News & Views

www.nald.ca/thelearningexchange/

Issue 36 Editor/Layout Designer

March/April 2007 Darlene Brown

HOW TO CONTACT US

Darlene Brown Adult Learner’s Week

Executive Director
Darlene Brown
Karen Mockler Executive Director
Administrative Assistant
The Adult Learner’s Week has helped to foster the desire and develop possibili-
Jacklyn Freedman-Spector ties for lifelong learning for all adults in Quebec. Starting March 24th, 2007, ma-
Communications Director
jor events will be taking place all across Quebec to honour 1001 ways to learn!
Look for notices around the school to join the celebration through local activities.
3200 Souvenir Blvd. room D-110
Chomedey Laval, Quebec.

Phone: 450-688-2933 ext. 3126

Fax: 450-688-8125
Adult Learner’s Week is March 24th to the 30th
E-mail: tle_literacy@yahoo.ca
TLE Celebrates our students’ efforts and achievements!!
Web site:
www.nald.ca/thelearningexchange/ Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 15th to the 21st
TLE thanks all of our wonderful volunteers for their time!!

Excellence in Literacy

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Lakeshore Players Theatre Benefit…
Thank you!!
President’s Message 2
Darlene Brown
From the E.D.’s Desk 2 Executive Director
TLE Literacy
Karen’s Corner 2
What a fun evening! The LakeShore Player’s pro- Sponsors &
Family Literacy Fun 3
duction of “Sinners” was a wonderful success! Supporters:
Adult Literacy Awards 3
I’d like to thank Literacy Unlimited for all of
Book Club News 3 their help, everyone from The Lakeshore Players • MERCK FROSST EMPLOYEES’ CHARITY
Computer Tip 3 for supporting our organization, and all of our TRUST FUND
TLE members who helped make the evening a LAVAL ROTARY CLUB
Kate’s Library Update 4 •
success, especially Beverly Beauchamp, Beth
Website Redesign 4 Green, and Mona Arsenault. A big thank you to
• CANADA POST
Gift of Reading 4 our members, family, friends, and colleagues who • CASCADES FINE PAPER GROUP
supported The Learning Exchange through dona- LIBRARIE RAFFIN
March Calendar 5 •
tions and by purchasing tickets for the evening.
April Calendar 6 Thank you!! Until you next year...?!!!!
 President’s Message
TLE Board of
Donna Adrian
President
• Donna Adrian President

A mind that has been stretched will never re-

• Mona Arsenault Past President
turn to its original dimension. ~Albert Einstein
• Christiane Dabbagh Vice-President

• Beth Green Secretary

After seven weeks at sea, my head is filled with images: the white
sand beaches of the Caymans and Uruguay; howler monkeys playing • Valerie Sauriol Treasurer
in the rain forest in Costa Rica; the Indians of Panama living as they
did centuries ago; the pyramids and ruins of Peru; the scenery: de- • Alice Sroka-Fillion Director

serts, mountains lakes, volcanoes, and rivers - spectacular. • Nancy Pilato Director

Antarctica was beyond my dreams. Its snow-capped ice-covered

mountains, with glaciers stretching from mountain tops down to the
ocean - brilliant blue in colour- waterfalls tumbling down from the TLE Staff:
melting ice, fjords paced with sea ice, ice floes with penguins and • Darlene Brown Executive Director
seals on them, huge icebergs many times larger than the ship, in-
• Karen Mockler Administrative
spire awe and wonder. Assistant

I have experienced earthquakes, a hurricane, rogue waves, storms, • Jacklyn Freed- Communications
man-Spector Director
high seas, gale force winds and beautiful weather.
• Diane Richard Financial Officer
Although I speak no Spanish, a smile "hola" and thanks "gracias" has
helped me "talk" to people in Peru, Chile and Argentina. They have,
with pride, shown me their towns, parks, churches and markets.
I know how frustrated I was, not being able to communicate easily Karen’s Corner
with the people I met. I respect your determination as students to
learn to read and write, and as teachers, to encourage success. Karen Mockler
Administrative Assistant

It is always
From the Executive Director’s Desk great to have
a break in
Darlene Brown
Executive Director March, the
BOOK SALE end is near! I
A book sale will be held The Quebec English Literacy Alliance would ask tutors once again to
on Tuesday, April 10 at (QELA) has a new president...ME! I am please let me know when you
11:30 a.m. until 1:00
honoured to take on the responsibilities change times or rooms for
p.m. near the cafeteria .
of the position and look forward to the tutoring. If you can’t get in
challenge. Speaking of which...I’d like to touch with your student to
take this opportunity to thank Stephen Shore for all of his work on cancel, let me know and I will
TLE’s Board of Directors and as a volunteer tutor. Good luck in Ot- contact them. Also, this is a
tawa Stephen...we miss you!! Taking his place as newly appointed good time to start thinking
Treasurer will be Valerie Sauriol. Welcome to the team Valerie!! about filling in your tutoring
It’s time to start planning TLE’s Celebration 2007. We’re looking hours sheet and handing them
for volunteers/students to help with the planning. A meeting will be in. Thanks for your help!
held on Tues. March 13th at 1:15. Call Karen if you are interested.
Page 2
NEWS & VIEWS
 ISSUE 36
Page 3

