COFLT Monthly Updates January 2026
Dear COFLT Members:
Happy New Year! We hope that this newsletter finds you well and that the winter break was kind to you. We are excited for another great year with COFLT and look forward to collaborating, learning, and growing with you.
This spring, the PNCFL Conference is being held in Portland. This in-person event is an exciting opportunity to connect with World Language educators from all over the Pacific Northwest. The PNCFL conference will visit a different member state each year so it may be a few years before it returns to our backyard. We encourage to take advantage of this event and all that it has to offer. Please see below for more information about prize opportunities, Best of Conference presentations, and pre-conference workshops.
As always, we are dedicated to supporting Oregon's World Language teachers and we encourage to get involved. A quick and easy way to get involved is to fill out the community feedback form featured in our advocacy article.
With gratitude,
The COFLT Board
Monthly Coffee Hour
Monthly Coffee Hour: Sunday, January 18 at 9:00AM
Our monthly coffee hour will take place on Sunday, December 13 at 9am.
We are returning to using Zoom to avoid some of the issues presented by Google Meets at last month's meeting. You can access the meeting by clicking here. If asked for a passcode, please enter COFFEE. Join us to connect over your favorite morning drink and share our joy and thoughts of teaching world languages. Anyone can attend so be sure to invite your non-member colleagues to join!
Zoom Link
Passcode: COFFE
PNCFL Spring Conference
Connect with World Language teachers from throughout the Pacific Northwest this April 9-11th!
You can also register by clicking here.
Register before February 1 for the chance to win a private winery tour!
Spring Workshops COFLT is offering two spring workshops as part of the PNCFL Conference! These will take place on Thursday, April 9 from 5-7pm. The workshops are only $30! To register for one of these workshops, please visit this link for PNCFL registration.
COFLT's Best of Conference Presentation at PNCFL
If you weren't able to attend our fall conference in Corvallis, you can still see the presentation that was voted "Best of Conference". Oz Panek will be representing Oregon with her presentation, "Joyful Routines: Playful Practices for Building Community in the K-8 World Language Classroom".
Advocating for World Languages in Oregon
Action NeededLanguage Program Cuts and Impacts – Community Feedback Form:
JNCL-NCLIS is collecting information about the real impacts of recent and proposed federal education policy and budget changes on language programs across the United States. Please be specific about what the reasoning or rationale was for the cut or change (i.e. DEI policy, IES grant cut, Title funding concerns). Your responses will help JNCL-NCLIS document the scope of these cuts and advocate for necessary support. Please share your experience via this link: Language Program Cuts and Impacts - Community Feedback Form
COLFT Member Benefit
As a dues-paying member of COFLT, you are represented at the national level by the COFLT board through JNCL-NCLIS. If your language program is in danger, COFLT can work with JNCL-NCLIS to draft letters of support. Please, send an email to cofltoregon@gmail.com with details and someone will reach out to you!
Awards and Grants
COFLT loves to celebrate World Language Education and we have professional and student awards as well as mini-grants for teachers. Nominate yourself or someone you know!
Professional Awards
COFLT Teacher Of the Year (TOY)
An award which recognizes outstanding language teaching or contributions to the profession or language learning community. The COFLT TOY is connected to ACTFL's Teacher of the Year Program.
COFLT Outstanding Contribution Award
An award that recognizes deserving teachers and administrators who have contributed "above and beyond" to the world language community in Oregon.
COFLT Outstanding Postsecondary Language Teacher Award
An award that recognizes postsecondary educators at the community college, college, and university level.
Student Awards
Elizabeth Baricevic / Josefina Botta Memorial Scholarships May 1 deadline
COFLT offers $1000 scholarships to students who demonstrate outstanding commitment to language study.
Certificate of Achievement Rolling Basis
An award that allows schools to recognize exceptional language students as they prepare to graduate from the program.
Teacher Grants
COFLT Mini Grants Rolling Basis
COFLT awards small grants to help fund professional growth, materials development, collaboration among colleagues, or cultivating language teaching and appreciation in the community.
Contact COFLT: email us: cofltoregon@gmail.comCOFLT, 5441 S Macadam Ave #8007, Portland, OR 97239COFLT is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
