Everything Nac

About 40 English-speaking preservice teachers from Stephen F. Austin State University’s disciplinary literacy course are learning a lesson in Turkish from an instructor at Las Americas Newcomer School, part of the Houston Independent School District. When the SFA preservice teachers can’t answer the instructor’s questions fast enough, she speaks slower and louder. This goes on for 45 minutes.

“It was awkward at first,” said Aaliyah Overshown, a senior English major from Tyler who participated in the November field trip. “But it gave us a taste of what it’s like to be in a classroom where you have no knowledge or clue as to what anyone, especially the teacher, is trying to say to you. They showed us how students at this school feel every day when they are having a brand new language and culture thrown at them.”

Las Americas principal Marie Moreno calls this “torture,” and the school’s instructors believe it is one of the most important experiences a visitor can have at Las Americas, which serves 367 middle schoolers from three dozen different countries, mostly in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. They speak between 20 and 30 languages, but English isn’t one of them.

“My teachers are doing all those things they’re told to do with English language learners, and you can see the SFA students getting so frustrated,” Moreno said. “They say, ‘I’m not stupid! I just don’t know what you’re telling me.’ So they can imagine how our middle school students feel.”

Another important lesson preservice teachers learn at Las Americas is how to be flexible, “not stick to the script,” and ensure everyone has equal access to learning, Moreno said.

“Some students may not have the knowledge their classmates do, but they have special skills others don’t have,” she said. “You have to turn those into learning opportunities for the whole classroom. It may take a few months or years, but you can turn a hindrance into an asset.”

Most of these students are younger than 15 years old, and they have experienced profound trauma that led them to seek asylum or refugee status in Texas. They are classified by six different language proficiency levels instead of grade levels.

Las Americas teachers are required to hold English as a second language certification, but most are not bilingual. They design their lessons based on the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol. SIOP was created to help English learners acquire academic knowledge as they develop English language proficiency.

The lessons at Las Americas involve dynamic, visual learning. For example, to help students learn how germs spread, a teacher placed a dot of glitter on a student’s hand. By the end of the hour, glitter had spread all over the classroom, and students understood the importance of washing their hands.

For the past five years, the preservice teachers taking the disciplinary literacy course at SFA have visited Las Americas. Moreno said she has individuals who ask to visit the school and observe how the students there learn, but SFA is the only university that “brings people by the busload.”

The SFA preservice teachers are “just floored about the different areas the Las Americas kids don’t have exposure to — from sitting at desks to hearing telephones ring to getting water from a faucet instead of a pond,” Moreno said.

In addition to the language and cultural challenges they face, Las Americas students and their families often don’t have the basic resources they need when they arrive in the U.S., said Dr. Amber Wagnon, assistant professor of secondary education and educational leadership for SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education. She is an instructor for the disciplinary literacy course and a faculty advisor for these field trips.

“Since most of the families come from warm climates, they are often unprepared for our winter season,” she said.

With this in mind, SFA preservice teachers work to collect winter clothing to deliver during their trips to the school.

“We happened to visit on a very cold day, and the items we brought were immediately distributed to the students,” Wagnon said. “It was encouraging to see a need was met through our small donation. We hope to continue this service project.”

In addition to contributing to the donation center and working to understand the perspectives of English language learners better, the SFA preservice teachers were able to use what they’ve learned in their coursework with the school’s students.

“We spent time in the classrooms, working directly with English language learners and applying our skills of differentiated instruction for the SIOP environment,” said Alison Cope, an instructor for the disciplinary literacy course. “The ELL kids were delightful, and our students were quick to step in and help in the dynamic learning station activities for plenty of authentic learning opportunities.”

Las Americas students are accustomed to frequent visitors, Cope said. This helps them easily accept help from SFA preservice teachers, who benefit from more concentrated face-to-face time with English language learners at the newcomer school.

Preservice teachers also learned about trauma and its effects on the newcomer school’s students from Sarah Howell, the social worker at Las Americas. She described the experiences of some of the students, including a boy from the Congo who hid in a tree while watching his family be murdered.

