TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2005

MAY 26, 2005

Next week will see the end of my tenure as State Superintendent of North Carolina public schools. When I initially agreed to serve as State Superintendent last fall, I had no idea that I would still be in this position in the spring. It's come to the point where I am ready to move in another direction and give my full attention to both personal and professional interests I've had to place on the back burner. Some of my most treasured memories will be of the opportunities I've had to meet and talk with teachers across the state and see first-hand the results of your dedication to your students. Thank you for your support and my best to each of you as you continue this most important work.

Regards,
Tricia Willoughby

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. Biweekly Message to Begin Summer Distribution Schedule
2. Farewell Message from 2004-05 NC Teacher of the Year
3. Gov. Easley Announces Grant to Support Technology-Themed High Schools
4. Gov. Easley Makes State Board Appointments
5. North Carolina High Schools Listed in Top 100 High Schools in US
6. National Board News
7. "Booktalking" Email List Gets a Jump on the 2005-06 School Year
8. 2005-06 NC Teacher of the Interview Subject of Special
9. Teacher of the Year Interview Available Online
10. Elementary School Conference Committee Issues Call for Proposals
11. Math Matters Workshops Scheduled
12. Grant Opportunities

Biweekly Message To Begin Summer Distribution Schedule

The Teachers' Biweekly Email Message will begin its summer distribution schedule in June but will resume its regular biweekly distribution schedule in September. Messages will be sent on the second Thursday of June, July and August to provide summer updates. In the meantime, please remember that if your email address changes over the summer, you will need to email this information to us so that we can update our file (send your old and new email address). Out-of-date and undeliverable email addresses are automatically deleted from the list.

Farewell Message from 2004-05 NC Teacher of the Year

The end of a school year is always a good time to reflect. I believe that reflection is the most important means to grow professionally. In my case, I look back and thank God, my colleagues and my family for their support during this year of traveling. Everywhere I went, I have seen many instances of good teaching in the classrooms of our state. I have witnessed the love and passion of many outstanding teachers who give the best they have to make children the best they can be. I have observed how teachers cooperate rather than compete with each other. That is why I can say that I am proud to be a teacher in North Carolina. I would also like to thank each and every one of the teachers across the state for teaching me so much in one year. It has been a great year and a humbling experience to represent such high caliber professionals. Enjoy a well-deserved rest and when you come back next year remember that the future of our children depends on us. We cannot let them down. We are their hope! Thank you very much.

-- Lizbeth Alfaro, 2004-05 North Carolina Teacher of the Year.

Gov. Easley Announces Grant to Support Technology-Themed High Schools

Gov. Mike Easley announced earlier this month that the following seven school districts in North Carolina will receive grants to create technology-themed high schools aimed at better preparing students for the workforce and college: Alamance-Burlington Schools, Camden County Schools, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Cherokee Central Schools, Public Schools of Robeson County, Scotland County Schools and Wake County Schools. The districts will receive a total of $300,000 in financial support and services to replicate the New Technology High School (NTHS) model. The NTHS is located in Napa, CA. The school has been replicated at 11 sites across the country. Characteristics of NTHS include small school size, project- and problem-based learning, technology that supports the curriculum and higher education and business partnerships. Districts receiving the grants plan to open the new schools by fall 2006. These grants are a part of Easley's 21st Century High Schools initiative to reform high schools across the state.

Gov. Easley Makes State Board Appointments

Earlier this month, Gov. Easley reappointed Howard Lee of Chapel Hill and appointed Melissa Bartlett of Statesville and Shirley Harris of Troy to the State Board of Education. Lee is chairman of the State Board of Education and served in the North Carolina Senate for 13 years. He also is a member of the N.C. State Utilities Commission. Bartlett is a teacher at Lakeshore Middle School in Mooresville (Iredell-Statesville Schools) and has taught in North Carolina middle and high schools and community colleges for more than 13 years. She also was the N.C. Teacher of the Year and one of four finalists for National Teacher of the Year for 2002-03. Harris is a N.C. Teacher Academy Fellow for High Priority Schools and provides professional development and school improvement assistance to teachers and administrators. She also has taught in elementary, middle and high schools in Richmond and Montgomery counties for more than 25 years. State Board members serve eight-year terms. The appointments are awaiting General Assembly confirmation.

North Carolina High Schools Listed in Top 100 High Schools in US

Last week, "Newsweek" Magazine released its list of the 1,000 Best High Schools in America and the following nine North Carolina public high schools were included in the top 100: Raleigh Charter (9); Harding University (25) and Myers Park (37) (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools); East Chapel Hill (38) (Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools); Enloe (52) (Wake County Schools); North Mecklenburg (56) (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools); Grimsley (67) (Guilford County Schools); Chapel Hill (74) (Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools); Butler (88) (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools). Public schools were ranked according to a ratio devised by taking "the number of Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests taken by all students at a school in 2004 divided by the number of graduating seniors." To view the complete list, please go online to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7761678/site/newsweek/

