COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

PRINS. MEMO NO. 16

September 12, 2006

ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE/SECONDARY

TO:	Principals
FROM:	Linda M. Wallinger Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
SUBJECT:	Award of Excellence in the Teaching of International Studies

The Virginia Center for the Teaching of International Studies is proud to announce its third annual Award of Excellence in the Teaching of International Studies. The Virginia Center encourages you to nominate an exemplary teacher from your school for this award. The award will be presented at the Annual Gala Dinner of the World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond tentatively set for Wednesday, November 1, 2006, at 7 p.m. at the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. This years dinner will honor former Secretary of Treasury John Snow. The Virginia Center is a nonprofit partnership between the World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond and the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The award winner will receive a plaque in recognition of his or her achievement, a small cash award, and the opportunity to sit at the head table at the annual dinner with other distinguished members of the international community in Virginia.

The qualifications for nomination for the award are:

must currently teach world history, world geography, government, international studies, or foreign language at the high school level;

must be nominated by the school principal;

must incorporate international studies into their curriculum. International studies is defined as the examination of contemporary political, economic, or social issues in different regions of the world; and

must be active professionally in improving their knowledge of international studies and how to best teach it.

Principals are asked to submit the following materials:

letter of nomination from the principal with reasons for why the teacher should be considered for the award;

current rsum of the teacher nominated; and

completed application form (see enclosure).

Applications must be returned no later than Wednesday, October 18, 2006, to:

Dr. John Rossi, Co-director

Virginia Center for the Teaching

of International Studies

P. O. Box 25206

Richmond, VA 23260

Fax: 804-644-0086

The Virginia Department of Education encourages high school principals to nominate deserving teachers for this award.

For further information, please contact Helen Small, specialist for foreign languages, Office of Middle and High School Instruction, by e-mail at Helen.Small@doe.virginia.gov, or by telephone at (804) 225-3666; or Dr. Beverly Thurston, coordinator, history and social sciences and international studies, Office of Middle and High School Instruction, by e-mail at Beverly.Thurston@doe.virginia.gov, or by telephone at (804) 225-2893.

LW/HS/BT/yba

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/principals_memos/2006/ems016a.doc