CAMPUS NEWS
Anniqua Rana Named Bay Area Hub Coordinator For State Basic Skills Initiative
Anniqua Rana, professor of English as a Second Language, has been named the Bay Area Hub Coordinator for the state’s Basic Skills Initiative.
Rana will work with colleges in Northern California to build professional development activities, develop workshops and online resources to share best teaching practices, and bring together local professors involved in teaching basic skills to find ways to improve teaching techniques.
Rana will present Cañada’s “Crossing Borders” learning community for basic skills students a the Achieving the Dream Conference Feb. 19 in San Francisco. “Achieving the Dream is a multiyear national initiative to help more community college students succeed,” she said. “The initiative is particularly concerned about students groups that traditionally have faced significant barriers to success, including students of color and low-income students.”
As a Bay Area hub coordinator, Rana can help position Cañada as a statewide leader in basic skills education. “We can share what we’re doing and we can gain from what we’re doing,” she said. “We’re right out in front on this issue. We’re learning as we go along and we have the opportunity to learn from others.”
The Basic Skills Professional Development Initiative—Academic Fundamentals is being proposed out of the need to provide basic skills, and by extension English as a Second Language (ESL), education to students underprepared for college-level work, including those unable to pass the California High School Exit Exam; address the unmet needs of the California Community College System in the area of basic skills education as noted in the 2006 System Office Strategic Plan; and attend to the professional development needs of community college faculty as they seek to provide basic skills courses/programs in their efforts to ensure student succeed. This Initiative provides statewide training and support to address the professional development needs of community college administrators, faculty, and staff in the areas of basic skills and ESL instruction and will jointly address both credit and noncredit instruction as they apply to the broad basic skills area, including appropriate English, mathematics, reading, writing and ESL instruction.
“It’s exciting because Cañada is being viewed as a state leader in the area of basic skills education and they are looking to our models and experience to influence best practices,” Rana said. “It’s a great opportunity for our college to shine.”
Student Learning Outcomes Workshop Scheduled for Feb. 7
Are you struggling with assessing your student learning outcomes? Greg Stoup, Director of Planning, Research, & Student Success, will conduct a workshop titled "Developing Assessment Instruments in 10 Minutes" on Friday, Feb. 7 at noon. The workshop will be held in the Learning Center Writing Lab. "The workshop is designed to help faculty members review their student learning outcomes and determine the best model for assessment," Stoup said. For more information, contact Stoup at Ext. 3145.
Early Childhood Education to Host Professional Development Workshop for Students
The Early Childhood Education Department will host a professional development workshop for students designed to highlight possible career pathways in the industry. "Pathways to Your Future: Career and College Pathways in Early Childhood Education" will be held Monday, march 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Main Theater. Topics include educational pathways, child development permits, advising and counseling resources, financial aid, placement testing and SamCares.
University of San Francisco Professor James Taylor to Lecture
"The Audacity of Hope: Thinking Against the Odds" is the title of a lecture to be delivered on Tuesday, Feb. 3 by University of San Francisco Professor James Taylor, professor of politics. The lecture will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Main Theater. This lecture will examine how audacious thinking while viewed outside the mainstream can have a democratizing effect, as seen in the recent election of America's first black president, Barack Obama. Discussions will also focus on the audacious efforts of various civil rights leaders and organizations for integration and civil rights. The lecture is part of the Black History Month celebration at Cañada College.
FACES OF CAÑADA
Phyllis-Lucas Woods Announces Retirement
After 34 successful years in the District, Phyllis Lucas-Woods announced her retirement. A reception will be held Feb. 2 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Building 9, Room 154. Please join us for this event.
Phyllis began with the district as a first-generation college student at Skyline College. After graduating with an AA in the first graduating class at Skyline College, she transferred to San Francisco State University and obtained a BA in English and an MA in English Literature while working full-time as a secretary in the Humanities Division at SFSU. She accepted a classified position as an Instructional Aide in the Skyline College Media Center (which later evolved into the Learning Center) and eventually became a tenured English Professor and taught a wide range of English and reading courses from basic skills through transfer as well as literature.
