Winnebago County
Literacy Council

"We teach so others may reach"

106 Washington Ave
Oshkosh, WI 54901
920.236.5185
www.winlit.org

New Benefactors!

Each month, we acknowledge our new or renewing benefactors. These are hard working business people and friends who are willing to share their resources to see the Winnebago County Literacy Council and its programs grow.
To view the list of new or renewing benefactors, click here!

The Winnebago County Literacy Council (WCLC) has been providing literacy services to adults throughout Winnebago County since its inception in 1989. The primary focus of the agency is to provide one-to-one tutoring opportunities to adults reading at or below a fourth-grade level. The WCLC utilizes trained volunteer tutors to teach adult students how to read and apply basic survival literacy skills to everyday life.

What's New

New Executive Director
Liz Rice Janzen joined the WCLC as the Executive Director in August. She has over ten years of experience in not for profit administration, most recently as the District Director for Junior Achievement in Oshkosh. She may be reached at 920.236.5185 or janzen@winlit.org.

Student Services Coordinator
Raissa Reimer has been the Winnebago County Literacy Council’s Student Services Coordinator for the past two years. Ms. Reimer enrolls and assesses students wanting to increase their literacy skills. She coordinates the matching of both adults and children with trained volunteer tutors, along with preparing and facilitating their first meetings. Ms. Reimer keeps track of student's goals and assist with reporting student successes to our supporters. She also gives presentations and meets individually with potential tutors to provide them with information about our program. Ms. Reimer may be reached at 920.236.5219 ext.4802 or reimer@winlit.org.

Adult and Family Educator
Deb Kortbein works with children in our Family Literacy Program held at St. John’s Church. Ms. Kortbein provides an early learning environment conducive to a licensed preschool classroom. While the children are in the care of volunteers and Ms. Kortbein, their parents are busy learning everyday English and literacy skills with the council’s Program Educator. The Family Literacy Programs meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30p.m. until 2:30p.m. This program is divided into three sessions throughout the year.

Ms. Kortbein also provides a ‘Literacy Lab’ to those students who are waiting to be matched with a tutor. Students are encouraged to begin working on their literacy goals to keep motivated while the council’s Student Services Coordinator works on finding a suitable match. Once matched, students continue reaching their goals with their tutor and no longer attend the labs.

Ms. Kortbein provides four hours of training for those volunteers interested in becoming child tutors. Once a child tutor is matched, she is available as a resource to our volunteers with any questions or concerns they may encounter. She may be reached at 920.236.5219 ext.4830 or at debk@winlit.org.

One-on-One Literacy Tutoring

WCLC provides one-to-one tutoring opportunities to adults and families in the areas of Basic Literacy, ESL, Family Literacy, Math, Workplace Literacy, and Citizenship.

One-on-One Family Literacy Tutoring Program

WCLC will recruit and train volunteer tutors to work with families in their homes, or another mutually agreed upon location in order to improve literacy levels and promote learning together as a family. This program hopes to empower parents to improve their literacy skills to enable them to see themselves as their child’s primary teacher.

Family Literacy Program

The Family Literacy Program serves refugee families needing to learn survival English. This Family Literacy Program provides an Adult English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for parents while their children received age appropriate learning in an Early Learning Classroom at the same time.

Events

You’re invited to join us at the Seventh Annual Corporate and Middle School Spelling Bee, entitled, “How Do You Spell Chocolate?” This fun competition, with a free chocolate sampling and silent auction will take place on February 16, 2008 at the Oshkosh Public Library.
It’s a great, grownup spelling bee with rules, and judges, and a spell caller just waiting to trip you up on a difficult word! The winning team will receive a trophy and plaque; the plaque will be a “traveling” plaque that will follow the winners of future spelling bees. To register your team call 920.236.5185.
Interested in being a sponsor of this year’s event? Several sponsorship levels are still available.

Volunteer Spotlight

Each month we will spotlight a WCLC volunteer for their commitment to the Council, but more importantly, for their commitment to the student they tutor.
For program information, contact Raissa Reimer at reimer@winlit.org or call 920.236.5185 or leave a message.

Wanted!

Business or articles of interest to the WCLC readership.

Do you have an article or item of interest to the business or education community that will benefit our tutors or students? We'd enjoy your input! This is a great way to spotlight your company, message or name! Contact Liz Rice Janzen!

Contact Us!

The easiest way to contact us is using email - you've seen our email address throughout - that of Liz Rice Janzen! Our phone number and mail address are:

920.236.5185 phone
920.236.5227 fax
106 Washington Ave. Oshkosh, WI 54901

Closing Notes:

Winnebago County Literacy Council relies exclusively on volunteers and gifts from our community to serve in our community. If you are willing to volunteer time or give a gift of money, thank you!