New Horizons Adult Education Centre
Annual Report
2012-2013
Introduction
New Horizons Adult Education Centre offers a variety of programs aimed at meeting the needs
of adult learners over the age of sixteen in the Eastern Townships. The High School for Adults
offers an individualized program of studies allowing students to complete their secondary
education at their own pace and complete prerequisites for CEGEP or for vocational programs.
French Second Language programs are offered to members of Anglophone and cultural
communities. French Second Language program and Socio-Professional Integration English
program partially funded by Emploi-Quebec have been given to students in the secretarial
studies at the ETSB Vocational Training Centre during the past Spring semester. Job Links, an
employment counseling service funded by Emploi-Québec and managed by the Centre, is
located on-campus. Nearly 200 clients were served in 2012-2013 for job search and career
counseling. The Governing Board, which was chaired by Melanie Cutting, met 4 times during
the 2012-2013 school year. Several students have served on the Governing Board throughout
the year. Jesse Lacroix, Jessica Phaneuf have been acting as student’s representatives .
High School for Adults
Students may take classes either full-time or part-time in the High School program. Classes are
offered between 8:25 a.m. and 2:55 p.m., Monday to Friday. In addition, students may enroll in
the Home Study program and meet with a teacher who is available Tuesday evenings. The core
subjects of Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Science are individualized allowing
students to progress at their own pace and write final exams as soon as they are ready. As part
of the Centre drop-out prevention strategy, we have Mentors who are responsible for a given
group of students. Mentors may facilitate the delivery of the information from the administration
to the students, monitor attendance and help students to achieve success (through the
development of good work habits and responsibilities). Throughout the year, this Mentor will
strive to develop a meaningful relationship with each student and cultivate a sense of belonging
within the whole group. French as a Second Language and optional courses are also offered in
each of three terms: Fall, Winter, and Spring. A summer session was offered five days per week
during the month of August 2012.
During 2012-2013:
14 Students received their Secondary School Diploma;
14 Students completed their needed pre-requisites for CEGEP & Voc Ed
Training;
5 Student was successful in completing the Secondary Studies
Equivalency Test;
41 Students were successful in completing their General Development Test
(GDT);
5 Students successfully completed the General Educational Development
Test (GED).
9 mini “Spheres”, were completed through a process which allows an adult
to demonstrate competencies they have learned outside of the classroom.
30 Received Secondary V Second Language credits by completing the FSL
or ESL Prior Learning Examination.
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New Horizons Centre continued to participate in the Dennis McCullough Enhanced Learning
Strategy during the 2012-13 school year. Apple iBooks were lent to any student registered in the
high school program with a weekly schedule of 15 hours or more. Netbooks and I-Pads were
also available to all students throughout the year.
Again this year, the Centre recognized the Week of Adult Learning in April by providing a
luncheon for all students and staff. The Adult Learner’s week is a province wide initiative that
recognizes the determination and the perseverance of adults who have returned to school. On
that day, nearly 80 students participated to different workshops offered by the Centre. The
different presenters addressed them talking about their different experience, expertise and path
of career, emphasizing how important it is to believe in themselves, to create a mental plan and
to shape their own future. In each workshop they also had the opportunity to participate in
different various activities, Zumba session, basketball clinic, beauty clinic and art class. During
the celebration students were awarded prizes, sponsored by the l’Institut de Cooperation de
l’éducation aux adultes, to recognize adult students who had returned to school and who are
excelling in their studies. Door prizes were also distributed. (Photo below)
Adult Learning Week
April 2013
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Different events and activities took place throughout the year. To name a few, we had the Terry
Fox National School Run, Remembrance Day ceremony, Christmas party for staff and students
and their families, Spring Sugaring off, Lennoxville Vocational Training Centre outing, Bishop’s
theater play, Montreal outing, our bi-monthly Creativities (a mix of physical education and art
workshops) and Hooked on School activity.(Photos below)
A Graduation Gala was held on June 13, 2013, at the Centre, where students received
certificates, awards, and trophies. Students, Staff and Family members were invited to join us for
a Wine and Cheese during the early evening. Two scholarships of $200 each and several others
over $100 each were granted to students continuing their studies. In addition to this, two
bursaries each in the amount of five-hundred dollars endorsed by the Wales Home Masonic
Lodge of Instruction Institute were also awarded to two graduates of New Horizons. We had the
chance to view an i-movie produced by Shanna Loach which the audience highly appreciated.
