COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO.72

March 28, 2008

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	2008 Middle and High School Content Teaching Academies

The Virginia Department of Education is collaborating with James Madison University (JMU) to sponsor the 2008 Content Teaching Academies: Educating with an Eye on the Future on June 23-27, 2008. The academies will be conducted on the campus of JMU and will be open to all educators in middle and high schools. These academies will provide instruction in each of the assessed Standards of Learning areas, gifted education, English Language Learners (ELL), and educational technology. The academies will integrate Content Enhancement Routines from the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) developed by the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. These research-validated routines implemented by general and special education teachers enhance opportunities for all students, but especially students with disabilities, to access and succeed in the general education curriculum.

Each academy will focus on the following:

• Mathematics-algebra, functions, and data analysis
• History and Social Science-citizenship education
• Science-physical science and physics
• English-innovative methods for working with writing, literacy and literature
• Gifted education-design and delivery of differentiated curriculum and instruction
• Educational technology-hands-on experience with technologies for content creation and virtual collaboration
• English Language Learners-literacy assessment and development

The goal of the 2008 Middle and High School Content Teaching Academies is to combine subject-area content with high-quality instruction in an intellectually rigorous and stimulating environment. As an added feature, the Administrator’s Option Academy will address instructional leadership and maximizing instructional time and is conveniently scheduled to allow administrators freedom to attend other Content Teaching Academy (CTA) sessions. The planning group for the academies included university liberal arts and teacher education professors, school district administrators and teachers from across the state and Virginia Department of Education specialists. For more detailed information regarding the CTA and to register, please visit the Web site at http://www.jmu.edu/contentacademy/

For further information, please contact Diane Gillam diane.gillam@doe.virginia.gov, specialist, Office of Special Education Instructional Services, at (804) 371-8283 or Paula Klonowski paula.klonowski@doe.virginia.gov, science coordinator, Office of Middle and High School Instruction, at (804) 371-0249.

BKCJr/DG/shs