First Deaf Community-Connections Festival

The American Sign Language/English Interpreting students who are taking Service Learning in the Deaf Community this semester will host the first annual Deaf Community-Connections Festival from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 19, on the Green. The festival is supported by community donations and the UNF Foundation Grant (Communication Intervention for Deaf Senior Citizens and Deaf Children) to: involve deaf senior citizens with deaf children through storytelling and interaction; provide resources and support for families with deaf children; expose deaf children to other signers and adult role models; and promote UNF student understanding of communication and interaction needs of deaf seniors and children who use American Sign Language.

The festival, for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and enrolled in Duval and Clay County schools, will feature storytellers from the deaf community, games, arts and crafts and a free lunch. It is the kickoff for the grant initiatives that will also include research on senior citizen social connectedness and social isolation of deaf children in public school settings. Students in the service learning class have had to pool their knowledge about working with deaf children (many are public school interpreters) and their involvement in the adult deaf community to plan this event around the needs of the kids, parents, siblings and senior citizens. Anyone interested in attending should R.S.V.P. by Saturday, April 12. For more information, call Dr. Sherry Shaw at ext. 2930.

 

Teaching Careers for Non-Education Majors Panel
Special panel discussion on Teaching Careers for Non-Education Majors from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, in the Robinson Center, Building 14, Rooms 1601-1602. The panel will provide information about the certification process and will give insight on how to pursue a teaching career without a major in education. Guest speakers include: Monica McAleer (Duval County Public Schools), Terry Stanilonis (Clay County Public Schools) and John Kemppanien and Kathy Krudwig (UNF College of Education and Human Services). All UNF students and alumni interested in teaching are encouraged to attend. There is no cost to attend and attendees are welcome to bring their lunch to the panel. For more information, contact Career Services at 620-2955 or  mailto:Hire.Grads@unf.edu.

Gladys Prior Award
Nominate a Duval County public or private school teachers for the Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence (due March 20, 2009) - read more.