PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2004

OCTOBER 7, 2004

This week's State Board of Education meeting was one of the more significant ones of late. Not only did the Board approve the framework for new high school exit standards, it also discussed proposed changes to the implementation schedule for mathematics tests and acted on the proposed changes to the implementation schedule for science tests. I am especially excited about the prospect of new high school exit standards. By linking end-of-course tests and senior projects to graduation, I hope we will help some students to see more clearly the link between their efforts in high school and their own goals and opportunities.

Regards,
Tricia Willoughby

In this Biweekly Principals' Message:

1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2. Extracurricular Activities Must Comply with Federal Law Security Concern
3. Security Concern
4. Nominations for 2005 Wachovia Principal of the Year Program Due Oct. 15
5. Summary of SBE Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Rigor Meeting
6. SBE Teacher Retention Task Force Meeting Summary
7. New Booster Seat Law Takes Effect Jan. 1
8. Recruiting Assistance Team Members for 2005-06
9. Window to Apply for National Board Certification Closes in November
10. Gov. Easley Identifies Real D.E.A.L. Schools/DonorsChoose Expands Statewide
11. 2004 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Named
12. Student-to-Student Response Encouraging
13. New Resources on NC Wise Owl
14. Holocaust Workshops for Teachers Scheduled
15. Teaching for Understanding about the Global Economy
16. Lights on AfterSchool!
17. Request for Proposals: 2005 NC College Access Conference
18. Conference Targets Survivors of Suicide
19. Search Underway for Nation's Top Youth Volunteers

State Board Meeting Highlights

The State Board of Education approved the framework of new high school exit standards. The new standards will include a combination of the end-of-course tests along with senior projects. The Board's Ad Hoc Academic Rigor Committee will work with Department of Public Instruction staff over the next few months to complete the operational details of the new requirements, including the timeline for implementation. The Board also discussed a proposed policy for considering waivers to the new school calendar law. The law allows for waivers of the Aug. 25 starting date and June 10 closing date in cases of school districts that have been closed eight or more days per year during any four of the last 10 years because of severe weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures or other emergency situations. Waivers also can be considered for specific education purposes, such as a specialized education program at a specific school, a school serving a special population of students or a defined school within a school. Charter schools, year-round schools and schools designated as having a modified calendar for the 2003-04 school year are exempt from the rules. The Board expects to approve a final policy at its November meeting. Complete Board highlights will be posted online no later than Monday, Oct. 11, at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights

Extracurricular Activities Must Comply with Federal Law

We have been reminded by the United States Departments of Justice and Education that if those agencies find that public school extracurricular activities are operated inconsistently with federal law, they will act to remedy those practices. Examples they cited are schools that name racially separate Homecoming Queens and Kings and class superlatives such as Most Popular Student and Most Friendly. If any of your schools have practices such as these, you should assure that the practices are conducted in a racially neutral manner.

Security Concern

From time to time, the federal government informs DPI of potential security and health risks that could occur on public school campuses. At this time, we have been asked to highlight potential risks of breaches to a school’s air-handling system. If a school’s airflow system is contaminated by either an exterior or interior event, here are the suggested steps to follow:

In the event that a toxic substance has been released OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, keep individuals inside the building and reduce the indoor/outdoor air exchange to prevent contaminated air from passing through the HVAC system – immediately shut off the air handling system, close all windows and doors and turn off fans and combustion heaters. Once the outdoor hazard has dissipated, open all doors and windows and turn on all fans to ventilate the building.

In the event that a toxic substance has been released INSIDE A BUILDING, immediately place the air handling system on “full (or 100 percent) outside air.” If advised of an in-building release of hydrogen cyanide gas, chlorine gases, or other toxic industrial chemicals, activate the water sprinklers to help wash the contaminant from the air stream. Evacuate the building in accordance with the building’s emergency evacuation plan. Evacuation routes may be hazardous because they may take people through contaminated areas. You may want to revisit your school’s evacuation plans to consider this issue.

If you have questions about this information, please contact Ben Matthews, DPI Division of School Support, 919.807.350, or by email, bmatthew@dpi.state.nc.us.

Nominations for 2005 Wachovia Principal of the Year Program Due Oct. 15

The nomination forms for the 2005 Wachovia Principal of the Year Program are due by Oct. 15. The forms can be faxed to Janis Dellinger-Holton at 919.807.3362. All portfolios for local candidates will be mailed on Nov. 2. Thank you for your participation in this valuable program that recognizes outstanding local school leadership. If you have additional questions, please contact Janis Dellinger-Holton, Center for Recruitment and Retention, DPI, at jdelling@dpi.state.nc.us or 919.807.3360.

Summary of SBE Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Rigor Meeting

The Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships met at the Education Building in Raleigh on Tuesday, Sept. 21. The committee spent most of its time completing changes to the definition of Academic Rigor, Relevance and Relationships. It was agreed that the draft of the definition would be presented to the SBE as an Information item at its October meeting. Committee Chair Kathy Taft said the Committee's focus will expand to address high school exit measures and incorporate additional members. Members also heard a presentation by Lou Fabrizio on the high school exit measures that is on the SBE October agenda, and SBE Executive Director Jane Worsham shared an initial proposal for Senior Project training prepared by SERVE.

