President’s Message – April 2024

April Presidential Message

Dear FLAVA Members,

I hope this message finds you well and inspired after our recent Spring Conference in Lexington. It was a joyous Saturday filled with engagement, empowerment, and energizing connections among language educators. I want to express our deepest gratitude to our Spring Conference sponsor, Vista Higher Learning, and Cheryl Kinkaid for their generous support. A special thanks to Sue Roberts, our Conference Committee Presenter Liaison, and Heidi Trude, our immediate past president, who have been instrumental in our planning efforts, and to past president, Dick Kuettner, for making the beautiful campus of Washington and Lee University available to us. I also want to recognize the members of our Executive Board for their dedication and hard work: Kathryn Murphy-Judy, Beth Marshall, Virginia Kibler, and Holly Fitterer. Thank you to all the attendees and presenters for making this event so memorable.

I am thrilled to announce our Fall 2024 Conference, which will be held in Norfolk, VA, from October 10-12, 2024. The theme for this conference is “Navigating A Changing World With Languages”. I encourage all of you to consider submitting a proposal to present and to register early to secure your spot at what promises to be a fantastic event. The deadline for submitting proposals is June 15, 2024. Here are the links to submit a proposal as a presenter and to submit a proposal as an exhibitor. Save the date for the FLAVA Fall Conference at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott, where we will explore the transformative power of languages. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. L.J. Randolph, Jr., ACTFL President, who will deliver a compelling presentation on the topic of “Language as Liberation”. Whether you are an educator, student, or language enthusiast, this conference promises enriching discussions and valuable networking opportunities.

In other news, we have extended the deadline for FLAVA awards applications to June 1! If you have someone in mind to nominate for a FLAVA award, visit the Awards page on the FLAVA website and follow the instructions to submit your nomination. The awards include The Cox Award for K-12 WL Teacher of the Year, The Marshall-Brannon Award for Post-Secondary WL Teacher of the Year, The Warriner-Burke Award for Distinguished Service, The Novice WL Teacher Award, and University Student Recognition.

I also want to extend enthusiastic congratulations to our president-elect, Beth Marshall, on being named Region 3 Teacher of the Year! We wish her luck as she competes for the title of Virginia Teacher of the Year on May 6.

VADLEN is hosting a free virtual Dual Immersion Leadership Institute on July 23rd. This opportunity is for all district and instructional leaders in the Commonwealth, not just Dual Immersion districts. Register here.

Thank you to Jen Carson, our Teacher Education Leader, for organizing such informative workshops. Be sure to sign up for the May workshop with French Teacher, Ada Morley, on May 9, 2024, titled “Creating an Inclusive Classroom”. You can register here.

As we approach the end of the school year, I want to remind you about the importance of advocacy. Gathering feedback from your students and showcasing their accomplishments is a powerful way to demonstrate the value of your program. If you seek guidance or harbor concerns about the stability of your program, please reach out to advocacy@flavaweb.org. Additionally, I encourage you to engage with national election candidates regarding their policies on world language education, spotlighting Virginia’s multilingual population.

Thank you for your continued support of FLAVA. Together, let us cultivate joy as we inspire and empower language educators and learners across Virginia.

Warm regards,
Eric Jaworski
FLAVA President