Family Literacy Fun

Jacklyn Freedman-Spector
Communications Consultant
L - R: Nancy Pilato, Effie Maniatis, Beth Green,
Beverly Beauvais and Alice Sroka-Fillion
In February, our great Family
Literacy team of volunteers
read to children from K to
grade 4 at Crestview and Sou-
venir Elementary Schools. Spe-
cial guests Sir Wilfrid Laurier
School Board (SWLSB) Direc- Trust Fund that this annual
tor General Effie Maniatis, TLE initiative was possible!
SWLSB Commissioner David Many thanks also goes out to
McKinley, and Graham Carpen- Jack Hannan from Librairie
ter, Riding Relations for MNA Raffin for the generous dona-
Mr. Thomas Mulcair, dropped tion of book bags and Davy-
by to see our wonderful team
in action. Beverly Beauvais,
Valerie Sauriol, Beth Green,
Alice Sroka-Fillion, Susan Ja-
cobs and Nancy Pilato gave
children Raffin bags with ei-
ther/or a book, pencil and pad,
stickers, bookmarks, a TLE
brochure and a handbook for
parents on suggestions for
Reading fun with Dr. Suess’ The Cat in the
reading and writing with their Hat at Crestview Elementary School
children. It is because of the
generosity of the Merck Belle McMorran for helping
Frosst Employees’ Charity with the assembly of the bags.

The Quebec Adult Literacy Awards

The Quebec write, and for exceptional lit- nominated for the Teacher/
Adult Liter- eracy teachers/tutors to be Tutor award. This is a special
acy Awards rewarded for their hardwork. way of recognizing the
nominations To apply for the Learner’s achievements of teachers
are now open. award, we ask students to whose work is so often outside
This award is share their own personal story the mainstream. Application
a chance for of how learning to read and forms are on The Centre for
Deadline to apply is
adult learners write has changed their lives. Literacy website:
March 23rd, 2007 to be recog- This can be in the form of a www.centreforliteracy.qc.ca,
nized for story, an essay, a poem, or a Application deadline is March
their courage and determina- comic strip. Teachers and tu- 23, 2007. Contact TLE if you
tion in learning to read and tors of adult literacy can be need help with an application.

Book Club News

Beverly Beauvais
Volunteer
TLE’s Reading Circle will meet
on Tuesday, March 6th to dis-
cuss A PAINTED HOUSE by
John Grisholm. The meeting
will take place at 7:30 p.m. at
the Multi-Cultural Library. The
discussion leader will be Davy-
Belle McMorran. The next
book club meeting will be Tues-
day, April 10th at 7:30 p.m.
Our chosen book is THE FOR-
EST LOVER by Susan Vree-
land. Wilma Goodman Lo will be
the animator and we will be
back at The Learning Exchange
for this meeting.

Here’s a great shortcut I’d like to share with all of you…something a student of mine accidentally discovered. Hold
down the CTRL button while using the SCROLL button on your mouse (roll it back and forth) and watch what
happens!!! You can quickly and easily adjust the view of your screen and size of your document….I love it!!
NEWS & VIEWS

Kate’s Library News

Kate Strickland
TLE Documentation Technician

Progress continues on the library. Karen has been trained on the

We’re on the web!
www.nald.ca/thelearningexchange
Workshop News
*Minimum of 5 participants required
Learning Links Returns...Again!
Monday April 23rd
1:30 to 4 PM and 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
TLE Computer Lab: Room C124B
data entry process and is now familiar with the style and content
criteria in entering new items. Now that there are two of us
working on the database, progress will be even faster! Please
note that training in how to use this new system will be set after
our new web site is ready, so stay tuned for details. In the
meantime, weCommittee
Family Literacy are looking for volunteers who would be interested
meeting:
in repairing books. We can arrange some training on book repair
Left to Right: Beth, Davy-Belle, Bev-
erly, Alice and Valerie
methods if you desire. If you are interested, please contact
Karen and we’ll get you busy giving some of our books the tender
loving care that they deserve. We’re also seeking names of volun-
teers interested in becoming a future TLE library volunteer. Call
Karen today!

Discover the new website “Learning Links”

Take a tour of the site
Get ideas for using Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) Web Site Redesign
Open to tutors, volunteers, teachers and students

Tutor Training Continues
March 13th and 20th
Tuesdays 6:30 to 9:30 TLE Room D-110
Basic Tutor Training Session 4 to 5
Fun and interactive training for new volunteers
Darlene Brown
Executive Director
I’m pleased to announce TLE’s website is currently
being redesigned! I’m looking for feedback regarding the overall
look, design and ease of use. If you are interested in giving your
opinion just let us know and we’ll add you to the list!

