TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2008

FEBRUARY 14, 2008 - Teachers' Biweekly Messages

One of my goals as State Superintendent is to convince all teachers, Pre-K-12, to think of themselves as dropout prevention agents. The groundwork for high school dropouts often begins well in advance of high school, even as early as elementary school. Last week, the 2006-07 annual dropout report was released showing that 23,550 students dropped out of school in that year, representing 5.24 percent of all students in grades 9-12. This rate is up from the prior year's. A number of programs are in place to help address this issue, including literacy coaches in middle schools, Learn and Earn Early College High Schools, Career and Technical education, dropout prevention grants from the General Assembly, high school transformation efforts to work with the lowest performing high schools, and efforts to extend learning opportunities through the North Carolina Virtual Public School and Learn and Earn Online program. More detail about this is online at www.ncpublicschools.org under News. I hope you will take the time to read more on this issue and to consider how you can prevent dropouts whether you teach kindergarten, seventh grade or high school.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2. 2008 Engineers Week
3. Regional Teachers of the Year Announced
4. 2008 Super Safe Schools Announced
5. New Hanover County School Receives National Character Award
6. Macon County School Receives STARS Recognition
7. ELA Live!
8. Register Now for the Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference
9. One-Day Conference Focuses on Literacy
10. NCCAT Accepting Registrations for Summer Renewal Seminars
11. Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
12. Student Science Enrichment Program Awards
13. New Nelson Mandela Exhibit

State Board Meeting Highlights

At last week's Board meeting, members approved middle school students taking high school science courses and the policy on the use of the Educational Value Added Assessment System (EVAAS) Teacher Module, discussed the impact of possible revision of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study in Mathematics, and received the 2006-07 Annual Report on Dropout Events and Rates and the 2006-07 Annual Study of Suspensions and Expulsions. Complete Board highlights are available online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights.

2008 Engineers Week

The NC EWeek Coalition would like to invite your classes to participate in the 2008 Engineers Week (EWeek), which will be held Feb. 17-23. EWeek provides a valuable opportunity for your students to interact with volunteers during presentations that emphasize the practical applications of math and science. EWeek volunteers will be able to come to your classrooms and share information about their own careers and facilitate fun and exciting science-related projects, demonstrations and videos. Speakers are volunteers from local businesses and engineering associations. Because of the popularity and strong response from this program, program coordinators are asking schools to sign up as soon as possible on their Web site, www.nc-eweek.org. Visits after EWeek can be accommodated through the same sign up process. If you have any questions, please contact Bill Roberts, Duke Energy, at 828.323.2772.

Regional Teachers of the Year Announced

Congratulations to the following nine public school teachers who were recently selected to represent their regions and charter schools as regional Teachers of the Year:

• North Central Region: Paige Elliott, Fuquay-Varina High (Wake County Schools)
• Northeast Region: Sonya Rinehart, John Holmes High (Edenton-Chowan Public Schools)
• Northwest Region: Janice Raper, Hurley Elementary (Rowan-Salisbury Schools)
• Southeast Region: Ruth Parker, Clinton High (Clinton City Schools)
• Southwest Region: Bernard Waugh, Kannapolis Intermediate (Kannapolis City Schools)
• Sandhills/South Central Region: Trisha Muse, Page Street Elementary (Montgomery County Schools)
• Piedmont-Triad/Central Region: Cindi Rigsbee, Gravelly Hill Middle (Orange County Schools)
• West Region: Renee Peoples, West Elementary (Swain County Schools); and
• Charter Schools: Freida Baker, East Wake Academy (Wake County).

Each of the regional teachers of the year will receive a one-time stipend of $5,000 and a trip to a national conference. They also will serve on the 2008-09 Teacher of the Year team. The 2008-09 Teacher of the Year will be announced April 29 at a dinner and awards ceremony.

2008 Super Safe Schools Announced

Congratulations to the following schools for receiving Super Safe Schools designation for 2008: Bladenboro Elementary (Bladen County Schools); South Brunswick Middle (Brunswick County Schools); Langdon C. Kerr Elementary. Clinton High (Clinton City Schools); Chowan Middle, D.F. Walker Elementary, White Oak Elementary (Edenton/Chowan Schools); Northeastern High (Elizabeth City/Pasquotank Schools); Greene Central High, Greene County Middle, Snow Hill Primary, West Greene Elementary (Greene County Schools); Viewmont Elementary (Hickory City Schools); Sandy Grove Elementary (Hoke County Schools); West Iredell High (Iredell-Statesville Schools); South Lenoir High (Lenoir County Schools); Dixon Middle, Hunters Creek Middle, Jacksonville Commons Middle, New Bridge Middle, Silverdale Elementary, Southwest High, Southwest Middle, Swansboro High (Onslow County Schools); Hertford Grammar, Perquimans Central, Perquimans County Middle (Perquimans County Schools); Phoenix Academy Charter (Guilford County); Monroe Avenue Elementary, Richmond Primary (Richmond County Schools); East Robeson Primary, Littlefield Middle, Long Branch Elementary, Rosenwald Elementary, Oxendine Elementary, Rowland Middle, Orrum Middle, Rowland-Norment Elementary (Public Schools of Robeson County); Running Creek Elementary (Stanly County Schools); Rosman Elementary (Transylvania County Schools); Monroe High, Piedmont Middle, Walter Bickett Elementary, Weddington Middle (Union County Schools); Reedy Creek Middle, Vandora Springs Elementary (Wake County Schools); and Forbush High, Yadkin Success Academy (Yadkin County Schools).

