INFORMATIONAL

 Virginia will participate in the National Teacher of the Year 2001 Award Program 
sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and Scholastic, Inc.
The focus of the program is to select and honor teachers who represent the best in 
teaching in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation.  	

Regional teachers will be selected and honored as Virginia's teachers of the year. 
The teachers will represent the eight superintendents' study groups, with one of the
eight being selected as Virginia's nominee in the national awards program.  It is 
anticipated that a monetary award made possible through funds donated by businesses 
in the state will be presented to each of the regional teachers of the year.  

One individual, possessing a current Virginia teaching license, may be nominated 
from each school division.  Teachers holding provisional licenses are not eligible 
to participate in the program. The candidate should be a dedicated, knowledgeable, 
and skilled teacher in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, who is planning to continue
in an active teaching status.  No teaching areas are excluded from participating.  
The attached application packet outlines the selection criteria.  The names of 
nominees, with all materials prescribed in the packet, must be submitted to the 
Department on or before June 23, 2000.  
   
Participation in the state Teacher of the Year program is an activity students, 
teachers, school boards, and parents in every community can share.  We hope that 
your school division will participate in this program.  If you have questions about 
the program, please contact Byrd Latham, teacher education specialist, at (804)
 225-2104.  

JLD/lm
Enclosure