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STAMP
and ClassPak Updates
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Are you administering STAMP tests during this school year?
If so, please request
an updated order form and get your orders in by March 31st before
pricing changes. Also, you can prepare for STAMP by reviewing the Administration
Guides, taking a practice test, and stepping through the Reporting Tutorial
at www.avantassessment.com.
ClassPak is now available in Italian as well as Spanish, French, German,
and Japanese!
Learn more about this year-round instructional support tool that is
pre-loaded with STAMP-like, realia-based content. With ClassPak, teachers save time building lessons,
activities, and quizzes -- and students become familiar with the STAMP
environment.
Budget for STAMP in 2009-2010 with new STAMP Program pricing.
The STAMP Program continues to expand to include assessment, data storage,
training, and professional development opportunities for your staff. The
STAMP Program elements and pricing are now available at http://www.avantassessment.com/products/about_stamp.html. Please
note the IT and enhanced professional development elements of the program
are now separate from the assessment tests. STAMP orders placed after
March 31, 2009 will be invoiced at the new pricing.
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Opportunities and
Application Deadlines
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NSLI Initiatives
Report
Last fall, the U.S. Department of Education published a preliminary report
on the activities of the four federal agencies active in the National
Security Language Initiative (NSLI). The report is a comprehensive, yet
concise, description of the programs that each agency has developed,
implemented, or expanded in support of the NSLI goals. It is a great
resource to be familiar with to inform students and teachers about
potential programs and funding. You can download the report as a PDF from http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/competitiveness/nsli/nsli-preliminary-results.pdf
FLAP Grant Deadline April 13th
One of the most applicable NSLI programs for K-12 is the FLAP grant program
offered through the Department of Education. Mark your calendars for the
April 13th application closing deadline and watch for the notice of opening
at http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html#chart1.
WILL Application Deadline March 9th
The Western Initiative for Language Leadership (WILL) Professional
Development Program from CASLS is accepting applications from teachers with
five or less years of experience. This opportunity consists of two separate
weeklong summer institutes, action research and leadership training with a
collegial group of peers. The proven results of this program has resulted
in continued funding from the Department of Education so that a new cohort
can receive this innovative leadership training during the 2009-2001
biennial. Application deadline is March 9, 2009. For more
information, please go to http://casls.uoregon.edu/will.php
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Where in the World -
Avant Around the Globe
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The Fall of 2008 provided
many opportunities for Avant leaders to meet with you and present at
conferences including MiWLA (Michigan), MaFLA (Massachussetts),
ECOLT(Washington DC), COFLT/WAFLT (Vancouver, WA), and ACTFL (Orlando, FL).
Additionally, MITI (Medical Interpreters Test on the Internet), a new
assessment built by Avant, was launched at the medical interpreter
industry's national conference in Boston in November. For an introductory
video and information about MITI and Avant's partner Fluency, Inc. (a
pioneer in the field of Internet language management solutions for the
healthcare interpreting industry), please "play video" at www.mititest.com.
Avant will be back on the road this spring and looks forward to seeing you
if you are attending CCFLT, CSCTFL or NECTFL. Please check out Avant's presentations
and workshops, and stop by to say hello at the Avant Assessment booth (and
please remember that these times and locations are based on preliminary
programs - please confirm when you receive the final program at the
conference).
CCFLT - Colorado Congress of Foreign Language Teachers
February 26-28, Denver, CO
- STAMP:
Proficiency-Based Assessment with Dagmar Haney -- Session F35 in the
Crowne Plaza Silverton Room, Friday, February 27, 2:30pm
- ClassPak:
Web-Based Data Driven Instruction Support Tool with Dagmar
Haney -- Session S21 in the Crowne Plaza Aspen Theater, Saturday,
February 28, 11:00am
- Meetings
with Dagmar
Haney by appointment.
CSCTFL - Central States Conference on the Teaching of
Foreign Languages
March 19-21, Chicago, IL
- STAMP:
Proficiency-Based Assessment with Kyle Ennis -- Friday, March 20,
8:00am
- Booth # 410
NECTFL - Northeast Conference on the Teaching of
Foreign Languages
April 16-18, New York City, NY
- Workshop:
17. Assessment Best Practices: A Data Driven Approach with Kyle Ennis
- Thursday, April 16th, 1:30pm-4:30pm
- Session #88:
STAMP: Proficiency-Based Assessment with Kyle Ennis, Marquis B
9th Floor - Friday, April 17th, 2:15-3:30pm
- Booth #809
(5th Floor at the right-side Entrance)
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Spotlight on You
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 Janis Jensen, Director of the
Office of Academic Standards
Department
of Education, New Jersey
Avant Assessment is pleased to publish
this Spotlight on You story celebrating your colleague, Janis
Jensen, Director of the Office of Academic Standards, Department of
Education, New Jersey.
New Jersey is recognized as a leader in
student achievement. The teachers are aware of the standards, they have
benefited from professional development opportunities and they are leading
the country with the number of students graduating at 86 percent.
Previous Coordinator of World Languages and current Director of the Office
of Academic Standards at the New Jersey Department of Education, Janis
Jensen is in a rare position of having been a leader in the world language
education segment of that growth to excellence, and is now overseeing the
continuation of that path to excellence for all content areas. Avant worked
closely with Janis Jensen during the years of New Jersey's FLAP grant for
8th grade language programs, and is very pleased to present Janis' perspectives
on steps to success in this issue of Spotlight on You.
Discover the whole story and more at http://www.avantassessment.com/about/spotlight.html.
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