COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 001

January 11, 2008

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Ninth Annual Panasonic National School Change Awards

 

The nomination forms for the Fordham University Graduate School of Education's Ninth Annual Panasonic National School Change Awards are now available from the award's sponsor, Panasonic Corporation of North America. The purpose of the award is to recognize schools across America that have made significant positive changes. Potential awardees must meet certain criteria related to school change set by the co-sponsors in the following four dimensions: 1) How meaningful is the change? 2) How deep and broad is the change? 3) How is the change focused? and 4) How is the change measured?

 

To assist schools in Virginia that may be interested in applying for the award, the Virginia Department of Education will provide a one-hour audio technical assistance workshop on January 31, 2008, from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Ms. Marjorie Stealey, principal of Norview High School in Norfolk, winner of the Sixth Annual National School Change Award in 2005; Ms. Hilda Puryear, principal of Chase City Elementary School in Mecklenburg County, winner of the Second Annual National School Change Award in 2001; Dr. Julie Perkins, Vice-Principal of Dreamkeepers Academy in Norfolk, winner of the Eighth Annual School Change Award in 2007; and Ed Walent, former principal of Chalkley Elementary School in Chesterfield, winner of the Eighth Annual School Change Award in 2007, will discuss their successful approaches. Department staff will also be available to provide assistance for school divisions.

 

All state agencies will be converting to a new teleconferencing system after December 31, 2007. You will be contacted by Ann Sheehan, Title I Specialist, during the last week of January 2008 with the phone number and pass code information for participating in the teleconference.

 

Six Panasonic National School Change Award winners are selected in the spring of each academic year. The winners will receive: 1) an award ceremony conducted at their school; 2) a $5,000 grant; 3) national recognition and coverage by the media; 4) subsidized participation of the school's principal in the Ninth Annual National Principals' Leadership Institute; 5) an award presentation by the United States Department of Education in New York City; and 6) participation in a major national research project focusing on school change.

 

The deadline for submission of applications is March 3, 2008. A copy of the application is available at www.npli.org/nsca.

 

Attachment A contains a response form for the audio conference to be completed and returned by fax on or before January 25, 2008, to Ann Sheehan, Title I specialist, at (804) 371-7347. Please note that the form contains a place to list questions to be addressed at the workshop. If you need additional information, please contact Ms. Sheehan at Ann.Sheehan@doe.virginia.gov or (804)-371-2932.

 

BKCJr/AMS

 

Attachment

 

a. Audio Conference Response Form (.doc)