College closing information

If the College is closed due to weather or another emergency, the information will be broadcast with the regular school closings. It will also be posted on the front page of the CSCC website.

Also, if the College is closed, there will be no programming at our offsite locations either.

Updated rosters

Updated rosters are in your mailboxes. Please let me know the names of any students who are attending your class but are not on the roster. That way we can follow up to find out if they are registered in the wrong section – or if they aren’t registered at all.

Is campus closed?

Please let your students know that if the College is closed due to bad weather, the closing will be announced on TV and radio with the other school and business closings. They can also check the website (www.cscc.edu); if campus is closed, there will be an announcement on the main page.

Winter weather

As you probably have noticed, winter is upon us once again. A few notes and reminders for you and your students (Remember — even if you already know all of this by heart, some of your students may be experiencing winter for the first time!):
-- Start early so you can be on time wherever you need to go.
-- Keep in mind that stopping distance is greatly reduced when the roads are wet or snow-covered. Allow extra space between you and the car in front of you.
-- A lot of heat is lost through the head. When outside, keep your head covered.
-- To avoid frostbite, keep extremities (hands, feet, ears) warm and dry when outside. Boots, hats, scarves, and mittens or gloves are a must!!

BE Evaluations - Autumn 2008

Here are some selected responses from the Basic English course evaluations from this past term (Autumn 2008):

2. What did you like most about the textbook?
(1) I didn’t like Nothing.
(2) It has a good grammer so We can remmember our grammer
(3) I like about the textbooks the book has too much exerces
(4) I like is textbook
(5) The grammar notes

3. What did you not like about the textbook?
(1) most the textbook! It shoudn’t be for basic 5.
(2) It didn’t give us alot of meaning.
(3) the book doesn’t have enough Reading
(4) There where some lessons, wich you would never use in the real live, you
would never talk like this. (Too few, too little)

6. Was the course useful to you? Why or why not?
(1) I need more word.
(2) because I think I understand more, but my problem is I can’t speak but some times I understand. I need more practice in speak. All is good.
(3) I have to study writing because I want to improve my English skill. For me, this was so useful and enjoyable to study English I keep to continue writing
(4) It was useful because I learned a lot of things. The teacher was great. She explained everything that we wanted know.
(5) I would like to speak English smoothly.

English for Success - 2009 update

There have been several changes in this program with the new contract. These are outlined below.

TIME FRAME
Each session is eight weeks long (10 hours per week). It is expected (and hoped!) that students will take at least two sessions, and achieve two skill attainments each (one at the end of each session).

Last year there were breaks between sessions. This will no longer be the case. Sessions will run continuously. Here is the expected schedule of sessions for Main campus, Somali Senior & Family Services and Bending Brook:

• January 12 – March 6
• March 9 – May 1
• May 4 – June 26
• June 29 – August 21
• August 24 – October 16
• October 19 – December 11
• ALSO — Continuing time for (a) those required to attend courses for benefits and/or (b) those needing final make-up opportunities: December 14 – 23.

The following is the expected schedule of sessions for Centro Esperanza Latina:

• January 19 – March 13
• March 16 – May 8
• May 11 – July 3
• July 10 – August 28
• August 31 – October 23
• October 26 – December 18

CLASS TIMES
Here are the class times at each site:

Main campus (Begins 1/12/09)
M T W Th 10:00 - 12:30

Somali Sr. & Family Svc. (Begins 1/12/09)
M T W Th 9:00 - 11:30
M T W Th 4:00 - 6:30

Centro Esperanza Latina (Begins 1/19/09)
M T W Th F 10:30 - 12:30
M T W Th F 6:00 - 8:00

Bending Brook (Begins 1/12/09)
M T W Th 9:00 - 11:30


NUMBER OF CLASSES
Because of the required change to continuously running classes – and the added cost that goes with that – we are unable to have as many classes as before. Therefore, instead of having four classes at a site, we can have only two.


TESTING
Pre-tests and post-tests will be done this year using the BEST (Basic English Skills Test) rather than the TABE. A skill attainment will be considered to be one level of increase on the BEST.


CURRICULUM
The curriculum has changed. I sent the new curriculum out to the English for Success instructors this morning. Books will be made available as soon as they arrive from the publisher. Please let me know if you have any questions.


ATTENDANCE
Attendance must be taken each day by the instructors and must include time in and time out. A student will be considered to have completed a class when he or she has attended 80 contact hours.

Instructors must turn in attendance to Kimberly each week.

If a student misses a day, then the student must make up that day, even if it means continuing into the next session of classes.

Students who do not regularly attend class will be removed from the class so that those who have a strong interest in learning can attend.


DRESS CODE
Students are expected to dress in a manner that would be appropriate for an indoor workplace such as an office. If you have any questions regarding what is appropriate dress, please let me know.