PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2005

AUGUST 18, 2005

August is a busy month for you and your colleagues as a new school year gets underway. It also is a busy month at the state level. This month, the State Board approved the ABCs results. The outlook is positive that the General Assembly will act on the State Superintendent's election before September arrives. The state's ACT and SAT results will be released over the next two weeks. During this very busy time, I hope you will take a moment to reflect on the hopes and dreams that your students and their families have for the future. I wish you much success in helping your students to fulfill the hopes that their families have had for them since the start.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Principals' Message:

1. Alternate Assessment Update
2. Hispanic Achievement Conference
3. LEARN NC's Free Online Study Skills Course to be offered Monthly
4. Citizen-Soldier Program Offers Model Support
5. "Move More: North Carolina's Recommended Standards For Physical Activity In Schools" to be Released
6. Fourth Grade Educators Participate in Trek North Carolina
7. North Carolina Theatre Arts Educators Staff Development
8. America's Legislators Back to School Week
9. Dept. of Labor Sponsors Rider Safety Contest
10. LEARN NC's August Update Online

Alternative Assessment Update

Due to recent changes in federal regulations and impending decisions by the U.S. Department of Education, out-of-level assessment of students will not be permitted for reporting adequate yearly progress (AYP) results in participation or performance effective with the 2005-06 school year. As a result, the North Carolina Testing Program is in the process of developing a new alternate assessment system. To learn about the new alternate assessment system, read the August 3, 2005, memo from Mary Watson, Director of the Exceptional Children Division; Lou Fabrizio, Director of the Division of Accountability Services; and Jackie Colbert, Director of the Division of Elementary Education, that was sent to all Superintendents and Charter School Directors concerning the Alternate Assessment Changes in the North Carolina Testing Program 2005-06. It is available online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/accountability/ alternate_assessment_changes_2005_06_080305.pdf.

Hispanic Achievement Conference

Are you and your colleagues interested in methods and practices that help Hispanic students overcome barriers to academic success? If you are, mark your calendar for Oct. 20-21 when the Hispanic Achievement Conference 2005 will be held in Raleigh at the North Carolina State University McKimmon Center. The North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals sponsors this annual conference in partnership with the Department of Public Instruction and with corporate sponsorship from Nationwide Insurance, Nationwide Foundation, Progress Energy and BB&T. The conference is designed to serve as a forum to address issues impacting Hispanic students, to discuss best practices that are practical and applicable in a school environment and to increase the academic achievement of Hispanic students in North Carolina. Registration is $70 if received by Sept. 16. After that date, the registration fee is $85. Registration forms and conference agenda information are available at http://www.thencshp.org/conference2005.

LEARN NC's Free Online Study Skills Course to be offered Monthly

In view of the continuing interest in this college prep course, LEARN NC is pleased to be able to offer a session each month through this upcoming school year to help prepare high school students for the rigor of college-level work. The three-week Study Skills is an online course that teaches students how to develop and improve their time management, stress management, studying, reading, note taking, and test taking skills. This course was developed in partnership with the Department of Public Instruction's AP Incentive Grant Program. While largely self-guided, the course instructor is an experienced AP or college instructor who can help guide student discussions and prompt students to consider how effective study skills can result in a marked improvement in student achievement. This course would benefit any student interested in improving a variety of skills before entering college. Tuition, which is normally $100, will be waived for a maximum of 75 students per monthly session, on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they complete the course. Schools enrolling students must verify that the student will have access to a computer with Internet access, either at home or at school, to complete the course. More information is available on the LEARN NC homepage, www.learnnc.org.

