Nous vous souhaitons une bonne et heureuse année.  The fall of 2008 found us celebrating La Semaine du Français with great enthusiasm.   Susie and Bernard Ledieu hosted a wine and cheese dinner at the Spring Mill Café.  They selected wines available locally and paired them with various courses and cheeses.  It was a delightful experience of the French joie de vivre.  Our thanks to Susie and Bernard for their time and expertise shared with our members and their friends.

Félicitations to Joanne Silver who has been named Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques.  See the article under “Honors and Awards.”

With the help of the Conseil Exécutif,  we have prepared programs of cultural and pedagogical interest for our January and March meetings.  First, on January 24 at Immaculata University, Michael Kline of Dickinson College will present “Immigration and Integration in France."  His program last year was received enthusiastically by members and guests, and we look forward to another dynamic program.   For our spring meeting on March 28 at Chestnut Hill College in conjunction with MLAPV, Michelle Emery will present a program on the use of cell phones in the classroom, which she presented in Liège last summer.

March is the time for the Grand Concours.  Sister Mary Helen Kashuba has sent out information and registration forms via e-mail.  If you have not received them, please contact her at kashubam@chc.edu.   Good luck to all our participants.

There is important information concerning the election of new chapter officers in this issue. Please consider nominating yourself or a colleague for one of these positions.    Perhaps if you are not quite ready to commit to the responsibilities of a chapter officer, you would consider becoming a member of the Conseil Exécutif. Members of the Conseil meet regularly to organize programs and attend to other chapter business.  Contact one of us if you would like to know more.
       
Amitiés,

Elaine Danford
elainedanford@aol.com

Kim Marucci     
kim.marucci@gmail.com                         

Listserv Notice

Our listserv is exclusively for members of both National and Philadelphia Chapter AATF. We send reminders of meetings and other events, as well as news that has not been included in the most recent newsletter. The complete Listserv Policy is on our site, www.aatfphila.org. The listserv complements the website and sometimes reinforces it.  Members can request that open French positions be posted. If you are not on the listserv and would like to be included, please send a message to BEACHLLOYD@erols.com. And of course, if you would like to be removed or have your e-mail changed, you have that option.
- Joanne Silver, Secretary-Treasurer AATF Philadelphia

Tête-à-Tête
Mentoring
The AATF is continuing its initiative to improve communication among teachers.  If you are a relatively new teacher and would enjoy adding ideas to your repertoire, or if you are a more seasoned teacher and are eager to help the next generation, please contact Susan Zeager, our chapter’s Mentoring Coordinator at Suzea3@aol.com or at 610.277.3941.

Reminders from National

The deadline for applications for AATF Summer Scholarships is February 15.  More information is available at www.frenchteachers.org.

Don't forget the many awards and honors available to members and their students.  These include: (a) the AATF Dorothy S. Ludwig Excellence in Teaching Awards (available at four levels); (b) the 2007 ISE Language Matters Award; (c) AATF Outstanding Senior in French Awards; (d) AATF Small Grants; (e) AATF Summer Scholarships; (f) the Walter Jensen Study Abroad Scholarship (long-term study abroad for an undergraduate/graduate student). 

The AATF strives to provide professional development and professional recognition opportunities for members at all levels.  We offer support for the promotion and defense of French programs and recruitment and retention of students.  If you haven't visited the AATF Web site (www.frenchteachers.org) recently, please take a few minutes to find out about the latest developments. 
 
French Language Initiative
Learn more about the benefits of studying the French language and French-speaking cultures.   Visit www.theworldspeaksfrench.org to download promotional material and
to link to partners in this initiative.

AATF National Convention 2009
San Jose, California  July 2-5
“L’éducation et ses défis”

Ordre des Palmes académiques
Joanne Silver, retired teacher of French and Secretary-Treasurer of AATF Philadelphia Chapter, has been named Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes académiques by the French Government. The « Palmes », a decoration established in 1808 by Napoléon Bonaparte, recognizes outstanding scholarship and achievement in promotion of French culture and language, which Joanne has achieved in many ways.  Her company, Beach Lloyd Publishers, seeks to honor Franco-American historical and ideological ties and to globalize history’s lessons, principally by publishing in French and English the memoirs of World War II and Holocaust survivors.  On April 30, Ambassador of France to the United States Pierre Vimont and Education Attaché Catherine Pétillon will travel from the Embassy of France in Washington DC, to confer the award at a ceremony in Philadelphia.

Friend of French Award
Purpose:  This award was created by our chapter to honor a person who makes or has made a noteworthy contribution to the promotion of the study of French and/or of Francophone cultures in the United States.
Eligibility:    

1. Winner must not be a current or former teacher of French.
2. Winner must reside or work within the region served by our chapter.
3. Winner must make or have made a noteworthy contribution to the promotion of the study of French and/or of Francophone cultures in the United States.

Past Winners:  A musician, a food services coordinator, a restaurateur, an AFS leader, a
high school principal, a college.
 
