DATE: October 27, 2017
TO: Division Superintendents
FROM: Steven R. Staples, Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:

Virginia Computer Science Education Week / Family Code Nights

The Virginia Department of Education asks that school divisions encourage all teachers from kindergarten through high school to register their classrooms to participate in Virginia Computer Science Education Week and the international Hour of Code that kicks off during National Computer Science Education Week, December 4-10, 2017. School divisions also are asked to encourage their elementary PTAs and PTSAs to get parents involved in their child’s learning by holding Family Code Night events throughout the school year.

Visit https://csedweek.org/educate or http://www.CSforVA.orgThis link takes you out of the Virginia Department of Education website to register your school or classroom to participate in Virginia Computer Science Education Week, International Hour of Code. Free resources to lead Virginia Family Code Night activities are available at http://www.CSforVA.orgThis link takes you out of the Virginia Department of Education website, where Virginia: The Digital Dominion and Virginia is for Computer Science Lovers classroom resources are also available to school divisions and classrooms. 

Schools and classrooms are also encouraged to tune in to a live stream of Virginia’s Hour of Code kickoff event at the Science Museum of Virginia. Classrooms should log on to www.CSforVA.orgThis link takes you out of the Virginia Department of Education website on December 4, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to participate virtually in this event. The event also will be available for viewing after the event for classrooms unable to watch live.

Computer Science and coding are essential literacy in a modern workplace, with more than 70 percent of STEM-field jobs relying on basic Computer Science knowledge. Hour of Code aims to build a better awareness of the technology and computer science industry in classrooms around the Commonwealth. Visit http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/computer-science/index.shtml or https://www.codevirginia.org/get-involved/educators/This link takes you out of the Virginia Department of Education website to access free, easy online material or offline worksheets that introduce students and teachers to the fun activities on the basics of computational thinking, computer science and coding. Computer and non-computer activities for every grade level and experience are also available on the site.

For more information please contact Chris Dovi at Code Virginia at cdovi@codevirginia.org or by phone at (804) 440-7135.

SRS/LDW