COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 95

May 5, 2006

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Patricia I. Wright Acting Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Summer Professional Development Academy for K-12 Teachers of Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students

As part of the Virginia Department of Educations ongoing effort to meet the state professional development requirements for Title III, Part A, Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students, under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, a summer professional development academy for all teachers of LEP students in kindergarten through grade twelve will be offered in collaboration with George Mason University. The graduate-level course entitled, Education 600: Reading and Writing Strategies for LEP students, will be held in Richmond, Virginia. The course will be held from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. on July 10 through July 14, 2006. The focus of the course will be effective reading and writing teaching strategies for use with LEP students. Participants will receive three hours of graduate-level credit through George Mason University upon successful completion of the course.

The Virginia Department of Education will pay the tuition costs for all participants, as well as lodging and meal costs for participants requiring an overnight stay. The costs of travel will be the responsibility of the participants. A block of hotel rooms will be reserved at the state rate for all participants, subject to availability.

Course enrollment is limited to 75 participants. To enroll for the course, please fax or e-mail the attached registration form to Marsha Givens, office manager, George Mason University, at (703) 993-2044, or mgivens@gmu.edu on or before June 2, 2006. Upon registration receipt, confirmation and additional information will be sent to each registrant.

If you have questions about the course, please contact Stacy Freeman, ESL specialist at the Virginia Department of Education, at (804) 371-0778 or at Stacy.Freeman@doe.virginia.gov.

PIW/VG/sf

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2006/inf095a.doc