New Hanover County School Receives National Character Award

Congratulations to Winter Park Model Elementary (New Hanover County Schools) for being named North Carolina's 2007-08 National School of Character.

Macon County School Receives STARS Recognition

Congratulations to Cartoogechaye Elementary (Macon County Schools) for receiving recognition as a STARS school (2006-2009). The STARS project identifies and recognizes quality physical education programs that provide meaningful learning opportunities for all students. STARS schools exemplify excellence in teaching knowledge and skills of motor development and health related fitness. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education established the STARS program awards to identify quality physical education programs and provide models for others to follow. The STARS criteria can be used as a self-study for needs assessment and program improvement by all schools. Additional information on the STARS program is available online at http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/stars/index.html.

ELA Live!

ELA Live! is a podcast produced by NCDPI's 6-12 English Language Arts staff featuring items of interest to English teachers, administrators, and the public school community. ELA Live!'s first Podcast features an interview with assessment guru Margaret Heritage, the featured presenter at the ELA institute on Formative Assessment held in New Bern Oct... 22-23. This is an excellent opportunity to hear the thoughts and insights on Formative Assessment from an international expert on this topic. This and future podcasts, which are available online at http://community.learnnc.org/dpi/ela, will include more interviews with educators from across the state and nation, great ideas for lesson plans, ELA updates, and much more! Also, teachers who are interested in contributing to ELA podcasts as a part of classroom projects should email NCDPI ELA Consultant Bob Alexander at balexander@dpi.state.nc.us, or phone him at 919.807.3927.

Register Now for the Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference

The Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Twelfth Annual Conference will be held March 31-April 2 at the Sheraton Four Seasons/Koury Convention Center, Greensboro. The Conference has a national reputation for providing quality, timely topics, and sessions with nationally acclaimed professional Keynote, Focus, and Breakout Session speakers. Participants who attend will leave with new information and energy centered on the 2008 conference theme, "Exploring Root Causes and Strategies for Promoting Achievement." Focus Sessions will be held Monday, March 31, from 1-4 p.m., and Tuesday, April 1, from 8-11:15 a.m., and include topics such as High Expectations, Equity Issues, Differentiated Instruction, Mathematics and Underachievement, and Attitudes and Dispositions that Promote Student Success. For further information, please access the conference Web site at www.ncpublicschools.org/racg or contact Latega Powell at 919.807.3844.

One-Day Conference Focuses on Literacy

On April 26, the Capital Area Writing Project (CAWP) in cooperation with NC Teach at NC State University, is hosting the 4th annual Conference on Writing to Learn across the Curriculum, featuring Dr. Art Costa, Emeritus Professor of Education at California State University, Sacramento. Costa will speak on how writing can enhance "habits of mind." In addition to two general sessions, breakout sessions will offer teachers opportunities to learn writing strategies for the specific content areas of social studies, science, math, English, and foreign language. Although emphasis is on middle and secondary schools, all sessions are applicable to other grade levels. Registration is $100 and includes breaks, lunch and .5 CEU credit. (NOTE: The National Writing Project sites have been approved for the use of NCLB funds.) For more information, please contact Kim Bowen at bowenkc@gmail.com. In charge of registration is Barbara Geiger, 919.872.2224, bugeiger@uptonassociates.com.

NCCAT Accepting Registrations for Summer Renewal Seminars

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) has just announced its June-August Renewal Seminars. NCCAT offers a continuum of professional development, including programs for beginning teachers, interdisciplinary renewal seminars for experienced teachers, and support seminars for teachers seeking the high distinction of national certification. These five-day residential seminars come at no cost to teachers or their schools. Teachers who have been employed full-time in North Carolina public schools for at least three years and who have not attended an NCCAT renewal seminar in the past may apply to attend. For all the details, including registration, please go online to http://www.nccat.org/News_Items/Archives/2008/SD_08_summer.pdf.

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

Just a quick reminder that nominations for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching need to be SUBMITTED BY MARCH 1. If you know a K-6 grades level mathematics or science teacher who deserves recognition at both the state and national level for their excellence in teaching, please complete the online nomination form available at www.paemst.org. If you have any questions, please contact Carmella Fair, mathematics coordinator, 919.807.3840 cfair@dpi.state.nc.us, or Lisa Mackey, science coordinator, 919.807.3843 lmackey@dpi.state.nc.us.

Student Science Enrichment Program Awards

Burroughs Wellcome Fund's (BWF) Student Science Enrichment Program awards support career-oriented and practical programs intended to provide creative science enrichment activities for K-12 students who have shown exceptional skills and interest in science and mathematics, as well as those perceived to have high potential. The program's goals include improving students' competence in science, nurturing their enthusiasm for science, and interesting them in pursuing science-related careers. Programs must enable students to participate in hands-on scientific activities and pursue inquiry-based avenues of exploration. BWF will make grants of up to $60,000 per year for three years. Application materials must be submitted electronically to BWF no later than 4 p.m., April 10. The awards will be announced in November. Projects receiving funding may begin program marketing after Jan. 31, 2009. Further information, including full application instructions, are available online at www.bwfund.org.

New Nelson Mandela Exhibit

The American Tobacco Campus in Durham is hosting a new Nelson Mandela Exhibit, "Nelson Mandela: A Light so Powerful." The exhibit is a collection of art and memorabilia creatively displayed within "wire walls" depicting both his incarceration and his triumph. The exhibit is free and open to the public through April 30. For more information on the exhibit, please go online to www.AmericanTobaccoCampus.com. Groups of 25 or more must register online.

 

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