TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2005

MARCH 10, 2005

After eight years of the ABCs Accountability model, North Carolina has had the opportunity to learn a great deal about measuring student achievement growth and, in fact, is at the front of the states in terms of our history with a statewide accountability model. Using this information, DPI has been undergoing a thorough and comprehensive review of the ABCs model since last fall; and recommendations from this work were presented last week to the State Board of Education. North Carolina will continue to focus its accountability program on student growth over time, but new formulas were proposed to replace the original growth formula that has been in place since 1996. The proposals have a variety of advantages. They are more stable over time, less likely to experience fluctuations, simpler than the original formulas and provide more information on student performance. Familiar terms, such as Achievement Levels I-IV and Expected Growth and High Growth, will remain consistent. Board members will consider the proposals at their April and May meetings. I encourage you to review the information that was presented in March at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/state_board/ under Breaking News. Also, complete highlights of the March Board meeting are posted on that same site under SBE Highlights.

Regards,
Tricia Willoughby

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. Greetings from 2004-05 NC Teacher of the Year
2. NC WISE Users Survey Online
3. Gov. Easley Proclaims March 13-19 Severe Weather Awareness Week/Statewide Tornado Drill Scheduled
4. Senior Project Training
5. CEU Credits Offered for eMasterClass with the National Symphony Orchestra
6. "Everybody’s War: North Carolina and World War II"
7. Weyerhaeuser Sponsors Teacher on Assignment Summer Program

Greetings from 2004-05 NC Teacher of the Year

Writing tests are over! Hooray! But EOGs and EOCs are just around the corner and I know that you are trying to take advantage of all your teaching time to prepare your students well. It's at this time, when many of us feel stressed out and tired. If you do, take time to reflect on the difference you have made in the life of a child and you will find the strength and energy to impact many more. Teaching is a rewarding career and many times, even on our worst day, we're still some child's best and last hope. A great teacher always inspires! Just like William Arthur Ward said, "A mediocre teacher tells, a good teacher explains, a superior teacher demonstrates, a great teacher inspires." Work hard and enjoy your students for the last few weeks of this school year, then you can sit back and smile with the satisfaction of a job well done! Lizbeth Alfaro, 2004-05 NC Teacher of the Year

NC WISE Users Survey Online

If you teach in a school system that is using NC WISE, please take the NC WISE Users Survey. The 2005 NC WISE survey is online at http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB2246948DRPQ. NC WISE users at all levels in are encouraged to participate in this short, but important survey. Responses to survey will assist the NC WISE team in program development and future planning. All responses will remain confidential. The deadline to participate in the survey is Friday, March 25.

Gov. Easley Proclaims March 13-19 Severe Weather Awareness Week/Statewide Tornado Drill Scheduled

Gov. Mike Easley has proclaimed March 13-19 as Severe Weather Awareness Week to remind citizens of the potential for damaging weather and provide information on how best to protect themselves. To coincide with this week, an annual statewide tornado drill has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 16. The National Weather Service will activate the Emergency Alert System at 9:15 a.m. in coordination with a required monthly test that will tell listeners to begin the tornado drill. Public schools are encouraged to participate.

Senior Project Training

The State Board of Education will once again sponsor scholarships for teams from 20 North Carolina public schools or LEAs to attend the upcoming Annual Senior Project Training (June 22-24) sponsored by the Partnership for Dynamic Learning. This year's training will be held at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel in Asheville. The hotel?s room rate is $119 per night for single or double occupancy. Hotel reservations must be made by May 21. The Board's scholarships will be for $1,000 each to support the cost of participating in the workshops. Information regarding training and registration can be found online at www.seniorproject.net. Registration forms for the scholarship can be obtained by calling or emailing Jane Worsham, Executive Director of the State Board of Education, at 919.807.3400, or jworsham@dpi.state.nc.us. Use the registration form on the senior project Web site to register for the training. The deadline for applying to SERVE and the SBE is June 1. Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come first-serve basis.

CEU Credits Offered for eMasterClass with the National Symphony Orchestra

Please check out the NC DPI Distance Learning System's Web site at http://video.dpi.state.nc.us/eforums to learn more about CEU credit opportunities available through their eMasterClass with the National Symphony Orchestra, which is scheduled for March 14. For more information, please contact Christie Howell, NCDPI Arts Education Consultant, at 919.807.3856 or by email, cmhowell@dpi.state.nc.us.

"Everybody's War: North Carolina and World War II"

On March 14, the North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction will offer "Everybody's War: North Carolina and World War II," an interactive workshop that will enable high school social studies teachers to teach about the World War II era in a national and statewide context. Participants will learn about free resources, listen to and interact with guest speakers, examine historical artifacts, and hear the oral histories of diverse individuals who lived through this era. There is no registration fee. For questions regarding this workshop, including registration, please contact Steven Weber at 919.807.3828 or by email, sweber@dpi.state.nc.us. To view the North Carolina Museum of History new online Teacher Resource Guide, visit http://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/edu/trg.html

Weyerhaeuser Sponsors Teacher on Assignment Summer Program

Weyerhaeuser Company is offering teachers an opportunity to combine a summer job with a professional development opportunity by offering a "Teacher on Summer Assignment" (TOSA) program. The TOSA program is a paid, six-week internship designed to provide teachers with firsthand knowledge of environmental issues as they relate to the forest products industry. In addition, educators will attend workshops that will help them develop curriculum to meet their specific grade and discipline needs. The TOSA is being offered in New Bern, Greenville, Washington, Plymouth, Elkin and Charlotte. The deadline to apply is April 1. For more information, please go online to www.weyerhaeuser.com/citizenship/Education/teachersummerassign