COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

January 20, 2012

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:  2011-2012 Career and Technical Education Creating Excellence Awards

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) is pleased to announce the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Creating Excellence Awards for 2011-2012.  The secondary and postsecondary awards recognize excellence in the following categories:  CTE exemplary programs, advisory committees, and business and industry partnerships.  There are three levels of recognition:  local, regional, and state.  The secondary and postsecondary awards ceremony will be conducted jointly for the regional and state winners.

Attachment A contains the following:  Fact Sheet; 2012 Local Certificate of Recognition; CTE Secondary Program Award Application; Secondary Advisory Committee Award Application; and the Secondary Business and Industry Partnership Award Application.  The application and selection timeline is as follows:

March 16, 2012	Completion of local judging
March 30, 2012	Submission of local school division winners to VDOE
April 12, 2012	Completion of regional/state judging
May 1, 2012	Notification of regional award winners by VDOE
June 14, 2012	Recognition of regional and state winners for secondary and postsecondary at the awards luncheon at the Doubletree Richmond Airport Hotel

School divisions are encouraged to showcase their “excellence in CTE.”  Thank you for your continuing support of career and technical education.

If you have questions, please contact Helen Fuqua, Awards Coordinator, Office of Career and Technical Education Services, at cte@doe.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 225-2826.

PIW/HGF/nlh

Attachment:

1. Secondary Application Packet (PDF)