To access Quick Links, visit our text-only version.

Teachers' Archive Home 
Resources 
State Superintendent 
. Public Schools of North Carolina . . State Board of Education . . Department Of Public Instruction .

TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2004

MESSAGES 2004 :: OCTOBER 28, 2004

OCTOBER 28, 2004

I really enjoyed meeting with the Teachers' Advisory Committee last week. My heart has always been in the classroom and I appreciated hearing the viewpoints of the teachers who represent you. The advisory committee members are listed in the first item in this week's newsletter. I hope you will consider this group to be a resource for you to voice your opinions on the issues and concerns that affect you and your students. The information we gather at quarterly advisory meetings is used to help inform the State Board of Education as it deliberates on the many issues before it.

Regards,
Patricia Willoughby


In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

  1. 2004-05 State Superintendent's Teachers' Advisory Committee Members Named
  2. Nov. 16 is the Release Date for School Report Cards
  3. SBE Teacher Retention Task Force Meeting Summary
  4. Nov. 15 is the Deadline to Apply to be an Assistance Team Member
  5. Educator Expense Reduction Reinstated
  6. NC WISE Update
  7. Textbook Caravan Hits the Road
  8. Arts Education Teacher Survey
  9. Belk's Education Celebration Just Around the Corner
  10. School-Based Management and Accountability Procedures Manual Available Online
  11. "Teaching for Understanding About the Global Economy"
  12. Diabetes Video Conference
  13. NC Action Plan for High School Innovation Conference
  14. Grant Web Site


2004-05 State Superintendent's Teachers' Advisory Committee Members Named

Teachers serving on the State Superintendent's 2004-05 Teachers' Advisory Committee have been named. If you have issues or concerns you would like to bring to the attention of the State Superintendent, please pass them along to any of the following members:


Nov. 16 is the Release Date for School Report Cards

The official release of the 2003-04 NC School Report Cards is Tuesday, Nov. 16. On this day, a press conference will be held to declare Nov. 16 as "NC School Report Card Day." The NC School Report Cards provide parents and communities with important information about the state's public schools. Principals will send home to parents a snapshot of your school's report card either the day of the release or soon after.


SBE Teacher Retention Task Force Meeting Summary

The SBE Teacher Retention and Recruitment Task Force met for a second time on Oct. 13. The topics of discussion included teacher working conditions, teacher leadership roles/differentiated roles, and administrator support and accountability. The committee talked at length about the importance of protected planning time for teachers, the extra duties imposed on teachers, teachers' participation on school improvement teams, the need for mentoring of new teachers, ways to provide leadership opportunities for teachers and differentiated work assignments for teachers and administrator support, knowledge and communication with teachers. The task force will meet again on Monday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the State Board Room, Education Building. Topics for discussion include: Enhancing the Image of the Teaching Profession - Barriers to Entering the Profession; Teacher Preparation and Teacher Induction, Support and Mentoring. In between meetings, task force members are meeting with their constituents to get input on these topics.


Nov. 15 is the Deadline to Apply to be an Assistance Team Member

The DPI Division of School Improvement is currently recruiting assistance team members for the 2005-06 school year. There is a high need for secondary educators in the four core content areas and for K-12 exceptional children teachers. Interested applicants should check with their LEA on loan policies before applying. All general and application information, which can be found online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/assistanceteams/application/ must be returned to the DPI by Nov. 15. Questions may be directed to the Division of School Improvement at 919.807.3911.


Educator Expense Deduction Reinstated

The Internal Revenue Service last week advised educators to save their receipts for books and other classroom supplies purchased in 2004 and apply it to the educator expense deduction. Teachers can deduct up to $250 when figuring adjusted gross income. This deduction is available whether or not the taxpayer itemizes deductions on Schedule A. To be eligible, a person must work at least 900 hours during a school year as a teacher, instructor, counselor, principal or aide. For more information, please call the IRS Tele-Tax system toll-free at 800.829.4477 and select Topic 458. Or go to the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov and use its search engine to find Tax Topic 458


NC WISE Update

The ambitious three-year project of converting LEAs and charters schools to NC WISE has officially begun with the Wave 1 Deployment. Graham County, Haywood County, Polk County, Transylvania County, The Learning Center, Mountain Community School are the first LEAs and charter schools in Wave 1 to convert their student information. The NC WISE team will continue to convert 40 schools a week through Waves 1, 2 and 3 until all 115 LEAs and 98 charter schools are converted by 2007.

