Revised November 10, 2023

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONTEACHER OBSERVER PROGRAM
FOR WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHERS
2024 GOVERNOR’S WORLD LANGUAGE ACADEMIES
General Information
During the summer of 2024, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) will again conduct
the Virginia Governor’s World Language Academies for selected high school students, with fullimmersion French, German, and Spanish Academies; a Latin Academy; and a partial-immersion
Japanese Academy. The residential programs will last approximately three weeks and a fullschedule of academic and recreational activities is being planned to challenge and engage thestudents. The dates and locations are below.
Governor’s Japanese Academy
Governor’s Latin Academy

June 23-July 14, 2024

Randolph-Macon CollegeAshland

Each Academy will also serve as a demonstration center for a limited number of Virginia World
language teachers. A small group of teachers will be accepted as observers and seminar
participants for up to one week during the second week of each Academy’s operation. The goalof this participation is to improve teachers’ skills in working with students at their own schools.
No observers will be invited during the first or last week of the program.
Teacher observers may choose to participate from two to seven days during the second week ofthe program. Lodging will be provided on the host site at the cost of approximately $25 pernight; the cost for meals is approximately $30 per day. (These costs are estimates only and are
subject to change.) Participants are also responsible for other expenses that may be incurred
for field trips and events scheduled during their visit and for their own transportation to and fromthe Academy.
Participants who complete this program may be eligible to receive points toward renewal of theirteaching licenses. All decisions regarding the awarding of points for this experience will bemade by each participant's designated advisor at the employing educational agency.

Eligibility
Preference will be given to applicants who:
• currently teach a minimum of two classes of the language of the Academy; or• are enrolled in final year of Teacher Preparation program.
Applicants must:• have a background check* on file with current employer.
*Applicants whose current employer cannot provide verification of a background check must
submit to and pass a background check prior to the start of the observation period.

Responsibilities
Teachers selected to participate in this program will be provided many opportunities to share in
the activities of the Academy and to evaluate a variety of instructional strategies and curriculum
materials. They will be expected to reside on campus and participate fully in all activities
designed for them, including exclusive use of the target language, if observing a full-immersion
Academy. However, they must remember that they are “guests,” not faculty members, andresist the temptation to teach the students or advise the faculty unless called upon to do so by
the director or lead teacher.
Program coordinator will provide certification of completion, which may be used for
documentation, to each teacher. Persons who intend to seek points toward relicensure shouldconsult their local advisors in advance. They should also ask if reimbursement for professional
development is available from their school division.

Application Deadline
The application must be postmarked no later than May 1, 2024. General questions about theteacher observation opportunities may be directed to the appropriate program coordinator.
Questions regarding specific Academy programs may be directed to the director of theappropriate language Academy at one of the email addresses below after March 1, 2024.
VAJapaneseAcademy@gmail.com
VALatinAcademy@gmail.com

Application Procedure
Applications are required to be submitted as an attached PDF formatted file by email or mailed
to the appropriate program coordinator below by May 1, 2024:
Japanese, Latin
Dr. Bartolo Natoli, Program Coordinator
Governor’s World Language Academies
Department of Classics
Randolph-Macon CollegeP.O. Box 5005Ashland, VA 23005-5505
Email: bartolonatoli@rmc.edu
Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by Friday, May 24, 2024, at the latest.