John Monfredo: Adult Learning A Worcester Public Schools Treasure

Saturday, October 12, 2013

John Monfredo, GoLocalWorcester Education Contributor

Adult learning remains a true treasure of the Worcester Public Schools system and more relevant than ever before.

One of the true treasures of the Worcester Public Schools and our city has been the continuation of Adult Learning classes. According to John McGovern, Director of Adult, Continuing and Community Educator for the Worcester Public Schools, “The city of Worcester has provided Adult Learning course since the Industrial Revolution. Originally classes were for subjects like blue print reading or mechanical drawing.

Later classes were offered in “Naturalization” which taught some basic English skills and prepared people for citizenship. One place classes were held was the old Lamartine Street School which now houses the City of Worcester Health Department on Meade Street. Also, Evening High School was added to enable people who had left school due to family needs to go to work and still be able to obtain a high school diploma. Those adult classes were for years run through many Worcester Public School departments and at varied locations.

The Adult Learning Center, as we know it now, was established during 1972-73 school year. Just recently their home at the old Fanning Trade Building celebrated its 40th anniversary. The original Adult Learning Center was located in the basement of the Worcester Center Galleria and then relocated to the Fanning Building. It was also temporarily housed in the Denholm building but then returned to the Fanning Building where it remains today.

This year the Adult Learning Center will be offering Adult Basic Education courses, English Speakers of other languages, Citizenship and Family Literacy classes at the Fanning Building located at 24 Chatham Street. Adult Basic Education classes will meet Tuesday to Thursday mornings from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. and the evening classes will be held Tuesdays to Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Family Literacy classes will also be offered at Elm Park, Canterbury and Clark Street Community Schools, Greendale Head start and at the Latino Education Institute. If you know of someone who is interested in Citizenship there is a class at Fanning on Monday’s from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. There is also an English Speakers of Other Languages course on Saturday morning from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

If you have left school and are over 16 years old you may want to consider coming back to resume your education at the Adult Learning Center. English proficiency, GED preparation and basic literacy skills classes are available to you at no cost. The Adult Learning Center is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education, Adult and Community Learning Services Division and the Worcester Public Schools.

The Center is blessed with talented and experienced teachers. In addition, the Adult Learning Center is one of the largest official GED testing centers in Central Massachusetts. The GED examiners are state approved and up to date on all GED regulations. If you need to get a high school equivalent diploma consider calling the Center at 508 799-3020 to find out what they offer. It may be the most important telephone call that you have ever made for a good education is the key to a better life and better job opportunities. So why consider it? The Adult Learning Center’s flyer states: learn new skills, earn your high school diploma, prepare for entry into the workforce, qualify for training, get a better job, help your children with their homework, become a citizen, register to vote, and read to your children. All priceless reason to attend!

Now, in addition to our Adult Basic Education funded classes, the Center also offers classes at satellite sites at a number of neighborhood schools. Schools, days and times will be determined in collaboration with the principals soon. Last year 15 schools serviced as satellite centers. Again, 40 years of continuous service speaks volumes about its success and as Mr. McGovern stated, “Word of mouth has been our greatest advertising for multiple generations of families have attended our classes and it’s not uncommon to see each new arrival being brought to the center by a family member who attended the Adult Learning Center.

The Center also acknowledges that there is a strong need to prepare our adult students to be career and college ready. Thus, they have added a Career and College Readiness class, Transitional math and a contextualized class preparing students who want to work in the IT field.

The Center also has created and runs Family University workshops to assist parents and guardians in our city on how they can assist their child at home. The Family Literacy classes and the Family University have been added to the Adult Learning Centers role in the Worcester Public Schools. The Center is excited about accepting this responsibility for it will give them the opportunity to further their involvement in fostering family involvement.

Forty years of service to the community speaks for itself, but up until now it may have been the best kept secret in Worcester. Do drop over to the Center and meet this most creative and dedicated staff.