Dear Education Students,                                              August 21, 2009

Welcome back to a new academic year!

The purpose of this letter is to share with you some important information about the Education Department’s procedures. Please read the letter carefully and make note of those that pertain to you this year.

Department Fees

The department bills you annually for two required professional fees through the university’s billing system. You will see these fees on your annual fall tuition bill. The ISTA (Indiana State Teachers Association) membership fee includes Professional Liability Insurance through the NEA (National Education Association), a protection for you, the university, and a necessity in today’s world. The Criminal Background Check fee, which meets our K-12 school partners’ requirements that you are free of criminal histories that could harm their students. If you are a sophomore or higher, we have enclosed the forms you need to complete both of these processes.

If you are taking ED 203 as a freshman, stop by the office to pick up the forms. Complete both of these forms today and bring them to the Education Office in Miller Hall. All forms must be in by August 26 at 5:00 p.m. You will not be cleared for field work until at least 48 hours after you submit the forms.

Checkpoint Due Dates

Enclosed with this letter is the flyer of all Checkpoint due dates for 2009-2010. If you are applying for Checkpoint 1 or 2, mark the relevant dates on your personal calendar and be sure to have your application completed and turned in on time.

The Undergraduate Admission and Retention Committee evaluates all students at each checkpoint. It is important for all Education students to know that the committee meets on the third Wednesday of each month to make decisions on student applications. If you miss a deadline, your application will have to wait until the next regular meeting of the committee. Don’t miss out on your registration deadlines by submitting your application late!

PPST (Pre-Professional Skills Test)

Passing scores on all sections of the PPST must be produced by students along with the Checkpoint 1 application. We urge you to take the PPST during the spring semester of your freshman year.

Checkpoint 2 Class

All students are now required to take a 0-credit course, ED 385, to prepare for Checkpoint 2. If you are planning to do your student teaching in Spring 2010, you need to have registered for one of the two sections of ED 385 this semester.

The class meets twice for two hours each time; dates are printed on the enclosed flyer of Checkpoint Due Dates.

No student may do student teaching unless he/she has passed the Checkpoint 2. Having a placement for student teaching does not supersede the Checkpoint 2 requirement as the Placement Office needs to work 6-12 months ahead to ensure appropriate placements are secured for students who later qualify for student teaching.

Required Education Classes

All required Education classes (those with an ED prefix in the VU Undergraduate Course Catalog) must be completed prior to the student teaching semester with the exception of

ED 485 – Senior Seminar, which is taken during the student teaching semester.

CPR Required for Indiana Licensure

Indiana licensure rules require all applicants for new licenses to show current, valid certification in CPR. If you are planning to graduate this year and apply for licensure, be sure to complete this state requirement before you finish classes. Information on courses offered in the Valparaiso area is available on posters in Miller Hall and from Mrs. Angela Coleman in the Placement Office.

Free Membership in the Lutheran Education Association

If you are interested in teaching in a Lutheran school in the future, the LEA invites you to join their professional organization at no cost! See details on the enclosed letter from Dr. Laabs (on yellow paper).

A Reminder about Finishing in 4 Years

While it is common and possible for VU undergraduate students to complete their degree, education, and licensing requirements within four years, students must plan ahead and continually meet performance standards (GPAs, grades, tests, checkpoint requirements, etc. as outlined in the VU Undergraduate Course Catalog) to achieve the goal of graduating within the four year time frame.

Weekly E-mails and Department Website

The Department of Education sends students a weekly e-mail during the academic year. Be sure to open the e-mail each week and read all the announcements carefully. You are responsible for meeting all the deadlines and requirements of your program and department.

Check out and bookmark the Department’s website:

www.valpo.edu/education with all the official, up-to-date lists of program requirements and lots of other helpful information for current and prospective students.

New Education Curriculum and Requirements

All freshman and other students who choose to will complete the new curriculum requirements listed in the Undergraduate and Graduate catalogs for this year. We are confident that the changes will provide an even stronger preparation to meet the ever-increasing demands for all K-12 students to achieve high standards of learning!

If you have any questions about your program, please see your advisor. We are looking forward to working with you this year as you develop your professional knowledge and skills in teaching and learning.

Sincerely,

Jan M. Westrick, Ed.D.

Professor and Chair