INFORMATIONAL

  I am pleased to send you a copy of the first issue of the
  newsletter of the Virginia Center for the Teaching of
  International Studies, a newly launched teaching
  institution strongly supported by the Department of
  Education.  Please take a moment to introduce yourself to
  this impressive new teacher resource center.

  Established in January, the center is a partnership among
  the World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond, the School
  of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University, the
  Department of Education, local school divisions,
  Workforce One, and the Southern Center for International
  Studies.  The center's mission is to prepare middle and
  high school students for citizenship in an interdependent
  world through the professional development of teachers. 
  The newsletter highlights and summarizes the activities
  of the center during its first five months, features
  information about the content presentations at its
  workshops,  and identifies websites on international
  issues useful to classroom teachers.

  The center looks forward to working closely with history,
  social science, and foreign language teachers in Virginia
  secondary schools.  Its well trained staff conducts
  workshops throughout the commonwealth focusing each year
  on one or two world regions.  This year's concentration
  is on Russia and the former Soviet Republics.  Each full-
  day workshop includes content presentations by experts
  from Virginia's many prestigious universities, and
  sessions on how to teach the materials in ways that
  support the Virginia Standards of Learning.  The
  instructional materials used were created by the Southern
  Center for International Studies. The Department of
  Education will provide these materials to each middle and
  high school in Virginia.

  Please consider taking advantage of the services provided
  by the Virginia Center for the Teaching of International
  Studies and feel free to call the center at (804) 644-0085.
  If you have questions or desire additional information, you
  may also contact Dr. Beverly Thurston at
  (804) 225-2893.

  PDS/pc
  Enclosures:  A hard copy of this memo and its attach-
               ment will be sent to the superintendent's
               office.