SBE Teacher Retention Task Force Meeting Summary

The State Board of Education's Teacher Retention Task Force met on Sept. 23 in Raleigh. SBE Vice-Chair and Task Force Chair Jane Norwood noted her intention for the task force to consider recommendations of past reports on this subject but not be limited by them. Task force members heard a presentation by DPI Human Resources Director Kathy Sullivan that included how the task force might organize its work based on the issues defined in the law and an analysis of state teacher recruitment/retention data. Members also heard a presentation on the Governor’s Teacher Working Conditions Survey which, among other things, seems to indicate a disconnect between teachers and administrators in how they characterize working conditions. The meeting concluded with members sharing their burning issues and discussing follow-up activities that need to be accomplished prior to the next meeting, which is scheduled for Oct. 13.

New Booster Seat Law Takes Effect Jan. 1

Elementary school principals are reminded that effective Jan. 1, state law requires that children up to age 8 and weighing less than 80 pounds be secured in a booster seat. These students can no longer be ushered into a safety belt by those working school carpool lines. Violations of this law carry fines of $125 and two driver license points. The Governor’s Highway Safety Program encourages families, caregivers and school leaders to not wait until the new year to begin following the law as unprotected children can be seriously harmed in automobile crashes. A flyer promoting the new law is available online (English/Spanish versions) at http://www.ncdot.org/secretary/GHSP/ for downloading and distribution by local school systems. For more information, please contact Jill Lucas, Governor’s Highway Safety Program, 919.733.3083 or by email, jwlucas@dot.state.nc.us.

Recruiting Assistance Team Members for 2005-06

The DPI Division of School Improvement is now recruiting assistance team members for the 2005-06 school year. There is a high need for secondary educators in the four core content areas and for K-12 exceptional children teachers. Interested applicants should check with their LEA on loan policies before applying. All general and application information can be found online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/assistanceteams/application/ . Questions may be directed to the Division of School Improvement at 919.807.3911.

Window to Apply for National Board Certification Closes in November

Principals are asked to remind their teachers that if they are interested in applying for National Board Certification they need to get their paperwork in now as the application window closes Nov. 15. The state will pay the $2,300 assessment fee for all teachers who meet the eligibility criteria as indicated at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nbpts in addition to a 12 percent pay differential for the life of the certificate. (Charter school teachers should check with their directors as the pay differential may vary.) Educators considering this opportunity should visit http://www.nbpts.org/ to review the areas offered for certification and the standards for those areas of certification. When applying for National Board Certification, teachers also MUST apply at the North Carolina site if they are requesting funding from the state. All portfolios are due to NBPTS by March 31, 2005. For additional information, please contact Deanna Harris, NC National Board Certification Coordinator at 919.807.3358 (dharris@dpi.state.nc.us), or Jeanne Washburn at 919.807.3373

Gov. Easley Identifies Real D.E.A.L. Schools/DonorsChoose Expands Statewide

On Wednesday, Gov. Mike Easley recognized the following eight schools that ranked at the top in their region in student performance and teacher working conditions: Brevard Elementary, Transylvania County Schools; Broad Creek Middle, Carteret County Schools; Eastover Elementary, Cumberland County Schools; North Brook Elementary, Lincoln County Schools; North Ridge Elementary, Wake County Schools; Weeksville Elementary, Pasquotank County Schools; Wentworth Elementary, Rockingham County Schools; and West Lenoir Elementary, Caldwell County Schools. Each school received a Real D.E.A.L. (Dedicated Educators, Administrators and Learners) Award.

The Governor also announced that DonorsChoose NC, a Web site that allows teachers to seek donations for classroom supplies and innovative projects by posting proposals online, is expanding from the 15 pilot counties to all 115 school districts. Since this program was launched last February, citizens across North Carolina and 37 other states have funded more that $222,0000 worth of teacher proposals. Citizens wanting to donate to a particular project can go online to www.DonorsChoose.org and submit the appropriate form.

2004 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Named

Congratulations to administrators, teachers and students at Claxton Elementary and Isaac Dickson Elementary, Asheville City Schools; Claxton Elementary and Shadybrook Elementary, Guilford County Schools; North Hills Elementary, Winston-Salem-Forsyth Schools; Pisgah Forest Elementary, Transylvania County Schools; and Sunny View Elementary, Polk County Schools for being named 2004 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools by U.S. Department of Education Secretary Rod Paige. These elementary schools are among 205 public and 50 private schools to achieve this honor. School representatives will be honored during a National Recognition Ceremony scheduled for Nov. 4-5 in Washington, DC. For additional information regarding the Blue Ribbon Schools Program, please contact Debora Sydnor, School Support Services, NC DPI, 919.807.3925, or by email, dsydnor@dpi.state.nc.us.

