COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P. O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS.MEMO NO. 142
July 21, 2000
INFORMATIONAL
 
TO: Division Superintendents
FROM: Jo Lynne DeMary
Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT: Superintendent’s Leadership Advisory Council

The Superintendent’s Leadership Advisory Council meets regularly. It is composed of the chairmen of the eight regional study groups, plus the VASS officers. We will distribute the minutes of each meeting by means of a Superintendent’s Memorandum.

The minutes of the meeting of July 7, 2000, are attached. If you have questions regarding this information, please contact Richard Layman at (804) 225-2024.

Thank you.
 
 

JLD/RWL/pg

Attachment

Meeting of the Superintendent’s Leadership Advisory Council

Friday, July 7, 2000


Present - Leadership Council: Dorothea Shannon (for Stewart Roberson), Timothy Jenney, Harry Ward, Edgar Hatrick, John Kidd, David Martin, Stephen Peery (for Woodrow Mullins), Paul Nichols (for Dr. Margaret Blackmon), Mark Munson (for Walter A. McFarlane, superintendent of schools, Department of Correctional Education).   Department of Education: Jo Lynne DeMary, Richard W. Layman, Lan Neugent, Gloria Barber, Anne Westcott, James Calleran, Dan Timberlake, and Harry L. Smith.   Dr. DeMary opened the meeting by stating that the Department of Education had received a request from the Secretary of Education’s office to share information about an America Online project proposed for public schools. The agenda for the meeting also included the use of funds for the Governor’s technology initiative, and the 2000 Technology Literacy Challenge Subgrant Program. She introduced Mark Nixon of AOL who explained the America Online proposal and the service it would provide for public schools.

Mr. Nixon said the project has been discussed with the Governors of three states – Virginia, Florida, and Michigan. Following his presentation, numerous questions were asked about the project, which would be available at no cost to public schools. Mr. Nixon stated that he would be glad to meet with regional superintendents’ groups to present details of the AOL School Project. He noted that the decision to use the AOL project is up to each school division.

Following Mr. Nixon’s presentation, Lan Neugent discussed Superintendent’s Memorandum No. 133, dated June 30, 2000, dealing with the Standards of Learning Technology Initiative and the plan for the use of funds for school divisions to participate in the project. He said the Department of Education will use a management-based approach to the project. He stated that a template will be developed to help school divisions manage the project.

Schools divisions are required to submit an "Intent to Participate" form by August 1, 2000, and submit a plan for using the funds by November 1, 2000. The technology initiative involves the use of Web systems to improve SOL instructional and remedial and testing capabilities of public schools. The memorandum explaining the SOL technology initiative included a table showing how much each school division would receive for the project based on an entitlement of $ 26,000 for each school and $50,000 for each school division.

Mr. Neugent pointed out that a local school division match of 20 percent is required for the project and that 25 percent of that amount should be used for teacher training. In response to concern expressed about the deadline required for spending the funds for the project, Dr. DeMary promised that the Department of Education will do everything possible to solve that problem. She called attention to the importance of the project and its success.

The last item on the agenda for the Leadership Council was an explanation by Mrs. Barber on the Technology Literacy Challenge Grant awarded Virginia by the U.S. Department of Education. The grant program supports state education agencies’ efforts to implement statewide technology plans through competitive subgrant funding. The project is intended to help stimulate local, state, and private sector partnerships focused on integrating technology into teaching and learning to help ensure that all students are technologically literate.