CALP Connections: September 2023

A Message from Colleen Thiessen, CLN Board Chairperson

I recently saw a story on Instagram about eagles and how they deal with one of their biggest pests - crows. A crow will get behind an eagle, sit on their back and peck at the eagle’s neck incessantly. It seems hard to believe this can happen, but it’s true. Here’s where it gets really interesting. In order to get rid of the pesky crow, the eagle takes flight and soars extremely high up into the sky. Eagles can fly higher than any other bird, so what ends of happening is the crow can no longer breathe at such high altitudes, loses consciousness, and falls off the back of the eagle. The eagle is left to soar without the weight of the crow on its shoulders.

September is here and despite having enjoyed some well deserved rest and relaxation time, it sometimes feels like we already have a pesky crow on our back. Getting back into the swing of things can be exhausting as we navigate new routines, schedules, programs, learners and the many “unknowns” that inevitably arise as we settle back in.

Instead of becoming overwhelmed, I encourage us to set our sights higher, rid ourselves of distractions, and learn to fly like an eagle. Not only is the view better, the load gets lighter. The sky is the limit and it’s ours for the taking!

The CLN Board of Directors look forward to seeing you online on September 28, 2023 for our Annual General Meeting. Keep an eye out for the AGM package to arrive in your inbox. See you soon!

Colleen Thiessen

CLN Board Chair

Notice of Community Learning Network's Virtual Annual General Meeting

The CLN Board of Directors invites you to join us for our Annual General Meeting, taking place from 1:30pm – 3:00pm on Thursday, September 28th, 2023.

Registration on the CALP Portal is now available: 

Information About our AGM

• All organizations funded directly through the Government of Alberta's Community Adult Learning Program (CALP) Grant are eligible to be member organizations of the Community Learning Network. There are no dues or fees associated with CLN membership.

• For your CALP to be considered a Member in Good Standing, your organization must be directly funded by the Government of Alberta’s Community Adult Learning Program Grant as of July 1st, 2024, and must have had a representative complete CLN's membership renewal. If you are not sure if the membership renewal has been completed, or you have any additional questions, please contact the CLN office at 1-877-485-4926 ext 2 or email office@calp.ca. 

• Each member organization in good standing is entitled to one vote on matters that are put before the membership. Under CLN's bylaws, voting privileges are granted to member organizations, not to individuals.

• If more than one person from your CALP will be in attendance, please delegate one person to act on behalf of the organization for the purposes of voting at time of registration.

Important Notes About the “Virtual” Format of our AGM:

• When you join the online AGM, voting delegates will be confirmed as you enter the virtual AGM room. Further details will be provided when you log in.
• Please ensure only one person from each member organization is responsible for voting.
• Voting will take place using the “polling” feature on Zoom.
• An online moderator will monitor the Q&A feature throughout the meeting, to ensure that members still have the opportunity to ask questions “from the floor”.

AGM Package:

The following documents are included in the 2023 CLN AGM Package, and are also available on the CALP Portal for members to review prior to the Annual General Meeting:

• Meeting Agenda
• AGM Minutes (September 2022)
• Audited Financial Statements (2022-2023)
• Operational Budget (2023-2024)
• Nominees for the CLN Board of Directors (2023-2024)

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities

Check out the Fall professional development opportunities now available for registration!

Week of Welcome!

Join us September 11 - 15, 2023 to kick off the 2023-2024 CALP year with sessions to connect and learn with your peers.

September 11

• CALP Provincial Kick-Off 2023
• New CALP Staff Webinar

September 12

• CALP Guidelines 101
• CALP Portal Bits & Bytes

September 13

• CALP Professional Communities
• Regional Connections Cafés
• North
• East
• West
• Central
• South

September 14

• Database Bits & Bytes

September 15

• CALP Community Talks About…Programming
• Coffee with the CLN Board

CALP Professional Development Opportunities 2023-24

Learn more about the many CALP professional development events open for registration. Check the CALP Portal often as new events will be added in the coming weeks and months.

Save the Dates!

Literacy & Learning Symposium 2024 will be held from April 30th to May 2nd in Edmonton.

Please add these dates to your training calendars!

New CALP Portal Accounts and CALP Connections

If you have staff who need to be set up with a Portal account, please have them submit a request at https://calp.ca/user/request, Accounts are typically activated within 24 hours. 

We also encourage everyone to subscribe to the CALP Connections e-newsletter! 

CALP Connections is a monthly newsletter sent right to your email that details upcoming training events and news in the CALP community. If you are not already subscribed, here is how to make sure you receive it every month.

Sign into your account and navigate to your information by clicking on your name in the top right hand corner of the screen. Once you have clicked on your name, you should see an option for “My Portal.” Once you are at the “Your Information” page, click “Edit Profile.”

Scroll to the middle of the page, where there is a toggle labelled “Subscribe to Newsletter.” Switch it from “No” to “Yes.” Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Submit” to save your changes.

Literacy in Action

There has been a real buzz on the media about ChatGPT. When I first heard the word, I wasn’t sure what was being talked about (it took me awhile to really hear the word). I’ve since learned this is a new application of artificial intelligence (AI). There is a lot of talk about AI and the need to put sound policies into place around it’s use and application. I feel like I’m new to all of this but AI is making steady inroads into our daily lives.

United for Literacy (formerly Frontier College) is asking these questions: 

• How can we use AI effectively and ethically? 
• What basic skills—like reading, writing, and math—do we need to use AI impactfully? 
• Can AI help to eliminate education inequities, or will it deepen the divide? 
• Can it be used to advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in our increasingly polarized world? 

If you have similar questions or would like to know more about the impact of AI on community adult learning programs you can register to attend United for Literacy’s National Forum on Literacy and AI on October 5, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Alberta time. 

A group of panelists will begin to address some of these complex questions during the forum and there will be a special appearance from ChatGPT.  

Reminder  

September 8 is International Literacy Day 

Read the Advocating Literacy blog on how this year’s theme can provide key messages that help with advocating for literacy in your community.  

This Month's Spotlight

Each year on September 30th, The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity to recognize the ongoing impact of the residential school system on Indigenous peoples. We must acknowledge this painful history and honor survivors and their families through conversation and reflection about systemic inequalities and cultural erasure. 

September 30th is also known as "Orange Shirt Day." In 1973, the creator of Orange Shirt Day, Phyllis Webstad, bought an orange shirt while on a shopping trip with her grandmother in anticipation of her first day of school. Once she arrived at St. Joseph's Mission Residential School, her new orange shirt was taken away. This confiscated piece of clothing symbolized the beginning of the assimilation and trauma she would face in the residential school system. Today, Phyllis Webstad encourages everyone to wear an orange shirt on September 30th in honour of children impacted by the residential school system.

On Thursday, September 28th join CLN as we observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with an event that acknowledges history and celebrates culture with knowledge keepers from across the province. All CALP Staff are invited to attend and encouraged to wear orange. Watch the CALP Portal for more details!