Hello, in-home tutors!
First,
If
you have concluded your participation in the in-home tutoring program
and you no longer wish to be on this distribution list, please send me
an email reminding me to remove you from the list. I'm always behind on
clerical tasks, but I think I can get the email list cleaned up in the
next week or so.
Second,
if you haven't done so already, please don't forget to report your
tutoring time for January. I need this information by tomorrow (Friday)
at the latest. Click here to go to the reporting survey. Also, a reminder that if you don't see my monthly email in your inbox, you should check at cresltutors.blogspot.com for the information as I cross-post it there for all of the people who never get my emails.
Now, onto all of the news I couldn't post when I emailed you earlier this week:
The Literacy Coalition of Colorado
is hosting their annual workshop for volunteers, tutors, and anyone
teaching adults on Saturday, February 22. These half-day workshops are
worthwhile and informative. The cost is $15. Click here for more information and to register.
When you get to the page, scroll down for session information. Note
that one of your fellow in-home tutors, Philip Greenberg, is a
presenter, as well as one of my Emily Griffith Adult Education
colleagues, Ann Leonard.
TESOL
If
you're up for more of a deep-dive into all things teaching English, the
annual International TESOL conference is coming up and this year,
Denver is the host city. The event starts on Tuesday, March 30 and
continues for four days at the Colorado Convention Center. It's a bit
pricey, but I've always referred to it as the "All you can learn
buffet." More information on that is here: https://www.tesol.org/
I find this conference to be so valuable that I am giving up my spring break to attend this conference!
Income tax time is upon us
As
you may be aware, navigating the income tax system in the U.S. is
complicated. As a result, immigrants and refugees are exceptionally
vulnerable to all sorts of tax-time scams. Even if a family had no
significant income in 2019, it is worthwhile for them to file a return.
You can help your student by sharing this information:
Get Ahead Colorado offers free and safe tax preparation for families making $56,000 or less. These families can save an average of $200 in tax prep fees, may qualify for
the Earned Income Tax Credit—a cash-back credit worth up to $6,500—and will get high quality assistance safe from fraud.
Denver's resettlement agencies--ACC, LFS, and IRC--are partnering with Get Ahead Colorado this year to provide free tax preparation especially for our refugee and immigrant community members. They are operating two sites:
- Mango House - East Colfax Youth Center,
10180 E Colfax Ave, Aurora
- Saturdays 1/25 - 3/7 from 9 am - 1pm
- Drop-in site (no appointments necessary)
- All families making $56,000 or less welcome
- International Rescue Committee, 405 Urban St., Lakewood
- Tuesdays and Thursdays 2/4 - 4/13 from 3 - 7 pm
- By appointment only (call 720-328-6655 or email RefugeeTax@gmail.com)
- Refugee, asylee, and SIV families only
Also, more sites are here: https://getaheadcolorado.org/
Another trusted, tried-and-true local option is VITA: https://www.coloradovita.org
Aurora Youth Soccer
Aurora Parks & Recreation is offering a spring season of Youth Soccer for ages 3-12 (age as of 9/1/19) and registration is ongoing through March 2.
They are also offering spring break and summer soccer camps through Challenger Sports.
Please see attached flyers, or go here:
https://www.auroragov.org/
Financial assistance is available, but must be
applied for (process can take 1-2 weeks). See the attached flyers for
more information.
DMNS Scholars
If the family you're working with includes a rising freshmen student, please share the attached information. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science
offers summer
internships to students interested in science. It is an incredible
program offering life changing possibilities to the students who are
selected. Thanks to volunteer Philip Greenberg for passing along this tip.
Book recommendations?
When
you attended training, you received a bibliography specific to refugee
and immigrant related topics. If you have since read a book that you
think would be a good addition to that list, please share it with me.
I'm interested in expanding the bibliography as I haven't added any new
books to the list in at least a year.
Next month
Don't
panic if the monthly email from me is a little delayed at the end of
this month. I will be traveling the last three days of February and
likely won't be able to send my message with the reporting link until
Monday, March 2.
That's all for this month.
