TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2006

MAY 25, 2006

This month, North Carolina elementary and middle school students are taking new mathematics assessments to align with the revised mathematics Standard Course of Study. We are not able to set achievement level cut scores and to do other required analyses for any new assessment until all the student data are in at the end of the testing window. That means student scores will not be available until the fall and that the ABCs report will be available on Oct. 5. Also, Adequate Yearly Progress results based on mathematics will not be available until the fall. I know that it is helpful to have the end-of-grade test results in hand when making final decisions about student promotions and retentions, especially at the gateway grades of 3, 5 and 8. At the same time, I also know that you and your colleagues do not have to rely on one day of testing to make appropriate decisions about student performance and placement. I know that this situation is not ideal, but it is part of the process we must observe in order to assure that achievement levels are set appropriately to reflect student learning.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. Biweekly Message To Begin Summer Distribution Schedule
2. North Carolina Approved to Pilot AYP Growth Model
3. OPEN/net Features High School Reform
4. Wellness, Academics and You (WAY) - Wellness Activities for Classroom Teachers
5. Kaleidoscope: Teaching and Learning Through a Global Lens
6. Call for Proposals' Deadline Extended
7. Elementary Education Division Offers Summer Training
8. "Into the Light: The World of Impressionism" Teacher Seminar

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 Out-of-date and undeliverable email addresses are automatically deleted from the list.

North Carolina Approved to Pilot AYP Growth Model

North Carolina is one of two states approved last week by the U.S. Department of Education to use a growth component in its measurement of public schools' adequate yearly progress, which is required under federal education law. For the state's schools, approval of the growth model pilot provides an opportunity to focus on student growth over time, a hallmark of North Carolina's own ABCs of Public Education accountability model. To read more about this, please go to www.ncpublicschools.org and look under "News."

OPEN/net Features High School Reform

Watch "Parents and Schools" on OPEN/net on Tuesday, June 6, from 8-9 p.m., to learn more about High School Reform and the New Schools Project in North Carolina. Dr. Charles Coble hosts the Parents & Schools series and joining him for this program will be: Executive Director of the New Schools Project Tony Habit, Deputy Superintendent of the NC Department of Public Instruction Janice Davis and Principal of South Granville School of Health & Life Sciences Catherine Brooks. You can send in your questions and comments by email to open@ncmail.net or call toll free 1.888.228.6736. To locate your local cable channel that carries OPEN/net, please go online to www.ncapt.tv/local.htm. OPEN/net is also available on the Internet at www.ncapt.tv.

Wellness, Academics and You (WAY) - Wellness Activities for Classroom Teachers

Wellness Activities for Classroom Teachers - An abstract of a recent study published on the WAY Program (www.wayplanet.com) concluded, "Data from this study indicate that this school-based program may contribute to the reduction of overweight and obesity. The intervention was well received by the classroom teachers and shows promise for a school-based obesity prevention initiative. This program has shown the capacity to effect positive changes in BMI through consumption of fruits and vegetables and physical activity." Teachers may want to investigate this program for use in their classrooms.

Kaleidoscope: Teaching and Learning Through a Global Lens

The Kaleidoscope: Teaching and Learning Through a Global Lens Institute, which is being sponsored by NCDPI's K-12 Programs Section, has opened registration to all K-12 content areas. The Institute will be June 28-30 at the Brownstone Hotel, Raleigh. The deadline to register is now June 2. For more information, including registration, please go online to http://community.learnnc.org/dpi.

Call for Proposals' Deadline Extended

The N.C. Association of Elementary Educators has extended its deadline for Call for Proposals for its "Third Annual Elementary Conference: Leading the Way" to June 23. Please visit www.ncelementary.org for more information or contact Michelle Palmer Weaver via email at mweaver@dpi.state.nc.us.

Elementary Education Division Offers Summer Training

NCDPI's Elementary Education Division's social studies consultants will be offering several trainings this summer on Integration, Financial Literacy and Geography. Please visit www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/socialstudies/elementary/ for more information on dates, agendas and registration for these workshops.

"Into the Light: The World of Impressionism" Teacher Seminar

The N.C. Museum of Art is offering a teacher seminar, "Into the Light: The World of Impressionism," on Aug. 9-10, from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., for grades 3-12 foreign language, science and visual arts teachers. Teachers will learn how science and French culture connect with art of the modern world and be able to use these ideas in their classrooms using online lesson plans (meet Standard Course of Study objectives in fine arts, science and foreign language) developed for Monet in Normandy. One CEU will be awarded for completion of the seminar. Registration is limited to 25 participants. The registration deadline is July 19. There is a $60 registration fee, which covers breaks, lunches, workshop materials and resource materials for the classroom. Seminar information and a registration form is available online at http://ncartmuseum.org/education/teachers/seminars_workshops.shtml. For additional information, please email Ailsa Tessier, NC Museum of Art, at atessier@ncmamail.dcr.state.nc.us or call 919.664.6776.