INFORMATIONAL

  Last year, I was pleased to announce that First Lady Roxane
  Gilmore had unveiled an Internet website, "Commonwealth of
  Knowledge," designed to help teachers incorporate the
  Virginia Standards of Learning into their lesson plans. The
  response to the website has been very encouraging.

  Since the announcement of the website, interested teachers
  have inquired about receiving professional development
  points for licensure renewal.  Teachers who submit a lesson
  plan approved for posting on the "Commonwealth of Knowledge"
  website will receive 10 points toward renewal of their
  licenses, with a maximum of 30 points earned in one year. A
  panel of Virginia Teachers of the Year reviews and approves
  the lesson plans. Lesson plans will be posted after
  approval.

  The professional development points will be issued under
  renewal option 9--"Educational Project"--outlined in the
  Board of Education's licensure renewal requirements. This
  option allows the accumulation of 90 points every five
  years.  Teachers submitting lesson plans should seek renewal
  approval from their school division licensure renewal
  advisors to ensure that the points can be applied to license
  renewal.  Certificates of recognition will be issued to
  teachers whose plans are published on the Web page.

  Teachers interested in posting lesson plans on the Web page
  may submit their plans electronically on the "Commonwealth
  of Knowledge" website: www.knowledge.state.va.us. I
  encourage teachers and professors in teacher preparation
  institutions to submit lesson plans for review and
  publication on the First Lady's Web page.  

  If you have questions or require additional information
  regarding procedures for submitting lesson plans for the
  panel's review and approval, please contact Dr. Jo Lynne
  DeMary, assistant superintendent for instruction, at (804)
  225-3252 or Dr. Thomas A. Elliott, assistant superintendent,
  Division of Teacher Education and Licensure, at (804) 371-2522.

  PDS:psp