutor Resources, Volunteer Orientations Tagged: abe kansas city, adult basic education, adult literacy, adult literacy tutor, kansas city, literacy kansas city, literacy tutor, literacy volunteer, Volunteer, volunteer orientation

2012 Tutor Training Workshops: January – June

Literacy Kansas City — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:21:50 +0000

If you have attended a Volunteer Orientation and are now interested in becoming a volunteer tutor with Literacy Kansas City, you’re ready to attend one of our Tutor Training Workshops!

Tutor Training Workshops prepare volunteer tutors to work one-on-one with functionally illiterate adults. Prior to being matched with a student, a literacy tutor is required to participate in the 3 part, 18-hour workshop. The workshop’s focus is on preparing tutors to teach someone to read. We will discuss phonics, phonemic awareness, sensitivity to the adult student, setting goals and other teaching principles and techniques.

To register, call Beth Seberger at (816) 333-9332 or e-mail bseberger@literacykc.org

All Tutor Training Workshops are held at the Literacy Kansas City office:
211 W. Armour Boulevard, Third Floor
Kansas City, MO 64111

Seating is limited, an RSVP is required in order to attend.

Tutor Training Workshop 12/1
Tuesdays & Wednesday evenings 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
January 10 & 11, 17 & 18 and February 21 & 22

Tutor Training Workshop 12/2
Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
February 4, 11 & March 10

Tutor Training Workshop 12/3
Monday & Tuesday evenings 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
March 5 & 6, 12 & 13 and April 16 & 17

Tutor Training Workshop 12/4
Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
April 14, 21 and May 19

Tutor Training Workshop 12/5
Tuesday & Wednesday evenings 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
May 15 & 16, 22 & 23 and June 26 & 27

Tutor Training Workshop 12/6
Monday & Tuesday evenings 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
June 11 & 12, 18 & 19 and July 23 & 24

Filed under: FAQs, For Volunteers, Programs & Services, Tutor Resources, Tutor Training Workshops

Fall 2011 In-Service Workshops

Literacy Kansas City — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:50:47 +0000

To register for these in-services, call (816) 333-9332 or e-mail volunteer@literacykc.org
Seating is limited. RSVPs are required.

All in-service workshops will be held at the Literacy Kansas City office:

Comprehension*
Monday, November 146:00 – 8:30 p.m.

We’ll take an in-depth look at your student’s comprehension issues ranging from vocabulary development to critical thinking skills. Adult learners who are having trouble with comprehension may say they can’t remember what they read. Often it is not a matter of memory, but rather a sign of poor comprehension. Please bring your tutor handbook to this workshop. * This is a required in-service for tutors.

Helping Your Student Prepare for the GED

Saturday, November 19 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Two-Part Writing In-Service: Jumpstarting the Pen & Responding to Student Writing

Thursday, December 1 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

This workshop will feature an hour on encouraging your student’s writing abilities, followed by an hour on responding to writing exercises.

6:00 – 7:00 Jump Starting the Pen: Moving New Writers in the Write Direction

Tutors will learn new methods for literacy students who have little to no background in writing. As part of this discussion, Casey will demonstrate verbal and non-verbal activities that can be used to help new writers jump-start their writing lives. Tutors will learn how to keep new writers writing, directions for what to do once writing takes off, and strategies for responding to the work of developing writers. Participants will receive print and Internet resources to help them put ideas from the session into practice.

7:00 – 8:00 Responding to Student Writing on the Fly

Bring a sample student writing to this interactive, round-table workshop. We will focus on responding to student writing using a hierarchy of concerns ranging from content and organization to grammar and mechanics and will take into account the multiple factors involved in responding to writing, including student’s reading level and feelings about writing. Tutors are encouraged to bring writing prompts, resources, and ideas they have found to share with the group. All student writing should be presented anonymously and with permission, as it will be shared.

Filed under: For Tutors, For Volunteers, In-Service Workshops, Programs & Services, Tutor Resources

Named 2011 Best Nonprofit by The Pitch!

Literacy Kansas City — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:18:14 +0000

We were excited to discover yesterday that we were selected by The Pitch as Kansas City’s Best Nonprofit in their 2011 “Best Of” issue.

Check it out online here!

Thanks to The Pitch for the nod, and the biggest thanks to all of our volunteers and tutors who dedicate so much time and energy to helping those in our community gain the basic literacy skills to improve their lives and their families. Literacy for all!

Filed under: Community Partners, For Students, For Tutors, For Volunteers, In The News Tagged: 2011 pitch best of, best nonprofit, best of kansas city, kansas city nonprofit, the pitch, volunteer in kc

Gillian Ford joins Literacy Kansas City Staff

Literacy Kansas City — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:44:51 +0000

Literacy Kansas City announced that Gillian Ford has joined the organization as Coordinator for the GEARS (Guided Educational Access to Reading Skills) program partnership with MCC-Penn Valley Community College and the CITY (Connecting Innovative Solutions Toward Young Adults) program partnership with Pathways Transitional Services.

Ford will work in conjunction with the counseling staff at Penn Valley to connect identified students with Literacy Kansas City’s GEARS program that offers intensive classroom work in reading remediation and one-on-one tutoring. The goal of the GEARS program is to provide instructional resources for students to improve reading skills and college readiness prior to taking developmental and college level courses at MCC-Penn Valley.

