---Group will sign Memorandum of Understanding with DOE---

(Dover, De.) A delegation from the academic region of Créteil, or Académie de Créteil and representatives from the French Embassy in Washington D.C. will visit Delaware beginning tomorrow and over the next three days will meet with representatives from the Department of Education (DOE) and the General Assembly and will also visit William Penn High School and the University of Delaware. During their brief stay in Delaware, the delegation will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DOE establishing a unique partnership between Delaware and France. The delegation will also receive a proclamation from the Honorable James Baker, mayor of the City of Wilmington.

Since French is still the second most commonly taught world language in Delaware, DOE wanted Delaware students to develop much deeper intercultural professional experiences and abilities in order to acquire a better understanding of the global society in which they live.

The French Embassy in Washington, D.C., helped DOE in matching an academic region in France similar to Delaware’s including geographic, economic and historical ties. The Académie of Créteil was suggested because of the historic ties that exist between Delaware and the city of Nemours, the birthplace of E.I DuPont. Nemours is located in the academic region of Créteil.

Where other MOU’s have focused on bringing teachers to work in the United States or promote professional development abroad, the Académie de Créteil MOU to be signed on June 5th focuses on the learning of respective languages and cultures; promoting collaboration between teachers and students in grades kindergarten through college; and encouraging common projects to provide professional growth opportunities to educators in the state of Delaware and the Académie of Créteil.

Delaware’s Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.

Visit from the Académie de Créteil to the
Delaware Department of Education
June 4-6, 2008

Delegation from the Académie de Créteil

M. Jean-Michel Blanquer, Recteur of the Académie de Créteil and University Chancellor
M. Didier Geiger, Director of Teacher Training College, University of Paris XII
Mme Anna-Livia Susini, International Relations Advisor to the Recteur
M. Alain Flouret, Principal of the Etienne Bezout High School, Nemours
Mme Françoise Terrier, Regional Pedagogical English Language Inspector

Delegation from the French Embassy

Mme Catherine Petillon, Cultural Attaché, French Embassy, Washington, DC
M. Michel Schaffhauser, Consul General, French Embassy, Washington, DC
M. Philippe Sauret, Cultural Attaché and Head of Educational Services, Washington, DC
M. Michael Scullin, Honorary Consul, Philadelphia, PA

AGENDA

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

9:00 Delaware Department of Education
Delaware Room, Delaware Archives Building
Presentation of Welcoming Gifts, Delaware Economic Development Office
Overview of the Delaware Department of Education and Statewide Initiatives
Teacher Professional Development and Career and Technical Education
Teacher Certification
Professional Standards
World Language Pedagogy and International Partnerships

10:30 Visit to Legislative Hall

Greetings
Senator Dave Sokola
Sally Coonin, Education Policy Advisor to the Governor

11:30 Lunch with Secretary of Education Valerie Woodruff
Looking Glass Restaurant, Polytech High School, Woodside

1:00 Delaware Center for Educational Technology (DCET)
Collette Education Resource Center, Conference Room D
Innovations in Classroom Use of Technology in Delaware

3:00 School Partnerships Discussion William Penn High School, New Castle, Delaware
Overview of the French Language Program at William Penn H.S.
Partnership Possibilities in the Académie de Créteil

4:30 American Association of Teachers of French Reception
Walking Tour of Old New Castle, Delaware
Celebratory Toast, Jessups Tavern, Old New Castle

Thursday, June 5, 2008

10:00 Meeting and Tour of the Delaware Biotechnology Institute Newark, Delaware, Conference Room 102

11:30 Signing of Memorandum of Understanding Delaware Biotechnology Institute, Conference Room 102

Dan Rich, Provost, University of Delaware
Valerie A. Woodruff, Secretary of Education
Jean-Michel Blanquer, Recteur, Académie de Créteil

1:15 University of Delaware Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the Delaware Center for Teacher Education
Discussion of the Assistant Program and Teacher Certification

3:00 Wilmington Mayor’s Office Proclamation from the Honorable James Baker, Mayor of the City of Wilmington

Friday, June 6

8:15 Leave for Nemours Mansion

8:45 Guided Visit of the Nemours Mansion and Gardens

11:00 Partial delegation visits Hagley Museum, Birthplace of the DuPont de Nemours Enterprise

1:00 Lunch at Belin House, Hagley Museum