PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2005

FEBRUARY 17, 2005

There is no substitute for good principals. This is a theme of the Teacher Working Conditions Survey, of the work of the State Board’s Task Force on Teacher Retention and in my conversations with classroom teachers. The leadership of a school sets the tone and constructs the environment in which teachers can excel and students can do their best work. This month, the Wachovia Regional Principals of the Year have been named from the local principals of the year identified by each local school district. Congratulations to these regional winners and also to each of the local winners as well. Your work is appreciated everyday by the students and teachers who benefit the most. I am grateful to Wachovia for providing us a way to publicly thank and recognize your efforts.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Principals' Message:

1. Regional 2005 Wachovia Principals of the Year Named
2. National Board Certification Update
3. Training for VHS, Inc., Site Coordinators
4. eMasterClass with the National Symphony Orchestra: Music Standards in Action
5. Writing Across the Curriculum
6. High School Certified Trainers of Writing Phase IV
7. Mathematics Education Leadership Training
8. Trek North Carolina
9. 2005 Mathematics Leadership Institutes for Middle and High School Teacher-Leaders
10. Mathematics Item Writers Needed
11. Teacher Fellowship Program Opportunity
12. Schools as Centers of Community: A National Search for Excellence 2005
13. Kohl’s Kids Who Care Program

Regional 2005 Wachovia Principals of the Year Named

Congratulations to the following principals who were recently named 2005 Wachovia Regional Principals of the Year: West Region - Margaret Hyatt, Avery’s Creek Elementary, Buncombe County Schools; Northwest Region - Windsor Eagle, Salisbury High, Rowan-Salisbury Schools; Southwest Region - Bill Cook, Walter Bickett Elementary, Union County Schools; Piedmont-Triad/Central Region - John Eldridge, Chatham Central High, Chatham County Schools; North Central - Cathy Truitt, Four Oaks Elementary, Johnston County Schools; Sandhills/South Central Region - Allison Violette, Lake Rim Elementary, Cumberland County Schools; Northeast Region - Melvin Hawkins, Perquimans County Middle, Perquimans County Schools; and Southeast Region - Gerald Johnson, J.T. Barber Elementary, Craven County Schools. Regional winners each receive $1,500 for their school and $1,500 for personal use. They also will compete for recognition as North Carolina’s 2005 Wachovia Principal of the Year. That announcement will take place on April 7.

National Board Certification Update

Principals are asked to remind teachers planning to seek National Board Certification (NBC) that they should first complete the online application at www.nbpts.org and then complete the online application for North Carolina funding. Guidelines for applying for NBC in North Carolina can be accessed at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nbpts/apply.html. Beginning this year, initial NBC candidates will pay a $65 processing charge to NBPTS before they submit their application. North Carolina will pay the $2,300 assessment fee for all candidates who meet the eligibility criteria. The funding application window for 2005-06 candidates is March 1 - Nov. 15. Teachers who pursue National Board Certification are encouraged to participate in candidate support programs established in their school districts and regions. For more information about the NBC process, please contact Deanna Harris at 919/807-3358, or by email, dharris@dpi.state.nc.us. For more information about state funding of the NBC process, please contact Jeanne Washburn at 919/807-3373, or by email, jwashbur@dpi.state.nc.us.

Training for VHS, Inc. Site Coordinators

Currently, North Carolina has over 30 high schools participating in the Virtual High School (VHS), Inc. program. Training is now being offered to expand this program. If you would like for your high school to offer the VHS, Inc. catalog of more than 120 courses via the Internet, please appoint a site coordinator to participate in free training scheduled to begin March 16. Training site coordinators this spring will allow students to register this spring for courses next fall. The training is conducted online over a four-week period, five hours per week. The deadline to apply for the training is March 4. For more information on VHS, Inc., please go online to http://www.govhs.org. To apply for the free training, please contact Sue Scott, Instructional Technology, NC DPI, 919/807-3429, or by email, sscott@dpi.state.nc.us

eMasterClass with the National Symphony Orchestra: Music Standards in Action

Orchestra and band teachers across North Carolina are invited to participate in an eMasterClass conducted by musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) on Monday, March 14, from 3-5 p.m. The eMasterClass is an outreach activity as part of the NSO's American Residency in North Carolina. Students from Enloe High School (Wake County Schools), under the direction of Beth McCollum, will be onsite with the NSO members, while other teachers and their students can join and interact with the class via videoconferencing on the NC Information Highway or IP. The master class is designed for teachers; however, students are invited to observe with their teachers. The NSO will demonstrate strategies for working with students in connection with the National Standards for Music Education and the NC Standard Course of Study. For more information or to register, please contact Christie Howell, NCDPI Arts Education Consultant, 919/807-3856 or cmhowell@dpi.state.nc.us. Visit DPI’s Distance Learning Systems Web site at http://video.dpi.state.nc.us/eforums for program updates.

Writing Across the Curriculum

The Capital Area Writing Project, an affiliate site of the National Writing Project, is hosting a 'Writing Across the Curriculum” one-day conference on Saturday, April 16, in Raleigh. Break out sessions will offer teachers opportunities to learn more about writing in the specific content areas of social studies, science and English. For more information, including registration, please go online to http://www.learnnc.org/ and link to the National Writing Project page under Instructional Resources, or contact Barbara Geiger via email at bugeiger@uptonassociates.com.

