As February comes to a close, I want to take a moment to share some exciting updates and opportunities with you!
Spring Conference – Don’t Miss Out!
Our FLAVA Spring Conference, Navigating a Changing World with Languages, is coming up on Saturday, April 26, 2025! As someone who remembers life before smartphones (yes, I’m a proud digital immigrant), like many of you, I personally prefer face-to-face gatherings. Our Conference Team worked hard to make that happen this year, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t feasible. That said, I know some of you digital natives may actually prefer the flexibility of a virtual format this year. The good news? This is a temporary shift—our Spring Conference is planned to return to in-person! In the meantime, our virtual format offers a fantastic lineup of sessions and a chance to connect in new ways. Don’t miss out—[registerhere] and join us!
Celebrating Advocacy Success
A huge thank you to Sharon Scinicariello, our Advocacy Chair, and to all of you who have supported language advocacy efforts. Thanks to your work, HB 2360 passed unanimously in both chambers of the General Assembly! If signed by Governor Youngkin, this will make the Seal of Biliteracy an approved industry credential—an important milestone for language learners in Virginia. Please continue to spread the word in your schools and communities!
A heartfelt thank you to the dedicated members of the VA Seal of Biliteracy Advisory Committee for 2024-2025 for their unwavering advocacy in advancing this bill to the House and Senate. Your contributions have been instrumental in this effort, and we look forward to its approval and signing by Governor Youngkin. -Lauren MacLean from Albemarle County Public Schools -Jeremy Aldrich from Harrisonburg County Public Schools -Carie Hatfield from Portsmouth County Public Schools -Bettina Staudt from Chesterfield County Public Schools Additionally, a team of Virginians will attend JNCL’s Language Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C., from March 2-4. They’ll be meeting with legislators to promote language education, and we look forward to sharing updates after the event. In the meantime, remember that advocacy starts locally—invite community leaders into your classrooms and let them see the power of language learning firsthand!
FLAVA Elections – Call for Nominations
As we prepare for our Fall 2025 Conference, FLAVA will be electing new officers for President-Elect and Communications Coordinator. If you or someone you know would be a great fit, keep an eye out for the nomination form coming soon. These roles are vital to FLAVA’s continued growth, and we encourage all eligible members to consider participating. (Membership must be current at the time of the Fall 2025 Conference.)
NEWS FROM AATG-VA I’m also happy to share news from Dr. Marcel P. Rotter and AATG-VA, who have some fantastic opportunities for students and teachers alike.The AATG-VA is offering oral interviews for students who scored 90+ percent on the National German Exam. Our chapter is allowed to nominate up to two students (one senior, one non-senior) for a study trip to Germany in July from the top performers in the interview. We also continue our regional meetups for German teachers—everyone is invited, including colleagues who are not yet AATG members!
Upcoming Meetups:
June 7, 12:00 PM – More Better(35246 Leesburg Pike, Round Hill, VA 20141, located in the Hill High Marketplace)
August 9 – Edelweiss (19 Edelweiss Ln, Staunton, VA 24401)
November 8 – The Bier Garden (438 High St, Portsmouth, VA 23704)
Additionally, the AATG-VA Immersion Weekend will take place September 6-7 on the campus of the University of Mary Washington. The Board has not yet selected a topic, so suggestions are welcome! Please send your ideas to Dr. Marcel P. Rotter at mrotter@umw.edu.
NEWS FROM AATF I’m also pleased to highlight exciting opportunities from our AATF colleagues, who continue to provide enriching experiences for both teachers and students. Governor’s Summer Academy for French Salut, tout le monde! The 2025 Governor’s French Academy is still accepting applications for teachers. If you know anyone interested in this fantastic opportunity, please direct them to the official website: Governor’s French Academy Educational Experiences in Senegal Bonjour les collègues / amis,Le but pour cet échange est de voir de près cette culture de Teranga au Sénégal en village et en ville pendant 10 jours. Ces échanges ne sont pas juste une vue touristique mais une manière d’enseigner d’une façon authentique ! Depuis une dizaine d’années de faire ces échanges réciproques dans les classes, je suis enrobée autant que les élèves comment cela change la perspective du monde et d’utiliser la langue cible au-delà que les notes et le diplôme.
Hello colleagues/friends, The goal of this exchange is to experience firsthand the culture of Teranga in Senegal—both in villages and cities—during a 10-day immersive program. These exchanges go beyond just tourism; they provide a deeply authentic way to teach and learn. Over the past ten years, these reciprocal exchanges have profoundly impacted both students and teachers, expanding perspectives and encouraging the use of the target language beyond grades and diplomas. For more information, please fill out the following form: Senegal Exchange Interest Form
Celebrating Our Webinars
A special thank you to Jen Carson for organizing another fantastic webinar this month with Hannah Rae Joseph—we continue to hear great things about these sessions! Be sure to mark your calendars for the next ones:
April 3, 2025 – FLAVA Mentorship Chair Shane Goodpasture [link]
May 7, 2025 – Bertha Delgadillo, SCOLT 2024 Teacher of the Year
Thank you for all you do to support world language education. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Spring Conference and beyond!
Upcoming Meetups:
April 3, 2025 – FLAVA Mentorship Chair Shane Goodpasture [
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.