COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 46

February 29, 2008

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Two Chesapeake Bay Summer Academies

 

The Virginia Resource-Use Education Council (VRUEC), in cooperation with several state, federal, and private agencies, will again conduct two Chesapeake Bay Academies this summer.

 

The Coastal Bay Academy will focus on the coastal portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and will be held in Tappahannock, Virginia, June 23-27, 2008. Topics covered will include water quality, Chesapeake Bay habitats (including wetlands, oyster reefs, and underwater grass meadows), and living resources.

 

The Mountain Bay Academy will focus on the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and will be held at Douthat State Park in Bath and Alleghany counties, June 16-19, 2008. Topics covered will include watersheds and water quality, groundwater, geology, and karst topography.

 

The VRUEC has been awarded a federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grant to support the participation of 30 science teachers in each academy. The week is a summer learning experience for middle and high school science teachers and is designed to closely support the implementation of the Science Standards of Learning and provide detailed training, field experiences, print materials, and hands-on resources supporting the science standards content and skills. Special emphasis is being given to provide instructional resources that will support the science standards related to watersheds and the Chesapeake Bay in sixth-grade science, Life Science, Earth Science, and Biology.

 

The full cost of $1,000 per participant for each academy is being offered for teachers who serve in leadership roles in their schools and who are willing to share information, teaching materials, and educational resources with other teachers.

 

Scholarships have been allocated for each of Virginia's eight regions to promote broad statewide representation in the academies. Decisions to award the scholarships will be based on when the application is received and the geographic distribution of applicants. The applications are due April 1, 2008, and applicants will be notified by May 1, 2008. Applicants are encouraged to apply early.

 

School divisions are encouraged to provide participants with stipends and travel reimbursements; however, this is not a requirement for the program. Participants will be eligible to receive up to 40 points for licensure renewal. Optional three hours of Life Sciences graduate credit can also be earned through Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for the 2008 fall semester with the $300 fee paid by the participant.

 

An application form is attached to this memorandum. For a copy of the preliminary agenda, go to the Virginia Naturally website at http://www.vanaturally.org/bayacademy.html. If you need additional information about the 2008 Chesapeake Bay Academy, please contact Paula Klonowski, science coordinator, Office of Middle and High School Instruction, by e-mail at Paula.Klonowski@doe.virginia.gov, or by telephone at (804) 371-0249.

 

BKCJr/PK/yba

 

a. Chesapeake Bay Academies Summer 2008 Application (Word)