PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2009
PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2009JUNE 4, 2009 - Principals' Biweekly Message
The memo that Bill Harrison and I sent you by email a week ago had a great deal of information about how North Carolina's public school budget is funded and what it would take to reach the kind of budget cuts that it will take to balance our budget without new revenues. Reaching $1 billion is a goal that is hard to visualize. Two other examples that might be helpful are: eliminating 20,000 teachers would equal $1 billion. Decreasing every public school employee's pay by 6.8 percent (or about three pay steps for teachers) would generate $1 billion. Obviously, I'm not advocating either idea as a way to fill in the budget hole, but I do think it drives home how large this financial difficulty is. Please continue to speak with your legislators, and let them know that you understand their difficulties but that you also know how important public schooling is for the future of North Carolina. Our public schools need to remain at the top of the agenda.
Regards,
June Atkinson
In this Biweekly Principals' Message:
State Board Meeting Highlights
At today's Board meeting, members approved considerations for high school social studies courses taken in middle school, proposed grading policy revision and course for credit issues, construction education programs certification and credentials, and Even Start Family Literacy Program and Equipment Assistance grants. Members discussed aligning the Academic Scholars Program with the Future-Ready Core and national and international standards, plans and implications for releasing test forms to the public, the Supplemental Educational Services Evaluation Report, and Academically or Intellectually Gifted Program standards. Complete Board highlights will be posted online at www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/highlights/ late this week.
Feedback on Essential Standards Coming to a Close
Principals are reminded that drafts of Essential Standards for English 10, Science K-12, Math K-12, Information Skills, and Occupational Course of Study are available online for review and feedback. Just go to www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under Highlights. The feedback window closes June 15.
May Edition of the NC NCLB Newsletter Online
The May edition of the NC NCLB Newsletter is available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb . This edition features information on Title I applications, ARRA funding, waiver opportunities, new regulations, AYP calculations and release dates for 2008-09, Supplemental Educational Services and public school choice, and much more.
Beverly Woods Elementary is National School of Character
Congratulations to Beverley Woods Elementary (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools) for being chosen as a 2009 National School of Character. They are one of 10 schools to be selected for this honor by The Character Education Partnership. The winning schools demonstrated that school transformation is possible through low-cost, high-quality character education initiatives. They also have closed the achievement gap and raised academic expectations for all students; built strong relationships and partnerships between parents, teacher and students; and given their students opportunities to serve their communities.
NC DECA Students Successful at International Conference
NC DECA students recently attended the 2009 International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, Calif., where they had the opportunity to participate in leadership training, mentoring sessions and competitions. North Carolina's competitors brought home 143 Gold Seals of Excellence, and 21 percent of all the state's competitors advanced to the final round of competition where 10 students placed in the top 10 finishers. In addition, North Carolina placed in the top 16 in Quiz Bowl teams, had 13 test medals, five role play medals, and four students earned $1,000 scholarships. For more information, please contact Pam O'Brien, North Carolina DECA advisor, at 919.807.3907. Previous Principals' Biweekly Messages are posted online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/principalsarchive/
If you'd like to review past Principals' Biweekly Messages sent to the listserv
group, just go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/principalsarchive/.