PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2008

DECEMBER 19, 2008 - Principals' Biweekly Message

I know that it is a time of anticipation and excitement in your schools with the winter holidays approaching and a school break in sight. I hope you enjoy the energy and excitement of the students around you – even as hectic as it may be. Thank you for your work with students and teachers every day. Their success makes such a difference for North Carolina, and your role in leading them is incredibly important. I hope you have a peaceful and joyful holiday season.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Principals' Message:

1. State Board Highlights
2. Board Passes Policy Reaffirming Graduation Project
3. Accountability and Curriculum Reform Effort (ACRE): Essential Standards Update
4. North Carolina Continues National Board Certification Momentum
5. Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Finalists Announced
6. 2007-08 Economic Educator of the Year Announced

State Board Highlights

At this month's Board meeting, members approved recommended interim cut scores and achievement level descriptors for the NCEXTEND1 alternate assessments in reading and mathematics, the final cut scores and achievement level descriptors for the NCCLAS reading and mathematics grade 3 pretest and final cut scores and achievement level descriptors for the North Carolina reading grade 3 pretest. They also approved the addition of middle grades literacy coach as a license area, a proposed framework for North Carolina Board Certification for principals, and proposed standards for the evaluation of school counselors and school social workers. Board members discussed possible funding formulas for the North Carolina Virtual Public School and allowing retest results in the calculation of performance composites for the ABCs. Complete Board highlights are available online lat www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights.

Board Passes Policy Reaffirming Graduation Project

At their December State Board meeting, members approved a revision of State Board Policy HSP-N-003 and a new additional policy, HSP-N-009. Together, these policies clarify the intent of the State Board of Education in regard to graduation requirements and The North Carolina Graduation Project. The action reaffirms the State Board's intent that The North Carolina Graduation Project shall be implemented in high schools across the state in accordance with the philosophy, rubrics, procedures and guidelines as described in The North Carolina Graduation Project Implementation Guide. For more information, please contact Bryar Cougle at tcougle@dpi.state.nc.us or by phone at 919.807.3855.

Accountability and Curriculum Reform Effort (ACRE): Essential Standards Update

Earlier in 2008 following extensive input from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Testing and Accountability, the State Board of Education crafted its "Framework for Change" - 27 recommendations to dramatically change the scope of the Standard Course of Study and assessments and testing.

Developing a next generation of standards for all K-12 content areas is central to this work. The essential standards will be those skills, understandings and learning experiences that a student must master at each grade level to move to the next level. Essential standards are the "must have" goals of the curriculum and will help teachers focus on the higher-order knowledge and skills that all students should master. This should resolve the "inch-deep and mile-wide" concern about North Carolina's current Standard Course of Study and ensure that every student learns essential content and skills critical for the 21st century.

Following is a status update on Essential Standards development:

• Over the next five years, the NCDPI will have new curriculum standards, new tests and a new accountability model.
• Standards' writing committees are being convened for first wave content areas (K-12 Math, K-12 Science, K-12 Computer/Media Literacy, English 10, and Occupational Course of Study).
• Invitations to teachers, curriculum specialists, higher education and diverse DPI staff to participate on writing content committees have been extended.
• A Zoomerang survey will be sent via department listserv to receive initial feedback on the development of essential standards.
• Dr. Lorin Anderson conducted training in December with DPI staff on "Revised Bloom's Taxonomy" and the standards writing process.
• Online collaborative tools are developed for first wave content areas to disseminate information and gather feedback from the field, stakeholders and experts.
• An ACRE Web site is being developed as a mechanism for effective communication and transparency regarding the Essential Standards development process.

North Carolina Continues National Board Certification Momentum

North Carolina continues its momentum of leading the nation in the number of National Board Certified teachers as another 1,453 public school teachers celebrate achieving their profession's highest credential. This newest batch of credentialed teachers brings the state's total number of National Board Certified teachers to 14,211. The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) released its 2008 certification on Tuesday. In addition, four North Carolina public school districts placed in the Top 20 districts nationally for the total number of national board certified teachers: Wake County Public Schools is second with 1,487, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools is fourth with 1,211, Guilford County Public Schools is 11th with 520 and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Schools is 18th with 384. Nationwide, 9,600 teachers and counselors became National Board Certified, bringing the national total to 73,477. North Carolina accounts for almost one-fifth of the nation's nationally certified teachers. Florida is the next closest state with 12,670 followed by South Carolina (6, 498), California (4,240) and Illinois (3,191).

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Finalists Announced

The National Science Foundation has announced the 2008 North Carolina finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching:

K-6 Mathematics Teaching finalists:

• Kathleen Conroy, Providence Spring Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
• Rosemary Klein, Bailey Middle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
• Tracy Thomas, Meadow Lane Elementary, Wayne County Public Schools

K-6 Science Teaching finalists:

• Sarah Klingler, Jay M. Robinson Middle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
• Scott Reynolds, TIF-LEAP Initiative (formerly of Winterfield Elementary School), Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
• Carol Swink Wooten, Hunter Gifted & Talented Magnet Elementary, Wake County Schools

These educators will be recognized at an awards reception in December. They are now in competition for the state awards to be determined by a national select committee on behalf of the White House and the National Science Foundation. The state winners receive a $10,000 award and a week in Washington, DC to attend recognition events for themselves and a guest.

2007-08 Economic Educator of the Year Announced

Congratulations to Hibriten High School (Caldwell County) teacher John Spicer for recently being named the 2007-08 Economic Educator of the Year. Also honored were two additional finalists, Melinda Fornes of Cedar Ridge High School (Orange County) and Paul Ericson of Pinecrest High School (Moore County). The competition honoring outstanding high school educators of economic and financial literacy is conducted by the North Carolina Council on Economic Education and sponsored by the BB&T Charitable Foundation. Spicer was presented a $5,000 cash award from BB&T and Fornes and Ericson were presented with $1,500 cash awards.

 

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