Give the Gift of Reading

Yes! I want to help support TLE’s literacy efforts. I’m enclosing my donation of:

$10 $15 $20 $25 Other $ ———

Name & address of donor: *Receipt

Excellence in Literacy
2006/2007
Name & address for gift/donation notice: *Receipt
If you would like to make a gift of literacy
in someone’s name or memory please
include his/her name and address with this
reply card and we will send them a
gift/donation notice.

Please return this reply card along with your donation to The Learning Exchange.
TLE’s charitable number is 89335 1767 RR 0001. Make cheque payable to The Learning Exchange.
*Please indicate with a checkmark which name and address for the receipt.

Librarie Raffin
 March 2007
The Learning Exchange
3200 boul. du Souvenir, Chomedey, Laval, Quebec. Excellence in Literacy
H7V 1W9

March 8th is International Women’s Day

March 21st is World Poetry Day

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Centre closed Book Club 7:30 International
Spring Break Women’s Day

11 12 13Social Comm. 14 15 16 17
TLE meeting 1:15 Bridging the Gap St. Patrick’s Day
Centre reopens Tutor Training #4 QELA
Workshop 6:30 PM 9 AM

18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Tutor Training # 5 World Poetry Day Adult Learner’s
Workshop 1st day of Spring Week
6:30 to 9:30 PM (March 24 - 30)

25 26 27 28 29QELA Meeting 30 31
DFGA Workshop TLE BOD Meeting 9 AM
9 AM 1 PM Adult Literacy
QLWG Mtg. 9 AM Awards downtown

Schedule of Events for March 2007

March 6 Book Club: Multicultural library at 7:30 ~ Book club readers
March 13
• Social Committee Meeting: room D-110 at 1:15 ~ Interested members and staff
• Basic Tutor Training #4: room D-110 at 6:30 PM ~ New volunteers
March 14 Bridging the Gap Workshop: 10:30 - 12:30 PM ~ QELA reps
March 20 Basic Tutor Training #5: room D-110 at 6:30 PM~ New volunteers
March 24—30 Adult Learner’s Week
March 26 DFGA Workshop: TBA ~ Executive Director
March 27
• TLE BOD Meeting: room D-110 at 1 PM ~ Executive Director
• QLWG Meeting: downtown 9AM ~ Executive Director
March 29 Phone: 450-688-2933 ext. 3126
Fax: 450-688-8125
• QELA General Meeting: TBA 9 AM ~ Executive Director E-mail: tle_literacy@yahoo.ca
www.nald.ca/thelearningexchange
• Adult Literacy Awards: downtown 9AM ~ Executive Director

Excellence in Literacy
All events are held at 3200 Souvenir blvd. in room D-110 unless otherwise noted.
Dates and times may have to change! Please call TLE to sign-up for all events.
Remember to check with Karen for any changes! Page 5
 April 2007
The Learning Exchange
3200 boul. du Souvenir, Chomedey, Laval, Quebec. H7V 1W9 Excellence in Literacy
April 15th to 21st is Volunteer Appreciation week

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
April Fool’s Day Centre closed
Good Friday

8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Easter Sunday Centre closed Book sale 11:30 -1 PM DFGA Reception & TLE Retreat
Easter Monday Book Club 7:30 PM Referral Workshop

15 16 17 18 19 20 21
TLE Retreat Volunteer Appre- Policy & Procedure
ciation Week Committee Meeting
(April 15 - 21) 12:30

22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Learning Links Work- SWL Governing Blue Metropolis LLC-Q/LVQ Tutor LLC-Q/LVQ Meeting
shop 1:30 - 4 PM and Board Meeting 5 PM Festival begins Training Workshop
6:30 - 9:30 PM

29 30
Blue Metropolis
Festival ends

Schedule of Events for April 2007

April 10
• Book Sale: 11:30 to 1:00 near the cafeteria ~ General public

• Book Club: 7:30 PM ~ Book Club Readers

April 12 DFGA Reception & Referral workshop: TBA ~ Executive Director

April 14 to 15 TLE Retreat: Hudson/St. Lazare ~ BOD, staff, consultants & PR Team
April 18 Policy & Procedure Committee meeting: 12:30 ~ P & P Committee
April 23 Learning Links workshop: 1:30 to 4 and 6:30 to 9:30 PM C124B ~ TLE members
April 24 SWL governing Board meeting: 5 PM D-128 ~ Executive Director
April 25 to 29 Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literacy Festival:
Information at: http://bluemetropolis.org Phone: 450-688-2933 ext. 3126
Fax: 450-688-8125
April 26 LLC-Q/LVQ Tutor Training workshop: TBA ~ Tutor Trainers E-mail: tle_literacy@yahoo.ca
www.nald.ca/thelearningexchange
April 27 LLC-Q/LVQ general meeting: TBA ~ Executive Director

Excellence in Literacy
All events are held at 3200 boul. du Souvenir in room D-110 unless otherwise noted.
Dates and times may have to change! Please call TLE to sign-up for all events.
Remember to check with Karen for any changes! Page 6