PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2006

JUNE 1, 2006

If you need an additional tool for understanding or communicating about the delay in reporting the 2006 end-of-grade mathematics scores, a short video clip is on the Department of Public Instruction's Web site at www.ncpublicschools.org under Highlights. This informal clip is designed to give you one more format to explain the new mathematics assessments, their impact on the timeline for releasing scores and also how principals and teachers will still have key information they need to make placement decisions for the 2006-07 school year. I want to say a special thanks to Daniels Middle School (Wake County) Principal Stephen Mares for sharing his perspective based on his experience as both an elementary and middle school principal. A special thanks also should go to Savon Willard, principal at Salem Elementary School (Wake County) for providing access to her classrooms and teachers.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Principals' Message:

1. State Board Holds Planning Retreat/June Meeting
2. 2006 Teacher Working Conditions Survey Results Announced
3. Summer Leadership Conference 2006
4. Grant to Continue High School Reform Efforts
5. UNC-G Receives Planning Grant to Create State's First Virtual Learn and Earn High School
6. Call for Proposals' Deadline Extended
7. Submit Your Activity Plans and Help Fight Childhood Obesity
8. OPEN/net Features High School Reform

State Board Holds Planning Retreat/June Meeting

State Board Holds Planning Retreat/June Meeting - The State Board of Education held a planning retreat Tuesday evening and Wednesday to discuss 21st century learning and North Carolina public schools. This discussion provided Board members time to consider priorities that should be used to flesh out the conceptual framework they approved in May. At their regular monthly board meeting today, members received a presentation on the turnaround plan for low-performing high schools, approved 44 supplemental education service providers for 2006-07 and a revision to the school counselor job description and discussed licensing requirements for international teachers. The full agenda will be available online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights/ by Tuesday afternoon by clicking on the appropriate link.

2006 Teacher Working Conditions Survey Results Announced

2006 Teacher Working Conditions Survey Results Announced - Gov. Mike Easley today announced that individual school and district results for the 2006 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey are now available online at www.northcarolinatwc.org. With more than 75,600 teachers and administrators from across the state participating, North Carolina achieved its highest statewide response rate since the first survey was given in 2002. Eighty-five percent of North Carolina schools achieved at least a 40 percent response, which is required for an individual school to have valid data to use in improvement planning. The primary concern for teachers is the time they need to do their jobs well. Many teachers reported this as the most important factor in promoting student learning, yet it was the area with the lowest satisfaction level. Teachers also view school leadership as an essential element of school success and teacher retention.

Summer Leadership Conference 2006

Summer Leadership Conference 2006 - There are still a few openings for the 2006 Summer Leadership Conference to be held June 25-28 at the Grove Park Inn, Asheville. The registration deadline has been extended to June 16 to accommodate those who still need to register. Registration information can be obtained online at www.wresa.org or by calling 828/418-0011, ext. 122.

Grant to Continue High School Reform Efforts

Grant to Continue High School Reform Efforts - Last week, North Carolina received a $10.4 million grant from the Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation to expand the state¹s high school reform efforts. This grant is in addition to the original $11 million investment made by the foundation in August 2003, which is being used to develop new, smaller high schools in North Carolina. Nine million dollars of the grant will be used to plan and open additional redesigned high schools as part of the N.C. New Schools Project, which focuses on the creation of small, economic-development themed high schools. The new schools will emphasize innovative instructional practices and strong student support to better prepare students for college and skilled careers. The remaining $1.4 million will support the development of additional Learn and Earn early college high schools. Learn and Earn schools provide students with an opportunity to graduate in five years with a high school diploma and either an associate¹s degree or two years of college credit.

UNC-G Receives Planning Grant to Create State¹s First Virtual Learn and Earn High School

UNC-G Receives Planning Grant to Create State's First Virtual Learn and Earn High School - Gov. Easley recently awarded UNC-Greensboro's "School" a $40,000 planning grant for the creation of the state's first virtual Learn and Earn early college high school. UNC-Greensboro's "School" provides high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to take college courses online or in classrooms at their high school campuses and receive both high school and college credit. This school year, 888 students from 21 high schools were enrolled in 1,752 iSchool courses, and 92 percent of students reported that they successfully transferred the online courses for college credit.

Call for Proposals' Deadline Extended

Call for Proposals' Deadline Extended - The N.C. Association of Elementary Educators has extended its deadline for Call for Proposals for its Third Annual Elementary Conference: Leading the Way to June 23. Please visit www.ncelementary.org for more information or contact Michelle Palmer Weaver via email at mweaver@dpi.state.nc.us

Submit Your Activity Plans and Help Fight Childhood Obesity

Submit Your Activity Plans and Help Fight Childhood Obesity - The American Heart Association and the National Football League are joining forces to inspire and motivate adolescents to become more physically active by sponsoring a "For Teacher, By Teacher" Activity Plan Contest. Thirty teachers who submit winning activity plans targeted at children in the 6th-8th grades will be recognized and receive $250. Their activity plans also will be shared with middle grades teachers across the country. Teachers who have creative and fun ideas that integrate physical activity into an adolescent's school day (not just physical education classes!) will want to check out the contest guidelines and submission procedures available online at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3039422. The deadline to submit your plans is June 26.

OPEN/net Features High School Reform

OPEN/net Features High School Reform - Watch "Parents and Schools" on OPEN/net on Tuesday, June 6, from 8-9 p.m., to learn more about High School Reform and the New Schools Project in North Carolina. Dr. Charles Coble hosts the Parents&Schools series and joining him for this program will be: Executive Director of the New Schools Project Tony Habit, Deputy Superintendent of the NC Department of Public Instruction Janice Davis and Principal of South Granville School of Health&Life Sciences Catherine Brooks. You can send in your questions and comments by email to open@ncmail.net or call toll free 1-888-228-6736. To locate your local cable channel that carries OPEN/net, please go online to www.ncapt.tv/local.htm. OPEN/net is also available on the Internet at www.ncapt.tv.