COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 106

May 20, 2005

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	American Stars of Teaching

As part of its second annual American Stars of Teaching project, the U.S. Department of Education is seeking nominations of outstanding teachers who deserve recognition for raising student achievement. The American Stars of Teaching project is part of the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative, which includes teacher and principal roundtables, teacher workshops and conferences, regular e-mail updates, and a free-of-charge, online professional development tool.

Teachers across all grade levels and disciplines will be honored this fall as the 2005 American Stars of Teaching. One teacher, or team of teachers from a school, will be recognized in every state and the District of Columbia. Parents, students, colleagues, school administrators, or others can nominate a teacher who they believe has the qualities to be an American Star of Teaching. Nomination forms are available at www.ed.gov/teacherinitiative.

U.S. Department of Education officials will again visit the schools of American Star teachers in the fall of 2005 to congratulate them on their success. The application process is ongoing and selections will be made in August 2005.

For additional information, please contact Vincent Pickett, U.S. Department of Education, at (202) 2059777, or vincent.pickett@ed.gov; or contact Connie Fisher, teacher quality special projects coordinator, at (804) 371-7583 or connie.fisher@doe.virginia.gov.

JLD/cf