National Board News

• National Board Certified Teachers' Listserv. A new listserv has been created to provide announcements and support to NBC teachers. Information about renewal of National Board Certification, opportunities to support NBC candidates and information about becoming assessors for NBPTS are just some of the items that will be shared on this listserv. NBC teachers can join the NBCT listserv by sending an email to join-nbct@lists.dpi.state.nc.us.
• National Board Renewal. It's never too early for National Board Certified teachers (NBCT) to start thinking about renewal of their National Board Certification. The Profile of Professional Growth is designed so that NBCTs show the connections they make between their continued professional growth and student learning. NBCTs may begin the renewal of their National Board Certification in their eighth year of certification. Currently the fee for certificate renewal is $1,150, including a non-refundable $300 application and supplies fee. For more information about NBC renewal, visit the NBPTS Web site at http://www.nbpts.org/standards/renewal.cfm
• National Board Certified Teachers' Conference Scheduled for August. High-needs schools need accomplished teachers. How can NBCTs support accomplished teaching in high-needs schools? This issue will be the subject of a daylong conference, "A Policy Summit on Supporting and Staffing High-Needs Schools: Conversation Among North Carolina's NBCTs," to be held on Aug. 17, at the Koury Convention Center, Greensboro. For more information, please contact Karen Garr, SE Region Manager of NBPTS, via email at kgarr@nbpts.org, or by phone, 919.828.1236.

"Booktalking" Email List Gets a Jump on the 2005-06 School Year

Teachers…would you like for your students, Battle of the Book teams, or book clubs to engage in online discussions with other students in your school system as well as schools across the state? Then you may want to subscribe to DPI's new "Booktalking" email list and begin networking with other teachers and media coordinators to plan book discussions for the upcoming school year. The goal of this email list is to use communications technologies to enhance the study and appreciation of literature as well as develop technology competencies and reading and writing skills. For more information, please contact Cris Crissman, Information and Technology Services, NCDPI, via email at ccrissma@dpi.state.nc.us, or by phone, 919.807.3582.

2005-06 NC Teacher of the Interview Subject of Special

UNC-TV visited James W. Smith Elementary School in Craven County on Monday, May 23, to spend some time with North Carolina's 2005-06 Teacher of the Year Wendy Miller. Miller was interviewed about her philosophy of education and the importance of reaching all students, National Board Certification, teaching methods, and her selection as the NC Teacher of the Year. There also is some footage of Miller teaching and interviews with her students. The program will air on local UNC-TV stations on June 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Teacher of the Year Interview Available Online

Wendy Miller, North Carolina's 2005-06 Teacher of the Year, was recently interviewed for WUNC's State of Things radio show. You can listen to this interview by going online to www.wunc.org and clicking on the State of Things Archives link on the right-hand side. Click on the May 2005 Archives link on the right then scroll down to Teaching/NIMBYism/Percy Heath (air date May 6, 2005) and click on the teaching link at the bottom of this section to listen to the interview.

Elementary School Conference Committee Issues Call for Proposals

DPI's Elementary School Conference committee has issued a Call for Proposals for its Second Annual Elementary School Conference. The conference will be held Oct. 10-11 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center, RTP. Proposals should reflect the conference's theme, "Building on Success." Conference information can be found online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/elemconf/proposal.html by clicking on the appropriate links. The deadline to submit a proposal has been extended to June 3. For more information, please contact Laura White, Instructional and Accountability Services, NCDPI, via email at lwhite@dpi.state.nc.us, or by phone, 919.807.3938.

Math Matters Workshops Scheduled

Educators are reminded that TEAM II, a five-year National Science Foundation project for teacher leaders, will be offering professional development on the Mathematics Standard Course of Study for elementary teachers at a limited number of sites in July and August. The Math Matters I workshops are a repeat of the Summer 2004 sessions. A new Math Matters II workshop is open to participants from the Summer 2004 Math Matters.

Math Matters I is a two-day workshop for teachers in grades K-5 focusing on important mathematics in North Carolina's Standard Course of Study. The registration fee is $145 and includes materials, lunches, and breaks. Locations are as follows: July 18-19, Waynesville Middle School (Haywood County) and Northwest Elementary School (Lenoir County); July 21-22, Liberty Middle School (Burke County) and North Johnston Middle School (Johnston County); Aug. 1-2, Forbush High School (Yadkin County) and Franklinton Elementary School (Franklin County); and Aug. 4-5, Albemarle Middle School (Stanley County) and Roanoke Middle School (Martin County).

Math Matters II, a three-and-a-half-day workshop for K-5 teachers who participated in Math Matters I in the summer of 2004, will be held July 25-28. The Math Matters II is designed to delve more deeply into the content covered in Math Matters I. This will be a residential professional development at Meredith College, Raleigh. Participants may commute rather than staying on campus; however, participation in all sessions (morning, afternoon, and early evening) is expected. Math Matters II registration is $235 and includes materials, lunches, and breaks. Housing and additional meals at Meredith is $115. Registration forms may be downloaded by going to http://www.learnnc.org/dpi/instserv.nsf/Category7 and clicking on announcements then Math Matters.

Grant Opportunities

• "Captain Planet Foundation" funds hands-on environmental projects to encourage youth around the world to work individually and collectively to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities. The maximum grant award is $2,500. Deadlines to apply are June 30, Sept. 30, and Dec. 31. For more information, please go online to http://www.captainplanetfdn.org/aboutUs.html#policies_grant_guidelines
• "Toshiba America Foundation" makes grants for projects in math and science designed by classroom teachers to improve instruction for K-12 students. The maximum award is $5,000. Decisions about grants under $5,000 are made on a rolling basis and applications are accepted throughout the year. Go online to http://www.taf.toshiba.com for more information.