PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2008
PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2008NOVEMBER 6, 2008 - Principals' Biweekly Message
As all of you know, the State Board of Education received the 2007-08 ABCs/AYP statewide report today. This year's results mark the first time that we have reflected new reading standards as well as the new math standards set in 2006. I know that it is difficult when your performance numbers do not look the way you would like for them to look. I assure you that in presenting this information to news media and other partners State Board of Education Chairman Howard Lee and I underscored the fact that the standards have changed and that we are confident our students will rise to this challenge in future years. Your school district testing coordinators have access to information that will show you how your school's reading scores would have looked under the prior standard. This shows that our students are still learning to read but that our expectations have increased. The complete 2008 ABCs/AYP report is available online at http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org/abcs/.
Regards,
June Atkinson
In this Biweekly Principals' Message:
- State Board Meeting Highlights
- Message from the 2008 Wachovia North Carolina Principal of the Year
- Personal Financial Literacy Teacher Survey
- Johnston County Teacher Receives "Oscar of Teaching"
- 2008 Alexander Hamilton Citizenship Achievement Award Recipient Named
- Students Receive AP (Advanced Placement) Scholar Award
- Statewide Conference Addresses the Arts in 21st Century Learning
- NCDPI Arts Education Listserv
- LEARN NC Offers Online Course
- NCSHP Sponsors Workshops
State Board Meeting Highlights
At today's Board meeting, members approved the 2007-08 ABCs/AYP statewide report, high school exit documents, definitions for the Teacher Evaluation Instrument Performance Rating Scale, their 2009-2011 Biennial Budget request and Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities. Board members discussed allowing retest results in the calculation of performance composites for the ABCs, proposed revisions to the non-teaching work experience and graduate pay policies, the proposed framework for North Carolina Board Certification for principals, and the Annual Report on the Reasons Teachers Leave (formerly known as the Teacher Turnover Report). Complete highlights of the Board's meeting will be posted online late next week at www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights.
Message from the 2008 Wachovia North Carolina Principal of the Year
I hope your school year has gotten off to a great start. I am enjoying
my stint as an advisor to the State Board of Education and invite you to
share any items with me that you would like communicated to the members
of the Board. While observing my Bible teacher, he asked his students
what they considered the greatest fear of their fellow students to be.
I expected them to say, "peer pressure" or "failing" Instead,
they responded, "going home." I did not expect that answer. His
students felt that the greatest fear of the students in our school was
going home each day. Consequently, this incident serves as a reminder to
me that for many of our students, school is their safe haven; a place
where they are cared for, protected and loved. It reminds me of the
enormous responsibility we have as educators to make personal
connections with our students and to help every student meet with
success. Every student is at risk. Students should not be judged…just
loved and challenged, and encouraged. Sometimes we have to look behind
the mask of hurt. Some have deep emotional scars and we have to gain
their trust and win their hearts before achievement can occur.
Debra
Morris,
2008 Wachovia North Carolina Principal of the Year and Principal
of A.L. Brown High School, Kannapolis City Schools
Personal Financial Literacy Teacher Survey
During the 2007-08 school year, the NCDPI included Personal Financial Literacy (PFL) instruction in Civics and Economics courses. It is the intent of the Personal Financial Literacy initiatives to change attitudes and behavior of students, not to test knowledge. In order to expand this program and make it as effective as possible for teachers and for students, DPI staff would like for teachers to provide feedback on last year's initiatives. Civics and Economics teachers and Social Studies Department Chairpersons are asked to complete this survey, which is available online at www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228CCRVA4UL, along with additional information about Personal Financial Literacy. The survey will be available through Nov. 24. Questions regarding the survey should be directed to Esther Dunnegan at edunnegan@dpi.state.nc.us. Principals are asked to encourage their Civics and Economics teachers to complete this survey.
Johnston County Teacher Receives "Oscar of Teaching"
Bryan Holley, a fourth grade teacher at Corinth- Holders Elementary School (Johnston County Public Schools), was recently named North Carolina's 2008 Milken Family Foundation National Educator award recipient. Holley is among the nation's approximately 80 most recent recipients of this award, which carries with it an unrestricted financial award of $25,000. Holley is the only North Carolina educator to receive the award this year. To read more, please go to the NCDPI Web site at www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under "News."
2008 Alexander Hamilton Citizenship Achievement Award Recipient
Named
Congratulations to Plymouth High School (Washington County Schools) senior Warche Downing who recently received the 2008 Alexander Hamilton Citizenship Achievement Award. Downing will receive a cash scholarship award, commemorative certificate and an autographed copy of "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow.
Students Receive AP (Advanced Placement) Scholar Award
Congratulations to Enloe High School (Wake County Schools) student Vivek Bhattacharya and C. E. Jordan High School (Durham Public Schools) student Shivani Sud on their recent receipt of the AP Scholar Award in recognition of their exemplary college-level achievement on Advanced Placement program examinations. This academic distinction is given annually to the one male and one female student in each state who have earned grades of 3 or higher on the greatest number of AP exams, and then the highest average grade (at least 3.5) on all AP exams taken.
Statewide Conference Addresses the Arts in 21st Century Learning
Registration is now open for the State of the Arts conference scheduled for March 5-7 at Meredith College, Raleigh. Please visit http://www.unitedarts.org or contact stateofthearts@unitedarts.org for additional information about this collaborative conference addressing imagination, creativity and innovation in educating children for their future.
NCDPI Arts Education Listserv
Join the NCDPI arts education listserv to stay informed about policy, legislation, professional development, student opportunities, funding, resources and other relevant information for dance, music, theatre arts and visual arts educators, administrators and other interested parties in the state of North Carolina. Send a message to clynch@dpi.state.nc.us or mcarter@dpi.state.nc.us and request membership to receive these weekly updates.
LEARN NC Offers Online Course
Too often, students don't understand the rich historical background of African American history or the legacies of the movement in the more recent past. They often know the major civil rights figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. or Rosa Parks, but they don't grasp the complexities of civil rights leadership, or the experience of the students in SNCC, the freedom riders, or the everyday people who marched, boycotted, protested and volunteered t o make the movement happen. This course will explore the movement from all of these perspectives using, where possible, first- hand accounts from the people who lived this important history. The Civil Rights Movement in Context begins Dec. 2 and is worth 3 CEUs. There is a $225 registration fee. For a full course description or to register, please visit http://www.learnnc.org/courses/current/civrightscontext_12_08_Walbert
NCSHP Sponsors Workshops
The North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals (NCSHP) is sponsoring the following workshops:
- Response to Intervention and English Language Learners, Dec. 11, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., McKimmon Center, Raleigh. $75 registration fee (includes lunch and materials)
- K-8 Program Design for English Language Learners, Dec. 12, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., McKimmon Center, Raleigh. $50 registration fee (includes breaks and materials)
If you'd like to review past Principals' Biweekly Messages sent to the listserv
group, just go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/principalsarchive/.