Author Archives: gsumner3rd

Governor’s School for Tourism

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Good afternoon,

The West Virginia Department of Education and the West Virginia Department of Tourism are recruiting heavily for the Governor’s School for Tourism. It is very important for every county to be represented in this school as students will be serving as ambassadors for Tourism in our state. We need your help. Any 9th and 10th grade student may apply for this school. Please have conversations with all freshmen and sophomores and encourage them to apply.

The dates for 2024 are June 20-June 29. This is honestly an opportunity of a lifetime for students. We’re going whitewater rafting, staying at WV State Parks, and visiting all 9 of the travel regions in WV. We’ll be traveling on charter buses and it’s all free!

Please help us recruit in your county. Share the information with all students, parents, teachers, principals, and school counselors.

This exploration of WV will not disappoint!

The applications may be found on our website along with all other relevant information. The deadline to apply is April 26, 2024.

https://wvde.us/gov-schools/tourism

Welcome Tanya Baldwin, WVDE Social Studies Coordinator

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Hello, social studies teachers!

My name is Tanya Baldwin, I am the new Social Studies Coordinator with the West Virginia Department of Education.  I would like to share a bit of information about myself with you. I was a classroom social studies teacher for sixteen years. I have taught both middle school and high school social studies.

I began my teaching career in Logan County and later moved to Mercer County. Over the years I taught a variety of social studies subjects. Most of my time was spent teaching at the high school level. The last few years in the classroom, I mainly taught U.S. History. 

About three years ago, I moved into higher education and went to work at Concord University. I enjoyed working with students at the college level but am now happy to return my focus to the K-12 classroom.  I am excited to work with the WVDE where I can help West Virginia students and classroom teachers.

Please let us know how we can support you and your classrooms!

Tanya Baldwin

WVDE Secondary Social Studies Coordinator

PK-12 Academic Support

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East-Room 500

Charleston, WV 25305-0330

Phone: 304-558-8098 Ext. 53348 

Fax: 304-558-1613

Email: tlbaldwi@k12.wvde.us

Credential in Personal Finance Specialist

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9-12 Current Social Studies Teachers

9-12 SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS: Any teacher who is endorsed in Social Studies and employed in that capacity at the 9-12 grade level for the 2023-2024 school year is eligible to receive a permanent advanced credential in Personal Finance Specialist without completing any additional coursework/professional learning requirements. Eligible candidates need to submit an application to the county certification officialprior to June 30, 2024. The application requires verification from the County that the applicant is currently employed in a Social Studies position for the current 2023-24 school year. Any candidate who applies for initial, renewal, or conversion of this credential on or after July 1, 2024, shall meet the requirements as listed in WVBE Policy 5202. For additional information, please email Alyssa Keedy (Alyssa Keedy) or call 304-558-7010.

The candidate will need to print a paper application Form 30 from the WVDE website (wvde.us under certification) and submit the application to the county certification official prior to June 30, 2024. .  The non-refundable processing fee is $35.00 payable at https://wveis.k12.wv.us/certpayment. 

Thank you.

Best Regards,

Dustin Lambert, M.Ed.

Coordinator

West Virginia Governor’s Schools

Student Enrichment Programs

Middle School CTE & Social Studies 6-12

West Virginia Nonpublic Schools & Homeschool

Division of Career Exploration & Student Engagemen

Civics Coalition

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Civics Coalition Event

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉 We’re thrilled to extend a special invitation to you for an exhilarating event that promises a blend of learning, engagement, and fun – “Civics Education – Now More Than Ever”! Mark your calendars for Monday, March 11, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the illustrious WV Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. This is not just another event; it’s a celebration of knowledge and empowerment during the National Civics Learning Week!

