Dear Mr. Huntley,

The Champlain Valley Educational Services welcomes the opportunity to work with the "Learner Centered Classroom/Standards Focused Initiative" under the "Targeted Instructional Staff Development" grant.

We are convinced of the value of the model created under this grant (Massena LEA), and we are in the process of training our own staff developers to utilize the model in our region.

Two of our staff developers, Sandra Latourelle (science) and Elaine Rice (ELA) participated in the five days of training with facilitators and teachers who are engaged in the learner centered project, at the summer constructivist conference at St. Lawrence University. Also present were two teachers each from Crown Point Northern Adirondack and Peru. I personally was present because of the priority which I attach this initiative and its potential to improve the form and substance of our staff development.

It is the intent of Champlain Valley Educational Services to see that our staff developers become trained in this model by facilitating it with the six teachers from this region and with the support of the planners and facilitators working under the targeted grant initiative. We have submitted a Goals 2000 application to fund the involvement of CVES and the three districts from this region, however, we are prepared to proceed, at some level, even if that grant is not forthcoming.

Within a year, we expect to be offering this model for creating learner centered/standards focused classrooms throughout our own region. We also feel that the expertise within CVES will be a valuable resource for Massena and other schools in this initiative as they continue to implement the model.

JHF/dw

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