“This experience was super impactful and gave me a lot of knowledge about how to approach my future students who may be overcoming a traumatic experience or background,” Overshown said. “The teachers at this school are doing way more than just presenting lessons to students. They are working very diligently to give all these students the foundation they need to come to a new country and be not only academically successful but also emotionally and socially confident.”

Students at Las Americas must be reading at a fourth grade Lexile level before entering the mainstream courses at the neighboring Long Academy School. Federal guidelines require most English language learners to be integrated into traditional classes as quickly as possible, so most students stay at Las Americas for only a year.

For more information on SFA’s disciplinary literacy course and the Las Americas donation center, contact Wagnon at aewagnon@sfasu.edu.

By Jo Gilmore, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The college and university review guide GradReports has ranked Stephen F. Austin State University as No. 5 in the nation in its 25 Best Music Schools 2020 report.

The 25 schools on the list offer the top bachelor’s degrees in music, based on median salary one year out of college. GradReports uses alumni earnings data from the government and real student reviews to help people make decisions about their education and career.

The high ranking came as no surprise to Dr. Gary Wurtz, director of the SFA School of Music, but information like this continues to inform the rest of the nation of what SFA has to offer.

“The report reinforces what the music faculty, administrators and students already know – SFA offers an affordable, quality education that equips its graduates to not only be competitive and successful in professional music circles but also earn top wages among their peers,” Wurtz said.

The recent rankings were based on data published by the U.S. Department of Education in November 2019, with tuition data collected from the National Center for Education Statistics.

At No. 5, SFA music graduates are reported to have a median salary one year out of college of $40,600. Also of note in the report, of the top 10 schools, SFA ranks second in having the lowest annual tuition of $17,676 with a median debt of $24,325 one year out of college.

SFA continues to make student success and an affordable education a priority. At its recent meeting, the SFA Board of Regents approved new initiatives aimed at reducing student debt and increasing the opportunity for timely degree completion. Undergraduate students will now have the option to participate in a fixed-rate tuition and fee plan, allowing them to take up to 21 credit hours at the cost of 12 hours with no additional charge. Tuition and fee rates are variable for students who enroll in one to 11 semester credit hours, but transition to a flat rate at 12 semester credit hours.

The plan is a part of an emphasis the university is placing on its “15-to-finish” program. Additionally, students entering SFA in the fall have access to a guaranteed price plan that freezes tuition and mandatory fee costs for a period of four years.

Other Texas institutions honored on the national list include the University of Houston, the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of North Texas.

Future college students will have the opportunity to experience a taste of campus life during a free, action-packed open house Saturday, Feb. 22, at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.

Prospective students can visit with university faculty and staff, tour the campus and residence halls, and preview academic programs during SFA’s Showcase Saturday event.

Showcase visitors can utilize the Guidebook app to stay up-to-date on the full day’s schedule. The app will show the time and on-campus location of each breakout session and special program.

“There is no better way to get to know SFA than the university’s Showcase Saturday event,” said Erma Nieto Brecht, SFA executive director of enrollment management. “We pack the day full of informational sessions and tours so prospective students and their families can learn not only about our quality academic programs but also everything from admission requirements to financial aid and residence life.”

SFA is a comprehensive, residential university located in the heart of Texas Forest Country. Approximately 13,000 students attend SFA, which is within a few hours’ drive of Texas’ major metropolitan areas.

Showcase Saturday event check-in will begin at 11 a.m. on the first floor of the Baker Pattillo Student Center. A Student Services Fair will be held from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the student center Spirit Lounge, located on the first floor.

Guided campus tours will be offered at 11:15 a.m. and 4 p.m. Self-guided residence hall tours also will be offered from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and again from 1:30 to 4 p.m.

Opening programs begin at 1 p.m. and will provide an overview of each of SFA’s six colleges. Guests will then be able to visit with representatives from academic departments until 3:30 p.m. during the Academic Fair in the Student Recreation Center.

Thirty-minute informational breakout sessions will take place throughout the afternoon and will cover topics such as financial aid, freshman admissions, residence life, transfer admissions, orientation, VA/Hazlewood Act benefits and admitted students’ next steps.

In addition to receiving a high-energy Lumberjack experience, participating prospective students will receive a free SFA T-shirt after completing an evaluation form through the Guidebook app.