Student-to-Student Response Encouraging

Response to the Student-to-Student: North Carolina Reaches Out to Zimbabwe project has been encouraging. We appreciate your schools’ support for children who are confronted with a human tragedy of staggering proportions. Some of you have indicated that you want to participate, but need more time than the Oct. 15 deadline for the first shipment. While we want to get as many of the school supply kits as possible to Zimbabwe for the start of school in January, this is an ongoing service project, so supplies can be sent later. For more information, please go to DPI’s Web site at www.ncpublicschools.org/zimbabwe

New Resources on NC WiseOwl

The DPI Division of Instructional Technology is pleased to announce the addition of two new subscription databases to NC WiseOwl (www.ncwiseowl.org). For elementary students, “America the Beautiful,” an encyclopedia of the states produced by Grolier, has been added to the Encyclopedias link. For middle and high school students, 12 e-books have been added to WiseOwl under the homepage link, Reference Library. Additionally, building-level access fees to all other purchased Gale e-books have been paid for through this statewide buy, for the life of the contract. The 12 e-books that have been added are as follows: Arts and Humanities Through the Eras, 1st Ed, 5V; College Blue Book, 32nd Ed, 6V; Encyclopedia of Modern Asia, 1st Ed, 6V; Africa: An Encyclopedia for Students, 1st Ed, 4V; Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd Ed, 15V; Animal Sciences, 1st Ed, 4V; Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing&Allied Health, 1st Ed, 5V; U*X*L Encyclopedia of World Biography, 1st Ed, 10V; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Foods and Recipes, 1st Ed, 4V; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures, 1st Ed, 9V; U*X*L Encyclopedia of Biomes, 1st Ed, 3V; U*X*L Encyclopedia of Landforms, 1st Ed, 3V. For more information, please contact John Brim, Instructional Technology Division, DPI, 919.807.3288, or by email, jbrim@dpi.state.nc.us.

Holocaust Workshops for Teachers Scheduled

A series of Holocaust Workshops for middle and high school language arts and social studies teachers has been scheduled beginning in October. These one-day, multi-county workshops for public school teachers are particularly useful for World History, World Cultures, American History and Eastern European history teachers. Participants will receive a copy of “The Holocaust: a North Carolina Teacher's Resource,” a guide for teaching about the Holocaust at the middle and high school levels. Substitute pay is provided for teachers attending, but space is limited. Dates and locations for the workshops are as follows: Oct. 18, Charlotte (already full); Oct. 22, Jacksonville; Oct. 25, Lincolnton; Nov. 10, Roxboro; Nov. 15, Hertford; Feb. 21, Fayetteville; and March 21, Louisburg. For additional information, including registration, please contact Linda Scher, Holocaust Teacher Workshop Coordinator at Brisket234@aol.com

"Teaching for Understanding about the Global Economy"

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction will hold its second of four workshops for high school social studies teachers, "Teaching for Understanding about the Global Economy," on Nov. 9 at the Exploris Museum in Raleigh. Participants will learn why and how the global economy is changing and take advantage of the interactive exhibits and programs offered by Exploris. There is no registration fee but space is limited. For more information, including registration, please go online to http://www.nccee.org/data/globalecon.htm or contact Steven Weber, Instructional Services, DPI, at 919.807.3828, or by email, sweber@dpi.state.nc.us.

“Lights on Afterschool!”

Has your school registered its plans to celebrate “Lights on Afterschool!” sponsored by the Afterschool Alliance? On Oct.14, school communities across the country will rally for afterschool by participating in this event, which calls attention to afterschool programs and the resources required to “keep the lights on and the doors open.” To register to participate, please go to the Afterschool Alliance Web site at http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/loa_2004/get_involved.cfm

Request for Proposals: 2005 NC College Access Conference

“Building the Foundation,” is the theme for the 2005 College Access Conference, which has been scheduled for Feb. 16-18 in Wilmington. Focus areas of this year's conference include “Sustaining Your College Access Initiative” and “Promoting Positive Transitions in Education.” Educators interested in sharing their knowledge, strategies and experiences regarding the important task of increasing access to postsecondary education should submit a proposal by Nov. 1. The Committee will notify all applicants regarding the status of their submission by Nov. 19. For more information, including

Conference Targets Survivors of Suicide

Survivors of Suicide (SOS) has scheduled its third annual conference for Saturday, Nov. 20, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., at the School of Social Work, UNC-Chapel Hill. Families who have lost a child to suicide or educators who are dealing with the aftermath of losing a student, loved one or co-worker to suicide may want to attend. Although targeted for survivors, conference organizers welcome professionals as well to facilitate their understanding of the needs of suicide survivors. Registration fees are $15 per person (parking and lunch included) and $10 for each additional family member. The registration deadline is Nov. 4. Additional conference information is available online at http://www.trianglesos.org/2004conference.htm

Search Underway for Nation's Top Youth Volunteers

Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals is sponsoring its annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. This Awards program recognizes outstanding community service by students in grades 5 though 12. The top middle and high school candidate in each state win $1,000 and a trip to Washington, D.C. Program information, including application forms, are available online at www.prudential.com/spirit or by calling 888.450.9961. Students must submit completed applications to his or her principal by Oct. 29. Schools will then select the top recipients and submit those names for state-level judging. Middle and high school recipients for each state will be named in February 2005.