COMMONWEALTH
OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
P.O.
BOX 2120
RICHMOND,
VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 70
April 25, 2003
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Reading First Teacher Reading Academies |
The Department of Education is pleased to announce
the Reading First Teacher Reading Academies that will be held during the summer
of 2003. The Teacher Reading Academies constitute the professional development
opportunities to be provided by the state as part of the Reading First grant.
The academies are being developed based on materials produced by the University
of Texas, Center for Reading and Language Arts entitled: Teacher Reading
Academies, Professional Development for Research-Based Beginning Reading
Instruction. The department will
contract with the University of Virginias Curry School of Education to develop
and provide the academies to Virginia teachers in grades kindergarten and first
grade during the summer of 2003, and teachers of grades two and three during
the summer of 2004. Follow-up academies are being planned each subsequent
summer for the duration of the Reading First grant.
Each academy includes a series of sessions built on scientifically-based
components of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary and comprehension, and will be offered in a four-day configuration
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The academies will be offered to all kindergarten and first grade teachers in
Virginia, but priority will be given to school divisions who are eligible for
Reading First grant funding. School divisions are encouraged to send entire
grade-level teams to the academies. The dates and locations for the summer of
2003 are as follows:
July 7
10, 2003, at the Virginia Beach Conference Center, Virginia Beach (kindergarten
training)
July 28
31, 2003, at Thomas Nelson Community College, Hampton (first grade training)
and
July
28 31, 2003, (first grade)
at
the Boars Head Inn and Conference Center, Charlottesville
and
July
28 31, 2003, (first grade)
at
St. Christophers School, Richmond
Registration
will be begin May 1, 2003, online through the University of Virginias Reading
First website at:
www.readingfirst.virginia.edu.
Questions regarding the Teacher Reading Academies should be
directed to Linda Poorbaugh, director, Office of Elementary Instructional
Services at (804) 786-3925 or mailto: lpoorbau@mail.vak12ed.edu,
Barbara Jones, elementary reading specialist, Office of Elementary
Instructional Services at (804) 786-1997 or mailto: bjones@mail.vak12ed.edu, or Gail
Barnes, grant specialist, Office of Elementary Instructional Services at (804)
371-5378 or mailto: gbarnes@mail.vak12ed.edu.
JLD/LMP/gsb