November 2003

New Teacher Training Program Available at Highline

Highline Community College will begin offering a new teacher training program beginning winter quarter 2004 for working adults. Classes will be offered through a combination of distance learning and Saturday courses, allowing students to keep their full-time jobs. Prospective students can learn about the new program at an information session scheduled for Saturday, December 6, 2003, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Building 3, Room 103, on the college’s main campus.

“This program will support prospective teachers in creating a strong learning community,” says Alice Madsen, Highline’s Education Coordinator. “The group of 35 students will spend Saturdays together and benefit from an integrated curriculum approach.”

Students completing the seven-quarter program will earn 65 to 70 credits toward a 90-credit associate of arts degree. Students will receive individual advising to determine the remaining credits. Those who complete the degree will meet the eligibility requirements for most university education programs, including Central Washington University’s SeaTac program.

The new program is possible thanks to a $75,000 grant from the Higher Education Board. The grant helps develop and pilot the program. Students will pay the normal tuition rate of $66.15 per credit, but may qualify for financial aid or scholarships. Typically, the Saturday program will offer 10 credits per quarter.

How's the Weather at the MaST Center?

The MaST center has a new weather station - a Davis Vantage Pro Plus automated wireless system that measures barometric pressure, outside humidity and dew point, daily and yearly rainfall, wind speed and direction, wind chill, and outside temperature. The system also records the following: 15-minute rainfall, hourly and monthly rainfall, and rainfall amounts for each of the last 24 storms; 10-minute average wind speed, direction of high speed, and 10-minute dominant wind direction; and heat index - the combined effects of temperature and humidity. This data is updated every minute and historic data is updated every 30 minutes on the web page.

Click here to check it out:

Breeders Theater returns to E.B. Foote with

Grape Expectations

Breeders Theater returns to E.B. Foote winery in January 2004 with a new show, Grape Expectations. It’s the story of young Slop (Eric Hartley), an abandoned orphan trying to make his way through Victorian Burien.

Grape Expectations was written by T.M. Sell, with music by Nancy Warren. The production will be directed by J Howard Boyd, with choreography by Patricia M. Britton and costumes by Elisabeth Morgan. The cast also features Eric Hartley, Marty MacKenzie, Carlos Calvo (a Highline studnet), Kurt Lutterman, Julie Haakenson, Linda Mathews, Doug Knoop, Kirsten Olds, Jim Cooper, J Howard Boyd and Patricia M. Britton.

Show dates are Jan. 16, 17, 19, 23, 24, 30 and 31 at 7 p.m. and Jan. 18 and 25 and Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. Proceeds from the Jan. 19 show go to benefit the Highline Community College Foundation. Tickets are $20 per person and include theater, hors d'oeuvres and wine tasting of award-winning E.B. Foote red wines. E.B. Foote is a working winery, so patrons are advised to dress warmly.

Tickets are on sale at the winery, 127-B SW 153rd Street, Burien (206-242-3852) and Corky Cellars, 22511 Marine View Drive South, Des Moines (206-824-9462). Cash or check accepted – no refunds, but exchanges on availability. Tickets for the January 19th show are also available through the HCC Foundation office.

Breeders Theater is a professional non-Equity company that provides original comedy in non-traditional venues. The company has performed at Renton Civic Theatre, the Wildflower Restaurant in Snoqualmie, and Filiberto's in Burien. This is BT’s fifth production at E.B. Foote. The company was most recently seen at Bumbershoot, performing the award-winning Piglet. Previous shows at E.B. Foote have included Justin Time 2.0: Send in the Clones last summer; last January’s sold-out run of Love’s Painful Itch; Murder, News & Wine in January 2002 and Empty Heads & Comet Tails, which featured the first episode of Justin Time, Space Commander in July 2002.

For more information, contact T.M. Sell at breederstheater@aol.com

Faculty Information Bulletin from Access Services

Did you know that baseball hand signals used by umpires to signify balls, strikes, out and safe originate from Outfielder William Hoy’s request to umpires that they use sign language because he was deaf and could not hear the umpires’ verbal calls? (http://www.vsarts.org)

Below is a little exercise to see how much you know about the deaf and hard of hearing. Pick the correct answer for each question. The answers are at the end, so don’t peek!

1. What is American Sign Language (ASL)?

Is the universal language for the Deaf
A language that was created for the deaf by Thomas H. Gallaudet
Is a form of English on the hands
None of the above

2. What might be used as a communication tool for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing?

A TTY/TTD
A Wireless FM System
Email?
All of the above

3. What is the role of the Sign Language Interpreter?

Is the person who facilitates communication for a deaf student
Is the person who facilitates communication between the deaf student, instructor, and other students
Is responsible for maintaining confidentiality for all interpreting that takes place in the classroom
All of the above

4. What does this percentage represent 25-30%?

The percent of words that can usually be read clearly off the lips by a Deaf person
The percentage of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in the U.S.
The percentage of Deaf people with hearing parents
The percentage of students who are Deaf and receiving Access Services at HCC

Okay, the last one was pretty tough. Here are the answers:

1. What is American Sign Language (ASL)? Answer:

4. None of the above - American Sign Language (ASL) is a language used by deaf and hard of hearing in America. It is not a universal language. There are other, foreign sign languages. Thomas Gallaudet did not create ASL. He did open a school for the deaf. ASL is a non-verbal language with it’s own alphabet, not English on the hands.

2. What might be used as a communication tool for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing? Answer:

All of the above - The TTY/TDD machine, email and wireless FM system are all communication tools for the deaf and hard of hearing.

3. What is the role of the Sign Language Interpreter? Answer:

All of the above - Sign Language Interpreters are responsible for facilitating communication between the student, instructor and other students in the classroom exactly as it has been relayed. Interpreter ethics require complete confidentiality of all information.

4. What does this percentage represent 25-30%? Answer:

The percent of words that can usually be read clearly off the lips by a Deaf person - Students who read lips are not able to access all of the information that is being relayed through speech. It is very important for students who are deaf or hard of hearing to use additional means to access information, such as, a Sign Language Interpreter or FM system.