Rockford Adult Education News

Hello RAE Family!

In with the new and out with the old? 2020 sure has been an adventure! I think we can take a

collective deep breath and be thankful to have made it through!

Christmas Break will be from December 19 - January 3. Make some time this week to get to

class and make progress towards that New Year's resolution!

Hoping you and your family are well this holiday season!

Grace and peace,

Jenny Thompson

Director of Adult/Alternative Educatoin

Rockford Public Schools

If you want to graduate in May, NOW is the time to put in the work! Schedule the time into your day, to make sure you get it done! What time of day is best for you to work on your classes? Which in person classes can you attend?

You can achieve what you set your mind and your time to doing! It is all about time and effort! We are here to support you and to cheer you on to the finish line at Graduation!

Please join us! Classes are held Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 5:00 PM until 8:30 PM. It is important to come to class to connect with teachers, get your questions answered, and fulfill testing/enrolling requirements.

When coming in to class, please ring the doorbell to the right of the double doors. A teacher will open the door for you. Next, please complete the health screener on the desk, and sign-in to class.

Understanding the pandemic we are in, there may be times when you are unable to attend class due to Covid 19. To accommodate our students working from home, we will be holding Zoom office hours every class night from 6:00 PM -7:00 PM. It is very important that if you are not in class, you are checking in regularly with teachers. We are required to document attendance for the state of Michigan.

If you are unable to join us in person, please make every effort to check in with your teachers during their office hour.

You can click on this Zoom link to join. Your teacher will let you in, and then you should be able to see your teacher! If you are having trouble, please reach out! Our contact information is at the end of this newsletter.

Need help with zoom? Here is a how to tutorial.

Do you have any friends or family who might be interested in earning their diploma or working toward the GED? RAE is now enrolling for second semester! See Enrollment Information below!

If you are not yet enrolled for the 2020/2021 school year here is what you need to do:

1. Please complete the RAE Request for Information form.

2. Sarah will send the official form to enroll to the email you listed on the form. Please complete the official enrollment form.

3. Please take the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) Locator pre-test. Sarah, our secretary, will send you the link.

4. Please come in to class to take the TABE Survey test.

Testing is required by the State of Michigan when you enroll, and then again when you graduate or at the end of the school year.

Once these steps have been completed, we can get you started in classes and on your way to that diploma!

Yes, the State of Michigan is rewarding frontline workers who worked at least 11weeks of the 13 week shut down in the spring of 2020! Essential workers include those who worked in healthcare, grocery stores, restaurants - take out only, gas stations, etc.

Here is the GREAT NEWS! Once you sign up (you must sign up by December 31, 2020) you have four years to complete the courses. An associates degree or two years of community college is covered. Also, if your interest is in trade school, that would be covered as well. The four years gives you time to complete your high school diploma first, and then head to community college for free!!

You will need to register with the State of Michigan before December 31, 2020. Find out if you qualify here: Futures for Frontliners. You can sign up here: Apply for Futures for Frontliners.

Aaron Karsies has been teaching for Rockford Adult Education since 2012. His day job is as a Science and Math teacher at Rockford High School, where he has taught for 18 years! ( I know - he doesn't look that old! :)) In the summers, Aaron power washes and stains decks.

Before teaching, Aaron worked in a factory making office chairs. He has also officiated football and Lacrosse. Aaron figured out he wanted to teach math in high school. He graduated from GRCC and GVSU.

What Aaron enjoys most about teaching is seeing students succeed and the look they have on their faces when they understand math!

Aaron's advice to anyone considering career and post-secondary options is, "Make sure you do something you like. Don't pay to do something you don't enjoy."

Hand 2 Hand can help with food and toiletry needs.

Developing Healthy Kids put together a panel of mental health experts to address questions from Rockford families regarding the stress and anxiety caused by Covid 19. View it here!

Ele's Place is a community based organization with the mission to create awareness of and support for grieving children and their families. Please find a very helpful guide for parents - how to support teens, as well as a handout titled, How to Help Yourself: For Teens below.

Here are some tips for staying positive this holiday season, even though this year the holidays will look different!

Please reach out with any questions you may have or if there is anything else you need!

Email: jthompson@rockfordschools.org
Website: http://www.rockfordschools.org/high-schools/adult-education/
Location: 350 North Main Street, Rockford, MI, USA
Phone: (616) 863-6324
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rockford-Adult-Education-651751394902991/?view_public_for=651751394902991