TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2007

DECEMBER 13, 2007 - Teachers' Biweekly Message

In North Carolina, the drought has become so severe that we are now talking about water supplies in terms of days of water left, and we are grateful for every rainy day. Gov. Mike Easley has urged everyone to conserve water in every way possible. Schools also need to do their part both by conserving water when possible in school buildings and by educating students about how important it is to use water carefully and wisely. For water conservation tips to implement at home, please visit the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Resources Web site at www.ncwater.org/Water_Supply_Planning/Water_Conservation/link.php. Other good sites include: California Urban Water Conservation Council, www.h2ouse.org/ and American Water and Energy Savers, www.americanwater.com/49ways.htm.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2. North Carolina Continues National Board Certification Momentum
3. 2006-07 School Crime and Violence Report Released
4. NC Selected to Participate in First Arts Education Leaders Institute
5. AP Forum to be Held in February
6. 2008 NC College Access Conference
7. Route 21
8. Google for Educators
9. Historic Hope Plantation
10. Scholarship Opportunity
11. Math Logo Contest

State Board Meeting Highlights

The State Board of Education met last week and approved revising the North Carolina English Language Development Standard Course of Study, changes to the National Board Certification Promissory Note for state funding, and revision of the licensure policy to facilitate the licensing of administrators and instructional support personnel as teachers. Board members discussed proposed revisions of the teacher education program approval process, the "Annual Report on the Reasons Teachers Leave the Profession," the Educational Value Added Assessment System Teacher Module, and an update on the development and piloting of new evaluation instruments for teachers and school executives. Complete Board Highlights will be available online next week at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights.

North Carolina Continues National Board Certification Momentum

Another 1,442 North Carolina public school teachers achieved their highest professional credential - National Board Certification. This newest batch of credentialed teachers brings the state's total number of National Board Certified teachers to 12,770. The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) released its 2007 certification last Tuesday on "National Board Certification Day." North Carolina accounts for one-fifth of the nation's nationally certified teachers. Florida is the next closest state with 10,875. In addition, four North Carolina public school districts placed in the Top 20 districts nationally for the total number of national board certified teachers: Wake County Public Schools is second with 1,259, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is fourth with 1,049, Guilford County Schools is 11th with 465, and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is 18th with 332. To read more, please go to the NCDPI Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under "News."

2006-07 School Crime and Violence Report Released

The rate of acts of crime and violence reported per 1,000 students in state public schools decreased by 0.13 and the total number of acts of crime and violence increased by 0.5 percent. As has been consistently reported in previous years, the large majority of incidents reported were in categories considered non-violent: possession of a controlled substance in violation of law, possession of a weapon excluding firearms and powerful explosives, possession of an alcoholic beverage and assault on school personnel not resulting in serious injury. The Department has implemented a number of programs including the Positive Behavioral Support Initiative and partnered on Media Ready to reduce the number of acts of crime and violence committed on school property. The information from the Crime and Violence Report will be used for a number of purposes including Safe Schools Grant review, school and district improvement plans, crisis management kits, superintendent and principal evaluations, grant writing and justification for additional resources.

NC Selected to Participate in First Arts Education Leaders Institute

A team of education and arts leaders from North Carolina, along with teams from Alaska, Kentucky, Nebraska and Wisconsin, has been selected by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for an arts education institute that could lead to statewide reform on how arts education is provided to students in K-12 public schools. The NEA Education Leaders Institute will convene the five teams, which are comprised of school leaders, legislators, policymakers, educators, professional artists, consultants and scholars. Together, these teams will discuss a shared arts education challenge, and jointly develop strategies to strengthen their state's arts education policies and programs. To read the full press release, please go online to http://www.arts.gov/news/news07/ELI2.html.

AP Forum to be Held in February

Mark your calendars and plan to attend NCDPI's annual AP/IB and Honors Forum scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 13, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at the Twin City Quarter, Winston-Salem. There is a $75 registration fee that covers the cost of all handouts, a continental breakfast and lunch. Interactive subject based sessions will focus on content, strategies and resources for new or experienced Pre-AP, AP, IB or Honors teachers. The non-refundable registration fee must be received by Jan. 11. Late, on-site registrations will not be accepted. Additional information, including registration, is available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/apinitiatives/forum. Room reservations can be made at a reduced rate at either the Embassy Suites Hotel (800.696.6107) or Marriott Winston-Salem (800.320.0934) by calling and referencing "AP Forum." For more information, please contact Angel Dowden at 919.807.3895, or by email, adowden@dpi.state.nc.us.

2008 NC College Access Conference

The NC College Access Conference is being held Feb. 6-8 at the Greensboro Marriott Downtown Hotel, Greensboro. The purpose of this statewide forum is to share information and resources regarding two of the most important public policy issues of our time: college access and student success. Ron Clark, "America's Teacher," will be the keynote speaker. Additional information, including registration, is available online at www.CFNC.org by clicking on the "Register for CFNC Events" button on the homepage and scrolling down to 2008 NC College Access Conference. For more information, please contact Kelly Harrell, Access and Outreach, The University of North Carolina General Administration, 919.843.5875 or by email, kharrell@northcarolina.edu.

Route 21

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is making available to educators Route 21, an interactive tool to help educators incorporate 21st century skills into schools and classrooms. The tool allows for reader input, equivalent to Amazon, and provides an interactive locale to share best practice. For 21st century skills-related information, resources and community tools, please go online to http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21.

Google for Educators

Did you know that Google offers a Web page for educators? It includes links that provide "Tools for Your Classroom," "Classroom Activities," "Classroom Posters," and "Teacher Community." Check it out for yourself by going online to http://www.google.com/educators/index.html.

Historic Hope Plantation

Hope Plantation, located outside of Windsor (Bertie County), offers school groups unique insights into the late 18th and 19th century rural life in eastern North Carolina. The Historic Hope Plantation's goal is to educate and interpret Colonial and Federal era rural life in the south by offering a number of educational resources including: two restored and furnished historic homes (1803 Hope Mansion and 1763 King-Bazemore House), a museum exhibit room featuring artifacts and interpretative exhibits, accessible collections from 1700-1900, classroom capacity for onsite instruction of up to 30 people, 1.5 miles of marked nature trails, a functioning period kitchen, and onsite picnic facilities. Additional information is available online at http://www.hopeplantation.org/.

Scholarship Opportunity

The North Carolina Association for Educational Communications & Technology (NCAECT) is offering two, $2,000 scholarships. One will be awarded to a student pursuing a graduate degree/certification in Instructional Technology and the other will be awarded to a student pursuing a graduate degree/certification in School Library Media. The deadline to apply is Jan. 10. Application details are available online at http://www.ncaect.org/scholarship.html.

Math Logo Contest

The North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCCTM) Celebrate Mathematics Committee is sponsoring its annual Math Logo Contest. The winning logo will be used by NCCTM during the 2008-09 school year for a variety of purposes including on a poster to promote interest in mathematics and as the basic design for NCCTM's 2008 T-shirt. Though the illustration is an important part of the logo, entries are judged on the idea or concept conveyed. Use of copyrighted work (clip art, cartoon characters, etc.) will automatically disqualify the entry. The words of the slogan should not be on top of or touch the design. Contest entries must be received by March 1. Please be aware that a professional graphic artist will prepare the final art of the winning entry for printing. Additional details are available online at https://ncctm.org/logo_contest.cfm.

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