TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2007

APRIL 12, 2007 - Teachers' Biweekly Message

You spoke, and we are listening. That is the major message behind action by the State Board of Education last week to consider some potential changes to the Future Ready Core for high schools. The Core has been sent to the Globally Competitive Students committee of the Board, which will next meet on May 1. This committee has been tasked with considering four issues: the appropriate effective date for the Core, how the mathematics requirement should be handled, how second language requirements could be best met and whether arts and Career Technical Education credits should become requirements of the Core. After this committee finishes its work, the Core will go back to the full Board for discussion and action. I believe that all of us want to help students reach their best potential - even if we disagree sometimes about the details.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. State Board Extends Appreciation to Those Who Attended Regional Meetings
2. State Board Meeting Highlights
3. AYP Graduation Rate Data Added to NC School Report Cards
4. Exceptional Children Division Schedules Public Hearings
5. Focus Groups Scheduled on Proposed Standards for North Carolina Teachers
6. Annual Elementary School Conference to be Held in October
7. Five Middle Schools Receive IMPACT II Grant
8. Two Students Named Outstanding Young Scientific Leaders
9. Litter Sweep Roadside Cleanup Scheduled
10. Asia Society and Goldman Sachs Sponsors International Education Award

State Board Extends Appreciation to Those Who Attended Regional Meetings

The State Board of Education wishes to express its appreciation to all the educators across the state who were able to participate in the Regional Meetings on the Proposed Future-Ready Core for high school graduation. They also want to again thank the school systems that served as hosts. The board has listened to your concerns and comments and will be deliberating the policy during upcoming Board meetings. Once a policy recommendation is developed, the proposal will be vetted again regionally, with some face-to-face meetings and videoconferencing. You will be receiving further information in the very near future.

State Board Meeting Highlights

At this month's Board meeting, members approved a Reading Literacy Strategic Plan and an extension for educational interpreters and transliterators to meet employment requirements. Board members discussed revising the North Carolina Mathematics Standard Course of Study, supplemental education service providers for 2007-08, a new AYP threshold for 4-year cohort graduation rates, and personal financial literacy as part of the state's curriculum. Board members also received an update on the regional meetings on the Future-Ready High School Core Curriculum Framework and the Annual Study of Suspensions and Expulsions for 2005-06 (available online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/research/discipline/reports). Board Highlights will be posted online by Tuesday afternoon at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights.

AYP Graduation Rate Data Added to NC School Report Cards

When the NC School Report Cards were released in January, one indicator, the AYP Graduation Rate (found under the High Student Performance tab), was held for release until early spring. This information has now been added to the Report Cards. In order to fulfill federal trend requirements, AYP On-Time data also are included. This will be the last year that On-Time data will be reported as part of the School Report Cards. Replacing this will be the Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rate, which will be reported for future releases.

Exceptional Children Division Schedules Public Hearings

The NCDPI's Exceptional Children Division will hold three public hearings to receive comments on the Department's "Policies and Procedures Governing Programs and Services for Children with Disabilities" pursuant to Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). The dates, times and locations are as follows: April 12: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Auditorium, Catawba Valley Community College, Hickory; April 17: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Leslie Bldg., Room 143, Pitt Community College, Winterville; and April 30: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Education Building, Room 150, Raleigh. Meeting locations are accessible to individuals with disabilities. If auxiliary aid or service is required, please contact the NCDPI at 919/807-3976 or 919/807-3996 at least two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting date. The "Policies and Procedures Governing Programs and Services for Children with Disabilities" is available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/ec or by contacting the Exceptional Children Division at 919.807.3969. Comments on the proposed state policies and procedures will be accepted through May 1. Written comments should be sent to: Public Schools of North Carolina, Exceptional Children Division, ATTN: Brenda Gilchrest or Ira Wolfe, 6356 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6356 or by email ECPolicy@dpi.state.nc.us.

Focus Groups Scheduled on Proposed Standards for North Carolina Teachers

The North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards Commission invites educators to attend focus group meetings being held around the state to provide input into "Standards for North Carolina Teachers." The proposed Standards are aligned with the 2006 mission and goals of the NC State Board of Education and focus on 21st century skills and knowledge. What students need to know and be able to do is changing. How does this affect what teachers need to know and be able to do? Join members of the Commission as they discuss this topic. For session locations, please go online to http://www.ncptsc.org. If you cannot attend any of the sessions, the standards are available online at the above Web address and comments can be submitted via email to Carolyn McKinney, Executive Director of the NC Professional Teaching Standards Commission, at cmckinney@dpi.state.nc.us. All comments need to be received by April 24.

Annual Elementary School Conference to be Held in October

The North Carolina Association of Elementary Educators is sponsoring its Fourth Annual Elementary School Conference, "Leading the Way: Preparing Lifelong Learners," on Oct. 8-9, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Conference Center, Research Triangle Park. Call for Proposals and registration forms can be accessed at www.ncelementary.org. Registration is limited to 800 participants. For more information, please contact Michelle Palmer Weaver at conferencechair@ncelementary.org.

Five Middle Schools Receive IMPACT II Grant

Canton Middle School, Haywood County Schools; Walkertown Middle School, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools; Pembroke Middle School, Public Schools of Robeson County; Union Middle School, Sampson County Schools; and Swain Middle School, Swain County Schools will be able to enhance their technology programs thanks to their recent receipt of the IMPACT II Model School Grant awards. Grant monies, which range from $240,000 - $318,000, will be used to provide the necessary personnel, resources, technology access, professional development, and student instruction to develop technologically literate students by the eighth grade. To read more, please go to the NCDPI Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org and click on More beside "News."

Two Students Named Outstanding Young Scientific Leaders

Hae Rhee Chung, a senior at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (Durham; Leslie Brinson, advisor), and Diane Caitlin Saunders, a senior at Riverside High School (Durham Public Schools; Elizabeth Christenbury, advisor), were recently selected as two of the most promising scientific leaders in North Carolina's 2007 high school graduating class. They will represent North Carolina as delegates in the 44th session of the National Youth Science Camp® held near the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, West Virginia, to be held June 27-July 23. To read more, please go to the NCDPI Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under "News."

Litter Sweep Roadside Cleanup Scheduled

The Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) Office of Beautification Programs is sponsoring a spring Litter Sweep roadside cleanup on April 14-28; and Gov. Easley has proclaimed this week as Litter Sweep time in North Carolina. Cleanup supplies can be picked up from your local NCDOT maintenance yard. Schools are encouraged to participate if possible and teachers may want to use this time to discuss the importance of environmental protection and recycling. For more information, please contact Helen Landi, director of Office of Beautification Programs at 919.715.3188.

Asia Society and Goldman Sachs Sponsors International Education Award

Asia Society and The Goldman Sachs Foundation are pleased to announce the 2007 Goldman Sachs Foundation Youth Prize for Excellence in International Education. The 2007 competition asks students to select a problem or challenge that affects their local community as well as a community outside the United States. They are to then create an in-depth written, audio, video, or animated feature that compares and contrasts how these two communities have addressed the issue and explain why these approaches reflect the different cultural backgrounds of those involved and what lessons the different communities could learn from each other. Five winners will be selected and will receive up to $10,000 each as well as an all-expense paid trip to New York City in early November 2007 where they will be recognized at Asia Society's Gala Annual Dinner. Please visit http://askasia.org/students/gsfprizes.html for the contest question, guidelines, rules, and online application. The deadline for applications is June 11.

 

If you'd like to review past Teachers' Biweekly Messages sent to the listserv group, just go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/teachersarchive/ .