COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 120

May 9, 2008

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	The 2008 Virginia Science Standards Institutes (VSSI)

 

The Department of Education is pleased to announce the 2008 Virginia Science Standards Institutes (VSSI). The Department of Education, in collaboration with the Virginia Museum of Natural History, will conduct two institutes this summer. The purposes of the two six-day institutes are to provide teachers of fourth- and fifth-grade with detailed science content training that models best practices in science instruction and to enhance the teaching of grade-level science content and investigative skills.

 

The first VSSI will be held on July 20 25, 2008, at Twin Lakes State Park, located in Prince Edward County, Virginia http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/twi.shtml. The second VSSI will be held on August 3 8, 2008, at Hull Springs Farm, located in Westmoreland County, Virginia http://www.longwood.edu/hullspringsfarm/.

 

The Department of Education will assume the cost of registration, lodging, and meals for all participants of the institutes. Travel expenses must be paid by the participants or their school divisions.

 

Participants will have the option of enrolling in a three-credit graduate course in the Master of Arts in Teaching Program from Mary Baldwin College at a cost of $576.00.

Teachers of fourth- and fifth-grade from schools accredited with warning in science will be given first priority for participation in the institutes. Selection criteria also include the order in which applications are received, a balance of participants from the eight Superintendents' regions, and a balance of participants from each school division.

 

To enroll, please complete Attachment A, the VSSI application, and fax it to Barbara Young, elementary science specialist, at (804) 786-1703, on or before June 9, 2008. Notification of acceptance will be provided to applicants and the applicants' school principals by e-mail on or before June 13, 2008.

 

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Barbara Young, elementary science specialist, Office of Elementary Instructional Services, at Barbara.Young@doe.virginia.gov, or at (804) 225-2676.

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Attachment

a. VSSI Application (PDF)