TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2004

JANUARY 8, 2004

Healthy youngsters are better able to be strong learners. With that in mind, the State Board of Education recently changed one of its five strategic priorities to Healthy Students in Safe, Orderly and Caring Schools. This priority represents a renewed recognition that North Carolina students need schools to support their efforts to be healthy. Through this priority, the Board and Department of Public Instruction intend to champion ways that educators and families can partner to help youngsters develop healthy lifestyles. This will help everyone be more successful and productive.

Regards,
Mike Ward

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2. 2003-04 ABCs Program Update
3. Ad Hoc Writing Committee Meeting Summary
4. North Carolina Ranks in the Top 10 for Improving Teacher Quality
5. Program to Improve Teacher Working Conditions
6. North Carolina Teacher Receives 2003 NEA Award
7. North Carolina High School Network Conference Scheduled for January
8. Civil War Living History Weekend
9. Science Summit Scheduled for March 2004
10. High School Writing Institute Scheduled
11. 2004 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
12. LEARN NC's December/January Update Online

State Board Meeting Highlights

At its meeting this week, the State Board of Education approved changes to the No Child Left Behind accountability model to allow the use of a 95 percent confidence interval when calculating Adequate Yearly Progress. Approximately 30other states use confidence intervals. In other business, the Board continued discussion of the state's weighted quality point policy, reviewed the revised N.C. K-12 Computer/ Technology Skills Standard Course of Study and approved the report and recommendations from the Special Committee on Teacher Reciprocity. Complete Highlights of the State Board meeting will be posted online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights by Monday afternoon.

2003-04 ABCs Program Update

For the most part, features of the ABCs program that were in place in 2002-03 are still in effect for 2003-04. Adequate yearly progress (APY) from the No Child Left Behind Act will continue as a component of the ABCs. However, there are a few major changes to the 2003-04 ABCs model: no U.S. History End of Course tests will be given in 2003-04; EOC tests in Economic, Legal and Political Systems (ELP) will be given for transfer students, students who previously failed the course, and students in 10th - 12th grade who need the course for graduation. However, ELP data will be excluded from the ABCs data analysis for the 2003-04 school year; and writing results will not be included in the ABCs in 2003-04. State Board members are currently considering several issues following the first year's implementation of AYP as part of the ABCs. Any decisions as a result of these discussions will be included in future editions of this message. Questions regarding changes to the 2003-04 ABCs program can be directed to DPI's Accountability Section at 919.807.3770.

Ad-Hoc Writing Committee Meeting Summary

The State Board of Education's Ad Hoc Writing Committee met on Friday, Nov. 21, to discuss the 10th grade writing assessment with teachers who teach 10th grade language arts and have had experience with the 10th grade writing assessment. The agenda included a brief history of the 10th grade writing test, current status of the 10th grade writing assessment program, input from the visiting teachers and possible recommendations. The Ad Hoc Committee will meet again in January to develop recommendations regarding the state's 10th grade writing assessment program for presentation to the Board at its February meeting.

North Carolina Ranks in the Top 10 for Improving Teacher Quality

North Carolina was once again among the top 10 states in the nation in efforts to improve teacher quality, according to "Education Week's" eighth annual 50-state report card, "2004 Quality Counts: Count Me In." North Carolina received a B on Improving Teacher Quality, the same letter grade as in 2003. State Superintendent Mike Ward credited a variety of efforts with helping to boost the state's marks on Improving Teaching Quality, including raising standards for teachers entering the profession, improving compensation, and encouraging stronger support for beginning teachers and more rigorous professional development for career teachers. The full letter grade report card also showed North Carolina receiving a B on Standards and Accountability, up slightly from a B- in 2003, and a C+ in School Climate, which is the same grade as in 2003. In the category of Resources, "Education Week" awards grades for Adequacy and Equity. North Carolina received a C in each category, down slightly from the C+ grades of 2003. To read more, please go to DPI's Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org and look under "In the News."

