COLT Conference

Rep. Paul Tonko keynote speaker

Mrs. Macko and Mrs. Burks host annual COLT Conference for foreign language teachers in the Capital Region

Lynne Macko and Amber Burks of Mohonasen’s Foreign Language Department hosted the Capital District Regional Meeting of NYSAFLT/COLT (New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers and Capital Organization of Language Teachers) at Mohonasen High School on Saturday, March 18. This year’s theme was Languages and Literacy: A Perfect Fit; Literacy through Second Language Acquisition.

Assemblyman Paul Tonko (D-105th District) was on hand to receive a COLT Friend of Foreign Language Award for legislation he introduced to provide funding to establish an incentive program for school districts wishing to implement foreign language in the elementary schools as well as incentives for college students wishing to become foreign language teachers.

In addition to hosting the conference, Mohonasen High School foreign language teachers Coleen Avalos (Spanish), Amber Burks (French), and Lynne Macko (French) conducted workshops for their colleagues in attendance. Mrs. Avalos and Mrs. Burks combined their expertise to present a workshop entitled: Vocabulary and Grammar Review Games to Keep Kids Engaged which was very well-received and particularly well-attended. Mrs. Macko presented a workshop entitled Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Study Abroad But Were Afraid to Ask, drawing off her years of experience working for international exchange programs.

Conference attendees were delighted with Mohonasen High School and its state-of-the-art facilities, citing it as an “excellent” choice of venue in post-conference surveys.

Photo caption: Pictured from left to right; front row, seated: Colleen Avalos and Linda Breen, second row, standing: Lynne Macko, conference co-chair Colleen Sheehan, NYSAFLT Advocacy Chair Nancy Ketz, Assemblyman Paul Tonko, COLT President Michèle Pollard, Keynote Speaker Lou Baskinger, Kathy Fagan, Maureen Geaghan and Amber Burks.