"That everyone in the North Peace is at the proficiency level for a modern economy and knowledge-based society."
International Literacy Day
On September 08, take the International Literacy Day Challenge. This year's challenge focuses on the workplace. Try out some of these activities to celebrate International Literacy Day - and continue to practice literacy in every day!
Take the Challenge:
1. Update your resume
2. Join a professional network site
3. If you are looking for work, search sites like Workopolis or Monster
4. Ask a colleague to teach you something new
5. Teach a colleague something new
6. Take a professional development course
7. Read a book or do a crossword puzzle
8. Read a professional journal or sign up for a subscription
9. Learn to use a new machine or software programme at work
10. Write an email to a former co-worker you lost touch with
Or find something else that fits you! Let me know how you make out.
Erin Evans
Literacy Outreach Coordinator
250-262-2088
Around Town
So the month of August is almost half over. I want to apologize for not posting my newsletter sooner. I did it up, sent it out via email and kind of forgot about it. So here is what I know about the comings and goings in our communities.
ENJOY!
For more information or to receive an email copy of my newsletter directly please contact me, Erin Evans, at 250.262.2088 or email eevans@unbc.ca
PALS Training
An exciting PALS™ (Parents as Literacy Supporters) training workshop is
being sponsored by School District 60. PALS™ is a family literacy program
that provides parents and caregivers strategies to encourage early
literacy and learning development with their preschool and
kindergarten-aged children.
This workshop is appropriate for ECD staff from a range of sectors including education, librarians, non-profit, First Nations and Government.
There is no registration fee for the workshop. Resource binders will be
available for sale at the workshop, but must be pre-ordered using the
registration form. Please be prepared to pay by cash or cheque on the
workshop day.
Check out the attached registration form!
Erin Evans, Literacy Outreach Coordinator
250-262-2088
Time to Celebrate!
Welcome to Summer! Please have a look at the July Newsletter from the Literacy Outreach Coordinator. Things are still happening in the summer and I can only capture a few things on one page. If you want to know more about what is happening throughout the summer check out your community websites:
District of Hudson's Hope:
http://www.dist.hudsons-hope.bc.ca
District of Taylor:
http://www.districtoftaylor.com
City of Fort St. John:
Peace River Regional District:
Erin Evans, Literacy Outreach Coordinator
250-262-2088
Never Say Thank-You!
You can never say Thank-You enough... This last week I held a small website launch party at motion media. I would like to thank all the wonderful businesses in town that donated items for this launch:
Door Prizes:
Today's Techniques
Cosmic Grounds / Patch Java
University of Northern British Columbia
Northern Lights College
FSJ Literacy Society
Food:
Peace Country Meats
Cosmic Grounds / Patch Java
3rd CAV
Safeway
Sobeys
Location:
Motion Media
Thank you again! It was a nice event and there was enough food and prizes for everyone.
Don't Eat ME!!!!!
FOOD Brain - Part 6 of 10
I have food brain right now. I don’t know if it is from all those shows about food: Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Hell’s Kitchen, Rachel Ray, Emeril Live, Iron Chef etc… the list goes on and on – heck they have a network devoted to food! I posted an article awhile back that the Literacy Outreach Coordinator from Dawson Creek wrote about childhood obesity, which is related to food. I love food, who doesn’t love food. We need it to fuel our bodies and it gives us energy to go to work, play, garden, and do everything we do in a day. Let’s face it obesity (when not illness related or a genetic disorder) can be caused by eating bad food or even too much good food (bad food: fast food, pre-packaged food and restaurant foods; good food: whole grains, fruits, vegies, lean protein – you get the meaning).
Live, Love, Laugh, Dream
June is a very busy month for literacy! There is a yummy strawberry festival in Hudson's Hope, Wheels in Motion challenge in Fort St. John, Traditional PowWow in Taylor... and more. Check out June's newsletter or contact me, Literacy Outreach Coordinator Erin Evans at 250-262-2088 or eevans@unbc.ca
Self Reflection
So I said in Part Four of my ten-part blogs, that I would let you know how self-reflection has been going...
Well I am still reflecting - hence the long wait for Part Five! It'll come sometime today, I promise!
Erin
Literacy Outreach Coordinator
250-262-2088
May Newsletter
Take a look at what is happening in our community in May 2010!
Check out the concerts, Home Alone Programme for kids, workshops and seminars for adults, TRADES presentation, WOW bus info and more!
There is a little sneak peak at an upcoming event - PreSchool Health Round-Up on June 02 at the Enerplex! If you have 3-5 yr olds you don't want to miss out on this free event full of fun and prizes.
For more information contact Erin Evans, the Literacy Outreach Coordinator at 250-262-2088
Finally It's Here!
Part Three of Ten!
I was having a hard time writing Part Three of my blog. I went away for Spring Break and spent last week trying to catch up on work (and write Part Three). I have part of another blog written, which I decided to save for another time. Here is a blog that was written by a colleague in Dawson Creek, Sandrina Harwood. Her article is about childhood obesity. It is on the rise in Canada and Jamie Oliver has a new show about school lunch programmes in the United States, to help combat obesity in children. Some of the stats say that, for the first time in history, parents will outlive their children because of the negative health effects of obesity.
Guerilla Gardening
The North Peace Secondary Enviro Club is looking for a of "targets" for a Guerilla Gardening campaign this Spring. The students identify a property that is in need of clean-up, repair and/or beautifying and conduct a work session in the dead of the night. Their motto is: "Get in- Garden- Get out".
The students are participating in a community volunteer event and they are learning about stewardship and gardening. The idea that the campaign is a secret to the recipient and happens at night is an added incentive for students to participate.
