Inspired by the revamped digital resource, Being an American, this in-person professional development seminar utilizes free BRI content to examine the civic values that characterize American democracy.

When & Where:

June 27, 2023

8:00 AM-3:00 PM

Hyatt Place Virginia Beach Town Center

335 Independence Boulevard

Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Join VCSS at James Madison’s Montpelier June 26-30 to work with VA Civics! 

James Madison Legacy Project Expansion: Empowering High-Need Students for Informed, Thoughtful, and Productive Citizenship” is an exciting new project to improve professional development and instruction in the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution curricular program! The Center for Civic Education is working with expert teachers and consultants to develop new resources for We the People professional development and instruction that foster positive civics and social and emotional learning (SEL) outcomes among English learners, students with disabilities, and students of color. In 2023 and 2024, CCE will work with 12 sites, including Virginia, to implement and evaluate We the People professional development and classroom instruction using the new resources. Dr. Diana Owen and the Civic Education Research Lab at Georgetown University will evaluate the program’s outcomes on high-need secondary students. CCE hopes that the new materials will engage, empower, and increase the civic and SEL competencies of high-need learners facing persistent achievement gaps.

VCSS is thrilled to partner with The Poe Museum to bring Virginia educators an afternoon of tours and interactive activities in the heart of downtown Richmond on July 3!

• 1:00-2:15, Museum tours

• 2:15-3:00, What's in Poe's trunk?-- using primary sources & artifacts in the classroom

• 3:00-4:00, Poe & Poetry in social studies-- how to incorporate creative writing in the social studies classroom

• 4:00-??, Unhappy hour-- complimentary drinks in The Poe Museum courtyard!

While this workshop is tailored to social studies educators, all educators are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Join National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) for Uncovering Hidden Histories, Advocating for Local Issues - our 2023 Summer Leadership Institute (SLI), back in-person this July 10-11 in Richmond, VA!

Support the mission of NCSS in advocating and building capacity for high-quality social studies through leadership, services, and support to educators. This year’s SLI will focus on uncovering hidden histories and advocacy at the local and state levels. Learn from local historians and state civic and social studies leaders on how to uncover local history to spark civic engagement and inspire the next generation of civic participants. Through the exploration of NCSS toolkits for civic readiness and advocacy, participants will develop a plan for uncovering and elevating the hidden histories existing within their own communities that can be used to support local advocacy efforts. 

This event is open to all NCSS members and those with a common interest in social studies, leadership, and examining social studies education in developing informed civic engagement.

Join VCSS at James Madison’s Montpelier July 17-21 to work with VA Civics! 

The goals of CEAS are to: (1) To increase underserved grades 4–8 students’ attainment of state civics standards, related literacy standards, and social and emotional learning competencies, (2) to create inclusive and identity-safe learning environments for underserved students in grades 4–8, (3) to support high-quality development for diverse teachers, and (4) to study the effectiveness of the updated and enhanced We the People blended-learning professional development program at improving teacher and student outcomes.

The program goes beyond past PD projects to specifically target elementary and middle school teachers based on the needs of their student age groups. It also works to incorporate the latest evidence-based practices in trauma-informed education, literacy, and SEL to address engagement and achievement gaps faced by underserved students, whose gaps have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inspired by the new digital resource, Plainest Demands of Justice: Documents for Dialogue on the African American Experience, this in-person professional development seminar utilizes free BRI content to examine the experience of African Americans throughout history.

When & Where:

August 8, 2023

8:00 AM-3:00 PM

Hilton Garden Inn Falls Church

706 West Broad Street

Falls Church, VA 22046

Join Education staff and K-12 teachers from across Virginia to explore the many connections between STEAM and the history of George Washington’s Mount Vernon through the biography of members of the enslaved community laboring at Mount Vernon in the 18th century.

When & Where:

August 8, 2023

10:00 AM-4:30 PM

George Washington's Mount Vernon

3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway

Mount Vernon, VA 22121

Join Virginia Tech faculty in exploring topics such as sustainability, human rights, democracy and values, and language and identity.

When & Where:

November 3-5, 2023

8:00 AM-3:00 PM

Inn at Virginia Tech

901 Prices Fork Rd

Blacksburg, VA 24601