August 26, 2016
TO: Division Superintendents
FROM: Steven R. Staples, Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT: K-12 History and Social Science Standards of Learning Institutes
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is pleased to announce the K-12 History and Social Science Standards of Learning (SOL) Institutes to be held in October and November 2016 at eight sites throughout the Commonwealth. These are professional development opportunities provided by the state to support the implementation of 2015 History and Social Science Standards of Learning.
The K-12 History and Social Science SOL Institutes will utilize a train-the-trainer model to provide professional development that focuses on the 2015 History and Social Science Standards of Learning highlighting the review and revision of the standards and curriculum framework, opportunities to learn how to engage students with the content using the essential skills, and attend sessions where classroom teachers will model and provide exemplars that encourage historical thinking and promote deeper understanding with either an elementary or secondary focus.
Registration:
The Office of Continuing and Professional Education at Virginia Tech will manage registration. Each division superintendent or designee should identify a division-level contact who will identify and register the six member team from the division among: (1) History and Social Science supervisor (or contact), (1) elementary teacher, (1) middle school teacher, (1) high school teacher, and (2) Special Education teachers. Confirmation of the teams' registration will be e-mailed to the division-level contact. If the registration form submitted indicates that additional staff members are interested in attending the Institute, the designee will be informed if space is available after all divisions have registered. The registration link will be directly e-mailed to each division-level contact and confirmation of the teams' registration will be e-mailed to the same contact. Once each school division has registered their team, the registration link will be published on the VDOE Web site in order to open registration for all. In an effort to go paperless, all program materials for the History and Social Science SOL Institutes will be on a flash drive. Internet access will be available at all the Institutes. Participants may bring their own devices to review documents on the flash drive.
School division teams should select only one site among the eight offered at the following locations:
| October 3 | Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center 1 Partnership Circle Abingdon, Virginia 24210 Online registration will close September 26, 2016 |
| October 4 | Institute for Advanced Learning and Research 1505 Slayton Avenue Danville, Virginia 24540 Online registration will close September 27, 2016 |
| October 11 | Stonewall Jackson Hotel and Conference Center 24 S. Market Street Staunton, Virginia 24401 Online registration will close October 4, 2016 |
| October 17 | Hyatt Regency Dulles 2300 Dulles Corner Boulevard Herndon, Virginia 20171 Online registration will close October 10, 2016 |
| October 18 | Fredericksburg Hospitality House Hotel and Conference Center 2801 Plank Road Central Park Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 Online registration will close October 11, 2016 |
| October 24 | Hotel Roanoke Conference Center 110 Shenandoah Avenue Roanoke, Virginia 24016 Online registration will close October 17, 2016 |
| November 3 | Hilton Richmond Hotel and Spa/Short Pump 12042 West Broad Street Richmond, Virginia 23223 Online registration will close October 27, 2016 |
| November 14 | Newport News Marriott at City Center 740 Town Center Drive Newport News, Virginia 23606 Online registration will close November 7, 2016 |
Lodging:
School divisions are encouraged to cover lodging and travel expenses for division participants for the training Institutes, as the cost is not assumed by the VDOE.
Questions regarding registration should be directed to Teresa McCoy, by e-mail at Teresas@vt.edu or Erich Sawyer, project manager, Office of Continuing and Professional Education at Virginia Tech, by e-mail at Erichs1@vt.edu or by telephone at (540) 231-4084. Questions regarding the K-12 History and Social Science SOL Institutes should be directed to Christonya Brown, history and social science coordinator, Office of Humanities and Early Childhood, by e-mail at Christonya.Brown@doe.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 225-2893; or Betsy Barton, history and social science specialist, Office of Humanities and Early Childhood, by e-mail at Betsy.Barton@doe.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 225-3454.
SRS/CB/vdg
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