TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2006

MARCH 9, 2006

If you have ever had the good fortune to attend the Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference, then you understand why this event scheduled for March 27-29 has already reached its registration limit. Participants at this meeting know that they will learn about the very best practices of North Carolina educators who are working to close achievement gaps among our students. Even if you are not attending this year's conference, I encourage you to seek out others in your school or district who will be at this event and ask them to bring back the lessons learned to you and others who can benefit. North Carolina was a leader 10 years ago when this conference was first held, and we continue to work hard in this area.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2. March 12-18 is Severe Weather Awareness Week
3. Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference Reaches Capacity
4. North Carolina Receives Adolescent Literacy Grant
5. Middle Schools Recognized as "Schools to Watch"
6. Adolescent Reading Forum to be Held in June
7. Kaleidoscope: Teaching and Learning Through a Global Lens

State Board Meeting Highlights

At their March meeting this week, State Board of Education members approved middle and high school mathematics recommendations, recommended academic achievement cut scores for the NC Tests of Computer Skills and achievement level descriptors for state assessments. Board members heard a presentation on the state's science programs during their Issues Session and received the 2004-05 Dropout Data Event Report and Annual Study of Suspensions and Expulsions. The Board also received a report on extended content standards for students with the most significant disabilities. Complete Board Highlights are available online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights by clicking on the appropriate link.

March 12-18 is Severe Weather Awareness Week

On Wednesday, March 15, at 9:15 a.m., the National Weather Service will issue a Required Weekly Test over the NOAA weather radio system. This will serve as a signal for principals to begin their tornado drill. The drill will conclude when participants complete their drill activities. No all-clear message will be issued. If there is any possibility of foul weather on March 16, the drill will be held on Friday, March 17.

Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference Reaches Capacity

Registration for the Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference X scheduled for March 27-29 at the Sheraton Four Seasons/Koury Convention Center in Greensboro is closed. The conference limit of 3,500 registrants has been met. If you sent your registration after it closed, you will be notified by your central office prior to the conference. Registration fees will be refunded under separate cover and should be received after the conference.

If you are attending the conference, you are encouraged to participate in one of 10 Focus Sessions, which are being held on Monday, March 27, from 1-4 p.m. The full list of focus sessions and keynote speakers can be found online at www.ncpublicschools.org/closingthegap. Conference participants are encouraged to use this Web resource to plan their conference experience ahead of time. If you should have any questions, please contact Angela Hopson, Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Section, NCDPI, 919.807.3609, or by email, ahopson@dpi.state.nc.us.

North Carolina Receives Adolescent Literacy Grant

Gov. Mike Easley announced in February that North Carolina has received a $50,000 grant from the National Governor's Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices to develop a plan to improve adolescent literacy in the state. The NGA awarded grants to eight states as a part of its Reading to Achieve initiative. The Office of the Governor and the NC Department of Public Instruction submitted a joint application for the one-year grant in January and will use grant funds to develop a K-12 literacy policy and action plan for North Carolina. Components of this plan will include establishing a NC Literacy leadership committee, reviewing the state's current literacy assessment tools, conducting roundtable focus groups for teachers via video conference and launching a public information campaign to increase awareness and support for adolescent literacy issues. For more information, please contact Esther Dunnegan, Division of Secondary Education, NCDPI, 919.807.3834, or by email, edunnega@dpi.state.nc.us.

Middle Schools Recognized as "Schools to Watch"

Kudos to Alexander Graham Middle and Mint Hill Middle (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools), Seventy-First Classical Middle (Cumberland County Schools), South Brunswick Middle (Brunswick County Schools) and Walter Johnson Middle (Burke County Schools) for recently being named "Schools to Watch" as part of a national recognition program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. To read more about this program and these schools' selection, please go to the NC DPI Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org and click on "News."

Adolescent Reading Forum to be Held in June

NCDPI's Middle Grades Division is sponsoring its first annual Adolescent Reading Forum on June 19-20 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Research Triangle Park. The purpose of the Forum is to focus on issues and needs for developing independent strategic adolescent readers. It is designed for school administrators and teachers across all content areas at the middle grades level. Information regarding the Adolescent Reading Forum, including registration forms, has been mailed to all local superintendents, middle grades ELA supervisors and principals. Space is limited to 200 participants. If you have questions regarding the Forum, please contact Phyllis Blackmon at pblackmon@dpi.state.nc.us or Patricia Chalmers at pchalmers@dpi.state.nc.us.

Kaleidoscope: Teaching and Learning Through a Global Lens

K-12 teachers of Dance, ESL, Foreign Language, Health Education, Music, Physical Education, Theatre Arts, and Visual Arts, in addition to Media Coordinators and Technology Facilitators may be interested in attending NCDPI's K-12 Programs Section's "KALEIDOSCOPE: Teaching and Learning through a Global Lens" Institute, on June 28-30, at the Brownstone Hotel, Raleigh. With the recent focus at the state, national and international levels on global education, this institute will help teachers understand and prepare their students to function in a global economy. For more information, including registration, please go online to http://community.learnnc.org/dpi/ or contact Helga Fasciano at hfascian@dpi.state.nc.us or 919.807.3865.If you'd like to review past Teachers' Biweekly Messages sent to the listserv group, just go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/teachersarchive/