Following the ceremonies, cake and coffee were served to students, family members and staff.
(Photo below)
Gala 2013
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Off-Campus Classes
In collaboration with the Lennoxville Vocational Training Centre, New Horizons provided
Immersion French as a second language classes and Socio-professional Integration programs
in English to students who were part of a project partially funded by Emploi-Quebec called
Agent de bureau en immersion anglaise. This service enabled those who were interested in
Secretarial Studies Training to be more successful in the second language and refined their job
market preparation competencies within an English environment. Rita Morin and Lysanne
Beaudoin are the teachers who are providing the service. Other language services have been
also catered to Home Care workers from the Health Centre in Windsor. Emilie Duchesne the
ESL teacher was in charge of the group involved.
Guidance Counseling Services
The fact that the Centre has guidance counselors on site allowed the students who are
registered in the general academic programs to received some assistance with respect to career
and educational guidance, loans and bursaries, job search, personal problems, and learning
difficulties. Exploration visits were organized to introduce students to Vocational Training
Centers in the region.
French/English Second Language
In addition to French Second Language classes offered during the regular weekly schedule
throughout the school year, students could participate in an afternoon and evening Francization
class two days per week during the fall and winter terms. English Second Language has been
also offered one day a week during fall and winter terms. This past year, we were able to offer
30 hours of FSL and ESL. Those classes were held one night a week during the winter semester
as we did not have a sufficient number of candidates with similar needs in order to offer this
program during the fall term. However, a good number of people have requested this service
over the years and we intend to continue to offer it at the Centre all throughout the year.
“SARCA” Action Plan: Reception, Referral, Counselling, and
Support Services
The Centre was active on the Regional Sarca committee to implement and improve SARCA
services across the Board’s territory. (Service d’accueil, référence, conseil, et d’
accompagnement). The SARCA plan foresees a more active role within the community for
Centres, with a view to stimulating the demand for training. An emphasis is in place in order to
continue to provide greater services to the general public, such as career counseling and the
Record of Learning.
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Governing Board Members 2012-2013
Ed Bailey
Teaching Staff Representative
Melanie Cutting (Chairperson)
Socio-economic (community) Representative
Camille Faucher
Centre Director (ex-officio)
Mitchell Lachance
Professional Representative
Jesse Lacroix
Student Representative
Shanna Loach
Teaching Staff Representative
Megan MacLean
Teaching Staff Representative
Jessica Phaneuf
Student Representative
Danielle Robert
Professional Staff Representative
Pamela Westgate
Business Representative
Administrative, Professional and Support Staff Members 2012-2013
Mitchell Lachance
Guidance Counselor
Emilie Deschesne
EQ student’s technician
Allen Cass
Caretaker
Cathy Little, Cathy Hortop
Examination Room Supervisors
Donna Bray
Secretary
Danielle Robert
Guidance Counselor (Centre & Job Links)
Lucie Taylor
School Organization Technician
Melanie Belleville
Employment Counselors (Job Links)
Courtney Nichols
Secretary (Job Links)
Eugene Geneau
Secretary (accounting/sanction)
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Teaching Staff 2012-2013
Edwin Bailey
Mathematics, Sciences
Lysanne Beaudoin
French Second Language
Jean Chapleau
French Second Language
Cathy Hortop
Mathematics, Sciences
Cathy Little
English, Study Skills
Shanna Loach
English, Resource Teacher
Megan MacLean
English
Rita Morin
ESL/Socio-professional integration
Marie-Christine Remy
French as a second language
Kasi Viau
English Second Language
Respectfully submitted,
Camille Faucher, Centre Director
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