Superintendent's Memo #291-09
COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of
Education
October 16, 2009
TO: Division Superintendents
FROM: Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT: 2010 Governor's Summer Residential Program
The Virginia Department of Education is pleased to announce that the 2010 Governor's Summer Residential Program will include seven Summer Residential Governor's Schools (SRGS) and six Governor's Foreign Language Academies (GFLA). The SRGS offer gifted high school students opportunities for intensive study in academics, mentorships, and visual and performing arts. The GFLA offer full-immersion academies for French, German, and Spanish; partial-immersion academies for Japanese and Russian; and a Latin Academy. The SRGS and GFLA are available to students enrolled in public and accredited private schools as well as home-schooled students. The attachment to this memorandum provides a list of important dates associated with the application process for these programs. The availability of these programs is contingent upon the provision of state funds by the 2010 General Assembly.
Student Applications
Applications, information, and administrative
guides for the 2010 SRGS and GFLA are available electronically through the
Virginia Department of Education's website. SRGS information is available at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/governors_school_programs/summer_residential/index.shtml,
and GFLA information can be found at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/foreign_language/language_academies/index.shtml.
The GFLA Web page also includes information about the Virginia STARTALK Arabic
and Chinese Academies, which will operate concurrently with the GFLA. The
availability of the STARTALK academies is subject to annual grant funding.
Eligibility
Students may attend only one Governor's Summer
Residential Program during their high school career. Public high school students
may apply through their schools. Home-schooled students may apply by submitting
a completed application to the principal of the public high school they are
zoned to attend. The student's application then becomes part of that school's
application process. Private school students may apply through their schools.
Virginia residents who attend private schools outside the Commonwealth should
contact the appropriate specialist below. For eligibility and nomination
requirements specific to each program, as well as detailed application
submission procedures, please refer to the administrative guides available from
the respective websites mentioned above.
Application Process
Every school division is guaranteed
representation in the SRGS academic programs, which include agriculture;
humanities; and mathematics, science, and technology. Admission to the visual
and performing arts, life sciences and medicine, and mentorship programs is
competitive; students are selected based on the strength of their applications,
their ranking in the school division or private school region, and the needs of
the programs.
Gifted education coordinators and foreign language personnel should review the administrative guides carefully for detailed information about the application process. Student/parent guides have also been developed for students considering the academics and mentorship programs, the visual and performing arts program, or the foreign language programs.
Per Student Tuition Costs
The cost of the Governor's Summer
Residential Programs is shared by the state and the nominating school division
or private school. A division's share for each student is based on the
division's current (2008-2010) composite index, not to exceed 50 percent of the
program tuition. Public school divisions may not assess tuition for
participation in these programs. Costs for private school students are the
private school's responsibility and are set at 50 percent of the tuition cost.
The 2010 tuitions reflect the individual per student tuition costs and are
listed below. Tuition costs will not exceed the designated amount for each
program.
| Agriculture | $2,000 |
| Foreign Language Academies | $2,135 |
| Humanities | $1,742 |
| Mathematics, Science, and Technology | $1,472 |
| Life Sciences and Medicine | $2,667 |
| Mentorships in Engineering and Marine Science | $2,947 |
| Visual and Performing Arts | $1,832 |
Verification Reports
School divisions and private schools must
guarantee funding for all nominees. The verification report form, signed by
school division superintendents, and the Head of School Tuition Certification
form, signed by the head of each nominating private high school, indicate their
assurance that funding for tuition will be provided for all students they
nominate. Please refer to the respective administrative guides for further
details.
Thank you for your continued interest in and support of the Governor's Summer Residential Program. For information about the Governor's Foreign Language Academies, please contact Ms. Helen Small, foreign language specialist, by e-mail at Helen.Small@doe.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 225-3666. For information about the Summer Residential Governor's Schools, please contact Dr. Donna Poland, specialist for Governor's Schools and Gifted Education, by e-mail at Donna.Poland@doe.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 225-2884.
PIW/HS/DP/yba
Attachment
a. Important Dates Associated with 2010 Governor's Summer Residential Programs (PDF)