Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University’s James I. Perkins College of Education was recently awarded a five-year $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to enhance bilingual and multilingual education for school districts in Nacogdoches and Angelina counties.

Set to be administered by the college’s Department of Education Studies, the grant will fund a series of professional development sessions to prepare as many as 332 educators to teach and support English language learners. Those educators include SFA faculty and education students, as well as East Texas pre-K through 12th grade teachers.

The grant, titled “Reaching All Communities to Establish Success in Language Learning,” is the third of its kind for the college, which was awarded $1.4 million in 2007 and $1.9 million in 2011. The application for the current grant — one of 44 awarded nationally — was authored by Drs. Heather Olson Beal, professor; Lauren Burrow and Chrissy Cross, associate professors; and Yuan He, assistant professor, all of whom are faculty members in SFA’s Department of Education Studies. Dr. Marisol Diaz, who is a faculty member at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, also served as an author and co-principal investigator on the project.

“In five years, we are hoping to see an improvement in academic achievement from English language learners,” Cross said. “We are also hoping to build a community so that when people move here, those who have English language learners with them will be able to fit right in and understand what’s available to help them succeed. This will result in higher graduation rates, better jobs and a boost for the economy.”

The grant addresses an important need in Nacogdoches and Angelina counties. According to Cross, 20% of students in the Nacogdoches Independent School District are English language learners. In the Lufkin Independent School district, that figure is 26%.

The grant will fund four professional development sessions per year through 2026. The sessions will include a modest stipend to increase participation among educators and parents and caregivers of English language learners.

“We want everyone who wants to take these professional development courses to be able to take them,” Cross said, citing the monetary incentive.

The grant also includes resources for direct outreach to the parents and caregivers of children who would benefit most from English learning programs and instruction. Their participation, Cross said, is critical to the success of the grant cycle.

Referencing the two prior grants, Dr. Judy Abbott, dean of the Perkins College of Education, said she appreciates the ongoing commitment to the region’s English language learners.

“This grant builds on earlier work within our college to enhance the skills of teachers and educational support services for those learning English,” she said. “I’m confident this team of education scholars will be successful in supporting partner school districts to provide more effective, equitable instruction to all English learners and multilingual learners.”

College-bound students and their families are invited to Stephen F. Austin State University’s in-person, on-campus Showcase Saturday event Nov. 12, which offers participants a unique opportunity to experience life as a Lumberjack.

“Showcase Saturday is more than a campus visit — it’s a chance to be immersed in the full Lumberjack experience,” said Dr. Steve Westbrook, SFA interim president. “I welcome prospective students and their families to our beautiful campus for the chance to learn about our academics, ask questions, and take their first steps toward making SFA their future home.”

SFA’s Showcase Saturday provides an opportunity for college-bound students to spend a day experiencing university life firsthand, touring the campus and having all their college questions answered.

Registration and check-in will begin at 10 a.m. in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Plaza. Several optional early-bird sessions will be ongoing between check-in and the day’s opening program, which is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Those include a student services fair, campus tours and special interest sessions covering a range of topics, like Veterans Affairs, the Hazlewood Act and being a first-generation college student and family, among others.

“Exploring academic programs, meeting current students, faculty and staff, and touring the campus are just a few of the incredible experiences we have planned for our guests,” said Emily Jefferson, director of undergraduate recruitment in SFA’s Office of Admissions. “Our goal is for our prospective students and families to leave Showcase with fewer questions than when they arrived and feel excited and prepared as they take the next steps of pursuing higher education.”

During the opening program, students will attend presentations by college representatives based on their academic major of interest.

Come-and-go events will run from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. These include an academic fair from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center, tours of residence halls and the recreation center from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and a #JacksGetInvolved student organization fair from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Raguet Plaza, which is the walkway running between the Miller Science Building and McGee Business Building.

Thirty-minute breakout sessions will run from 1:45 to 3 p.m. and will cover such topics as financial aid, first-year and transfer admissions, and both Residence Life and Dining Services.

Optional tours of academic facilities will run from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and will take participants to the DeWitt School of Nursing Complex, Todd Agricultural Research Center, A.L. Mangham Jr. Regional Airport, and the Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center.

In addition to a high-energy Lumberjack experience, participating prospective students will receive a free SFA T-shirt after completing a program evaluation form.

To register for SFA’s Showcase Saturday and for more information, visit sfasu.edu/showcase.