Citizen-Soldier Program Offers Model Support

A national demonstration program to provide support for citizen-soldiers (National Guard and Reserve personnel) is housed at UNC-Chapel Hill with participation by NC State University, UNC-Charlotte, Fayetteville State University, East Carolina University and Duke University. North Carolina's participation in this program is especially important since the state has nearly 21,000 Guard and Reserve assigned to 137 troop units in 92 communities across the state. Reserve components make up about 38 percent of total military forces in the nation. The Citizen-Soldier Support Program is designed to mobilize communities and resources from government and non-governmental agencies to provide support for citizen-soldiers and their families, especially in times of deployment. Public schools can be an important part of this support by creating a supportive school climate for children of citizen-soldiers. The program is developing training materials for school personnel and other community resource personnel. For more information about how your school district can be involved, please visit www.RibbonsToReality.org or contact Gloria Harbin, 919.962.7369, gloria_harbin@unc.edu.

"Move More: North Carolina's Recommended Standards For Physical Activity In Schools" to be Released

The NC Department of Public Instruction, NC Division of Public Health, NC Healthy Schools and the NC Cooperative Extension Service invite educators to the release of "Move More: North Carolina's Recommended Standards For Physical Activity In Schools" on Friday, Aug. 26, from 11 a.m.-noon, Carroll Middle School, Raleigh. The Move More School Standards are designed for educators, parents, community leaders, industry representatives and policy makers to help create school environments that support physical activity. Following the public release, the Move More School Standards will be available online at www.EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com, www.NCPublicSchools.org and www.NCHealthySchools.org. For more information, please contact Jimmy Newkirk, NC Division of Public Health, DHHS, 919.715.3348, or by email, jimmy.newkirk@ncmail.net.

Fourth Grade Educators Participate in Trek North Carolina

Thirty fourth grade teachers from across the state participated in Trek North Carolina, a week-long traveling workshop designed to provide educators with an opportunity to study, observe and receive first-hand experience by visiting sites relevant to North Carolina's history, culture and geography from the pre-colonial to pre-Revolutionary period. Educators also participated in professional development sessions in the evening focusing on Teaching Historical Events from Multiple Perspectives, Using Technology to Teach Social Studies, and Bringing Geography to Life. The Department of Public Instruction's English Language Arts and Social Studies Section developed and administered this professional development opportunity. Additional information about Trek NC is available online at http://treknc.divastechnology.com/

North Carolina Theatre Arts Educators Staff Development

Principals are asked to let their teachers know about the North Carolina Theatre Arts Educators Eighth Annual Fall Sharing scheduled for Sept. 9-10 at Davis Drive Middle School, and Cary and Sanderson High Schools, Wake County. NCTAE is an organization created by and for K-12 theatre arts teachers to promote and enhance the teaching and learning of drama and theatre arts through mutual support that includes sharing information, ideas, and techniques; networking; studying with master teachers; celebrating successes; and confronting challenges. For more information, please visit the NCTAE Web site at http://www.nctae.org/fallsharing.html

America's Legislators Back to School Week

America's Legislators Back to School Week, sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures, will be held Sept. 19-23. Educators are encouraged to extend invitations to their local representatives to visit and talk with students about the legislative process and what it's like to be a member of the House of Representatives. Classroom discussions are being encouraged over school-wide assemblies. For more information, please contact Diane Emerson, NC House of Representatives Coordinator, 919.715.0754, or by email, dianee@ncleg.net.

Dept. of Labor Sponsors Rider Safety Contest

The N.C. Department of Labor is sponsoring a coloring contest for elementary school students as part of its campaign to keep riders safe at local fairs. Twelve students will win a $50 gift certificate to Toys 'R' Us and have their winning entries posted on the Labor Department's Web site. For complete contest information, please go online to http://www.nclabor.com/. Contest entries will be accepted from Aug. 15-Oct. 23.

LEARN NC's August Update Online

LEARN NC's August update addresses new K-12 online courses offered through the NCDPI, Science Under the Sea: Philippe Cousteau Live from Aquarius, The First Year: Support for Beginning Teachers, a free online course addressing AP and College Study Skills, and online CEU courses open for enrollment. Read about these initiatives and more by going to the LEARN NC Web site at www.learnnc.org.