COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 51

March 4, 2005

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	2005 Chesapeake Bay Academies: Coastal and Mountain

The Virginia Resource-Use Education Council (VRUEC), in cooperation with several state, federal, and private agencies, will conduct two Chesapeake Bay Academies this summer. The Coastal Bay Academy will focus on the coastal portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and will be held in Tappahannock, Virginia, June 20-24, 2005. The Mountain Bay Academy will focus on the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and will be held in Lexington, Virginia, August 1-4, 2005.

The VRUEC has been awarded a federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grant to support the participation of 30 science teachers in each academy. Each academy is a summer learning experience for middle and high school science teachers and is designed to closely support the implementation of the Science Standards of Learning and provide detailed training, field experiences, print materials, and hands-on resources supporting the science standards content and skills.

The academy in Tappahannock will be conducted at St. Margaret's School in Tappahannock and at Port Isobel Island in the Chesapeake Bay. The academy in Lexington will be held at Washington and Lee University with field activities conducted at Douthat State Park, nearby waterways, and geological study sites. Both sites have a rich natural learning environment with comfortable meeting and lodging facilities.

The full cost of $1,000 per participant for each institute is being offered for teachers who serve in leadership roles in their schools and who are willing to share information, teaching materials, and educational resources with other teachers. Special emphasis is being given to provide instructional resources that will support the 2003 state science standards pertaining to watersheds and the Chesapeake Bay (Sixth Grade Science, Life Science, Earth Science, and Biology).

Scholarships have been allocated for each of Virginias eight regions to promote broad statewide representation in the academies. Decision for awarding the scholarships will be based on when the application is received and the geographic distribution of applicants. The applications are due on April 28, 2005, and applicants will be notified on or by May 14, 2005. School divisions are encouraged to provide participants with stipends and travel reimbursements; however, this is not a requirement of the program. Participants will be eligible to receive up to 40 points for licensure renewal. Three hours of graduate credit can also be earned, paid for by the participant.

For a copy of the preliminary agenda and registration information, go to the Virginia Naturally website at http://www.vanaturally.org/bayacademy.html. If you need additional information about the 2005 Chesapeake Bay Academy, please contact Paula Klonowski (Paula.Klonowski@doe.virginia.gov), science specialist, office of elementary instruction, at (804) 371-0249; or Eric Rhoades (Eric.Rhoades@doe.virginia.gov), science specialist, office of middle and high school instruction, at (804) 225-2676.

JLD/PK/rt