High School Certified Trainers of Writing Phase IV

Registration for the High School Certified Trainers of Writing Phase IV scheduled for April 17-19 is now open for teachers and other educators interested in teaching writing in the English Language Arts classrooms. Sessions will include understanding writing development through grades 9-12, facilitating staff development for writing instruction, and strategies for working on the "hard parts - and they're all hard parts." Additionally, an optional information session about the Grade 10 Writing Assessment will be offered from 4:45 - 6 p.m. on April 18. For more information, please visit http://www.learnnc.org/ and link to the HS Certified Trainers of Writing page under Instructional Resources or contact Kim Bowen, Instructional Services, DPI, 919/807-3832, or by email, kbowen@dpi.state.nc.us.

Mathematics Education Leadership Training

Registration is open for the Mathematics Education Leadership Training (MELT) Institutes to be held this summer at Appalachian State University, Boone. The week-long institutes are designed to help teachers refine their skills with mathematics content, teaching techniques, and technology use. Eight institutes are scheduled, including five that are co-sponsored by the Texas Instruments Teachers Teaching with Technology program. Teachers interested in an in-depth experience, including credit towards the master's degree in mathematics secondary education, are encouraged to apply to be a MELT Scholar. Apply early to ensure a space. For more information, please go online to http://www.melt.appstate.edu/ or contact Holly Peters Hirst, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Appalachian State University, 828/262-3050, or by email, HirstHP@appstate.edu.

Trek North Carolina

Trek North Carolina: A Historical, Geographic, and Cultural Study” will provide up to 30 elementary educators with an opportunity to journey across North Carolina to study, observe, and receive first hand experience on the state’s history and culture. Room and board, travel expenses, professional books and reading materials, as well as other project materials, will be covered for selected participants. Teachers will only be required to pay meal expenses, as needed. Participants are required to attend all sessions and to engage fully in activities. The dates for this professional development workshop are June 12-18. Application packets are now available and can be downloaded by going to www.ncpublicschools.org and clicking on Trek North Carolina Project. For more information, please call Tracey Greggs, Instructional Services, DPI, 919/807-3836, or by email, tgreggs@dpi.state.nc.us.

2005 Mathematics Leadership Institutes for Middle and High School Teacher-Leaders

NC DPI’s Mathematics and Science Section will sponsor the 2005 Mathematics Leadership Institutes for high school mathematics teacher-leaders July 10-14 in two sessions (July 10-12 and July 12-14) and middle school mathematics teacher-leaders July 18-22 in two sessions (July 18-20 and July 20-22). The Institutes will be held at the Radisson Governors Inn in Research Triangle Park. The registration fee for the Institute is $175. The fee includes four meals, breaks, conference facilities, materials, and presenters' fees. Each person registering needs to complete a form. Please send your completed form and payment to the address indicated on the registration form by April 22. Information and registration forms have been sent to schools but in case you were missed, go to www.learnnc.org/ (click on Announcements/Calendar; click on 2005 Mathematics Leadership Institutes). A block of rooms has been reserved until mid-June at the Radisson Governors Inn (919/549-8631). Teachers will need to reserve and pay for their rooms ($56 single occupancy or $65 double occupancy plus tax per night). When making reservations, please tell the hotel staff you are with the NCDPI Math Leadership Institute. A confirmation letter with directions and a tentative schedule will be sent to your home address in May; however, if you include your email address on the registration form, we can notify you as soon as we receive your form. If you have questions, please call Bill Scott, 919/807-3842, or Linda Patch, 919/807-3841.

Mathematics Item Writers Needed

NCSU TOPS’ ClassScape is still seeking item writers for Grades 5 and 8 mathematics. ClassScape is an online formative assessment system designed to enhance student learning by allowing teachers to monitor student performance on academic indicators set forth by the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and Grade Level Competencies. This project is a collaborative effort between NC State University's Center for Urban Affairs and Community Services and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. ClassScape is specifically seeking retired teachers or teachers who are not teaching for the public school system this year. For more information about the program and about item writing for the program, please visit http://classscape.ncsu.edu.

Teacher Fellowship Program Opportunity

The Oklahoma City National Memorial&Museum is beginning a Teacher Fellowship Program this year that will enable them to bring 15-18 teachers from across the United States to the Memorial in June for a workshop. Travel, food and lodging expenses will be paid by the Museum. Applications to attend the program must be postmarked by Feb. 28. For more information, including an application to attend, please visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial&Museum Web site at www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org then click on the Education link at the top of the page then on the Teacher Fellowship Program link.

Schools as Centers of Community: A National Search for Excellence 2005

The Council of Chief State School Officers is a proud partner in KnowledgeWorks Foundation's 2005 Schools as Centers of Community: A National Search for Excellence. Each year. KnowledgeWorks Foundation and its partners search across the country for excellent schools that successfully model the growing trend to build schools as centers of community. The top selected school, chosen by a panel of national experts, receives the "Richard W. Riley Award for Excellence" and a $5,000 grant. The panel also selects several schools with innovative design elements and initiatives to be members of the "Schools as Centers of Community Honor Society" and be part of the National Search Web site. Submissions will be accepted from March 1 - June 24. For details, visit the National Search Web site at http://www.nationalschoolsearch.org

Kohl's Kids Who Care Program

Kohl's is now accepting nominations to recognize and reward outstanding young people, ages six through 18, for their community service. Kohl's will accept nominations through March 15. The young volunteers will be recognized at three levels: local, regional and national. Completed nominations forms may be returned to any participating Kohl's customer service desk, or mailed to a participating Kohl's store. For additional information, including nomination forms, visit Kohl's corporate Web site at www.kohlscorporation.com