INFORMATIONAL

 We extend a cordial invitation to principals, assistant principals, division 
superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of instruction, supervisors, 
college personnel, and administrators of nonpublic secondary schools to attend the 
annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition. This 
important conference will be held June 27-30, 2000, at the Williamsburg Lodge, 
Williamsburg, Virginia. This event is co-sponsored by the Virginia Association of 
Secondary School Principals (VASSP) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).

A pre-conference clinic on school law will be held on Tuesday, June 27, from 1 p.m. 
until 5 p.m.  Participants attending the clinic will hear outstanding national and 
state presenters on topics that address recent court decisions affecting legal and 
policy issues surrounding student conduct, discipline, the new IDEA regulations, 
teacher and principal evaluation for assessment, and legislation enacted at the 
recent session of the General Assembly.

The annual conference will begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 28, and will feature 
a full-day Standards of Learning (SOL) symposium. Conference participants will have 
an opportunity to hear Board of Education President Kirk Schroder discuss progress 
towards implementing the state's Standards of Learning, SOL tests, and accreditation 
standards.

Immediately following the conference luncheon on Wednesday, a group of 60-minute 
concurrent sessions, to be repeated once, will be led by Department of Education 
staff members. Assisting the VDOE staff will be educators from school divisions 
throughout Virginia. The format of the sessions is designed to provide participants 
with information and strategies for using SOL resource materials and training
programs, which are being provided to school divisions. The sessions will feature 
the newly developed SOL Teacher Resource Guides.

The conference sessions will include strategies for analyzing classroom practices 
and methods for improving instruction, monitoring SOL implementation, analyzing and 
interpreting SOL assessment data for instructional purposes, and using instructional
technology to teach the SOL.

On Friday, June 30, I will address conference participants during the breakfast and 
participate in a moderated question and answer session with VDOE assistant 
superintendents. The breakfast is included in your registration fee.

The VASSP and VDOE conduct this annual conference as a collaborative effort to 
develop and enhance middle and high school administrators' leadership skills, 
increase their understanding of current issues, and expand their knowledge base for 
educational change. The theme for this year's conference is " Leaders Developing 
Leaders."  Much attention has been given by the VASSP and VDOE to ensure conference 
attendees a wide offering of presentations and general sessions.

A preliminary conference program synopsis is enclosed. A detailed announcement about 
the general session speakers, workshop presenters, topics, etc., will be mailed to 
you in mid-May.

The Williamsburg Lodge will house all the conference programs again this year. Hotel
accommodations are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and we encourage 
you to return the enclosed accommodations application form as soon as possible. All 
rooms not confirmed with a reservation by May 22, 2000, will be released. 

Enclosed are a conference registration form and a hotel accommodations application. 
Please duplicate the forms as needed for others in your building who would be 
interested in attending the conference. The registration form must be completed and 
returned to: Summer Conference, VASSP, Box K 170, Richmond, VA  23288 no later than 
May 22, 2000.

Hotel accommodation forms are to be sent via mail directly to the Colonial 
Williamsburg Hotel Properties, Inc. Only the enclosed official accommodations 
application form will be accepted by the hotel. As in past years, the hotel will 
not accept telephone requests for room reservations (this includes facsimile), 
written letter, or in person for this event. This procedure helps to assure some 
degree of fairness that everyone has an opportunity to receive the conference 
announcement and respond in a timely fashion. 

We look forward to seeing you in June. If you have questions about the conference 
or desire additional information, please call VASSP at (804) 288-2777 or 
Dr. Patricia Wright, director of secondary instruction, at (804) 225-2880.

JLD/PIW/eh

Enclosures (3)
Preliminary Program Synopsis
Early Registration Form
Accommodations Application Form