PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2006

MARCH 2, 2006

It must be frustrating to be an education researcher. So often research is done - and then ignored. Imagine how schools would look if we tried to embrace research findings to guide education decisions. For example, research shows that the best time to teach a student a second language is in the elementary and middle grades - and yet we typically wait for 6th grade at the earliest and then offer only a smattering of language instruction. Arts education has been demonstrated to contribute to the development of mathematics and other academic skills, yet few of our students receive regular or ongoing arts instruction. Physical activity contributes to learning, and we still resist taking time away from academic instruction to build time in the day for this. Students who combine a rigorous academic curriculum with career-technical education courses are more likely to be successful at the next level of education, and sometimes we are not supportive of students interested in this combination. This list is just a sample of the dichotomy between research and school operation. Some schools are finding ways to implement research findings, and if your school is one of them, I applaud your efforts and look forward to hearing of your successes.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Principals' Message:

1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2. NC Dropout Rate Decreases in 2004-05
3. March 12-18 is Severe Weather Awareness Week
4. Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference Reaches Capacity
5. NC Receives Adolescent Literacy Grant
6. Eight Principals Honored as Regional Principals of the Year
7. Middle Schools Recognized as "Schools to Watch"
8. Kaleidoscope: Teaching and Learning Through a Global Lens
9. Tax Deduction Helps Offset Classroom Costs
10. Math/Science Grants Target Northeast School Districts
11. PEP Application Announcement to be Published on March 1
12. Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Service to the Community
13. Nickelodeon Announces Giveaway Program to Encourage Healthy Play
14. Article of Interest

State Board Meeting Highlights

At its Board meeting this week, members approved middle and high school mathematics recommendations, recommended academic achievement cut scores for the NC Tests of Computer Skills and achievement level descriptors for state assessments. Board members heard a presentation on the state's science programs during its Issues Session and received the 2004-05 Dropout Data Event Report and Annual Study of Suspensions and Expulsions. Complete Board Highlights will be available online by Tuesday afternoon at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights by clicking on the appropriate link. ;

NC Dropout Rate Decreases in 2004-05

In the 2004-05 school year, approximately one out of every 20 North Carolina high school students dropped out of school according to the Annual Dropout Event Report presented to the State Board of Education this morning. This equates to an annual high school dropout rate of 4.7 percent. More than 20,000 dropout events were recorded in North Carolina in grades nine through 12. Although dropout rates and numbers have remained fairly steady over the last several years, there have been some indications of improvement. While the dropout rates for American Indians, Hispanics and blacks, respectively, were higher than for the overall average for the state, the dropout event rates for all ethnic minority groups declined. The greatest decline in the dropout event rate was for black students, at nearly .4 percent. To read more, please go to the NCDPI Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under "News."

March 12-18 is Severe Weather Awareness Week

On Wednesday, March 15, at 9:15 a.m., the National Weather Service will issue a Required Weekly Test over the NOAA weather radio system. This will serve as a signal for school administrators to begin their tornado drill. The drill will conclude when participants complete their drill activities. No all-clear message will be issued. If there is any possibility of foul weather on March 16, the drill will be held on Friday, March 17.

Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference Reaches Capacity

Registration for the Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference X scheduled for March 27-29 at the Sheraton Four Seasons/Koury Convention Center in Greensboro is at capacity. The conference has a limit of 3,500 registrants. If employees from your school sent their registration after it closed, they should 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. If you should have any questions, please contact Angela Hopson, Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Section, NCDPI, 919/807-3609, or by email, ahopson@dpi.state.nc.us.

NC Receives Adolescent Literacy Grant

Gov. Mike Easley earlier this month announced that North Carolina has received a $50,000 grant from the National Governor's Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices to develop a plan to improve adolescent literacy in the state. The NGA awarded grants to eight states as a part of its Reading to Achieve initiative. The Office of the Governor and the NC Department of Public Instruction submitted a joint application for the one-year grant in January and will use grant funds to develop a K-12 literacy policy and action plan for North Carolina. Components of this plan will include establishing a NC Literacy leadership committee, reviewing the state's current literacy assessment tools, conducting roundtable focus groups for teachers via video conference and launching a public information campaign to increase awareness and support for adolescent literacy issues. For more information, please contact Esther Dunnegan, Division of Secondary Education, NCDPI, 919/807-3834, or by email, edunnega@dpi.state.nc.us.

