Dear Encore Learning Member,
Welcome to The Inside Scoop, our electronic newsletter for members only. Please enjoy this issue, and share your feedback by email. We always look forward to hearing from you. This is the January edition of The Inside Scoop.
|
|
|
Get Ready For Spring Registration
Encore Learning staff and instructors are excited to fill you in on all the details about our new and returning courses for the Spring 2022 semester.
Join us for the Spring 2022 Course Preview
Thursday, January 27 at 10:00 AM.
Registration for Spring 2022 will be live on our website at 10:00 AM on Monday, January 31.
|
|
Seven Arlington Focused Courses
Encore Learning offers far-ranging classes that span global history, literature, arts and social sciences. This upcoming semester Encore Learning offers a closer look at Arlington — delving into history, parks, police practices, music, affordable housing, clean energy and more! With the spring semester starting February 28, these locally focused, affordable, convenient and COVID-conscious courses are offered either virtually or in person. Register today to expand your horizons! To read more about these seven locally focused courses, click here.
|
|
Get Involved In Encore Learning
Each one of the 35 courses being offered this semester has Class Aides. They help manage the class, ensure students feel welcomed and support the instructor. Class Aides are so important to the quality of the Encore Learning classroom experience. We now try to pre-register assigned Class Aides. As of this time we are in need of 15 more Class Aides to serve as volunteers. If you are interested in being a Class Aide, please email info@encorelearning.net.
|
|
Encore Learning is celebrating our 20th anniversary this year. A planning committee has been formed to develop celebratory activities for the Fall 2022. The committee is chaired by Mildred Patterson, Vice President, and is planning their first meeting for early February. If you would like to get involved in this committee or offer ideas about celebrating our 20th, please email info@encorelearning.net with subject: 20th anniversary.
The Membership Committee is also seeking volunteers who will:
- Participate in regular meetings and activities, appropriate to COVID-19 restrictions;
- Spend 2-3 hours/month on membership activities;
- Be enthusiastic about reaching out and recruiting members!
- Have strong communications/writing skills;
- Participate in meetings comfortably on Zoom.
The Special Events Committee develops, coordinates, and implements 1)
tours for members and 2) events for members and the public – speakers,
panels, and film screenings. If you have ideas about topics or speakers or museums to be visited, consider joining the Special Events Committee.
To get more involved in these committees or others not mentioned here, sign-up to volunteer here:
|
|
An Inside Look: Academic Programs Committee
The Academic Programs Committee (APC) plans all of Encore Learning’s Spring and Fall term courses. We’re grateful for the work over the years of past APC’s starting with Bob Chatten leading the first committee in 2003. Encore Learning has had outstanding APC leadership from Richard Barton, Dick Juhnke, Lee Nash, Bernie Alter to name a few. They helped craft Encore Learning’s great reputation as a place of fun and learning.
Pre-pandemic, the APC would meet in person at the beginning of each planning cycle, share some snacks and spend an hour or two sharing ideas for possible courses and prospective instructors and then divvying up tasks among committee members. Many hands make for light work, and that is one of the keys to our recurring success.
Alas, for the past few planning cycles, our kick-off meetings have occurred on Zoom. We look forward to a time when we can once again break bread together.
Each of the committee’s dozen members typically takes responsibility for completing course proposals for two to four courses. Major parts of the job are easy because Encore Learning has a solid cadre of instructors who enjoy teaching and are eager to share their passions and expertise with members. Each committee member reaches out by email or telephone to returning or new prospective instructors, passes along the course proposal form and works with instructors to complete the form. Once each course proposal form is complete, the committee forwards it to staff, who work with instructors to schedule specific dates and times for each course.
The committee’s work is not without its challenges. We strive to put together a course lineup for each term with a mix of topics—literature, public affairs, history, science and technology, fine arts, health and wellness, theater, social sciences. We also work to bring new instructors (all of whom are volunteers) and new course topics each term to keep Encore Learning’s content fresh and exciting.
We welcome new members and now is a good time to join the committee, as we prepare to put together a course lineup for next Fall. If you are looking for a way to get involved in the very heartbeat of Encore Learning, please reach out to us by sending a message to info@encorelearning.net.
By Jeanne LaBella and Barbara Spangler, co-chairs, Academic Programs Committee
Academic Program Committee Members:
|
|
 |
Jutta Bauman (our newest member)
Connie Collins
Mary Kay Davis
David Harris
Joanne Jones
Jeanne LaBella (co-chair)
|
|
 |
 |
Christine Milliken
John Pfordresher
Ed Rader
Marie Schryver
Barbara Spangler (co-chair)
Deborah Spero
Wendy Swanson
|
|
 |
|
Special Event Highlight
The Fascinating Story of Cambodia’s Famed Angkor Temples
Author and journalist John Burgess brought to life the history and current appeal of Cambodia's fabled Angkor temples, starting in the mid-nineteenth century when a French naturalist’s diary introduced them to the outside world. Through historic images and modern photos, facts, and his own personal story (he first visited there as a teenager and maintained a keen interest over many years), John related the archaeology, occupation during the Vietnam war, celebrity visitors such as Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Kennedy, and, in recent years, mass tourism.
John has written five books about the Angkor temples and culture, including both fiction and nonfiction including his latest book, Angkor’s Temples in the Modern Era: War, Pride, and Tourist Dollars.
