COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

PRINS. MEMO NO. 23

April 2, 2002

ELEMENTARY / MIDDLE / SECONDARY

TO:	Principals
FROM:	Patricia I. Wright Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
SUBJECT:	Creating Original Opera Teacher Training Program for Elementary and Middle School Teachers

The Metropolitan Opera Guild Creating Original Opera Teacher Training Program is a course of study for elementary and middle school teachers. It provides music and classroom teachers with the necessary skills, information, and methodologies to guide their students through the process of developing, producing, and creating original opera/music theater. As a result of this training program, participating teachers develop an in-school opera with their students, and incorporate the Creating Original Opera Program into their school curricula.

Twenty-five schools will be selected to participate in this program through an application process to be completed by the principal, a music teacher, and a classroom teacher. Teachers from the schools selected will attend the teacher training program being held at Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, July 9-16, 2002. Applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2002. Participating teachers may be eligible for three graduate credits as well as professional development points.

For more information please contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department: Shellie Bransford, (mailto:sbransford@operaed.org), program director, at (212) 769-7023; Matthew McEnteggart, (mailto:mmce@operaed.org), program associate, at (212) 769-7026; or David A. Dik, (mailto:ddik@operaed.org), at (212) 769-7029. Application forms are available on-line at http://www.operaed.org.

For further information, please contact Cheryle C. Gardner, (mailto:cgardner@mail.vak12ed.edu), principal specialist of fine arts, at (804) 225-2881.