TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2004
TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2004DECEMBER 22, 2004
I know that with the holiday season underway and with your winter break upon you, 2005 seems a long way off. Nonetheless, I want to draw your attention to the six regional information sessions on High School Exit Standards that have been scheduled for January. The news release on these sessions is available on DPI's Web site at www.ncpublicschools.org under "In the News." Educators and parents (especially parents of students in seventh grade and below) are encouraged to attend these sessions to learn more about the new graduation standards framework that the Board approved this fall and to provide their input regarding how best to implement the framework. The new graduation standards represent a significant change and your thoughts are important to ensuring that the changes made are for the better. Best wishes to each of you for a peaceful and joyous holiday.
Regards,
Tricia Willoughby
SBE Teacher Retention Task Force Meeting Summary
The SBE Teacher Recruitment and Retention Task Force met on Friday, Dec. 10, to review its recommendations and to discuss the first draft of the report that will be submitted to the General Assembly in February. The Task Force members also heard a report from its salary subcommittee chaired by Burke County Human Resource Manager, Steve Demiter, and a summary of recruitment and retention initiatives that had been generated by local superintendents at their Dec. 7 quarterly meeting. In addition, members suggested material that should be included in the report and asked that the recommendations to date be organized around the topics of Teacher Working Conditions, Teacher Leadership, Administrator Support and Accountability, Enhancing the Profession, Teacher Induction, Teacher Preparation, and Financial Incentives. The Task Force will meet again on Jan. 14 to finalize its recommendations.
High School Social Studies Workshop Scheduled for January
NC DPI is offering a free workshop, "Membership in American Society," for high school social studies teachers to explore both the promise and the reality of America's pursuit of civic equality. The workshop will be held Jan. 24 in Fayetteville and will address what it means to be and become an American, including the legacy of the American Eugenics Movement and its effect on immigration, education, and health policies, as well as the very concept of race. Workshop participants will gain access to valuable classroom and professional development resources, including Facing History's Online Campus containing curriculum outlines, lesson units, and teaching strategies, as well as an extensive lending library of videotapes and books for classroom use. To register, please contact Steven Weber, English Language Arts and Social Studies Section, DPI, 919.807.3828, or by email, sweber@dpi.state.nc.us.
NC Arts Education Teacher Survey
All K-12 teachers of Dance, Music, Theater Arts or Visual Arts are asked to complete the NCDPI NC Arts Education Teacher Survey. The purpose of the survey is to obtain information regarding the current status of arts education programs in the state. The survey is comprised of 24 questions and will only take a few minutes to complete. The deadline to complete the survey is Feb. 1. Educators can access the survey directly at http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB223UJB6FZL8