1.  Please be a part of our new on-line Family. Join our English Language Teachers' NING at http://elt-russia.ning.com. 
Ning is a social networking site similar to Facebook, v kontakte or odnoklassniki.  The main difference is that it a “closed” system, containing only English language teaching professionals who either work in Russia or are connected to English teaching in Russia.  It is also a platform that allows us to:
• Exchange ideas through “Forum” discussions
• Get one-on-one feedback on key topics from specialists
• Find English teachers with similar interests
• Learn about upcoming ELT events
• Swap photos
• Recommend websites, videos and books
• And more…
To join http://elt-russia.ning.com/, all you need is an email address.  Simply go to the website and navigate to any tab.  The site will ask you to ‘sign in’ or ‘sign up’.  If new, click on ‘sign up.’  Fill in the fields and wait about 24 hours.  You can also write to moscowelo@state.gov to request an invitation or ask any current member to invite you.
Dr. Gail Weinstein on Ning!  From December 7 to 14th, Dr. Gail Weinstein will moderate a Forum on putting learners at the center of our instruction. 

2.  Umbrella-9 Gathering in Kaliningrad"Strategizing and Managing Change in ELT in Russia"
More than 20 representatives from 12 EFL Associations of Russia took part in the Umbrella-9 Gathering that was held in Kaliningrad on November 16-18, 2009. Thanks to the organizers, KATE President - Ludmila Lipilina ludmilalipilina@mail.ru , and KATE Vice President - Nataliya Milyavskaya milyavskaya_nata@mail.ru , the participants could share their views and knowledge, develop new ideas and launch new projects. Detailed report can be found in the Appex (below) and on http://www.eltrussia.ru  site in “highlights”.
You can find there a sample of an Association Mission and Vision, will learn about new MELTA Initiative, will read about EGE news, get more ideas how to promote Access Microscholarship Program, get update on Associations’ website, will join a new NING Project and will join us in a welcome to a new EFL Teachers’ Association – VYATKAELT.
3.  E-Pals www.epalscorp.com for K-12
If you work in a secondary school, you could be interested in ePALS. ePals’ mission is to support lifelong learning through collaborative experiences that empower and inspire. Through its technology, programs, and services, K-12 students and teachers around the world build exchange knowledge based on safe and protected communication tools, evidence-based curricula and authentic, collaborative learning experiences essential to building 21st century skills. The ePals Global Community (www.epals.com) is the largest online community of K-12 learners, enabling more than half a million educators and millions of students across 200 countries and territories to safely connect, exchange ideas, and work together. It’s a free resource
4.  Russian- American Education Forum

A new online journal - Russian-American Education Forum (www.rus-ameeduforum.com) - is devoted to strengthening professional ties between Russian and American Educators. It is edited by  Prof. Tatyana Tsyrlina-Spady, who now lives in the USA and tries to promote Russian educational heritage among American readers. Dmitriy Klimentiyev from Kursk ddklim@mail.ru  invites you to contribute our ideas and get involved in fruitful educational cooperation with the US colleagues.
Appex:
Highlights from Umbrella-8 Gathering:
1.  All participants of Umbrella-8 Gathering took part in a brain storming meeting led by AlyonaGromushkina, Vice President of MELTA eng@1september.ru  , targeted at developing a Mission and Vision of an EFL Association. This is truly an outstanding document and should be shared with all association:
Mission
The Association unites on a voluntary basis English language teachers open to innovations and initiatives with the goal of building up a professional community willing to meet educational challenges of the 21st Century. Our mission is to stimulate, support, and provide opportunities for the improvement of EL teaching and learning.
Values
To accomplish our mission, the Association has a set of beliefs that are ingrained in the way we think and act as a professional organization. These values guide our choices as we set our objectives, formulate our strategies, choose our actions, and evaluate our results. 
We believe that:
our actions and decisions must reflect the highest ethical and professional standards.
success is based on our abilities to hear, respect, and respond to the needs of the Association membership.
an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual respect must be fostered among those responsible for the successful operation of schools: parents, students, educators.
our goals and objectives can be achieved only with the learner in the centre of the educational process.
bringing the language, literature, and culture of the English-speaking world to Russian learners of English is a vital humanistic endeavor, which serves essential national interests.
we are committed to sharing and promoting best practices in ELT in order to further professional growth and continuous learning opportunities for our members.
regional associations are free to implement the mission to meet the needs of particular region.
Goals and Objectives
The Association aims at:
creating a favorable environment for both professional development and communication;
providing support and assistance to all the participants of educational process (learners, teachers, parents);
bringing together EL teachers at all levels: junior and secondary school, college and university;
improving and supporting continuity between all levels and all types of institutions;
bridging the gap between methodological theories and teaching practices;
encouraging efficient working relationships with other language and professional organizations from Russia and different parts of the world;
elevating the prestige of the English language teacher profession;
promoting opportunities to integrate innovative approaches in the field of EL teaching and other areas of study;
sharing ideas, insights and experiences to enhance teacher classroom performance, regarding regional component and identity.
2.  MELTA (Moscow English Language Teachers’ Association), represented by Galina Gumovskaya gumovskaya@igumo.ru , plans to mark  Mark Twain’s and O. Henry’s  centennial by organizing special events and ceremonies. One of the ideas is to host a drama competition for high school and university students. MELTA hopes that the sister-Associations will support the idea and join them in this effort. MELTA members are reflecting on how to mark the dates; they also think about Research Project Contest and Memory Date Show.
3.  Welcome to a New Sister!
EFL Teachers of Kirov started an EFL Teachers’ Association during their regional Conference on November 11-13.  They are full of energy and enthusiasm and are looking forward to learning from you. The VAYTKAELT President is Svetlana Kuklina kss@ssk.kirov.ru , Vice Presidents are Ekaterina Nechayeva  Katherine8@yandex.ru and  Marina Vvedenskaya  vvr@vvr.kirov.ru
Please welcome them and share your experience.
4.  ACCESS Microscholarship Program
STAVELTA, the host of Stavropol Access Microscholarship Program, got additional support for expansion of the Program at Stavropol State University. The local community was so much impressed with the results of this project, that local funding is going to be provided for a Russia-based Access Program. The curricula, approaches and principles will be similar to the famous American Access Program. Currently there are 14 Access Microscholarship sites in Russia: Ufa, Kazan, Samara, Elista, Novocherkassk, Khasavyurt, Nalchik, Stavropol, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don, Gubkin, Cherepovets, Ulan-Ude and Birobijan. Total number of students is 280 motivated teenagers from low-income families. This is a two- year after school program with English Language Summer Camps after each academic year. You can read more about this project at the Embassy website: http://moscow.usemabssy.gov/elo.html
5. Associations’ Websites
Only a few years ago only 3-4 Associations could boast of having their own websites – please look at the main page of http://www.eltrussia.ru  - now 15 Associations are represented in the Internet! If your Association has a website, please share, it will be added to the name of your Association. All websites are different, new Associations learn from the experience of mature Associations and move quickly ahead. Have a look at TELTA, STAVELTA , Dagestan sites, they were created within the last year. If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask!
6. EGE NEWS
There was a unanimous request from all representatives of Associations – we do need Speaking part back in the EGE!!! Teachers are ready to help with testing Speaking skills during April sessions. If you support this decision, please send your letters to FIPI, Posobrnadzor and cc Mariya Valeriyevna Verbitskaya.