The Literacy Minnesota Professional Issues Committee works to identify, research, and address important issues and concerns of interest to Adult Basic Education practitioners.

The goal of the committee is to provide useful resources and support that will allow ABE practitioners to reach their highest potential, enhance professionalism, and assure high quality ABE throughout Minnesota. 

To reach this goal, the committee meets monthly to work on a variety of projects.

Committee Retreat - Come One, Come All!
Professional Issues Committee New Member Welcome and Retreat
Friday, June 13, 2008
10:00am – 3:00pm
Wescott Library, Eagan, MN
*Food and mileage provided!

Are you interested in:
· Examining ABE professional trends throughout the state?
· Meeting passionate, dedicated ABE practitioners from a variety of programs?
· Collaborating with others on projects to improve the state of ABE?
· Joining Literacy Minnesota’s Professional Issues Committee?
· Having fun while doing all this?

If you are, you should consider joining Literacy Minnesota’s Professional Issues Committee at the New Member Welcome and Retreat on Friday, June 13, at Wescott Library.

We are expecting new and current members from throughout the state to join us for a day of:
· Statewide idea sharing and discussions
· Brief committee and organizational history presentation
· Committee project planning, and
· Exciting team-building activities 

This is a great opportunity for new or potential members to come and learn about Literacy Minnesota and the Professional Issues Committee and its projects while sharing your ABE thoughts and experiences.  Even if you can only attend one meeting per year, this is your chance!

Who should attend?
You should attend the retreat if:
· You would like to join Literacy Minnesota’s Professional Issues Committee;
· You ever wondered what we do in Literacy Minnesota and the Professional Issues Committee;
· You are a member of Literacy Minnesota and the Professional Issues Committee;
· You have ever wanted to join a statewide committee but were unsure of how to get started; and/or
· You can attend all the monthly meetings or just one meeting per year.

RSVP and Information
If you are interested in attending the new member welcome and retreat or have questions about the committee or retreat, please contact Brad Hasskamp, Professional Issues Committee Chair, at profissues@literacyminnesota.org. 
Please e-mail RSVPs by 5:00pm on Tuesday, June 10, 2008.

For More Information
For directions to the retreat at Wescott Library in Eagan, please click here: 

Committee Projects
•  2005 ABE Salary Survey:  Committee members conducted a statewide comprehensive survey to compare ABE staff compensation.
•  2007 ABE Professional Development Survey:  Committee members collaborated with the Minnesota Department of Education to discover the most prevalent professional development needs throughout the state.
•  ABE Promising Practices:  Committee members develop an online method for sharing prominent activity ideas and program procedures.
•  ABE Teacher Orientation Materials and Training:  Committee members update the state’s manual and provide new workshop sessions to give new staff the information needed to be successful in ABE.
•  Summer Institute Sessions:  Committee members organize the Poster Session that gives participants the opportunity to share their great ideas and the Curriculum Potlucks, which are training workshops to swap lesson plans and syllabi.
•  Regional Focus Groups on ABE Professional Issues:  Starting in fall 2007, committee members lead sessions to give information about the committee and more deeply assess the professional needs of ABE staff statewide. Click here for details.
 
How can I get involved?
The Professional Issues Committee is always looking for more people to get involved.  You can participate in any of the following ways:
•  Become a member and attend the statewide monthly meetings in Roseville.
•  Develop a regional Professional Issues Committee in your area.
•  Host a Professional Issues Focus Group at your ABE Regional Event.
•  E-mail the committee to suggest new projects, share materials, and identify ABE priority issues.
•  Submit an ABE Promising Practice to be posted on our web site.
• V isit our web site regularly.

Committee Meetings 
Join us on the second Monday of every month from 10:30am-12:30pm at the Minnesota Department of Education in Roseville.  Click here for an updated schedule of events.

For committee information, contact Brad Hasskamp, Professional Issues Committee Chair:  bhasskamp@themlc.org
651-645-2277, ext. 204