January 14, 2003
M E M O R A N D U M
TO
:
Colleagues in Florida’s Educational Community
FROM:
Mary Laura Openshaw, Director
,
Just Read, Florida!
SUBJECT:
Reading First
Summer Academies
As you are probably aware, the
Just Read, Florida!
Office will be convening the
Reading First
Professional Development Summer Academies beginning in June 2003. This effort will be in
collaboration with school districts, universities, community colleges, colleges, Area Centers for
Educational Enhancement, educational consortia and other interested parties. Therefore, we are
extending a statewide invitation to elicit conveners for the Academies. We really need your
assistance with this exciting venture!
The purpose of the
Reading First
Professional Development Summer Academies is to provide
regional high quality summer professional development for K-3 teachers. Approximately 5,600
K-3 teachers in
Reading First
schools will attend a four-day Academy in summer 2003. There
will be approximately 160 participants, 40 for each grade level, K-3 at each Academy. The
convening site must have space to accommodate 160 people in a common space and four
meeting rooms to accommodate 40 participants classroom style. In addition, the site must be
within 5-10 minutes of places to eat lunch and must be able to accommodate parking for the
participants.
The intent of this letter is to identify conveners who will offer academies in close proximity to
Reading First
schools and also have the capacity to sponsor at least two academies in the
summer of 2003. The
Reading First
schools will be identified and awarded in March and again
in May. As soon as we have this information, we can begin the process of selecting conveners in
proximity to
Reading First
schools.
Conveners will act as fiscal agent for the Academy. Conveners will be responsible for securing
the academy site, providing audio-visual equipment at the site (including an LCD projector,
laptop computer, screen, VCR, monitor, speakers/audio (and microphone in large room) in each
meeting room), committing staff for on-site support during the Academies and processing travel
for professional developers.
Memo to Florida’s Educational Community
�
January 14, 2003
€
Page 2
€
The
Just Read, Florida!
Office will, in collaboration with
Reading First
at the FLaRE Center at
€
University of Central Florida, provide all the curriculum materials and provide the professional
€
developers for the Academies that you will sponsor. (You must agree to use the curriculum and
€
professional developers provided in order to ensure continuity across the state.)
€
Every effort will be made to assign professional developers who live in close proximity to the
€
Academy site. However, there will be instances where some travel cost will be incurred if
€
professional developers must come from another part of the state. In addition, for professional
€
developers who may not be on contract during the Academy, a stipend will be provided.
€
The
Just Read, Florida!
Office will provide a flat fee of $7,500 to the convener for hosting each
€
Academy. In addition,
Just Read, Florida!
will provide additional funds to cover all travel, hotel
€
and stipends for professional developers at your site.
€
If you are willing to serve as a convener of Academies, please complete and return the attached
€
letter of intent via e-mail to:
€
Christy Hovanetz
€
Director of Reading First
€
Just Read, Florida!
Office
€
Christy.Hovanetz@fldoe.org
€
The favor of a reply is requested by January 29, 2003. If you have questions, please call Christy
€
Hovanetz or Barbara Elzie at 850.921.9969.
€
We welcome and appreciate your participation in this unprecedented and momentous activity.
€
Thank you for all that you already do to support children, students and teachers in Florida!
€
MLO/chv
€
CC:
?
Commissioner Jim Horne
John Winn
Larry Wood
Betty Coxe
Carl Blackwell
David Armstrong
Florida School Districts
Reading First District Contacts
Area Centers for Educational Enhancement
Project Central
Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System
Florida Inclusion Network