Current Events
VDOE Schedules Extra Day for SOL Writing Tests
Decision Gives School Divisions Time to Make Up Instruction Lost to Snow
School divisions may delay administration of the essay portion of Standards of Learning (SOL) writing tests until March 17 to allow for the make up of instruction interrupted by winter storms in January and February, Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright announced today. State writing assessments also may be administered during the first week of March as originally scheduled.
Highlighting E-Readers, February 23, 2010
Even before Apple announced the iPad, higher-education technologists predicted that e-book readers were on the brink of becoming a common accessory among college students; last fall, two-thirds of campus CIOs said they believed e-readers would become an “important platform for instructional resources” within five years, according to the Campus Computing Project.
NEA's Read Across America
Grab Your Hat and Read with the Cat! Celebrate NEA's Read Across America Day
March 2 is fast approaching and NEA members across the country are mobilizing millions of students, parents, VIP readers and leaders to join the nation's largest reading celebration, are you ready? Here are ten tips to make your event Seussational.
Handbook of Adolescent Literacy Reasearch, edited by Leila Christenbury, Randy Bomer, and Peter Smagorinksky wins the 2009 NRC Edward B. Fry Book Award
Handbook of Adolescent Literacy Reasearch, edited by Leila Christenbury, Randy Bomer, and Peter Smagorinksky has won the 2009 NRC Edward B. Fry Book Award. The award was established to recognize books written or edited by members of NRC that advance knowledge about literacy, display inquiry into literacy, and show responsible intellectual risk taking.
The chair of the Award Committee has written that, "In a year with many outstanding nominations, your book was selected by the Fry Book Award Committee as the one most deserving of the award."
This year the Fry Award presentation will be held on Friday, December 4th, at the annual NRC Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Randy Bomer will accept the award this year.
VDOE to hold public hearings on proposed English SOLs
The Virginia Board of Education will hold five public hearings to solicit comments on the proposed revised English Standards of Learning.
Two public hearings will be held on November 30, 2009, at 7 p.m. at:
Fort Chiswell High School
#1 Pioneer Trail
Max Meadows, VA 24360
Linkhorne Middle School
2525 Linkhorne Drive
Lynchburg, VA 24503
Three public hearings will be held on December 1, 2009, at 7 p.m. at:
James River High School
3700 James River Road
Midlothian, VA 23113
Princess Anne High School
4400 Virginia Beach Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Robinson Secondary School
5035 Sideburn Road
Fairfax, VA 22032
Registration of speakers for these five public hearings will begin at 6:30 p.m. Speakers will have three minutes to speak and should bring copies of their comments for the Board.
Comments on the proposed revised English Standards of Learning may be faxed to the VDOE at (804) 786-5466 or sent via mail or e-mail until November 23, 2009, to Tracy Fair Robertson, English coordinator, at englishsol@doe.virginia.gov.
National Council of Teachers of English Announces 2009 Affiliate Excellence Award
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has awarded the 2009 NCTE Affiliate Excellence Award to the Virginia Association of Teachers of English; this is its 3rd year as an award winner. Chris Woods is the Virginia Association of Teachers of English’s current president. Virginia Association of Teachers of English is one of 8 recipients of this award.
National Council of Teachers of English Announces 2009 Affiliate Leadership Development Award
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has awarded the 2009 NCTE Affiliate Leadership Development Award, supported by Pearson Education, to Sarah L. Tanner-Anderson from Amelia, Virginia.
This award nurtures the development of new leaders within state/regional/provincial affiliates and NCTE. The award is given to early career teachers (1-5 years experience) who have never attended an NCTE Annual Convention and who have demonstrated a capacity for professional leadership as well as a willingness to join and participate in the affiliate during the upcoming academic year.
Ninety-eight Percent of Virginia Schools Meet SOL Standards
All Schools Fully Accredited in 117 School Divisions
Ninety-eight percent of Virginia’s public schools are fully accredited and meeting state standards for achievement in English, mathematics, history and science based on 2008-2009 assessment results, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) announced today. This is the highest percentage of schools reaching full accreditation since the commonwealth began accrediting schools based on student achievement ten years ago.
To see articles posted over the last 12 months, go to Current Events Archives.