Contact Kathy Clark for more information or for a nomination form—kclark@immaculata.edu.  Deadline is March 31st.

Professional Development Award
To encourage new or returning teachers of French to become active members of the American Association of Teachers of French and to continue to grow professionally by attending workshops and conferences, the Philadelphia chapter of the AATF sponsors a Professional Development Award, given annually.* The recipient receives a one-year complimentary membership in the AATF and reimbursement of up to $200.00 for language conference registration fees.  The winner is also honored in a ceremony during the Grand Concours Distribution des Prix at Chestnut Hill College in May.  In addition, a letter announcing the award is sent to the recipient’s school. 
            *If there is no qualified candidate in a given year, the Philadelphia Chapter of the AATF reserves the right to not offer the award that year.

Eligibility: Nominees must be teachers or professors of French at a school in the area served by our chapter, having taught no less than one academic year and no more that six academic years. 

Judging:  The nominees credentials will be judged on the following criteria:

1. knowledge in the field
2. planned active teaching status
3. potential for leadership
4. promotion of French studies
5. long range professional goals

Expectations:  The recipient of the award:

1. Must use the stipend during the 2009–2010 academic year;
2. Is expected to write an article for the chapter newsletter within three months of attending the subsidized conference;
3. Will be reimbursed for AATF membership and conference fees upon receipt of proof of payment and article for the chapter newsletter.

Nominations:  Nominations packets should include:

1. A letter of nomination from a colleague explaining how the candidate meets the criteria and the nominator’s relationship to nominee;
2. An updated professional résumé of the nominee;
3. A brief personal statement from the nominee, including permission to be considered for the award, describing his or her contributions to the profession to date, and explaining how this award would help him or her develop professionally.

Please send the nomination packet to Emily Z. Wagner, Germantown Academy, 340 Morris Road, Fort Washington, PA 19034.  It should be postmarked no later than March 1, 2009. For further information, write to emily.wagner@germantownacademy.org.

LES ELECTIONS:  Call for Nomination of Candidates!

It is time to nominate officers (President or Co-Presidents, Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer) of the Philadelphia chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French. According to our Constitution, only the Secretary-Treasurer may continue in that position indefinitely; the other officers must retire.
Please help nominate candidates for the 2009 election of officers. Here are some guidelines as per our Constitution, Article IV, 4 and 5.
Section 4.         Selection of nominees to office.  A nominating committee shall accept nominations from the Chapter membership for the respective offices during the winter preceding each election.  All nominees shall have been AATF members for the two consecutive years preceding the election.  The nominating committee shall verify the eligibility of the nominees and ascertain their willingness to serve.
Section 5.         Elections.  Elections shall be by ballot sent by mail to all individual members of the Chapter prior to the spring meeting.  A simple majority of affirmative votes shall be required for election.

Please note:

• Offices open for nomination are: President (or Co-Presidents), Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer.
• Be sure that your nominee is willing to run. The Term of office is two years, beginning in April 2009. Nominees for President and Vice-President should be willing to write the Newsletter and plan meetings. Nominees for Secretary-Treasurer should be willing to oversee and manage the Listserv.
• Contact your nominee and gather some background information (address, teaching experience, years in the classroom, affiliations, interesting facts, etc.
• Self-nomination of candidates is welcome.
• Nominations shall close on February 15, 2009.  A ballot will then be

      prepared and mailed to the membership for voting.

If you have any questions, please contact the nominating committee:
Barbara Barnett bbarnett@agnesirwin.org or
Emily Wagner emily.wagner@germantownacademy.org. 

PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER, AMERCIAN ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS OF FRENCH
NOMINATION FORM

Please print clearly!  Nominations should be postmarked no later than Feb. 15, 2009.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2009-2011 TERM OF OFFICE

I, _______________________________________, nominate the following for the office(s) of:

• PRESIDENT:  ___________________________________________,

• VICE-PRESIDENT:  ___________________________________________,

HAS THIS PERSON AGREED TO RUN FOR OFFICE? _______
PLEASE ATTACH BACKGROUND INFO, INCLUDING MAILING ADDRESS AND EMAIL ADDRESS::  __________
           

• SECRETARY-TREASURER:  ___________________________________,

HAS THIS PERSON AGREED TO RUN FOR OFFICE? _______
PLEASE ATTACH BACKGROUND INFO, INCLUDING MAILING ADDRESS AND EMAIL ADDRESS:

Nominations will be accepted by the Nominating Committee – Barbara Barnett and Emily Wagner if postmarked by February 15, 2009. Please mail or email to
Emily Z. Wagner
Germantown Academy
340 Morris Road
Ft Washington, PA 19034
e-mail:  emily.wagner@germantownacademy.org

THE PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS OF FRENCH INVITES YOU TO ITS WINTER CONFERENCE

IMMIGRATION AND INTEGRATION IN FRANCE

JANUARY 24, 2009
(SNOW DATE – JANUARY 31, 2009)

9:00 A.M. TO 12:00 P.M.

IMMACULATA UNIVERSITY