The Community Education Newsletter |
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Good news! A new session of IU13 Community Education classes start soon!
Spring sessions run from March 7th to April 21st.
Want something new and exciting for this year? Ready to sharpen your English skills, prepare to take the HiSET/GED test, or pursue a career in teaching? There are many options for you and your loved ones. Come be a part of the IU13 family. We’re excited to have you.
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about IU13 classes or enrolling:
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Congratulations to Iraqi Asrar Aljanabi and Cuban couple Barbara Sanchez and Luis Civico, for passing their U.S. naturalization test and interview at USCIS Philadelphia on February 8 & 9. A big thank you to their teacher, Gedion, for helping to prepare them for their test and interview. |
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Tim Talk
IU13 Community Education Program Director
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Mary Edith Leichliter has been an IU13 Community Education employee for over a decade, serving in a variety of positions, including instructor, lead teacher, in-house professional development specialist, coordinator, and most recently supervisor for the Lebanon County program. Unfortunately for us, Mary Edith and her husband are moving to Vermont this summer. Over the past couple of years in her role as supervisor, Mary Edith has guided the program through the complexities of COVID and attributed to its overall success. Mary Edith has been an essential part of the Community Education leadership team, demonstrating passion, enthusiasm, teamwork, and high levels of competence in andragogy, curriculum, and professional development. She will be truly missed by the leadership team, Community Education staff, the Literacy Council team, and all the other IU13 and external partners with whom she interacts with on a regular basis. We wish Mary Edith the best as she transitions to this new phase in her life.
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Supporting Afghanistan Students |
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On January 9th 2022, IU13 Navigator Jalilah Yacoub provided information on Afghani culture and Muslim traditions for administrators and the IU13 Refugee Center Team via Zoom. The following are highlights from the presentation.
Schools across the United States have seen a significant increase in the enrollment of children and youth from Afghanistan. These students have fled the country after the withdrawal of American military troops and the subsequent fall of the Afghan government in August 2021. While many schools and communities have a long history of welcoming refugee and immigrant students, educators and school districts may want additional preparation.
Afghanistan is mostly a tribal society, and while different regions of the country have their own subculture, nearly all Afghans follow Islamic traditions, celebrate the same holidays, dress similarly, consume the same food, listen to the same music, and are multi-lingual to a certain extent. There are over 30 languages spoken in Afghanistan, but most people speak either Dari (78%) or Pashto (50%). Some Afghans may speak both, but they typically communicate in one or the other. Only 5% of the population speaks English.
Educational access in Afghanistan improved significantly between 2001 and 2021, yet it remains limited. Conflict and displacement, migration and natural disasters, poverty, transportation, distance, and gender norms all present barriers. Before the current crisis, up to half of all children were not enrolled in school, and approximately 60% of these out-of-school students were girls. Afghan children and youth arriving in the United States have varying levels of prior access to formal education.
Educators are encouraged to prioritize the restoration of physical, psychological, and emotional safety of Afghan students, as well as a sense of self-efficacy and control. This includes providing safe and healing classrooms, while also being prepared to make appropriate referrals to professionals if the child has specialized needs.
Unfortunately, children and families that immigrate to the U.S. are likely to experience significant environmental stressors. Some of these include finances, housing, employment, loss of community support, language barriers, isolation, and more. While families are likely to value school and education, they may find it difficult to engage, particularly during the first year of arrival in the U.S.
Supporting Afghan and other immigrant students begins with forging relationships with families and children based on trust and mutual respect. One key way to welcome them is to show knowledge and understanding of Afghan culture. This can include offering halal and kosher meals in schools, hosting orientations in home languages, observing Afghan holidays throughout the year, and having a list of centers and stores available to immigrating families. Some of these resources may include Islamic Community Center of Lancaster and Everest Indian Grocery Store.
For more information about Afghan and other immigrants:
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Meet IU13 Community Education Staff |
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Kevin Boll
Community Education Adjunct Instructor
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Kevin started working for IU13 in January 2018 and has since touched the lives of many staff and students. He loves teaching is interacting with people from all over the world and helping them succeed.
Kevin’s professional goal for 2022 is to better tailor lessons to meet students’ individual educational needs.
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Keri Martinez
Lebanon Youth Program Facilitator
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Keri has been working for IU13 for over 14 years, 12 years in Special Education and 2.5 years in Community Education. Keri most enjoys working with diverse students and providing them with opportunities for success.
A professional and personal goal Keri has for 2022 is to encourage herself and others to practice self-care and find balance. She wants to slow down and enjoy the here and now.
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Workforce ESL Class Success |
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In December 2021, a Lancaster company that manufactures and supplies healthcare equipment contracted with IU13 Community Education to provide an English as a Second Language (ESL) class on-site for their employees. Students obtained hands-on learning that not only strengthened their verbal and written English skills but also helped build confidence when conversing with native English speakers.
The following is an interview with their teacher, Gedion, an adjunct instructor for 1U13 Community Education.
What was your approach to teaching?
The key to promoting student success in a Workplace ESL program is to provide a student-centered curriculum that is linguistically, individually, and culturally appropriate for adult learners. To make the instructional program more meaningful, civics topics, culture, and work ethic were incorporated in the lesson content and applied to students’ life situations, as well as critical thinking activities and day-to-day conversations to build a community of learners who problem-solve together and share solutions.
What was your experience working with DentalEz?
I had a good rapport with DentalEZ’s floor supervisor and staff. Indeed, I appreciated how they provided well-ventilated, safe, and spacious classroom space as well as functioning technology. It was very evident that this company is committed to empowering its employees with quality language education.
What were the biggest changes or advances that you saw in your students at the conclusion of the ESL classes?
First, an increase in the ability to communicate confidently and effectively was evident. To improve their communication skills, I integrated workplace scenarios in our bi-weekly English conversation. By the end of the class cycle, students became noticeably more comfortable speaking with their fellow workers and interacting with native English speakers.
Second, an increase in workers' knowledge of life-skills vocabulary was observable. At the end of every unit, students applied language learning to their life-skill roles in the community, family, school, and at work. In addition, students were able to improve their listening, pronunciation, and comprehension skills as well as write sentences and simple paragraphs.
Third, student awareness of workplace best practices noticeably improved during the eight-week term. This improvement was the result of a classroom where students could freely converse about the real-life situations experienced during a typical workday. Such conversations also permitted the practice of active listening, critical thinking, problem-solving, and multicultural understanding.
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IU13 Community Education provides a wide variety of daytime and evening educational and supportive services to adults in Lancaster and Lebanon counties.
Click on the links below or call us at 717-606-1708 for more information.
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English as a Second Language
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GED | HiSET test prep classes
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Must be a United States Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) to enroll in classes
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ESL or HSE classes for parents of children between birth-3rd grade
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ESL classes with civics instruction and placement into job training programs
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Workforce Preparation Classes |
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Administration Support Professional
Basic Computer Skills
Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)
Direct Care Provider Certificate
Teacher Assistant (Special Education)
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Services and Supports Include:
Paid Internships, Assistance in Seeking Employment, Training for Certification, Supportive Services, and more!
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**Youth must meet income and eligibility requirements.
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Bilingual cultural navigators connect children and adults with social, educational, and medical services in the community
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*IU13 Community Education classes and services provided directly by IU13 staff are free with limited exceptions. Additional services/tests provided by our partner providers may have costs. Please contact us with any questions. |
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Contact Information:
For more information about Community Education visit our website
or call
Lancaster: 717-606-1708
Lebanon: 717-450-1525
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