COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 223

October 12, 2007

INFORMATIONAL

TO:

Division Superintendents

 

FROM:

Billy K. Cannaday, Jr.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

 

SUBJECT:

2008 Governor's Summer Residential Program

 

The Virginia Department of Education is pleased to announce that the 2008 Governor's Summer Residential Program will include seven Summer Residential Governor's Schools and six Governor's Foreign Language Academies.  These programs offer public, private, and home-schooled gifted students opportunities for intensive study in academics, foreign languages, mentorships, and visual and performing arts.  The attachment to this memorandum provides a list of important dates associated with the application process for these programs.  Selection of students to attend these programs is contingent upon the provision of state funds by the 2008 General Assembly.

 

Summer Residential Governor's School Academic, Mentorships, and Visual and Performing Arts Programs

Applications and administrative guides for the 2008 Summer Residential Governor's Schools are available electronically through the Virginia Department of Education’s Web page at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/Govschools/SRGS.

 

Governor's Foreign Language Academies

Applications for the 2008 Governor's Foreign Language Academies are also available electronically.  Complete information about the academies, including applications, informational flyers, and nominee report forms, is available on the Department of Education’s Web page at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/Language/GAindex.html.  However, the sealed composition and tape topics for the French, German, and Spanish academies and the Latin test and essay topic must be ordered from the Department of Education.  Order forms are available on the Internet at the address listed previously.

 

Summer Residential Governor's School Application Process

The application process for the Summer Residential Governor’s Schools continues to allow students choices among the programs.  Gifted education coordinators should review the administrative guides carefully for more detailed information.  A parent and student guide has been created for students considering either the academics and mentorship programs, or the visual and performing arts programs.

 

Students may attend only one program during their high school career.  Every school division is guaranteed representation in the academic programs, which include agriculture; humanities; life sciences and medicine; mathematics, science, and technology; and mentorships.  Admission to the visual and performing arts program is competitive; students are selected based on the strength of their applications, their ranking in the school division or private school region, and the needs of the programs.

 

Public high school students may apply through their high schools.  Home-schooled students may apply by submitting a completed application to the principal of the public high school in the zone/division in which they reside.  The student's application then becomes part of that school's application process.  Private school students may apply through heads of their schools; their applications are then referred to the appropriate private school regional committee for nomination.  For a list of private schools by region, please refer to either the academic or the visual and performing arts administrative guide for private schools.  Virginia residents who attend private schools outside the Commonwealth should contact Dr. Barbara McGonagill at Barbara.McGonagill@doe.virginia.gov or (804) 225-2884, for more information.

 

Governor's Foreign Language Academies Application Process Acceptance in the Governor’s Foreign Language Academies is competitive.  A statewide selection committee reviews student submissions of unedited samples of oral and written work.  Please read carefully the Guide for Students and Parents or the Guide for School Personnel, available from the previously mentioned Web site, for the eligibility and nomination requirements specific to each program.

 

Tuition Costs

The cost of the Summer Residential Governor's Schools and the Governor's Foreign Language Academies is shared by the state and the school division or the private school in which the selected students are enrolled.  A division's share is based on its composite index, not to exceed 50 percent of the individual program’s tuition.  Public school divisions may not assess tuition for participation in these programs for students who are enrolled in public school or who are home-schooled students applying through the school division.  Costs for private school students are the private school's responsibility and are set at 50 percent of the tuition cost.  The tuitions reflect the individual program costs and are listed below:

 

2008 Tuition Amounts

Tuition costs will not exceed the designated amount for each program.

 

Agriculture

          $2,000

Foreign Language Academies

          $1,778

Humanities

          $1,742

Mathematics, Science, and Technology

          $1,472

Life Sciences and Medicine

          $2,667

Mentorships in Engineering and Marine Science

          $2,947

Visual and Performing Arts

          $1,832

 

School divisions and private schools must guarantee funding for all nominees.  The nomination report form, signed by school division superintendents and heads of each nominating private high school, indicates their assurance that funding for tuition will be provided for all students they nominate.

 

Nomination Reports

The 2008 Summer Residential Governor’s School nomination report and instructions for its submission will be posted to the Web page indicated previously by February 1, 2008.

 

The Governor's Foreign Language Academies will be moving to a similar nomination report submitted through the SSWS system.  Specific information will be provided to school division foreign language contacts and private school representatives in December 2007.  Divisions may refer to the attachment to this memorandum for deadlines and other important information.

 

Thank you for your continued interest in and support of the 

Governor's Summer Residential Program.  For information about the Governor’s Foreign Language Academies, please contact Ms. Helen Small, foreign language specialist, by e-mail at Helen.Small@doe.virginia.gov, or by telephone at (804) 225-3666.  For information about the Summer Residential Governor’s Schools, please contact Dr. Barbara McGonagill, principal specialist, Governor’s Schools and Gifted Education, by e-mail at Barbara.McGonagill@doe.virginia.gov, or by telephone at (804) 225-2884.

 

BKCJr/HS/BKM/yba

 

Attachment

 

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/suptsmemos/2007/inf223a.pdf