Administrators and educators looking for more information on NC WISE can go online and download and print informational pieces that answer general questions about NC WISE. To see what's available please go online to www.ncwise.org and click on the library section, select the link for NC WISE Communications, then click on the link for the Communications Packet.


Textbook Caravan Hits the Road

The North Carolina Textbook Caravan will hold presentations and have samples for K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 Science; Foreign Language 6-12; English Language Development, (ESL) K-12; and Agricultural Education 7-12 at the following eight regional sites: Nov. 1, Asheville; Nov. 2, Boone; Nov. 3, Winston-Salem; Nov. 4, Durham; Nov. 8, Greensboro; Nov. 9, Fayetteville; Nov. 10, Wilmington; and Nov. 11, New Bern. Schools are encouraged to organize teams of teachers to attend. There is no charge for registration. For additional information, please go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/textbook/ or contact Wandra Polk, Instructional Services, DPI, 919.807.3816, or by email, wpolk@dpi.state.nc.us.


Arts Education Teacher Survey

Teachers at all levels in dance, music, theatre arts and visual arts are asked to complete the North Carolina Arts Education Teacher Survey. The purpose of this survey is to obtain information regarding the current status of arts education programs in our state. The survey, which is available online at http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB223UJB6FZL8, is comprised of 24 questions and should only take a few minutes to complete. Although the survey is anonymous, participants have the option to provide contact information. For more information, please contact Christie Howell, NCDPI, 919.807.3856, or by email, cmhowell@dpi.state.nc.us.


Belk's Education Celebration Just Around the Corner

Teachers are reminded that Belk's Educators Night 2004 will be held Sunday, Nov. 7, from 5-9 p.m., at all Belk Stores. This event is not open to the public. Educators will be treated to a 15 percent shopping discount off all regular and sale priced merchandise (normal exclusions will apply); a 10 percent shopping discount in the Home area; a chance to win a trip for four to Jamaica or the Bahamas for three nights and four days; a chance to win one of four $1,000 principals' awards to be used in your school; and a chance to win a $200 Belk Shopping Spree (one of these will be given away in every Belk store). Please feel free to contact your nearest Belk Store manager for information regarding this event or Leigh Ann Lyle, Belk, Special Events Coordinator, 704.426.6862, or by email, LeighAnn_Lyle@belk.com.


School-Based Management and Accountability Procedures Manual Available Online

The revised edition of the School-Based Management and Accountability Procedures Manual (the ABCs Procedures Manual) is now available online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/schoolimprovement/2004abcmanual.pdf


"Teaching for Understanding about the Global Economy"

"Teaching for Understanding about the Global Economy" will be held Tuesday, Nov. 9, at the Exploris Museum, Raleigh. This workshop is designed to empower high school social studies teachers in teaching the North Carolina Standard Course of Study by equipping them with knowledge of the evolving story of global economics, past, present and future. Participants will learn why and how the global economy is changing. Space is limited to the first 75 teachers who register. In order to register, teachers should go online to register at http://www.nccee.org/data/globalecon.htm and click on the appropriate link. Questions regarding this workshop should be directed to Steven Weber, Instructional Services, DPI, sweber@dpi.state.nc.us or 919.807.3828.


Diabetes Video Conference

On Nov. 18, the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health is sponsoring a video conference, "Kids With Diabetes In North Carolina Schools - What's New In 2004?," at 16 sites across the state. The registration deadline is Nov. 10 and the cost for the session is $40. For more information, or to register online, please go to www.sph.unc.edu/oce/ and click on Courses and Conferences then look under the November link. You also may view the registration form and video conference information at www.NCHealthySchools.org or contact Paula Hudson Collins at pcollins@dpi.state.nc.us for more information


NC Action Plan for High School Innovation Conference

The Public Schools of North Carolina and other key partners invite you to participate in the North Carolina Action Plan for High School Innovation Conference, scheduled to take place Dec. 2 at the North Raleigh Hilton (Raleigh) and Dec. 3 at the Adams Mark Hotel (Charlotte). The North Carolina Action Plan for High School Innovation will provide short and long-term strategies for high school reform in addition to a call to action for every North Carolina community. For more information or to register please go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/newschoolproject/


Grant Web Site

Educators interested in federal government and foundation funding opportunities may want to bookmark a new Web site, www.GrantsAlert.com.

 

> Printer Friendly Version