President’s Message: FLAVA Spring 2025 Dear Members and Friends of FLAVA, As we approach the end of the school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on our collective achievements and acknowledge some important developments within our FLAVA community. It’s also a time to pause and honor the legacy of those who have shaped our community. Remembering Shirley Hall
It is with deep sadness that I begin this message by honoring the memory of Shirley Hall, a cherished leader, mentor, and friend to so many in the FLAVA community. Shirley passed away on April 22, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, mentorship, and dedication. Her work as our Historian and as a Latin teacher has shaped countless educators and students, and she will always be remembered for her wisdom, kindness, and unwavering commitment to world language education. In tribute to Shirley’s immeasurable impact, we are proud to announce that the 2025 Best of FLAVA Award will be named the Shirley Hall Best of FLAVA. As one of the first recipients of this honor, it feels especially fitting to celebrate her legacy in this way. This special designation for the 2025 conference is a heartfelt expression of our deep appreciation for Shirley’s lasting influence on our profession and community. Honoring Our Own: FLAVA Awards & New Eligibility Each year, FLAVA recognizes outstanding contributions to world language education through the David Cox K-12 Teacher of the Year Award, the Marshall Brannon Post-Secondary Teacher of the Year Award, the Novice Teacher Award, and the Helen Warriner-Burke Distinguished Service Award. As we continue to celebrate excellence within our profession, I want to remind you that nominations for these awards are due by June 1. I’m also pleased to share that, after thoughtful discussion, the nomination guidelines have been updated: current members of the FLAVA Advisory Council committees are now eligible to be nominated for these honors. Executive Board members remain ineligible. This change reflects our belief that many of our most dedicated educators contribute through these advisory roles and should be eligible for recognition. For details and to submit your nominations, please click here. Spring Conference Success The 2025 FLAVA Spring Conference was nothing short of a success, and it would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts of our conference team. My heartfelt thanks go to Virginia Kibler, our Conference Coordinator, whose leadership ensured everything ran smoothly; Beth Marshall, our President-Elect, for her ongoing support and dedication; Chantel Kushner, our Treasurer, for managing our resources with care; Holly Fitterer, our Communications Coordinator, for her excellent outreach and design; Heidi Trude, our Immediate Past President, for her steady guidance; and Sue Robertson, our Presenter Liaison, for her tireless work in connecting with our presenters. Our presenters truly shone, offering engaging, thoughtful sessions that sparked valuable conversations. I have no doubt that everyone left the conference feeling energized and inspired, ready to bring fresh ideas back to our classrooms. While we adapted the Spring conference to be virtual this year, I want to reaffirm that face-to-face engagement remains the heart of FLAVA’s success. There’s nothing like the energy, camaraderie, and connection that happens when we come together in person. As we move forward, I am excited about continuing this tradition of in-person conferences. I am confident that these moments of connection will remain vital as we work together to advance world language education. Advocacy Update I am pleased to share some exciting news about our advocacy efforts. Thanks to your incredible support and activism, HB 2360, which designates the Seal of Biliteracy as an approved industry credential in Virginia, will officially become law on July 1. This accomplishment is a testament to the power of our collective voices. Your emails, phone calls, and online comments to the House of Delegates were instrumental in making this happen. Thank you for your continued advocacy in support of language education. On a national level, our federal advocacy organization, JNCL, continues to fight for the future of world language education. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to sign up for JNCL’s text alerts at JNCL Text Alerts. These alerts make it easy to stay informed about important legislative issues and to contact your legislators about matters impacting world language education. JNCL’s Advocacy Action Day will be held on October 8—an opportunity to amplify our voices in support of vital programs. Your involvement is crucial to ensuring that world language education remains a priority at all levels of government. With the upcoming election year in Virginia, the future of education funding and policy is in our hands. While FLAVA cannot endorse candidates, I encourage you to engage in the process by learning about candidates’ positions on world language education. Your participation in town halls, local school board elections, and general voting is vital to shaping the future of education in Virginia. Together, we can continue advocating for the resources and policies that support our students, our teachers, and our communities. Rooted in Language: Fall 2025 Conference I am thrilled to announce the 2025 FLAVA Fall Conference, which will take place from October 9–11, 2025, at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott in Norfolk, VA. The theme for 2025, Rooted in Language, will celebrate the deep connection we all share to the languages we teach and learn. It is an exciting time for world language educators, and we are eager to gather together to explore new ideas, share best practices, and strengthen our community. This theme, Rooted in Language, invites us to explore the profound connections we build through the languages we teach and learn, fostering an environment of inclusivity, growth, and shared purpose. We invite you to submit proposals for presentations that will help shape this conference. Whether your work focuses on innovative teaching strategies, technology integration, or creating engaging and supportive learning environments for all students, we want to hear from you! Please visit the FLAVA Fall Conference 2025 Proposal Form to submit your ideas. Proposals are due by June 15, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST. Don’t Miss Out: Build Impactful Community Connections with Bertha Delgadillo! Don’t miss the opportunity to connect and learn from Bertha Delgadillo at her upcoming interactive workshop on Service Learning that Inspires! Join us on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 6:00 PM for an enriching session where we will explore impactful ways to build community connections in our classrooms. A heartfelt thank you to Jen Carson, FLAVA’s Teacher Education Leader, for her dedication to organizing these invaluable workshops that help us all grow as educators. Don’t miss out! REGISTER HERE to participate in this enriching session. Continued Success and Growth As we move forward, I am filled with hope and excitement for what lies ahead. Our community continues to grow, inspire, and challenge one another to be better every day. I am grateful for each and every one of you, for the work you do in your classrooms, and for your commitment to advancing world language education in Virginia. Together, we will continue to nurture a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive environment for all language learners. With warmest regards,
Eric Jaworski
President, FLAVA | 
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