COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

October 12, 2012

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:  Announcement of the Civics Summit on November 8, 2012

I am pleased to announce that the Commission on Civics Education is hosting a one-day Civics Summit for division personnel and teachers who work with students in Civics and Economics, and Virginia and United States Government.

The objectives of the Summit are to:

• provide a model for student engagement and effective participation in government;
• explain how citizens can interact with their local government with emphasis on the judicial system; and
• encourage responsible citizenship through participation in civic-related activities.

The date and location for the Summit are as follows:

Thursday, November 8, 2012
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Senate Room 3
State Capitol
1000 Bank Street
Richmond, VA  23219

The Civics Summit will accommodate 150 participants.  School divisions are invited to send teachers and/or division personnel.  The Civics Summit will provide parking, lunch, and material for participants.  Registration will be conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis until November 2, 2012, and can be completed online at http://legis.virginia.gov.

If you need additional information about the Civics Summit, please contact Maribeth Turner, civics education commission clerk, Office of the Clerk of the Senate, by e-mail at mturner@senate.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 698-7450; or Beverly Thurston, coordinator for history and social sciences, Office Humanities and Early Childhood, by e-mail at Beverly.Thurston@doe.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 225-2893.

PIW/BT/pk