PRINCIPALS' MESSAGES 2009

AUGUST 6, 2009 - Principals' Biweekly Message

The 2009 ABCs/AYP Report always includes more information than most reporters can cover in one day and certainly enough information to prompt all us to consider what the results mean for our schools and students. A few highlights of today's report - available in full at www.ncpublicschools.org - include:

• Retest results made a difference and helped increase the percentage of schools making federally required Adequate Yearly Progress.
• Seventy-eight percent of Title I schools met AYP. That's higher than the percentage of schools overall that made the standard.
• The cohort graduation rate continued to improve in 2009 to nearly 72 percent.

This is positive momentum and I'm encouraged by how much local school communities have embraced the mission of preparing all students for high school graduation. I want to congratulate you and your schools for the successes you've accomplished.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Principals' Message:

1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2. Essential Standards Draft 3.0 to be Presented
3. USDA Releases 2009-10 Policy on Free and Reduced-Price Meals
4. "Turn Off Your Engine" Signs Available to Limited Districts
5. Learn and Serve America Call for Proposals Extended
6. Archived Virtual Summer Leadership Conference Now Online
7. Career Awards for Science and Mathematics Teachers
8. September 11 is National Day of Service and Remembrance
9. Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest

State Board Meeting Highlights

At today's State Board of Education meeting, members not only approved the 2008-09 ABCs/AYP results but also the reallocation of Reading First Funds for 2009-10 and the allocation of Education for Homeless Children and Youth grant awards, and preliminary charter applications for Henderson Collegiate (Vance County), Lake Luke Classical Academy (Rutherford County) and Mountain Island Charter School (Mecklenburg County). Board discussion items included a proposed policy Department staff would use to monitor the quality and effectiveness of services provided by supplemental educational services providers; draft essential standards for K-12 Mathematics, English 10, Occupational Course of Study and K-12 Information Technology; and considerations for English Language Arts high school courses taken in middle school. During their Information Agenda, members received summary findings from the 2008 Teacher Working Conditions Survey. Complete Board highlights will be posted online later next week at www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/highlights

Essential Standards Draft 3.0 to be Presented

Draft 3.0 of the Essential Standards for K-12 Mathematics, English 10, Occupational Course of Study, and Information and Technology Skills K-12 were yesterday presented to State Board of Education members for discussion. English Language Arts K-12, Social Studies K-12, Arts, Second Languages, and Science are all in the development mode at this time. Draft 3.0 is available on the ACRE Web site at www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards

USDA Releases 2009-10 Policy on Free and Reduced-Price Meals

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recently announced the 2009-10 United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) policy on free and reduced-price meals for children enrolled in the state's public schools. The USDA's National School Lunch Program helps ensure all students have access to a nutritious diet by offering students an affordable, high quality, nutritious breakfast, lunch and after school snack. For more information, including the federal income eligibility guidelines, please visit the NCDPI Web site at www.ncpublicschools.organd click on the appropriate link under "News."

"Turn Off Your Engine" Signs Available to Limited Districts

Public schools in the follow ing counties may request a "TUR" sign to post in school driveways or parking areas: Durham, Orange, Wake, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Cumberland, Hoke, Scotland, Catawba, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison and McDowell. The NC Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources' Air Quality Division will provide the signs. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.ncbussafety.org/IdlingSign.html or by calling Derek Graham, Transportation Services 919.807.3570.

Learn and Serve America Call for Proposals Extended

The call to submit proposals for the Learn and Serve America Grants program has been extended. The NCDPI invites every LEA and public charter school to submit a proposal for the Learn and Serve America program. Learn and Serve America grants provide federal funding for service-learning programs in grades K-12. Additional information, as well as the application template, may be found online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/program-monitoring/. Follow all guidance provided in the Request for Proposals. Completed applications must be submitted and in the office of Program Monitoring by 5 p.m., Aug. 14.

Archived Virtual Summer Leadership Conference Now Online

The archived version of the WRESA Summer Leadership Virtual Conference is now available online at http://www.wresa.org/SLVC2009 . The archived version allows you to choose which sessions you would like to view. Please take some time to fill out the short, conference evaluation form also available on the Web site. NCDPI Accountability Policy and Communications Director Lou Fabrizio is recording a longer session that includes answers to some of the questions submitted by conference participants. This session will be available online by July 29. In addition, please mark June 27-30, 2010 on your calendar for the 2010 Summer Leadership Conference in Asheville.

Career Awards for Science and Mathematics Teachers

The Career Award for Science and Mathematics Teachers program is a five-year award available to outstanding K-12 science or mathematics teachers in North Carolina. The award recognizes teachers who have demonstrated solid knowledge of science or mathematics content and have outstanding performance records in educating children. Special consideration will be given to teachers working in hard to staff, economically deprived classrooms in North Carolina. The award provides $175,000 over a period of five years ($35,000 per year) to eligible teacher in the North Carolina public school system. The application deadline is Sept. 15. For more information, please visit http://www.bwfund.org/pages/379/CASM/ .

September 11 is National Day of Service and Remembrance

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum has developed a variety of materials to support new federal legislation that designates September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. On this day, Americans are encouraged to honor those who lost their lives by participating in activities for and with members of their community. Several materials have been developed and designed to help schools get involved, and provide suggestions for individual students, classes and schools to plan a year-long service commitment. Please visit www.national911memorial.org/ to access these materials and other resources designed to help educators address this difficult topic with their students.

Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest

All North Carolina high school teachers and students are invited to become a part of Poetry Out Loud, a national poetry recitation competition for high school students. The National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation and the North Carolina Arts Council sponsor the competition. The contest occurs first at the classroom level with the classroom recitation champions advancing to school, district, state and national levels. In 2009, Poetry Out Loud awarded over $100,000 in prizes to students and schools at the state and national levels. Visit http://www.ncarts.org/poetryoutloud to view the selalong with additional information about the project. The registration deadline is 5 p.m., Sept. 18.

 

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