Eight Principals Honored as Regional Principals of the Year

Congratulations to the following eight principals who were recently selected to represent their regions as regional Principals of the Year: West Region: Judd Porter, Asheville High, Asheville City Schools; Northwest Region: Jack Leonard, Walter R. Johnson Middle, Burke County Schools; Southwest Region: Marian Yates, South Mecklenburg High, Charlotte/Mecklenburg Schools; Piedmont-Triad/Central Region: Carol Younger, South Graham Elementary, Alamance-Burlington Schools; Sandhills/South Central Region: Conrad Lopes, Jack Britt High, Cumberland County Schools; North Central Region: Chris Blice, Louisburg High, Franklin County Schools; Northeast Region: Allison Sholar, First Flight High, Dare County Schools; and Southeast Region: Meghan Sweeney Doyle, Hunters Creek Middle, Onslow County Schools. In recognition of their selection, each received $1,500 for their school and $1,500 for personal use. They will now compete for the title of 2006 Wachovia Principal of the Year. The recipient will be announced on April 6 in Raleigh at a state luncheon.

Middle Schools Recognized as "Schools to Watch"

Kudos to Alexander Graham Middle and Mint Hill Middle (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools), Seventy-First Classical Middle (Cumberland County Schools), South Brunswick Middle (Brunswick County Schools) and Walter Johnson Middle (Burke County Schools) for recently being named "Schools to Watch" as part of a national recognition program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. To read more about this program and these schools' selection, please go to the NC DPI Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under "News."

Kaleidoscope: Teaching and Learning Through a Global Lens

K-12 teachers of Dance, ESL, Foreign Language, Health Education, Music, Physical Education, Theatre Arts, and Visual Arts, in addition to Media Coordinators and Technology Facilitators may be interested in attending NCDPI's K-12 Programs Section's "KALEIDOSCOPE: Teaching and Learning through a Global Lens" Institute, on June 28-30, at the Brownstone Hotel, Raleigh. With the recent focus at the state, national and international levels on global education, this institute will help teachers understand and prepare their students to function in a global economy. For more information, including registration, please go online to http://community.learnnc.org/dpi/ or contact Helga Fasciano at hfascian@dpi.state.nc.us or 919.807.3865.

Tax Deduction Helps Offset Classroom Costs

Principals, teachers and other educators can deduct up to $250 spent last year to buy classroom supplies. The deduction can be claimed directly on Form 1040 or Form 1040A. In the past, these costs could be claimed only if they were included as miscellaneous itemized deductions on Schedule A. Even then, the expenses were useless unless they and all other allowable costs totaled at least 2 percent of the filer's adjusted gross income. The deduction is not limited to teachers. The Internal Revenue Service says you can take the deduction if, for the tax year, you were employed at a state-approved public school system as a teacher, instructor, counselor, principal or aide.

Math/Science Grants Target Northeast School Districts

Dominion (formerly North Carolina Power) is offering grants of up to $5,000 to encourage the development of new programs to strengthen K-12 math and/or science education in northeastern school districts. Proposals must align with one of four targeted areas: parental involvement, closing the gap, environmental education or mini grants (up to $1,000). Eligible school districts are located in Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Caswell, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, E dgecombe, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrell, Warren, Washington counties and the cities of Roanoke Rapids and Weldon. The deadline to apply is May 1. For additional information, including a grant application, please go online to http://www.dom.com/about/education/grants/grants.jsp or contact Cindy Balderson, Dominion, 804.771.3723, or by email, Cindy_Balderson@Dom.com.

PEP Application Announcement to be Published on March 1

The U.S. Department of Education's announcement inviting applications for new awards for Fiscal Year 2006 under the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) will be published in the March 1 Federal Register. The deadline for the application period is April 12. The Department expects to award approximately 58 grants at an average value of $300,000. The grants can be from one to three years in duration. Applications will be available beginning on March 1 and can be obtained online or from the Education Department Publications Center. To obtain an application package, please go online to http://www.ed.gov/programs/whitephysed/index.html or contact the Publications Center, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398 or call 877/433-7827. Reference the competition as CDFA Number 84.215F.

Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Service to the Community

The Hitachi Foundation presents the Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Service to the Community for graduating high school seniors on the basis of their community-service activities. The maximum award is $5,000. The nomination deadline is April 3. For more information, please go online to http://www.hitachifoundation.org/yoshiyama/index.html

Nickelodeon Announces Giveaway Program to Encourage Healthy Play

Nickelodeon will distribute more than $1 million from Sept. 2005 to June 2006. The "Let's Just Play" Giveaway offers kids around the United States the opportunity to take action and enter for a chance to improve their school or community program's fitness resources. The maximum award is $5,000. Students between the ages of 6-15 years can partner with teachers and other community-based leaders. The deadline to apply is May 31. For more information, please go online to http://www.nick.com/all_nick/everything_nick/

Article of Interest

The following article from the PEN Weekly NewsBlast may be of interest to public school principals. In "The Bully Problem, " Amy Wilson surveys the bullying research and looks at what schools have done recently to try to address bullying among their students. She explores the complexity of developing effective anti-bullying programs, but also identifies several principles and methods that distinguish the effective programs from the rest. To read the article in its entirety, please go online to http://peacecenter.berkeley.edu/FallWinter0506_Wilson.pdf