May 2020 Newsletter
Stimulation - Knowledge - Interaction - Fun
A Letter from Our President
Dear Friends,
 
I hope that you are all safe and surviving the extraordinary restrictions required of us during this pandemic. I also hope that you have enjoyed the online offerings from ASC this spring. Credit for ASC’s rapid pivot to online learning goes to Janice Kenyon, Zoomer extraordinaire, and to our instructors who volunteered to teach and adapted their methods to best present their material. Dianna Emory, Ben Emory and Jack Russell chose a PDF format while Nat Fenton, Carol Leonard, Sheridan Steele, Hugh Clark, and Andrea Lepcio chose Zoom. THANK YOU to all of you!
An added benefit of our online offerings is that we were able to offer classes to more than twice the number of students who had signed up for the spring semester. Thank you for enrolling!
 
As we move through this pandemic, I am sorry that we could not have our spring art show. And I am sorry that our 20 th Anniversary celebration, which had been scheduled to occur during our Annual Meeting in June, will need to be postponed. However, we still need to vote on a slate of new board members and a slate of officers. Fortunately, the state of Maine allows for online voting. You will be receiving more information soon about the candidates and about voting.
 
The Curriculum Committee will be meeting to plan for fall courses and the Events Committee is considering options for Food for Thought and for Coffee Clash. Stay tuned for more information this summer.
 
Take heart, enjoy the coming spring weather, and stay safe!
 
Linda
Online Talk with Fred Benson
National Security, Climate Change and the Coronavirus Pandemic
Friday, May 15 at 7:00 pm .

Fred Benson will discuss national security and how it has been challenged by both climate change and the coronavirus pandemic. Click here for more information .

This event is part of the Democracy series and is co-sponsored by the Jesup Memorial Library , Acadia Senior College and the League of Women Voters of Maine, Downeast .

To register for the talk and receive a link to the Zoom meeting, please email Kayla Chagnon at the Jesup: kchagnon@jesuplibrary.org.
Class and Presentation Videos
Videos Available on Our Website

We have recorded some of our Spring online classes and presentations. You can view these here: https://www.acadiaseniorcollege.org/news.

  • Civil Rights: The Other Half - Nat Fenton
  • The Firefly and Mantis World Tour - Carol Leonard
  • From Bear Dens to the Oval Office - Sheridan Steele

We are working on posting video from Andrea Lepcio's Yoga class as well.
Fall 2020 Term
From the ASC Curriculum Committee

The ASC members who offer courses are the solid foundation of two of the college’s values - Stimulation and Knowledge. The Curriculum Committee is recruiting instructors for the Fall 2020 term, and we have several proposals already in hand to review when we meet in May.

Many of you have participated in the rich variety of courses that ASC has offered this Spring after our traditional term had to be cancelled. Many thanks to the brave cohort of instructors who answered the call.

The ASC Board has decided that all the Fall courses will be offered on-line only, probably via ZOOM, though other formats can be considered. I will be contacting those instructors who have already proposed Fall courses to determine their interest and willingness to present their classes in this format. And have no doubt that ASC will make resources available to instructors to acquaint them with the techniques and tools available in the on-line environment.

If you are still considering offering a Fall course for ASC, please contact me. Given how circumstances are changing, the current proposal deadline of May 6th (today) will be extended and flexible for the time being.

Charles Stanhope, ASC Curriculum Committee Chair
We Need To Hear From You!
Don't Miss Out

Over the summer we will be busy planning for our Fall term. We anticipate offering online courses and presentations and want to know what you think.

Please take this short online survey and thank you for your help. ASC Member Survey
Spring Appeal
Rather than mailing our customary spring appeal, we will be emailing a gentle reminder of the value of Acadia Senior College. Please watch for this email and keep us in mind.

Remember that you can donate online at any time. Quick, easy, and secure.
Annual General Meeting
Because we will not be gathering at the Neighborhood House for our Annual General Meeting this year, all current ASC members will have the opportunity to vote for board members and officers via email (a paper ballot will be mailed to those without email.)

Watch for an email with the proposed candidates and an invitation to vote.
Drop-in Zoom Sessions
Curious about Zoom or want to learn more? Have a question about Zoom or Acadia Senior College in general?

Join a practice session or just to chat. You can drop in anytime during the hour and you don't have to stay for the whole time.

To register, click a session below. You will receive an email invitation with a link to join the session.



If you have any questions please call or email learn@acadiaseniorcollege.org.
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