Dear Faculty Member:

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June 1st marks the start of a new day for lifelong learning in our community. The Lifelong Learning Academy will merge with Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) to become Ringling College Lifelong Learning Academy (RCLLA).

There are many benefits to our alliance with RCAD. First among them is that we can respond to the growth in our student enrollment, which means fewer students on wait lists. In addition, we have the opportunity to be more creative and diverse in our course offerings, which means it’s time to dust off that one-of-a-kind idea for a course, seminar, or workshop that you’ve long wanted to teach.

We believe that Ringling College offers the best resources to continue our goal to provide quality lifelong learning services to adult learners in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

An important key to our success is our faculty. To put it simply, we couldn’t do what we do, without you. Your knowledge, expertise, dedication, and commitment to the idea of, “learning for the pure joy of learning” is what makes the Academy a special place for our students and staff. I am looking forward to the possibilities that await our students as we plan for our future.

RCLLA’s permanent home will be the Sarasota Museum of Art (SMOA) which is the current site of the historic Sarasota High School. Until renovations there are complete, sometime in Fall 2017, we will operate at an interim site. I am pleased to announce that Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Ave., in Sarasota will be our interim site.

There will be a Summer faculty orientation and general information session on Thursday, June 2 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Temple Beth Sholom. All instructors are welcome to attend. And yes, there will be orientation sessions for all other terms.

Respectfully,
Janna Overstreet