COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 194

September 23, 2005

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Regional Training for NCS Mentor, Web-Based Assistance in the Teaching of Writing

The Virginia Department of Education is pleased to announce the statewide availability of the Web-based version of National Computer Systems (NCS) Mentor for Virginia, a training tool designed to help Virginias teachers prepare students for the English Standards of Learning Direct Writing Assessment. Eight regional training sessions will be held from October 3 through November 1, 2005, to acquaint teachers and instructional leaders with this valuable tool.

Participants will be trained to score papers in verification sets and view scoring based on Virginias three-domain scoring model. Teachers will gain better understanding of the Virginia Standards of Learning Direct Writing Assessments for grade 5, grade 8, and end-of-course; understand the use of rubrics in scoring student writing; and develop consistency in scoring actual student work. This program will provide an opportunity to study anchor papers that illustrate each score point of each domain and promote understanding of the differences between score points.

The site and dates are listed below. Space is limited to 30 participants at each site. Please fax your registration form before September 28, 2005, Tracy Robertson at (804) 786-5466.

October 3, 2005 3 5 p.m.	Thomas Fulghum Center 4003 Cogbill Road Richmond, VA 23234
October 6, 2005 3 5 p.m.	Landstown High School 2001 Concert Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23456
October 11, 2005 3 5 p.m.	Augusta County Government Center 4801 Lee Highway Verona, VA 24482
October 17, 2005 3 5 p.m.	Roanoke County School Board Office 5937 Cove Road, NW Roanoke, VA 24019
October 18, 2005 3 5 p.m.	Washington County School Board Office 812 Thompson Drive Abingdon, VA 24210
October 25, 2005 3 5 p.m.	Prince Edward Middle School 35 Eagle Drive Farmville, VA 23901
October 27, 2005 3 5 p.m.	Caroline County High School 19155 Rogers Clark Boulevard Milford, VA 22514
November 1, 2005 3 5 p.m.	Liberty High School 6300 Independence Avenue Bealeton, VA 22712

If you have questions, please contact Tracy Robertson (Tracy.Robertson@doe.virginia.gov), specialist for English, at (804) 371-7585 or Catherine Rosenbaum (Catherine.Rosenbaum@doe.virginia.gov), specialist for reading and language arts, at (804) 225-2665, Office of Middle and High School Instruction.

JLD/TR/CR/yba

Attachment

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2005/inf194a.doc