February 23, 2007
Director of Communications
(804) 371-2420
Julie Grimes
Public Information Officer
(804) 225-2775
Prospective teachers will have the chance to explore career opportunities in Virginia's public schools on Saturday, March 17, during the 2007 Great Virginia Teach-In: A Call to Teach, sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). The job fair, to be held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, will provide access to more than 150 exhibitors, including teacher preparation programs and "career-switcher" programs that prepare qualified professionals for second careers as classroom teachers, as well as school divisions seeking to hire highly qualified teachers for their classrooms.
"The Great Virginia Teach-In is a productive way to bring teaching candidates and school divisions together in one place," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Billy K. Cannaday.
Teachers will have a chance during the Teach-In to submit resumes and interview with representatives of many of Virginia's 132 school divisions. VDOE representatives will be on hand to provide information concerning Virginia's academic standards, licensure and alternative licensure requirements, and the commonwealth's initiatives to support new and beginning teachers.
"Attending the Great Virginia Teach-In is a great way to learn about what the commonwealth has to offer while showcasing the benefits of a teaching career in Virginia," said Patty S. Pitts, assistant superintendent for teacher education and licensure. "The Teach-In puts Virginia on the radar screens of experienced teachers and young men and women who are about to graduate from teacher preparation programs in states where there is a teacher surplus."
In recent years, the Teach-In has attracted candidates from states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Online registration, as well as information regarding parking and lodging convenient to the Greater Richmond Convention Center, is available at www.greatVAteachin.com.
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