Program to Improve Teacher Working Conditions

In December, Gov. Mike Easley joined business leaders from BellSouth N.C. and the BellSouth Foundation and state education leaders to announce a $1 million program aimed at improving teacher working conditions. The three-to-five year program will fund the development of a toolkit for use by schools and districts across the state that is based on results of the Governor's Teacher Working Conditions Survey. For more information on the 2004 N.C. Teacher Working Conditions Survey, please go online to http://www.ncptsc.org

North Carolina Teacher Receives 2003 NEA Award

Congratulations to Robeson County Schools' teacher Brian Freeman for being selected the 2003 recipient of the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. Freeman, who teaches second grade at Peterson Elementary School, was credited with challenging his students to learn by creating magical, high-energy settings. Along with the honor, Freeman received a $35,000 award. For more information on his selection, please go to http://www.nfie.org/programs/teachexcel_2003.htm ;

North Carolina High School Network Conference Scheduled for January

The 4th Annual North Carolina High School Network Conference will be held Jan. 26-27, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, RTP. The conference provides a forum for North Carolina high school educators to collaborate in generating effective strategies to improve high school student learning. For additional information, including registration, please go online to www.nchighschoolnetwork.com or contact Marilyn Palmer, Division of School Improvement, DPI, 919.807.3935, or by email, mpalmer@dpi.state.nc.us.

Civil War Living History Weekend

A Civil War Living History Weekend will be held on Feb. 14, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Feb. 15, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., to commemorate the 142nd Anniversary of the Battle of Roanoke Island. The fourth annual festival will feature Union and Confederate soldiers and Civil War-Era soldiers in addition to artillery demonstrations, blacksmithing, woodworking, quilting and lectures. The festival will take place rain or shine. For additional information call 252.475.1500, or visit the Roanoke Island Festival Park Web site at http://www.roanokeisland.com

Science Summit Scheduled for March 2004

The U.S. Department of Education will hold a Science Summit on March 16, during "Excellence in Science, Technology Mathematics Education (ESTME) Week," which is scheduled for March 15-20. As part of the ESTME Week, scientists, engineers, and mathematicians are standing by to visit classrooms in every community to assist teachers in conveying the unlimited possibilities that science and mathematics have to offer. The Department of Education has compiled a nationwide directory identifying these groups of volunteers. More information on the activities planned for ESTME Week and the Directory of Volunteers will be available on the ESTME Week Web site, http://www.ostp.gov/html/estme/ by the end of January. In addition to the Science Summit, the President will announce the winners of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching during ESTME Week.

High School Writing Institute Scheduled

The High School Writing Across the Curriculum Institute will once again be offered March 31- April 1, at the Radisson Governor's Inn, Research Triangle Park. Schools and districts that sent teams of educators from diverse subject areas last year found the training especially helpful and useful in supporting teachers throughout the school in integrating writing in their courses. To encourage more systems to take a whole-school approach, DPI will be offering a registration special. Schools and/or systems that register as a team with at least four different discipline areas represented will be able to send an additional participant for free. Additional information, including registration, is available online at http://www.learnnc.org/ The registration fee of $175 per person includes breakfast and lunch both days as well as workshop materials. For more information, please contact Kim Bowen, English Language Arts Consultant, DPI, 919.807.3832, or by email, kbowen@dpi.state.nc.us.

2004 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

The National Science Foundation is once again accepting applications for its 2004 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching to identify and reward outstanding kindergarten through 6th grade mathematics and science teachers. Each recipient will receive a $10,000 award and be invited to attend, along with a guest, recognition events to be held in Washington, D.C., in March 2005. Anyone may nominate a teacher. Self-nominations will not be accepted. The 2004 nomination form can be downloaded by going to http://www.learnnc.org/ then clicking on Announcements/Calendars then Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching. The 2003 North Carolina finalists are Rebecca Caison, Williams High School, Alamance-Burlington Schools and Carmen Wilson, Ashe County High School, Ashe County Schools. Completed applications must be postmarked by May 3, 2004.

LearnNC's December/January Update Online

EARN NC's December 2003/January 2004 update takes a look at teaching science through inquiry, integrating current events such as the 2004 election into curriculum, using photographs as prompts, and online CEU courses open for enrollment. Check out these articles and more by going online to http://www.learnnc.org and clicking on the appropriate link.