COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 15

January 23, 2004

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	2004 Reading First Teacher Reading Academies

The Department of Education is pleased to announce the Reading First Teacher Reading Academies to be held during the summer of 2004. These Teacher Reading Academies continue the professional development opportunities provided by the state as part of the Reading First grant. The academies are based on materials produced by the University of Texas, Center for Reading and Language Arts, and modified for use in Virginia by the University of Virginias Curry School of Education.

Each academy includes a series of sessions built on scientifically-based components of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, and will be offered in a four-day configuration from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

The Teacher Reading Academies are open to the all Virginia administrators, teachers of kindergarten, first, second and third grades, as well as, K-3 English as a second language (ESL) teachers, Title I teachers, and K-12 special education teachers during the summer of 2004; however, registration priority will be given to schools in divisions that received Reading First grant funding. School divisions are encouraged to send entire grade-level teams to the academies. The dates and locations for the summer of 2004 are as follows:

Richmond Area

June 21 24, 2004, (grades K, 1, 2, 3)

and

June 28 July 1, 2004, (grades K, 1, 2, 3)

at St. Christophers School, Richmond

Charlottesville Area

June 21 24, 2004, (grades K, 1, 2, 3)

and

August 2 5, 2004, (grades K, 1, 2, 3)

at Covenant Upper School, Charlottesville

Radford Area

July 6 9, 2004, (grades K, 1, 2, 3)

and

July 12 15 (grades K, 1, 2, 3)

at Radford University, Radford

Hampton Roads Area

July 19 22, 2004, (grades K, 1, 2, 3)

and

July 26 29, 2004, (grades K, 1, 2, 3)

at Thomas Nelson Community College/Old Dominion University Center, Hampton

Registration will begin March 15, 2004, online through the University of Virginias Reading First website at: www.readingfirst.virginia.edu for schools receiving Reading First funding, and April 5, 2004 for all schools.

Questions regarding the Teacher Reading Academies should be directed to Gail Barnes, grant coordinator, Office of Elementary Instructional Services at (804) 371-5378 or mailto: gbarnes@mail.vak12ed.edu.

JLD/LMP/gsb