Additionally, she will oversee the development and implementation of Literacy Kansas City’s component of the CITY program in collaboration with partner Pathways Transitional Services. The intensive year-long, education-conditioned program will target low-income young adults between 16 and 24 who lack a high school diploma or GED, are neither employed nor enrolled in school, and read at the 6^th grade level or higher.

Ford holds a master’s in Public Administration from UMKC with an emphasis in nonprofit management. Her background includes work as a program manager and Graduate Fellow with the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, and as a project manager for Puente Marketing. She is an active volunteer committee member for Sheffield Place.

Welcome, Gillian!

If you are interested in learning more about our GEARS or CITY programs, please contact Gillian at gford@literacykc.org or (816) 604-4131.

Filed under: For Students, For Tutors, For Volunteers, In The News, Programs & Services, Tutor Resources

A Message from the Literacy Kansas City Board of Directors

Literacy Kansas City — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:52:42 +0000

The Board of Directors of Literacy Kansas City announced today that Executive Director Mark Bertrand is stepping down to take a position with the Liberty Hospital Foundation. In his four years with LKC Mark has fostered program collaborations with the MCC-Penn Valley, and the Missouri Department of Corrections, doubled the organization’s annual operating budget, and increased the number of students being served through one-to-one tutoring by 50 percent.

“Mark has made a significant impact on Literacy Kansas City, helping to grow both the impact and visibility of our organization,” said Marilou Joyner, LKC Board President. “While we regret losing Mark’s leadership we know Literacy Kansas City is well-positioned for a successful future.”

The LKC Board has hired Lynne Brown to serve in an interim capacity while the search for a permanent Executive Director is conducted. Lynne has worked with the LKC Board and staff as Event Coordinator for the Corporate Spelling Bee for the past two years. She has more than 25 years of experience in non-profit administration, and adds additional expertise in strategic planning and organizational development. She will oversee LKC operations in the interim and assist the Board of Directors in the search for a new executive.

Filed under: For Students, For Tutors, For Volunteers, In The News, Programs & Services

Kansas City’s Got Talent!

Literacy Kansas City — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:03:19 +0000

Calling all air guitarists, lip-synching acts, clever skits, comedians and break dancers…it’s your time to shine! Are you one of Kansas City’s secret superstars? Then you’re ready to represent your company in the 1st Annual Kansas City’s Got Talent Corporate Talent Show
presented by Veracity Solutions!

Click here for our full list of sponsors

Here’s How It Works
12 acts of up to 4 people, each from 12 corporations, will go for the glory at the 1st Annual Kansas City’s Got Talent Corporate Talent Show. Each act has 5 minutes to wow our audience and celebrity judges. The top three acts will be selected by the audience, donors and judges respectively.

In addition, the night will feature amazing food catered by Houlihan’s Restaurant and an incredible open bar by Boulevard Brewing Company.

Why
First, it’s for a great cause!
All proceeds from Kansas City’s Got Talent will benefit the Women’s Employment Network (WEN) and Literacy Kansas City (LKC), two non-profit organizations improving the lives of individuals in our community by helping them help themselves. To learn more about Literacy Kansas City and the programs they offer, visit: www.literacykc.org

Finally, it’s a great team building event for your employees and it’s a ton of fun!
Kansas City’s Got Talent offers many opportunities for creating new energy, excitement and team-building among your employees and co-workers. Why not host a “talent-off” prior to the main event to select your act? Staff from either WEN or LKC can help facilitate your event if needed.

Sign Me Up!
Click here for a full list of current sponsors!

The deadline for sponsorhip entries is Friday, October 7, 2011. The sooner you sign-up the more time your act will have to practice!

Corporate Talent Show Sponsorship Menu / Registration Form
To register and pay on-line, click here

Individual tickets will be on sale closer to the event – check back later!

Questions
Contact Amie Hankel, Women’s Employment Network at ahankel@kcwen.org
or Mark Bertrand, Literacy Kansas City at mbertrand@literacykc.org

Rules for the Competition
Dealine to enter, Friday, October 21st, 2011
Event is limited to 12 acts (first come, first serve)
We highly encourage companies to preview acts prior to the main event
No more than 4 people per act (performers are included in the table of 10 sponsorship)
Only one entry per company
No bands – only acoustic performances or pre-recorded music
No fire, juggling, knives, swords, etc.
Each act gets up to 5 minutes to perform – this includes set-up and tear down

And the Winners Will Be…
Our celebrity judges: Charles Bruffy, Millie Edwards Nottingham, Chris Hernandez and Bukeka Shoals, will be offering color commentary throughout the event and after each performance; however the audience has some say in all of this too. Here’s how the top three acts will be awarded…

1st Place – People’s Choice:
We’re going old-school here…yep, winners will be selected based on audience applause at the end of the competition.
The 1st place prize is AWESOME and is sponsored by Boulevard Brewing Company, includes a party in the tasting room for up to 30 employees and is valued at $1,500

2nd Place – Donor’s Choice:
That’s right, you can vote for your favorite act by throwing money in their bucket at the bar throughout the evening. We’ll count it up and announce the winner at the end of the show. Keep in mind, this is a fundraiser!
The 2nd place prize is sponsored by Houlihan’s Restaurant and is valued at $1,000

3rd Place – Judge’s Choice:
Feeling lucky? Our celebrity judges decide 3rd place!
The 3rd place prize is sponsored by Ink Magazine and valued at $500

Presenting Sponsor

Event Sponsors & Competitors

Cameron Group Care, Inc.

Filed under: Uncategorized