The Governors High School Leadership Summit

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 33

February 13, 2004

INFORMATIONAL

TO:

Division Superintendents

FROM:

Jo Lynne DeMary

Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:

The Governors High School Leadership Summit

The Virginia Department of Education, in collaboration with the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals (VASSP), is pleased to announce the Governors High School Leadership Summit on March 8, 2004, at the Omni Richmond Hotel, Richmond, Virginia. All high school principals have been mailed an invitation from Governor Warner to attend the day-long event. There is no registration fee. Please encourage your high school principals to attend. Since this is an Invitation Only event, any high school principal who did not receive an invitation should contact Dr. Randy Barrack, executive director, Virginia Association of Secondary School principals, at (804) 288 2777, rbarrack@vassp.org. If you are interested in attending the Governors High School Leadership Summit, please contact Dr. Barrack.

Registration for the summit will begin at 7:45 a.m. at the Omni Hotel. A Continental Breakfast will be offered for everyone. The first plenary session will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 11:30 a.m. The second plenary session will be held during the working lunch from 12 noon until 2:15 p.m. Beginning at 2:30 p.m. concurrent sessions will begin and the final set of concurrent sessions will end at 5:15 p.m. The summit agenda will be posted on the VASSP website at www.vaprincipal.org.

The purpose of the summit is to increase the visibility of the challenges facing Virginias high schools and address the solutions and next steps needed to tackle these challenges. The summit will use the framework of Governor Warners Senior Year Plus initiative, requirements of No Child Left Behind, and Virginias Standards of Learning to initiate and promote a state dialogue about reforming high schools and creating seamless transitions into and through postsecondary education.

Summit speakers and associated publications will focus on six themes:

Creating options and engaging students;

Fostering world-quality teaching and school leadership;

Making smooth transitions into postsecondary education, training, and careers;

Rethinking high school curriculum theory and practice;

Crossing the digital divide; and

Expanding innovative teaching and assessment practices.

In addition to state and national speakers on the cutting-edge of high school educational reform, the Summit Steering Committee has invited concurrent session presenters to illustrate how education research on high schools is increasing our knowledge, enriching our cultural life, energizing our economy, increasing the pool of qualified personnel in critical fields, sustaining civic participation in democracy, and raising educational expectations of public schools.

The summit is designed to be a true catalyst for change in the realm of high school transformation. With the combined knowledge of the attendees and the presenters, the next steps shared at the summit will surely facilitate changes in Virginias high schools.

For the educator, the summit will provide key research findings, inspirational examples of school change, and new relationships with fellow educators, government officials, and education policymakers. For policymakers and government officials, the summit will provide key information about what works and whats promising. This information is critical for making wise investments of taxpayer dollars and creating sound policy reforms.

For hotel accommodations, please call the Omni Richmond Hotel (100 South 12^th Street, Richmond, VA 23210) at 804-344-7000 and ask for the special rate of $89 single, $99 double (plus prevailing taxes) for The Governors High School Leadership Summit. The Omni Richmond Hotel provides complimentary van transportation in the downtown area, Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The hotel offers valet parking for registered overnight guests with unlimited in and out privileges at a $15 per night charge. Local attendees may self-park in the James Center Garage or in any other local lot. Prices range from $6 to $15 per day.

JLD/MH