COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 30

February 6, 2004

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Regional Teacher-Training Academies for Selected Industry Certifications (March-April)

The Virginia Department of Education, Office of Career and Technical Education Services, is pleased to sponsor a second round of regional teacher-training academies to prepare career and technical education teachers for selected industry certification examinations. These academies are scheduled in different regions of the state based on the statewide needs survey. Regional academies will be sponsored throughout the year. Testing options for the specific industry certification will be available as a part of the academies.

These industry certifications are Board of Education approved for the student-selected verified credit option. Career and technical education teachers must be certified in an industry certification before their students can be eligible for the student-selected verified credit that may be earned by passing an industry certification exam while completing a career and technical education course and/or program sequence.

For the March-April group of industry certification training academies, registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. A waiting list will be maintained for each training academy, and will be used to give first priority when enrolling participants in the next round of regional training academies.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) will reimburse participants (according to state travel guidelines) either daily commuting mileage, or one round trip to the workshop if a participant travels from a distance that requires an overnight stay. Overnight lodging and meals will not be reimbursed by the VDOE for training academy participants.

The cost of teacher substitutes will be reimbursed to localities. All training academies will be tuition free (to include the cost of industry certification examinations) to career and technical education teachers who include preparation for the specific industry certification in their course or course sequence, and who use the industry certification as an option for their students to earn student-selected verified credit. Teachers attending training academies must test on-site or, if exam vouchers are provided, within 30 days of training.

The industry certification training academies for the March/April timeframe are:

• Brainbench AutoCAD 2000 Certification, Dates TBA, Location TBA, Registration Coordinator: George Willcox, Virginia Department of Education, (gwillcox@pen.k12.va.us);

• *Teacher Trainer Workshop for the Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3), March 26, 2004 Workforce Development Consortium, West Campus Workforce Development Center Lab, Rocky Mount, Franklin County Schools hosting, Registration Coordinator: Gordon Creasy, Virginia Department of Education, (gcreasy@pen.k12.va.us). *(One registration will be accepted per school division as a trainer of teachers for the IC3 certification. A computer literacy background is recommended for participants.);

• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS 2000 prep/test), March 16, 2004 Taylor Magnet School, Danville, Danville City Schools hosting, Registration Coordinator: Anne Rowe, Virginia Department of Education, (arowe@pen.k12.va.us);

• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS XP prep/test), March 16, 2004 Instructional and Administrative Technology Lab (IAT), Danville, Danville City Schools hosting, Registration Coordinator: Anne Rowe, Virginia Department of Education, (arowe@pen.k12.va.us);

• Dreamweaver Certification (Preparation can be used for Brainbench Dreamweaver Examination. Participants should have intermediate to advanced knowledge of Dreamweaver.), April 20-21, 2004 Centreville High School, Clifton, Fairfax County Schools hosting, Registration Coordinator: Anne Rowe, Virginia Department of Education, (arowe@pen.k12.va.us);

• Brainbench MS FrontPage 2000 Certification (Participants should have intermediate to advanced knowledge of FrontPage.), March 30-31, 2004 Arnold R. Burton Technology Center, Roanoke County Schools hosting, Registration Coordinator: Anne Rowe, Virginia Department of Education, (arowe@pen.k12.va.us);

• Preparation for A+ Certification (CompTIA), Part 1, Core Hardware Exam, April 26-30, 2004 - Arnold R. Burton Technology Center, Roanoke County Schools hosting, Coordinators: Gordon Creasy, (gcreasy@pen.k12.va.us), Dr. Lee Ross, (rross@mail.vak12ed.edu), Virginia Department of Education;

• Preparation for A+ Certification (CompTIA), Part 2, OS Technologies, August 2-6, 2004 (session will be part of VATIE conference), - Arnold R. Burton Technology Center, Roanoke County Schools hosting, Coordinators: Gordon Creasy,(gcreasy@pen.k12.va.us), Dr. Lee Ross, (rross@mail.vak12ed.edu), Virginia Department of Education;

• National Professional Certification in Customer Service, April (dates TBA), Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach City Schools hosting, Registration Coordinator: Dr. Margaret Kirby, Virginia Department of Education, (mkirby@pen.k12.va.us); and

• Outdoor Power Equipment Certification (4-Stroke Exam), (Equipment and Engine Training Council), March 17, 2004 Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Coordinators: Dr. Glenn Anderson,(ganderso@pen.k12.va.us), Dr. Lee Ross (rross@mail.vak12ed.edu), Virginia Department of Education.

Information about teacher-training academy times, directions to the locations, and preparation materials will be sent when a registration is confirmed (after February 25, 2004). Enrollment confirmation (or waiting list notification) will be sent directly to participants. The registration application is attached. Persons who registered for a January-February academy and were put on a waiting list (to be given priority for the March-April schedule of academies) must register again to indicate they still want to attend a particular training academy (location of academy may also differ from January-February schedule, etc.).

For further information about an industry certification training academy, contact the specific workshop registration coordinator. For information about a specific industry certification, contact Gordon Creasy, specialist for industry certification and licensure, Office of Career and Technical Education, at gcreasy@pen.k12.va.us or 804-225-2057.

Application forms should be sent by February 25, 2004, to the specific workshop registration coordinator, Office of Career and Technical Education, Virginia Department of Education, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, VA 23218-2120, or Fax: 804-371-2456 (Attention: specific workshop registration coordinator).

JLD/RAA/GC/sgj

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