Reminder: Shannon Grant Applications Due April 15

Shannon Foundation's 2021 Logo

Interested in applying for a Shannon Grant? Don’t miss your opportunity to apply for up to $5,000 to fund your creative project idea! The Shannon Foundation is offering Albemarle County and Charlottesville City educators and schools two levels of financial support for the 2023-24 school year: Level 1 grants up to $750 will be awarded to classroom teachers, individually or in teams, for projects that support original and innovative student activities. Level 2 grants up to $5,000 may be awarded to schools for creative projects that enhance student learning across age and grade levels. Continue reading

ACPS Summer Coding Camp: Now Seeking Facilitators

ACPS Coding Camp Logo

The Department of Technology is seeking facilitators for this summer’s ACPS Coding Camp (formerly CoderDojo). ACPS Coding Camp is a coding academy that provides Albemarle County Public Schools elementary students with opportunities for creativity, innovation and fun.

ACPS Coding Camp will be the perfect opportunity to get a jump start on learning how to integrate the new Computer Science and Digital Learning Integration Standards of Learning! Facilitators will receive $40/hour for days spent instructing students, and $150 plus 5 recertification points for each professional development day attended (up to a total of 20 points). Continue reading

We Notice 2023: Nominate a Colleague by March 31!

We Notice 2023

We are excited to announce the start of our annual We Notice recognition program! We Notice provides an opportunity for you to recognize a colleague whose work you would like to celebrate. This recognition can be given to any ACPS employee, such as teachers, teaching assistants, office staff, Building Services team members, cafeteria workers, school nurses, and bus drivers.

Nominations will be accepted from students, employees, and community members through Friday, March 31:


Mark your calendar! Continue reading

2023-24 Journey into Teaching Academy: Apply by April 1

VDOE Facebook Logo

The VDOE Department of Special Education and Student Services is announcing its fifth cohort of the Journey into Teaching Academy. The Academy is a year-long professional development initiative for teachers completing their second year of teaching by the end of the 2022-23 school year and entering their third year of teaching during the 2023-24 school year as provisionally licensed special education teachers. Continue reading

Interpretation & Translation Workshop on April 15

ESOL Logo

The ACPS International & ESOL Program is offering an Interpretation and Translation Workshop on Saturday, April 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for staff who currently work in this capacity and are interested in learning more about best practices. The workshop will be held in the ESOL Office, located on the 3rd Floor of the Northside Public Library at 705 Rio Road West in Charlottesville. Lunch will be included! Staff who plan to attend should click here to RSVP.

Questions? Contact Ambha Lessard.

DPLC Schedule for March 17

PLC

Teachers: We are looking forward to our next round of Division Professional Learning Community (DPLC) meetings on Friday, March 17. Click here to open the schedule for the day.

Elementary teachers: For this meeting, it would be helpful if you could have your most recent math data handy, either formal or informal. The central focus of the time spent together will be fostering mathematical discourse with our students.

Celebrate Digital Learning Day on March 15!

Digital Learning Day 2023

ACPS Educators: Please join us in celebrating Digital Learning Day on March 15, 2023. The Department of Technology’s Learning Technology Team has developed a series of short videos that are both helpful and applicable to your role as teachers. These Tech Tidbits focus on common tools that are available throughout ACPS. We hope that you spend a few minutes watching whatever is most relevant to you. Follow along on Twitter: @acpslearntech! Continue reading

VCU Reading Specialist Cohort Beginning This Fall: Complete Our Interest Form by March 17

VCU School of Education logo

Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the Virginia Literacy Act requires school divisions to employ endorsed reading specialists in elementary schools. ACPS has expanded our staffing standard to include middle and high schools as well, such that each of our schools will be staffed with at least one reading specialist. These positions will require a reading specialist endorsement. To support individuals who are interested in pursuing endorsement, ACPS has partnered with Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Education to design a reading specialist pathway. Please click the links below to explore VCU’s program offerings:

Through our informational meetings, we learned that employees preferred a program that was lower in cost, virtual in format, and provided the option for a master’s degree in reading or a reading certificate. We decided to partner with VCU because their program best fits this criteria.

We anticipate launching the Reading Specialist Cohort this fall. Participants will take two courses per term and complete the program requirements by fall of 2024. If you are willing to commit to this program, please complete our Reading Cohort Google Form by Friday, March 17. Continue reading

Shannon Foundation Now Accepting Grant Applications: Apply by April 15

Shannon Foundation Logo

Again this year, the Edgar and Eleanor Shannon Foundation for Excellence in Public Education wants to help Albemarle County and Charlottesville City teachers and schools implement their best ideas! Last year, the Shannon Foundation awarded nearly $22,000 to fund 12 grants! For the 2023-24 school year, the Foundation is offering two levels of financial support: Continue reading

Upcoming Summer Professional Development Opportunities

ACPS PD

The ACPS Office of Professional Development would like share the following summer 2023 professional development opportunities, including Responsive Classroom (core and advanced) and Developmental Designs (for middle school and high school), as well as a reminder about the Embracing Our Narratives Summer Teacher Institute being offered by the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. (Please note: The deadline to apply for the Institute is today!) Click on the embedded links for session details and registration information: Continue reading