In June 2009 the Enviro Club targeted the North Peace Day Care and undertook several projects including painting playground equipment and a garden shed, planting trees and perrennials, mowing,and roofing a play house. They also randomly dropped off planters of annuals that they had grown in the NPSS green house, to local businesses and they weeded two large flower beds downtown.
Upcoming Community Events
Just wanted to remind everyone of some literacy events happening around town.
Women's Resource Society is hosting the Vagina Monologues this Saturday, February 20, at the North Peace Cultural Centre. Tickets are $20 and monies raised help support local women. You can purchase your tickets at the Cultural Centre, Women's Resource Society and Whole Wheat and Honey.
North Peace Seniors Housing Society is hosting a FREE seniors workshop, Chronic Health Management, on February 26 at the Peace Lutheran Apartments. For more information and to register contact Kim Wilson at 250.785.8983
Association for Community Living "Caring Communities" campaign has kicked off. Contact Cory Goodwin at 250.787.9262 ext 226 to get involved or find out more information. You can also contact Cory if you can drum and would like to help with their drumming programme at North Peace Secondary School.
Worms Up, Worms Down
The Social Benefits of Literacy
A great deal has been made of the impact of poor literacy skills on the Canadian economy and with good reaon. A 2007 report entitled Literacy Matters: A Call for Action, issued by the TD Bank Financial Group, pointed out that in 2003 the average income of people with strong literacy skills was $42, 239, which was significantly higher than those with weak literacy skills, whose average income was $29, 001, and more than double the size of those with poor literacy skills, whose average income was $20, 692. The report also notes that a "1% increase in literacy boosts productivity 2.5% and output 1.5%". Writing in a 2001 Statistics Canada publication Literacy, Numeracy and Labour Market Outcomes in Canada, economist David Green and Craig Ridell indicate that "each additional year of education raises annual earnings by approximately 8.3% and, of that, approximately 3.1 percentage points result from the combined influences of education on literacy and, in turn, literacy earnings".
Literacy and Afghanistan
For my first blog of the New Year, I would like to talk about Afghanistan. What does this 'downer' of a topic have to with literacy? Everything!
To date there have been over 130 Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Currently I have a very close friend over there. Every time I hear another soldier was killed I instantly cringe and look to find the names. My heart stops. I have been relieved that my friend is safe but deeply saddened at the loss of the other soldiers.
Literacy today is more than just reading and writing. It means life long learning, developing knowledge and potential, succeeding economically, participating in community, along with many other life skills. Literacy involves analyzing and understanding information from various sources such as the newspaper, Internet, television, books and oral stories; critical thinking about issues globally, nationally, provincially and localls - how they connect and are interconnected.
Happy New Year!
Family Literacy Day is January 27, 2010 - what are you doing to celebrate and can the Literacy Outreach Coordinator help get the word out?
I have continued to Blog on energeticcity.ca, throughout the month of December. It has been an interesting experience. A Facebook group "North Peace Literacy Alliance" was also started and is open for anyone to join. I have created a Twitter account recently www.twitter.com/LOCfsj - follow me on twitter!
If you have anything you would like to me blog, facebook, tweet or include in this monthly newsletter just let me know!
Thank-You to Moose.fm and Russ Beerling for helping us with the Public Service Announcements beginning in January! To those organizations that sent Public Service Announcements! To Christine for recording with me!
One of the Public Service Announcements you will be hearing throughout the year:
THANK YOU!
I would like to send a giant THANK YOU to Russ @ the MOOSE.fm for his assistance in recording some Public Service Announcements for the North Peace Literacy Alliance and literacy partners! Another thank you to Christine from the Literacy Society for her voice contribution!
Listen to the Moose.fm in the New Year to hear about literacy!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Erin Evans
Literacy Outreach Coordinator
Holiday Gift Ideas!
Give the gift of literacy this holiday season. Besides books, there are many gifts that can help develop and increase literacy skills for all ages.
Some gift ideas:
Rubics Cube - problem solving, critical thinking
Easy Bake Oven - measuring, following directions
Board Games (Snakes & Ladders, CandyLand, Hungy Hippos, Life, Monopoly, Cranium etc...) - following directions, math skills, reading skills, colour identification, problem solving and many other literacy benefits
Card & Dice Games (Yahtzee, Uno etc...) - following directions, math skills, reading skills, colour identification, memory, problem solving and many other literacy benefits
Music, Art & Crafts - inspires creativity, learn to follow directions, problem solving
Learning Toys (atlas, globes, telescopes, science-based toys/expriments, blocks etc...) - too many literacy benefits to list!
For more information please contact the Literacy Outreach Coordinator at:
250-262-2088
Literacy Community
December 2009
Hello Community!
The FSJ Literacy Society is renting out Santas again this year. Fees vary, starting as low as $25 for home Santa visits. Check out their ad on energeticcity.ca or call them at 250.785.2110 to find out more information.
MOOSE.fm is giving the Literacy Alliance airtime for public service announcements. Once per month they will air a different 30 second sound bite. Six announcements have already been drafted and six more are needed. If you would like your organization to be showcased please contact the Literacy Outreach Coordinator LOC at eevans@unbc.ca by Decemer 10.
The Early Development Instrument results are in! For more information about the kindergarten readiness in your area please contact Michelle Laboucane, Understanding the Early Years Coordinator at mlaboucane@npcrs.bc.ca
The New 4 Letter Word
|
Buying, Selling & Exploring Opportunities Ph. (250) 785-8051 | 793chad.com |
|
100.1 Moose FM - Energetic Country! Ph. (250) 787-7100 | moosefm.ca |
|
Creativity Within Your Budget Ph. (250) 789-3496 | roxannesinteriors.com |
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The Wiggles and Giggles Daycare Providing quality child care in Fort St. John Ph. (250) 793-5437 | www.bit.ly/8Vogmy |
