FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
     
     
     
    Jeanine Blomberg
    Commissioner of Education
    MARY JANE TAPPEN
    Deputy Executive Director
    Office of Mathematics and Science
     
    STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
      
     
     
    T. WILLARD FAIR,
    Chairman
    mbers
    DONNA G. CALLAWAY
    DR. AKSHAY DESAI
    ERTO MARTÍNEZ
    HOEBE RAULERSON
    ATHLEEN SHANAHAN
    INDA K. TAYLOR
     
      
    Me
    ROB
     
      
     
     
     
    Contact Information
     
    Name: Lance King
    Phone: 850-245-0667
    Suncom: (850) 205-0667
    E-mail:
      
    lance.king@fldoe.org
    P
     
    K
     
    L
     
      
     
    MEMORANDUM
     
     
    TO:
    District Superintendents
     
    FROM:
    Mary Jane Tappen
     
    DATE:
    September 7, 2007
     
    SUBJECT: THE 2008 SUNSHINE STATE SCHOLARS PROGRAM STATEWIDE
    RECOGNITION IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
     
    Year 2007-2008 marks the eleventh consecutive year that the Sunshine State Scholars Program (SSSP)
    recognizes excellence in mathematics and science among high school seniors in Florida.
     
    The operation of the SSSP for this year will follow the guidelines listed below:
     
    1.
     
    During the fall of 2007, each school district is invited to select the District Scholar(s) who will
    represent them in this recognition program. Each scholar must be a graduating senior who is
    distinguished in both mathematics and science. The exact procedure used for selecting scholar(s)
    is left to the discretion of the district.
    Each District Scholar must be available to participate in
    the regional competition on Wednesday, January 9, 2008, and if selected as a Regional
    Scholar, to compete in the state competition in Tallahassee during March 8-11, 2008.
    Each
    district is requested to assign the number of District Scholars indicated for it on Attachment 1.
    Under this allocation, each district will designate at least one District Scholar, and some larger
    districts will designate more than one. The total number of state District Scholars to be
    recognized will be 95.
     
    2.
     
    On Wednesday, January 9, 2008, the District Scholars in each region of the state will participate
    in a common mathematics/science assessment; this will identify the ten
    Regional Sunshine State
    Scholars
    . A team of mathematics and science professors from universities throughout Florida
    will develop and administer the assessment. Assessment activities will become available through
    the Sunshine State Scholars Web site, located at www.unf.edu/dept/sunshine, and will be shared
    with educators throughout the state. The six regions for the competition are indicated on the map
    (Attachment 2).
    325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 501-A • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0834 • www.fldoe.org
    The SSSP Statewide Recognition in Math and Science
    September 7, 2007
    Page Two
     
     
    3. The top scholar from each of the six regions who performs highest in their regional competition
    will be designated a Regional Scholar. In addition, the highest performing four from the
    remaining 89 District Scholars participating in the regional competition also will be designated as
    Regional Scholars. Thus,
    ten
    Regional Scholars will be invited to compete in the final state
    competition. On March 8-11, 2008, the ten Regional Scholars will meet in Tallahassee and
    participate in a challenging, multi-faceted mathematics and science assessment to identify the
    Statewide Sunshine State Scholar in Mathematics and Science
    . All Regional Scholars and the
    Statewide Scholar will receive prizes and recognition at this event. Further information on the
    Scholars Program and on previous years’ assessments is available on the Sunshine State Scholars
    Program Web site.
     
    4. In January 2008, each Regional Scholar will designate two
    Scholar’s Outstanding Teachers
    , one
    in mathematics and one in science, who have been most influential in the scholar’s development.
    The teachers will also be invited to attend the final competition in March and be honored at the
    event.
     
    5. The SSSP will recognize the individual high schools of all District and Regional Scholars through
    distribution of a modest amount of funding for travel/supplies for their mathematics and science
    departments.
     
    6. This year, the SSSP is developing an on-line system for designating the District Scholars. The
    superintendents will be notified of how to use the system as soon as it is available. It will be
    operational by November 1, 2007. District offices should submit their District Scholars’
    information by November 16, 2007.
     
    If you have questions or need clarification about this program, please contact Mr. Lance King at
    lance.king@fldoe.org or 850-245-0667. You may also contact Dr. William Caldwell at
    wcaldwel@unf.edu or 904-620-2496.
     
    NOTE: Please make sure that all staff members in your district who are listed below to receive copies of
    this memo are signed up to receive correspondence from the Department paperless communication site at
    http://www.fldoe.org/paperless/. Please provide those not currently signed up with a copy of this
    memorandum, since hard copies are not being mailed.
     
    MJT/vvb
     
    cc: Assistant Superintendents for Curriculum and Instruction
    District Mathematics Contacts
    District Science Contacts
     
    Attachments (2)
     

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