PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2007

MARCH 15, 2007 - Principals' Biweekly Message

When it comes to student safety, every day is a test day for you, your faculty and your students. The first requirement of successful schools is that students and educators are safe and secure, thereby freeing everyone to focus on learning. This week, especially, I hope you and your staff have been focused on safety through the tornado drill held yesterday and also by taking time to ensure that your school laboratories and other facilities store chemicals safely. (See item below.) The best time to think about these things is when nothing has gone wrong. Thanks for passing the test on safety!

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Principals' Message:

1. Check School Laboratories for Hazardous Chemicals
2. Pittman Receives Distinguished Service Award
3. Forums Scheduled on State of the NC Workforce
4. Elementary Educators' Association Announces Call for Proposals
5. The "Power of K" Day
6. NBPTS Assessment Center Tutorial
7. Scholarship Enables Military Students to Attend Space Camp
8. Instructions for Claiming Educator Expense Deduction

Check School Laboratories for Hazardous Chemicals

Principals are encouraged to check their school laboratories for hazardous chemicals that may pose potential harm to students or public school property. If you find material that has the potential to harm students or public school property, you may need to have a hazardous waste company remove it. Furthermore, DPI staff recommends that you keep all chemical storage areas locked. If you have questions about this, please email Ben Matthews, NCDPI School Support Services, at bmatthew@dpi.state.nc.us or call him at 919.807.3501.

Pittman Receives Distinguished Service Award

Congratulations to State Board of Education Community Liaison Marvin Pittman who recently received the 2006-07 C. Kenneth McEwin Distinguished Service Award at the 2007 NC Middle School Conference. This state award is presented to an individual who has had a significant long-term impact on the advancement of middle level education in North Carolina.

Forums Scheduled on State of the NC Workforce

On Feb. 28, the NC Commission on Workforce Development and the NC Dept. of Commerce released "State of the North Carolina Workforce: An Assessment of the State's Labor Force Demand and Supply, 2007-2017." A series of regional public forums have been scheduled to examine the report's policy issues and questions and to seek feedback as to how the state should respond to the findings in terms of future policy development and state-level action. The forums will be held as follows: March 26, 10 a.m., J.E. Broyhill Civic Center, Lenoir; March 27, 10 a.m., Coliseum Special Events Center, Greensboro; and March 28, 10 a.m., Global Transpark Education and Training Center, Kinston. There is no cost to register but they do request you respond via email to registration@ncccommerce.com to indicate your attendance as well as the forum you plan to attend. For more information, please contact Beth Lucas, NC Commission on Workforce Development, 919.715.4298.

Elementary Educators' Association Announces Call for Proposals

The North Carolina Association of Elementary Educators has announced a Call for Proposals for its Fourth Annual Elementary School Conference, "Leading the Way: Preparing Lifelong Learners." The conference will be held Oct. 8-9 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Conference Center, Research Triangle Park. Call for Proposals can be accessed at www.ncelementary.org. For more information, please contact Michelle Palmer Weaver via email at conferencechair@ncelementary.org.

The "Power of K" Day

As a result of a Zoomerang Survey of North Carolina teachers and administrators in November 2006, the NCDPI's Primary Team is partnering with the NC Association for the Education of Young Children to present "The Power of K" Day during its upcoming annual conference in Greensboro in September. The survey results found that the majority of responding educators were interested in attending a special Saturday Kindergarten track at this conference. The regular conference will begin on Friday, Sept. 14, and end with the "Power of K" Day on Saturday, Sept. 15. Other great kindergarten sessions will be offered during the regular session as well. For more information, please contact Eva Phillips, Primary Education K-2, NCDPI, 919.807.3850, or by email ephillip@dpi.state.nc.us.

NBPTS Assessment Center Tutorial

Principals are asked to inform their National Board candidate support providers and National Board candidates of the "new and improved" Assessment Center Tutorial now available on the NBPTS Web site at http://www.nbpts.org/for_candidates/assessment/prepare_for_your_appoint by clicking on the appropriate link. The tutorial helps prepare candidates for the assessment center testing experience by helping them become familiar with the testing software's "look and feel" and key features.

Scholarship Enables Military Students to Attend Space Camp

The Military Child Education Coalition has created a scholarship that enables 6-9th grade students of an active military parent to attend NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. Samuel Bezy, a 6th grade student from Camp LeJeune, received one of the scholarships last year. The U. S. Space Camp is a five-day program that shows students firsthand what it takes to be an astronaut. Activities include simulated Space Shuttle missions, training simulators, rocket building and launches, scientific experiments and lectures on past, present and future space exploration. The scholarship covers full tuition including meals, lodging, program materials and transportation. For more details including how to apply for a scholarship, please go online to www.spacecamp.com.

Instructions for Claiming Educator Expense Deduction

The Educator Expense Deduction reinstated by Congress is not included in this year's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) printed tax forms. This means that to claim the $250 deduction for out-of-pocket classroom expenses, educators will need to follow special instructions issued by the IRS - or to file their tax returns electronically, which the IRS recommends. The IRS has drawn up special instructions for claiming this credit, which are available online at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=165640,00.html.

 

If you'd like to review past Principals' Biweekly Messages sent to the listserv group, just go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/principalsarchive/