ACSC LAUNCHES PROGRAM PROVIDING ADULT ENGLISH CLASSES

Avon Community School Corporation has partnered with Ivy Tech Community College, Hendricks County Community Foundation, the Duke Energy Foundation, and the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township Adult Education (WTAE) program to provide foundational English classes for parents of Avon students who are recent immigrants.

More than 50 adults registered and showed up for classes, which began in January. Local parents and families had been asking the leaders of Avon Community School Corporation’s Multilingual Learners program for assistance to build language skills that would empower them to help their children at school, build skills needed at work, prepare for entry into post-secondary classes, and truly develop confidence for everyday living and life. “Over 13% of our 10,500-student enrollment consists of students who speak English as a second language,” says Avon Multilingual Learning Coordinator Angela Rasor. “In fact, there are more than 90 different languages spoken in the homes of Avon students. We are so excited and proud of this newly created partnership for our community.”

These classes would not be possible without the experience and involvement of the WTAE program leaders. Their mission is to serve the needs of the community by providing lifelong learning opportunities, empowering students to learn English, earn their high school equivalency diploma, or gain access to training and post-secondary education. This is accomplished with the support of passionate, optimistic and talented adult education professionals and volunteers, in a school culture where everyone feels valued and belongs. The program is one of the first adult education programs in Indiana with a reputation as a national best-practice program for integrated education and training.

Partnerships with the Hendricks County Community Foundation, Duke Energy, Ivy Tech and the Town of Avon have also made these classes possible. Collectively, these funders have enabled WTAE to launch three levels of English language classes for parents of Avon students.

If you or someone you know is interested in these opportunities, please encourage them to visit adulted.info/avon. Also call Seliat Yekinni-Elebute or Rosa Liz, Avon’s family