Photo from Summer Migrant Learning Lab
Recent News
Education Week Blog Post
Follow Mark Rangel on educational issues at http://markrangel.wordpress.com Twitter@ RangelMark
http://www.slideshare.net/markrangel24/presentations
Link to Colorado Heights University
CSU Extension will begin teaching lessons to the Newcomer student in March
Colorado Meth Project Power Point from PCIC meeting 1/18/12
Community Partners:
Special thanks to OneMorgan County and Brenda Zion for her assistance in setting up community integration sessions at the MENA. Eastern Colorado Workforce Center, SARA counseling / information session, and Fort Morgan Police Department. The collaboration between OMC and MENA is a strong factor in providing services to the students and families in Fort Morgan.
Cyprus Visitation
On September 23rd, the Rocky Mountain Regional Center hosted two emerging leaders from Cyprus as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program. Ms. Dora-Maria Defteras and Dr. Ahmet Adalier came to Colorado to speak with local nonprofit, education, and law enforcement representatives who work with at-risk youth and to share ideas on ways to improve opportunities and mitigate risk factors.
Ms. Dora-Maria Defteras is a Barrister-at-Law (Lincoln’s Inn and Cyprus Bar), part-time lecturer at the University of Nicosia, and Coordinator of the Communities That Care (CTC) Program in Cyprus. CTC is a program originally developed in the U.S. that uses scientific methods to develop comprehensive programs to improve opportunities for positive adolescent growth and reduce the risk factors that often lead to youth misconduct.
Dr. Ahmet Adalier is also involved in CTC in Cyprus and is also the Vice General Secretary of Cyprus International University. Additionally, Dr. Adalier is a founding member of both the Mediation Association and the Turkish Cypriot Human Rights Foundation.
On Friday Ms. Defteras and Dr. Adalier traveled to Fort Morgan, CO for a roundtable discussion on the ways in which that community has worked to integrate Somali refugees and alleviate some of the educational and psychosocial problems that have led to an increase in youth delinquency and problem behaviors. They met with Chief of Police Keith Kuretich, OneMorgan County Executive Director Brenda Zion, and Migrant Education Newcomers Academy (MENA) Director Mark Rangel at MENA’s headquarters in Fort Morgan. The discussion focused on the close relationship between law enforcement and the nonprofit and educational communities and highlighted the efforts of Mr. Rangel’s and Ms. Zion’s organizations.
Ms. Dora-Maria Defteras is a Barrister-at-Law (Lincoln’s Inn and Cyprus Bar), part-time lecturer at the University of Nicosia, and Coordinator of the Communities That Care (CTC) Program in Cyprus. CTC is a program originally developed in the U.S. that uses scientific methods to develop comprehensive programs to improve opportunities for positive adolescent growth and reduce the risk factors that often lead to youth misconduct.
Dr. Ahmet Adalier is also involved in CTC in Cyprus and is also the Vice General Secretary of Cyprus International University. Additionally, Dr. Adalier is a founding member of both the Mediation Association and the Turkish Cypriot Human Rights Foundation.
On Friday Ms. Defteras and Dr. Adalier traveled to Fort Morgan, CO for a roundtable discussion on the ways in which that community has worked to integrate Somali refugees and alleviate some of the educational and psychosocial problems that have led to an increase in youth delinquency and problem behaviors. They met with Chief of Police Keith Kuretich, OneMorgan County Executive Director Brenda Zion, and Migrant Education Newcomers Academy (MENA) Director Mark Rangel at MENA’s headquarters in Fort Morgan. The discussion focused on the close relationship between law enforcement and the nonprofit and educational communities and highlighted the efforts of Mr. Rangel’s and Ms. Zion’s organizations.
Denver Post 8/21/11
Fort Morgan Times 7/23/11
The Need:
Our demographics indicate that our secondary students require our focus of service delivery with the Graduation Goal as the primary target. We have approximately 30% of our secondary students who are NEP/LEP. Many of these students are over aged and under credited in the high school setting due to very limited or no opportunities for formal education. Our two Migrant Education/Graduation Advocates have been working to assist the students, families and schools in providing supplemental services for these students. However, it is the belief of the school district, building administration, and teachers that we must provide increasingly targeted and individualized supplemental services to better prepare our “Migrant Newcomers” for educational success. Many of the identified students have experienced no formal education, limited formal education, or large time gaps in formal education thus hindering their ability to be successful in the public education system.
In response to this identified need, the Morgan County RE-3 School District has created the Migrant Education Newcomer Academy (MENA). This program will be a supplemental transition program for students to better prepare them for graduation pathways by focusing on intense language development, academic skill building and social/cultural readiness for the school environment. Through the intake process, suggested pathways for graduation and/or completion will be explored using a flow chart that identifies four areas of criteria: age of student, number of credits earned, academic skill level, and language proficiency. Through the use of ICAP, students will be placed on an Individual Graduation Plan (Online Graduation Plan from LEARN Consortium). This plan will determine an educational pathway for each student.
The Migrant Education Newcomer Academy Director/MEGA, MEGA’s, ELL Teachers, and Community/Family Advocates will be the identified program staff working with students and families in the MENA. The staff will be responsible for assessment of needs for each student, facilitation of transitions, and providing direct services to migrant students and families. The program will communicate and develop transition plans with existing schools and the Morgan Community College Adult Basic Education program (as appropriate).
Additional resources include, but are not limited to, collaboration with OneMorgan County, Parent/Community Involvement Committee and agencies through the state refugee service providers (i.e. Colorado African Organization, Jewish Family Services). The Morgan County RE-3 School District has provided a location for services and essential instructional equipment and materials to ensure success of the efforts of the program.
In response to this identified need, the Morgan County RE-3 School District has created the Migrant Education Newcomer Academy (MENA). This program will be a supplemental transition program for students to better prepare them for graduation pathways by focusing on intense language development, academic skill building and social/cultural readiness for the school environment. Through the intake process, suggested pathways for graduation and/or completion will be explored using a flow chart that identifies four areas of criteria: age of student, number of credits earned, academic skill level, and language proficiency. Through the use of ICAP, students will be placed on an Individual Graduation Plan (Online Graduation Plan from LEARN Consortium). This plan will determine an educational pathway for each student.
The Migrant Education Newcomer Academy Director/MEGA, MEGA’s, ELL Teachers, and Community/Family Advocates will be the identified program staff working with students and families in the MENA. The staff will be responsible for assessment of needs for each student, facilitation of transitions, and providing direct services to migrant students and families. The program will communicate and develop transition plans with existing schools and the Morgan Community College Adult Basic Education program (as appropriate).
Additional resources include, but are not limited to, collaboration with OneMorgan County, Parent/Community Involvement Committee and agencies through the state refugee service providers (i.e. Colorado African Organization, Jewish Family Services). The Morgan County RE-3 School District has provided a location for services and essential instructional equipment and materials to ensure success of the efforts of the program.