For more information about SFA’s Showcase Saturday, contact the Office of Admissions at (936) 468-2504, or email admissions@sfasu.edu.

The SFA Friends of the Visual Arts announces the return of the fabled Art Prom on Saturday March 21. The Art Prom, last held in 2004, was an annual tradition for area artists and art lovers for more than 20 years.

“The Art Prom event was created by the SFA art students and local artists who felt like their high school proms were never as interesting or creative as they could be,” recalled Gary Parker, retired lecturer with the SFA School of Art. With themes like “Come as Your Alter Ego,” the “Mirror Ball” and the “Hair Ball,” attendees wore their most clever, complex and sometimes over-the-top costumes to fit the theme.

By popular demand, Art Prom is coming back as a fundraiser for The Friends of the Visual Arts, an SFA external affiliate that promotes the visual arts in the local community and East Texas region, especially by supporting the art faculty and art students of SFA.

“The FVA hosted the event from 1998 to 2004. For years, past attendees have asked that we bring this this fabled event back because it was such a fun and quirky night,” said Crystal Hicks, FVA president.

This year’s theme, the “Odd Ball,” will give prom-goers the latitude they need to wear their oddest formal attire and dance the night away to tunes spanning the late 1960s to today, according to Hicks. Nacogdoches’ own Pat Casey will DJ the event, complete with a light show and disco ball.

The Odd Ball Art Prom is scheduled for 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. March 21 at the Rebellion Barn at Millard’s Crossing Historic Village, 6020 North St. Tickets for the fun and frivolity are $50 per person and include heavy hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar and photo booth will be available. Attendees must be age 21 or older. Proceeds from the event will be used to support the SFA School of Art through scholarships.To purchase tickets, call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS, or visit boxoffice.sfasu.edu. Deadline for purchasing tickets online is March 19. Tickets will be available at the SFA Fine Arts Box Office until March 20. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.

Dr. David Creech, Stephen F. Austin State University professor emeritus of agriculture and director of SFA Gardens, will discuss plant propagation techniques during a budding and grafting workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 29 at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building, located at 2900 Raguet St.

“Budding and grafting is an ancient practice that is part science, part art and always fun,” Creech said. “We bud and graft when cuttings won’t root or when they root or grow off too slowly. We also bud and graft to take advantage of a superior rootstock — one that dwarfs the top, provides disease or insect resistance, or allows a plant to grow in a soil that is generally not suitable.”

Participants will practice on a variety of plants and will take home their own grafted Japanese maple tree. Attendees should bring a small, sharp pocketknife. All additional needed materials will be provided.

The cost is $30 for SFA Gardens members and $40 for nonmembers. Space is limited. Register by calling (936) 468-4129 after 1 p.m., or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

The more than 30 Nacogdoches County eighth graders in the Leaders of Tomorrow program, or LOT Crew, will participate in robotics and stomp rocket activities to explore principles of science, technology, engineering and mathematics while visiting the Cole STEM Building at Stephen F. Austin State University on March 3.

The LOT Crew program began nearly 20 years ago as a leadership development collaboration among SFA, the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce, the City of Nacogdoches and the nine Nacogdoches County independent school districts. Since then, the program has provided immersive, community-based experiences for hundreds of local students.

Dr. Judy Abbott, dean of SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education and chair of the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce education committee, said the program’s concept is to develop leadership skills and introduce youth to what it means to be an engaged citizen of the community.

“We make selections of the experiences on a monthly basis to introduce the students to different aspects of the city and show them areas where citizens might have influence in serving on boards or through leadership to help the community,” Abbott said.

The LOT Crew has already explored city and county government, manufacturing and large industry, health and medical services, Nacogdoches tourism and hospitality, and community theatre during its field trips this school year. In April, the LOT Crew will visit local public safety organizations and volunteer for a day of service at Brooks-Quinn-Jones Elementary School in Nacogdoches.

SFA students who are members of the university’s leadership honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa, serve as mentors for these eighth graders. LOT Crew members and ODK leaders begin their work in early September during a Saturday orientation retreat, continue their leadership development at monthly meetings and complete the program with a graduation ceremony in mid-May.

To learn more about LOT Crew, contact the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce at (936) 560-5533.

By Jo Gilmore, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.