FOR-PD Update

OPEN ENROLLMENT for Summer 2003 a Success!

Our OPEN ENROLLMENT for Summer 2003 is really taking off! In just the first two weeks, we have 360 eager registrants from across the state ready to begin taking the course over the summer.

Anne Scofield from Pinellas County wrote to tell us:

FOR-PD Facilitator Focus Group Meeting

Our Facilitator Focus Group meeting held Friday, May 30th in Orlando was very productive! We had 27 facilitators from around the state in attendance to share their experiences and insights on facilitating the FOR-PD course. Many of the attendees shared their impressions of the meeting on our facilitator discussion board. Here are just a few of their comments:

"I must say that for the first time I felt like I was a part of something worth while and that my opinion really did matter. I really liked the fact they were open to our suggestions and really listened to our concerns. More than that, it was refreshing to be a part of a group that didn't just sit around and whine... everyone there really was there for the benefit of the course."

"As with any new project, successful leaders value the venting as really constructive suggestions for improvements, from the practitioners, and use it to improve their product and/or service. FOR-PD has made a great investment in their first couple of rounds of facilitators, and they are savvy enough to realize that our feedback is critical to the continued success of this course. Based upon their validation of our experiences, successes, and concerns, something that is already great is being made even better!"

"One thing that I took away was the idea that our input was desired and worthwhile. In looking at the direction that FOR-PD is going tells me that they are striving to keep improving the course for the participants, which in turn is going to benefit students, which is the business that we are all ultimately in. I was so psyched that I was volunteering to jump right into the fray."

MAKE MY DAY!

A student who recently completed the FOR-PD course for graduate credit through UCF recently emailed the FOR-PD office:

Staff News

Carlos Ibanez, Help Desk Supervisor, graduated from UCF in May. Congratulations, Carlos! And thanks for your patience and expert assistance to many who call (866) 863-READ or instant messenger forpdhelp on evenings and weekends!

Toni Christopher, FOR-PD Facilitator from Seminole County, joins the FOR-PD staff part-time this summer to help with course redesign and on a related project for the Southeast Regional Technology in Education Consortia (SEIR*TEC). Welcome, Toni!