Attendees were engaged in John’s presentation on Jan. 10 and many asked questions. Said one participant in the post-presentation evaluation “I knew very little about the subject, but this really sparked my interest in a civilization that existed alongside Western.” By Louise Kenny, Special Events Committee Member
|
|
Join an Encore Learning Club Today!
If you are looking for more ways to get involved in your community look no further! Join one of our many clubs. They meet virtually via Zoom. We currently have nine clubs that promote lifelong learning, personal growth, physical activity and social engagement. Club membership is open to all current Encore Learning members.
Looking to get more involved? We are seeking a Nonfiction Book Club Coordinator(s)! Thank you to Carter Vaden and Pat Chatten for skillfully coordinating the Nonfiction Book Club for so many years. Now it's someone else's turn to helm this popular club.
If you wish to join a club or become a coordinator, contact the office at 703-228-2144 or send an email to info@EncoreLearning.net to let us know which club you want to join.
|
|
The Breakfast Club meeting on January 12 via Zoom!
|
|
The Cinema Club meeting on December 5 via Zoom!
|
|
Course Schedule Change Notes
We have made schedule updates to some of our courses for the upcoming semester. The below information reflects updated information from what was shared in the published/mailed flier.
-
1012-Music City DC! is now going to be in-person at GMU on Wednesdays from 12:00- 1:30 PM. The course will run from March 30- May 4. No class on April 6 or 27.
-
3035v-Ancient Rome Movies is on Mondays from 12:00-3:00 PM (three-hour class).
-
2012-Walk Four Mile Run's last class will be on 5/10.
- 5020-Shakespeare Transformed is on Fridays from 1:30-3:30 PM (two-hour class).
Please note that the online course information is updated regularly. The PDF documents that you may download may be updated weekly.
There is a fantastic lineup of both in-person and virtual classes. We determine whether a class is in-person or virtual based on the instructor's preference. If we determine that offering an in-person class is not safe, some in-person courses may be offered virtually. Any change in course status will be made at least two weeks prior to the first class session.
|
|
Need Help? Come Join our Registration Q&A!
On Friday, January 28, at 10:00-11:00 AM join us via Zoom and ask your questions! For this informal hangout, staff members as well as IT co-chairs Marty Suydam and Richard Rubin will be available to make sure all of your questions are answered!
We will review checking your member status, becoming a member, the registration process, adding classes to your cart, finding course media and your Zoom login information, and more!
Please feel free to stop by at any time during the hour. There is no need to register, just click the link below to join. We are here to help you!
|
|
Board of Directors Update
In January, IT co-chair Steven Spangler has stepped down from his board position. Thank you Steve for all your contributions as a volunteer for Encore Learning - it is greatly appreciated! Steve was instrumental in Encore Learning's new website(s), our membership management system, and our name change from Arlington Learning in Retirement Institute to becoming Encore Learning.
|
|
The Encore Learning board of directors appointed a member to fill the remainder of Steve's term. We welcome Richard Rubin who worked for Washington law firms (and a bar association) for 37 years, moving from paralegal to technology staff, just as these firms realized they needed computers. He spent the last 29 years of his career as the I.T. Manager at six of the firms. Richard’s focus was on local user support and on-time training. Richard is a graduate of G.W.U. in Radio/Television and he spent years as a party disc jockey. He has been an Encore Learning Class Aide several times and is excited to help the membership with their technology needs and aspirations.
The Nominations Committee for board elections for terms that begin July 1, 2022 has been appointed. The Committee is chaired by Marilyn Marton and includes Mary Crosby, Richard Juhnke, Ellen Marcus, Ed Rader and Kathleen Sheehan. They will soon identify the positions that will be open and invite nominations. The election will be held as part of the Annual Meeting in May. If you have questions about the board nomination process, please email
|
|
Staff Corner
We brought the new year in with a flurry of activity by sharing our Spring 2022 Course Semester. The volunteers serving on the Academic Programs Committee, the Class Aide Committee, and the Publications Committee all contributed hundreds of hours of volunteer service to create these offerings. Show your appreciation by signing up for a class!
While we are in between and during the semester, our Special Events provide robust options for becoming engaged in timely topics and insider insights into local and distanced venues.
Staff are excited to see you in classes, each class has an assigned staff host in addition to volunteer Class Aides. We appreciate the course feedback you share and the course ideas you offer. Let us know your ideas. Planning now for Fall 2022 classes!
If you have any questions about membership or registration, please be sure to contact us at info@encorelearning.net and we will respond promptly.
~ Lora
Lora Pollari-Welbes, Executive Director
|
|
Welcome New Members
In December 2021, the following new members joined Encore Learning. We are pleased to have some new instructors join us. Please be sure to give these folks a warm welcome.
- Mario Bucco
- Charles Bullock
- Nancy Burns
- Eva Jane Nagy
- Tibor Nagy
- Frances Starnes
- Jane Stringfellow
THANK YOU to Millie Lawson, Suzanne McPartland and all of you who kindly refer friends. Tell a friend about Encore Learning so you can see your name here!
|
|
Remember that many of our virtual Encore Learning Presents events are recorded and may be found on our YouTube channel.
|
|
We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Inside Scoop. If you would like to submit an article or share some photos of members participating in Encore Learning activities, please email us at info@encorelearning.net.
Share on social media. When you simply like our Facebook page or share our Facebook posts and events to your social network, it's a huge help.
Forward our emails to a friend - use the link at the bottom of the email.
|
|
Lifelong Learning For Those Over 50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|