PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2007
PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2007AUGUST 16, 2007 - Principals' Biweekly Message
One of the challenges children of military personnel face during wartime is the fact that they must live with adults who are not their parents or guardians because their parents are deployed overseas. The General Assembly this year passed a new law that helps children facing this type of situation. In cases where a child is living with a non-parent or non-guardian because their parents/guardians are deployed, that child will not be required to pay tuition - even if they are attending public school out of the district where they ordinarily live with their parents or guardians. Additional details are spelled out in HB1357, Session Law 2007-283. I hope that you will identify students within your school who may fall under this law and make sure that no tuition is being charge for their attendance at your school. In addition, don't forget the resources available online (www.ncpublicschools.org/militarysupport/) to help you support military families and their students.
Regards,
June Atkinson
In this Biweekly Principals' Message:
Cut-Off Date for Kindergarten Changes in 2009-10
HB 150, Every Child Ready to Learn, was approved in this legislative session and moves the cut-off date for children to be old enough to start kindergarten. Beginning fall 2009 and thereafter, children must be five by Aug. 31 in order to begin kindergarten in that school year. For fall 2007 and fall 2008, the cut-off date remains Oct. 16.
Tobacco Free Schools
Session Law 2007-238: Tobacco Free Schools requires all local boards of education to adopt, implement, and enforce a written policy that prohibits use of all tobacco products by any person in public school buildings, on public school campuses, and in or on any other school property owned or operated by the district. The policy also prohibits use of all tobacco products by persons attending school-sponsored events at other locations when students or school personnel are present. The North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission has been directed to provide assistance to local boards of education in implementing this policy that must be in place no later than August 1, 2008.
NCVPS Update
Registration for fall courses is open. ALL students registering will need to contact their high school and register through the school's NCVPS Distance Learning Advisor. They cannot do so directly. Qualified middle school students also are eligible to take NC Virtual courses. Any students who have previously registered, but not been approved, will need to be approved by the NCVPS Advisor. Those already approved have been transferred to the new system. Please ensure you have designated the appropriate person.
- School districts will be responsible for procuring any textbooks and materials needed for a course offered by the NCVPS.
- On August 15 from 2-4 p.m., a videoconference will be presented by the NCVPS to provide registration and operational information to district and school level personnel. Information on this is on our Web site.
- The fall course catalog has been revised and has been reduced from the initial announcement. A few additional courses may be added this week. Districts that are in need of courses not in our fall catalog will be provided options through other providers. Those procedures are being developed.
- The school district will be responsible for scheduling and delivering EOC and CTE tests and sending a copy of those scores to NCVPS.
- Each district participating in NCVPS courses will be required to sign a revised Memorandum of Agreement, which is being developed to align with our new policies.
- A Student/Parent Handbook will be available that contains guidelines for academic integrity, grading and reporting as well as Acceptable Use Policies.
- All district and school-level Distance Learning Advisors should familiarize themselves with the registration process as well as our Operational Guidelines. Information on these will be available on our Web site and through direct email.
- Summer school grades will be sent to the school Distance Learning Advisors no later than Thursday via secure email.
Learn and Earn Online Reminder
The Learn and Earn Online Web site (www.ncpublicschools.org/learnandearnonline) provides the information that high school students and guidance counselors need in order to take advantage of this no-cost college opportunity for students. As high school students return for the 2007-08 school year, please encourage qualified students to consider taking a Learn and Earn Online course. Plenty of spaces are still available at both UNC-Gi and the participating community colleges.
School Bus Safety Poster Contest Winners Announced
Congratulations to Parker Greene a student at Cleveland Elementary (Rowan County); Estela Garcia, a student at Spring Creek Elementary (Wayne County Schools); Christopher Smith, a student at Eastern Wayne Middle (Wayne County Schools); and Zoe Silvey, a student at Ira B. Jones Elementary (Asheville City for winning top honors in North Carolina's 2007 National School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest, "Stop on Red, Kids Ahead." As first place winners, each received a $50 savings bond sponsored by the Governor's Highway Safety Program and had their posters featured, along with other category winners, on the School Bus Safety Web site at http://www.ncbussafety.org.
Calling all Kindergarten Educators
NCDPI's Elementary Division/Primary Team is collaborating with the North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children Organization to offer a special track, "The Power of K," at their upcoming annual conference at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro on Saturday, Sept. 15. This day will be especially geared to kindergarten teachers, kindergarten assistants, curriculum supervisors, and others who work with some of our youngest students. Please encourage your kindergarten educators to attend this special session. You will find detailed information on the organization's Web site at www.ncaeyc.org. If you have additional questions, please contact Eva C. Phillips, NCDPI, 919.807.3850 or by email, ephillip@dpi.state.nc.us.
LEARN NC Offers Teachers Professional Development Opportunity
Principals, please inform appropriate teachers in your school of this professional development opportunity. Teachers can explore the future of history with free online professional development classes from LEARN NC. "American Indians in North Carolina" and "African American History to 1950" are enrolling now, with courses beginning Aug. 27. Teachers will analyze primary sources through engaging activities and create lesson plans for their classroom, all with the flexibility of an online course. For more information, please visit www.learnnc.org/courses or contact Bill Ferris at bferris@learnnc.org.
If you'd like to review past Principals' Biweekly Messages sent to the listserv group, just go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/principalsarchive/