PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2005

MARCH 17, 2005

As the traditional school year nears the end of the third quarter, many PTAs, PTOs and others are planning activities to honor and recognize teachers for their work throughout the year. One wonderful way to honor teachers is to support DonorsChoose (www.donorschoosenc.org). This Web-based charity allows teachers to list specific classroom project needs that they have and donors to choose projects to support. Donors also can make general contributions. I hope you'll encourage your school's teachers to sign up for support through DonorsChoose and to encourage parents and stakeholder groups to consider contributing to this effort. It's a great way to show teachers how much we all are interested in their classroom success.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Principals' Message:

1. Greetings from 2004 NC Wachovia Principal of the Year
2. Senior Project Training
3. Best Practices Needed for Providing Planning Opportunities
4. NC WISE Users Survey Online
5. Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference IX Update
6. Accountability Services Launches Redesigned Web Site
7. 100% Tobacco Free Schools Leadership Forums
8. NCARE Schedules Annual Meeting
9. Preserve America - K-12 History Teacher of the Year Award

Greetings from 2004 NC Wachovia Principal of the Year

Over the last couple of weeks, I have traveled to several regions of the state as part of the 2005 principal-of-the-year selection process. It has been so exciting to visit the schools of our regional winners. If a citizen has any doubt regarding the state of North Carolina public education, he or she needs only to visit our many wonderful schools and experience the innovative teaching, quality learning and unique remediation and acceleration programs. We can be proud of the accomplishments that have been made, and from what I've seen in my travels, there is only sunshine ahead as we move forward toward our quest of making North Carolina the number one education state in America. It's hard to believe the school year is about three-fourths over! I encourage everyone to buckle down, pull up your boot straps, and push hard to the end as we work toward our goal of having every single one of our students experience success. A final thought as you and your teachers work to find ways to reach each child - "If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." (-anonymous) -- John R. Black, 2004 Wachovia Principal of the Year and Principal of Longview Elementary

Senior Project Training

The State Board of Education will once again sponsor scholarships for teams from 20 North Carolina public schools or LEAs to attend the upcoming Annual Senior Project Training (June 22-24) sponsored by the Partnership for Dynamic Learning. This year's training will be held at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel in Asheville. The hotel's room rate is $119 per night for single or double occupancy. Hotel reservations must be made by May 21. The Board's scholarships will be for $1,000 each to support the cost of participating in the workshops. Information regarding training and registration can be found online at www.seniorproject.net. Registration forms for the scholarship can be obtained by calling or emailing Jane Worsham, Executive Director of the State Board of Education, at 919/807-3400, or jworsham@dpi.state.nc.us. Use the registration form on the senior project Web site to register for the training. The deadline for applying to SERVE and the SBE is June 1. Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come first-serve basis.

Best Practices Needed for Providing Planning Opportunities

The Governor has included a special provision in his budget requiring a study of elementary schools' best practices for providing teachers five hours of planning per week. The Professional Teaching Standards Commission is coordinating this study. Please contact Eleanor Goettee, Executive Director, at 919/807-3424, or by email, egoettee@dpi.state.nc.us, by April 15 if your school has this practice in place.

NC WISE Users Survey Online

If you are a principal in a school system that is using NC WISE, please take the NC WISE Users Survey. The 2005 NC WISE survey is online at http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB2246948DRPQ. NC WISE users at all levels in are encouraged to participate in this short, but important survey. Responses to survey will assist the NC WISE team in program development and future planning. All responses will remain confidential. The deadline to participate in the survey is Friday, March 25

Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference IX Update

Registration for the Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference IX scheduled for April 4-6 at the Sheraton Four Seasons/Koury Convention Center in Greensboro is at capacity. Currently, over 3,700 participants are registered. As a reminder, the following eight focus sessions are scheduled for Monday, April 4, from 1-4 p.m.: Cultural Competence, Boys in Crisis, All Kinds of Minds, State of the South Report, Differentiation of Instruction, Disproportional Assignment to Special Education, History of African America Education and Strategies for Closing Gaps. If employees from your school sent their registration after it closed, they will be notified by their central office prior to the conference. Registration fees will be refunded under separate cover and should be received after the conference.

Accountability Services Launches Redesigned Web Site

A new "Accountability Services" Web site was launched last week. The new site is easier to use and includes new sections for parents and educators. "For Parents" is geared specifically to help parents understand the North Carolina Testing Program. It addresses testing for elementary students; middle school students; high school students; students with disabilities; and students identified as limited English proficient. It also includes information on No Child Left Behind and other resources for parents. "For Educators" is for teachers and public school administrators. It includes information on No Child Left Behind; the proposed high school exit standards; data and reports; and other documents that educators will find useful in implementing the North Carolina Testing Program. Other new features include "Data and Reports," which will allow you to search all testing and accountability reports for public schools from one location, and a staff directory. Visit and bookmark http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/ today!

100% Tobacco Free Schools Leadership Forums

The NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund, in collaboration with the NC Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch, is sponsoring a round of Tobacco Free School Leadership Forums. The forums are designed to help superintendents, school board members, principals, athletic directors and public health leaders learn more about adopting and enforcing a 100 percent tobacco free school policy. The two-hour sessions include lunch and networking time followed by an in-depth panel discussion by a superintendent, board member and high school principal from NC's 100 percent tobacco free school districts. There is no cost to attend. Dates and locations are as follows: March 23, Spruce Pine; April 4, Kenansville; and April 5, Winston-Salem. For more information, or to download a registration form, please go online to www.nctobaccofreeschools.com, or contact Suzanne DePalma, Tobacco Free Schools, 919/715-4409. Fax registration forms to Barbara Clark at 919/715-4410 or send them by email to Barbara.Clark@ncmail.net.

NCARE Schedules Annual Meeting

The North Carolina Association of Research in Education (NCARE) will hold its annual meeting on April 1 at the Center for School Leadership Development, Chapel Hill. The meeting will feature presentations of recent research, a keynote address and awards for outstanding papers. NCARE was established in 1974 to improve education across the state through research and evaluation. NCARE welcomes new members. Its current membership includes teachers, administrators, DPI staff, university faculty, and graduate students. To join, or to register for the annual meeting, please go online to http://education.uncc.edu/ncare/ and click on the appropriate link. Questions regarding the organization or its annual meeting can be directed to Belinda Black, Accountability Services, DPI, at 919/807-3827 or by email, bblack@dpi.state.nc.us,

Preserve America - K-12 History Teacher of the Year Award

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is pleased to announce the Preserve America History Teacher of the Year award, which honors outstanding teachers of American history. Preserve America is a White House initiative in cooperation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. One American history teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Territories, and Department of Defense schools will be selected. The American History Teacher of the Year from North Carolina will represent the state in the National Preserve America History Teacher of the Year competition. In 2004, Allen Guidry, an American History teacher at J.H. Rose High School (Pitt County Schools), was recognized as the state winner. Please consider nominating an outstanding K-12 American History teacher from your school. All applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. Friday, April 8. For more information on the application process, please go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/socialstudies/