  • 🚀 Engage with the Experts: Dive deep into enlightening presentations by renowned leaders from diverse fields including education, judiciary, and elections. Don’t miss a special guest presentation by a noted WV historic civic education leader!
  • 🔍 Hands-On Learning: Get up close with actual voting machines and unravel the mysteries of our Constitution through an interactive scavenger hunt!
  • 🍱 Complimentary Treats: Enjoy a delightful box lunch on us! Plus, we’re offering mileage reimbursement for one vehicle – because every journey to knowledge should be rewarding.
  • 👥 Collaborative Learning: Join forces with students, teachers, administrators and community members all united by their passion for civic education.

This extraordinary event is brought to you by The WV Civics Coalition in collaboration with CivXNow and iCivics. We are a powerful alliance featuring officials from esteemed institutions like the Supreme Court of Appeals, Secretary of State Office, State Department of Education and many more!

📅 Don’t miss out! Complete this Registration Form before Friday February 16th ,2024. Let’s make learning civics an unforgettable adventure. To make room for friends around the state, a maximum number persons from any school/organization is 4, unless a specific request is made to Tom.Tinder@outlook.com. You may also contact Tom.Tinder@outlook.com for additional information.

Rebecca Tinder 

President 

West Virginia Civics Coalition

www.wvcivicscoalition.org

Permanent Credentials in Personal Finance 

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9-12 Current Social Studies Teachers

How to attain your permanent advanced credential in Personal Finance Specialist

9-12 SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS: Any teacher who is endorsed in Social Studies and employed in that capacity at the 9-12 grade level for the 2023-2024 school year is eligible to receive a permanent advanced credential in Personal Finance Specialist without completing any additional coursework/professional learning requirements. Eligible candidates need to submit an application to the county certification official prior to June 30, 2024. The application requires verification from the County that the applicant is currently employed in a Social Studies position for the current 2023-24 school year. Any candidate who applies for initial, renewal, or conversion of this credential on or after July 1, 2024, shall meet the requirements as listed in WVBE Policy 5202. For additional information, please email Alyssa Keedy (Alyssa Keedy) or call 304-558-7010.

The candidate will need to print a paper application Form 30 from the WVDE website (wvde.us under certification) and submit the application to the county certification official prior to June 30, 2024.  The non-refundable processing fee is $35.00 payable at https://wveis.k12.wv.us/certpayment.

Black History Month Resources

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Celebrating Black History Month

February 2024

February is Black History Month, and it has been nationally recognized by every U.S. president since Gerald Ford in 1976. We are happy to share resources with you throughout February to bring to students’ attention the achievements of African Americans and recognize their contributions throughout U.S. history. Check out the links below

National Archives

The National Archives holds a wealth of material documenting the African American experience and highlights these resources online, in programs, and through traditional and social media.https://www.archives.gov/news/topics/african-american-history

Public Broadcasting

PBS provides a collection of 17 lesson plans and resources that cover topics ranging from important civil rights anniversaries to discussions about race in current events.

Classroom resources for Black History Month | PBS NewsHour Classroom

Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Explore Black History Month with your students using lessons, podcasts, activities, and primary sources.

https://historyexplorer.si.edu/major-themes/theme/black-history-month

National Geographic KIDS

A brief history of the celebration and history of African Americans as part of Black History Month

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/black-history-month

CNN

CNN focuses on 28 Black figures – one for each day of February – who don’t often make the history books.

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2021/02/us/little-known-black-history-figures

National Park Service

From the first footsteps of enslaved peoples on American soil to where Martin Luther King, Jr. challenged us all to rise to his “Dream,” national parks preserve the places where this history happened.

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/africanamericanheritage/index.htm/index.htm

iCIVICS

In celebration of Black History Month, iCivics shares resources as well as partner organizations to support learning and conversations in the classroom.

https://www.icivics.org/news/blog-post/black-history-month-lesson-plans-and-resources-classroom-0

Center for Civic Education

The Center for Civic Education has posted The School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program presenting lesson plans that explore the use of nonviolence in history, paying particular attention to the civil rights movement, and African American history.

https://www.civiced.org/lesson-plans/black-history-month

History Channel

General information for Black History Month is presented by the History Channel.

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month

Thanks – Tanya Baldwin– WVDE Secondary Social Studies Coordinator