COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
P.O.
BOX 2120
RICHMOND,
VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 089
April 29, 2005
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Teachers for Tomorrow Program, Summer Training Seminars |
The Teachers for
Tomorrow program is a high school course that allows junior and senior students
to explore the field of education. This long-term recruitment strategy
increases the potential pool of candidates who will be able to fill critical
shortage vacancies, increases the diversity of applicants, and promotes the
hiring of local candidates who are more likely to remain within their school
divisions. Currently, there are 53
Teachers for Tomorrow programs offered as a class in Virginia high schools.
Seven hundred and sixty three students are enrolled in classes statewide during
the current school year.
In keeping with the
challenge to increase the pool of highly qualified teachers, the purposes of the
Teachers for Tomorrow Program are as follows:
To identify,
train, and nurture high school students interested in teaching careers;
To support the
efforts of Virginias school divisions to meet hiring targets by cultivating an
effective grow your own recruitment program;
To create a
high school curricular experience designed to foster student interest,
understanding, and appreciation of the teaching profession; and
To attract
students to teaching in critical shortage and high needs areas of the state.
School divisions
interested in establishing a Teachers for Tomorrow program are invited to
participate in one of three summer training seminars. Seminars for statewide training to implement the Teachers for
Tomorrow Program will be conducted June 20-22, 2005, in Wise, Virginia; July
20-22, 2005, and August 15-17, 2005, in Richmond, Virginia. Schools within
Regions II, III, V, VI, and VIII will be given priority for registration, as
well being eligible for small financial grants to get Teachers for Tomorrow
programs started for the 2006-07 school year.
The seminars will be
sponsored by the Department of Education. Allowable expenses will be reimbursed
to participants in accordance with state travel guidelines. The new curriculum
will be provided to school divisions at no cost; however, training is required
prior to receiving the curriculum.
Individuals teaching
the curriculum must hold a valid collegiate professional or postgraduate
professional license; have a minimum of three years of full-time secondary or
post-secondary teaching experience; and be assigned to a secondary teaching
area. A masters degree is preferred
but not required.
Registration for all
seminars must be received no later than May 20, 2005. Please complete and return the attached
registration form to: Michael Myers, Teacher Quality Enhancement Consultant, P
O Box 2120, Virginia Department of Education, Richmond, VA 23218-2120.
For more information about the Teachers for
Tomorrow Program training, please contact Sharron K. Glasscock, (Sharron.Glasscock@doe.virginia.gov)
(804) 225-2826 or Michael S. Myers (Michael.Myers@doe.virginia.gov),
(804) 225-2103.
JLD/MSM/pbc
Attachment
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2005/inf089a.pdf