Since then, she has had many roles in the District including Director of Learning Resources, Dean of Language Arts and Learning Resources at Skyline, Dean of Instructional Services/University Center and Academic Support Services and finally, Vice President of Student Services at Cañada.
She plans to travel and work on her home during retirement.
"Chief" Pete Katsumis Retires
"Chief" Pete Katsumis, director of security for the college, announced his retirement in December. A special ceremony honoring Pete's service to the college was held in mid-December as his last day was Dec. 30.
Katsumis worked for many years with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. He brought the professional experience gained as a sheriff to the campus. Katsumis was named lead security officer for Cañada College five years ago but he always viewed security of the campus as a team effort. “We’re all professionals and we’re all very capable,” he said. “I might have the title of lead security officer but any of the officers on this campus can handle all
of the duties required. It’s a great bunch of people to work with.”
"Chief" Pete was a presence on campus, attending most activities, day or night.
Mary Anne Leary Joins Cañada as Grant Manager
Mary Anne Leary, previously of Skyline College, has joined Cañada as grant manager for the two-year, $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education designed to help shorten the time students need to enroll in transferable level science classes.
For the past four years, Leary was the division assistant in the Social Science-Creative Arts Division at Skyline College. “I have been living at College Vista but I wanted to move back to this area because most of my family and friends live between Redwood City and San Jose,” she said. Leary lives in Portola Valley and serves as a docent at Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve.
The grant will help the college develop an intensive six-week summer program in math instruction designed to raise math placement levels for students pursuing science majors. Then, during the school year, a math lab will be made available to students featuring self-paced, accelerated math instruction, faculty-guided instruction, instructional aides, and tutors available for extended hours. Curriculum will also be developed to incorporate hands-on scientific experiments linked to math training so that students see the applications of mathematical concepts and use real-life examples while learning math.
“I’m essentially working as the assistant project director for the grant,” Leary said. “I’ll work with the faculty to make sure we have the necessary materials and supplies and to be sure that everything is paid correctly. It’s a large grant so I will work with faculty to make sure the projects flow smoothly.”
Janet Stringer, dean of Science & Technology, said the college is fortunate to have an experienced manager such as Leary working with the grant.
“She understands the district and is a very skilled manager,” Stringer said. “This is a good fit for us and for Mary Anne.”
Danielle Behonick Joins Cañada as Health Sciences Instructor
Danielle Behonick, a San Francisco resident and graduate of the University of California at San Francisco in biomedical science, has joined Cañada as a full-time instructor in health sciences and physiology.
Behonick worked most recently at Merritt College in Oakland and U.C. Berkeley Extension. “I have been working part-time at both institutions but I was looking for a full-time teaching job,” she said. “Cañada offers a great opportunity to work at one college and to focus on issues that are important to me.”
Behonick’s professional interests include health care advocacy, especially for women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. She works at the UCSF Women’s Research Center studying underserved populations in relationship to health care.
“Our students are looking to get jobs in the healthcare field and we need to make them aware that they are going to be working with different populations,” she said. “You never know who is going to walk through the door and what their healthcare needs might be.”
Behonick said her health sciences class caters to non-majors. “I try to educate students so that they are better informed patients,” she said. “I teach them about their rights as patients and empower them to interact with their health care providers.”
While Behonick lives in San Francisco she spends a lot of her free time in Redwood City as a member of a dragon boat race team. “That’s my other passion,” she said. “I love the competition.”
Editor's Note: If you have ideas for the Faces of Cañada section of the online newsletter, please contact Robert Hood at ext. 3340 or by e-mail at hoodr@smccd.edu.
SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENTS
Ben Smith: A Learning Communities Success Story
Redwood City's Ben Smith has never had problems passing a humanities class but math, that is a different story. "I took math repeatedly and I kept getting D's," said Smith, a student at Cañada since the fall of 2006. "It was extremely frustrating." Imagine Ben's skepticism when Salumeh Eslamieh, assistant professor of English and chair of the Basic Skills Committee, suggested he take two math classes in the same semester. "I was really worried but I had Salumeh in other classes and I trusted her," he said.
Ben, a TRiO student at the college, was encouraged to sign up for a Crossing Borders learning community that focused on math. It was taught by instructor Denise Hum and included an academic counseling class and a group meeting with other students in the learning community. Ben had been involved with another learning community focused on English so he agreed. "It was the best decision I've made in college," he said. "I learned about math anxiety and how to overcome it. I had friends in the class and we studied together and Denise Hum would meet us in the Learning Center to help us study. There was a lot of interaction in the class. It was magical."
Because he passed both math classes, Ben stayed on course to finish at Cañada this semester and has been provisionally accepted at San Jose State University where he will study behavioral science and sociology in the fall. "I think it's pretty cool that I was in the first math class for Crossing Borders," he said. "The learning communities expose you to other experiences, help you meet friends, and find people to study with. I would certainly advise students who have trouble in math, english or reading to join a learning community because it will help you pass the class."
Cash for College Financial Aid Workshop Set For Feb. 7
Do you know students who need financial aid? Encourage them to attend the Cash for College Workshop Feb. 7 to learn how to apply for financial aid and get help with their FAFSA form.
The workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7 in Building 9, Room 106. Students and parents can drop in anytime during the workshop. Cañada's financial aid experts will go through the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) line-by-line beginning at 10:15 a.m. Individualized FAFSA assistance will be available at any time during the workshop. The workshop is open to current and prospective students as well as parents and students do not need to plan to attend Cañada College to attend the workshop.
To fill out the FAFSA form on-site students will need the following documents (that apply): Driver's license ♦ Social Security card or number ♦ Alien registration number, if they are not a U.S. citizen ♦ Their 2008 income information ♦ Their parents’ 2008 income information ♦ Their tax and their parent’s tax information; previous year taxes are okay for now if you don’t have 2008 tax information ♦ 2008 bank statements ♦ Any records of untaxed income such as welfare benefits, Social Security benefits, or child support payments ♦ List of colleges they are interested in attending.
For questions, contact the Cañada College Financial Aid Office at (650) 306-3307 or e-mail canadafinancialaid@smccd.edu.
Redwood Symphony Set to Perform "Tragic Heroes"
Explore the darkest regions of the soul when Redwood Symphony performs the great Fourth Symphony of Sibelius. The concert will be held at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7 in the Main Theater. Maestro Eric Kujawsky will give a pre-concert lecture at 7 P.M.
Meet a dark hero in Strauss's brilliant tone poem, Don Juan. And to lighten the darkness, Jamie Mulfinger will thrill you with her interpretation of Nielsen's whimsical flute concerto. Tickets are $25 for adults ($20 in advance) and $10 for children under 16 with a valid student ID. Children under 12, and Cañada students, faculty and staff are admitted free.
Advance tickets can be purchased by credit card, online only, at www.redwoodsymphony.org. Tickets ordered online will be held at the door. Advance tickets can also be ordered by mail. To order advance tickets by mail, please send a check to Redwood Symphony, 1031 Sixteenth Avenue, Redwood City, 94063. If you'd like to receive your tickets prior to the concert, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your check. You can also request that the paid tickets be held at the door.
Editor's Note: If you have an idea for a student feature, contact Robert Hood at ext. 3340.
CAMPUS CALENDAR
Please see the EVENTS CALENDAR for the latest event listings.
Editor's Note: If you would like to submit an event to the Cañada Calendar of Events please contact Robert Hood at hoodr@smccd.edu.
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