TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2008

JUNE 10, 2008 - Teachers' Biweekly Messages

Last week, the State Board of Education approved a variety of changes that promise to usher in a new generation of school accountability. You can review all of the recommendations at www.ncpublicschools.org under Highlights. I would like to thank all of you who took the time to provide key feedback to the Board about this new direction. Many teachers, individually and through professional organizations, provided input about how testing and accountability should best be accomplished in North Carolina. Your voices were heard, and the result is a very positive direction for our state. Please take a look at this document, and look forward to fall 2008-09 when a number of these changes will already be in place.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2. Learn and Earn Named Harvard Innovations in Government Finalist
3. Posting for K-12 Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Division Director
4. Promoting Cultural Responsiveness in Public Education
5. Spring/Summer Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers
6. National Student Parent Mock Election

State Board Meeting Highlights

At last week's State Board meeting, members approved the "Framework for Change: The Next Generation of Assessments and Accountability," the Course for Credit Policy, the K-12 Standard Course of Study for English Language Development, and Guilford County Schools' Alternative Licensure Program for Lateral Entry Teachers. Member discussion included revisions to the Graduation Project Policy, approval/adoption of the teacher evaluation instrument, and licensing physical education and health teachers. Highlights of the June Board meeting will be available online toward the end of this week at www.ncpublicschools.org/sbehighlights.

Learn and Earn Named Harvard Innovations in Government Award Finalist

North Carolina's Learn and Earn high school reform initiative has been named one of 15 finalists in the 2008 Innovations in American Government Awards competition sponsored by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The program was selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 applicants to represent the best in government innovation on the local, city, county, tribal, state and federal levels. From the 15 finalists, six programs will be selected to receive $100,000 toward the replication and dissemination of the innovation. The winners will be announced in September.

Posting for K-12 Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Division Director

The NCDPI is seeking exceptionally well-qualified candidates for director of K-12 Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Division. The successful candidate will have a record of expertise in curriculum and instruction and at least 10 years of experience demonstrating successful leadership in a school district or state public education department and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction, school leadership, or school administration. The complete positing is available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/jobs (Education Program Director III). Interested applicants should complete the Application for State Employment available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/jobs/dpiapplications indicating position #16110 and submit it to Human Resources Division, NCDPI, 301 N. Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC 27601-02825. Telephone inquiries should be directed to Jack Stone, HR director, 919.807.3395, or by email, jstone@dpi.state.nc.us. Applications will be considered until management determines there are a sufficient number of highly qualified candidates.

Promoting Cultural Responsiveness in Public Education

The NCDPI is sponsoring "Promoting Cultural Responsiveness in Public Education," a professional development activity that explores cultural responsiveness as it applies to education and equitable learning opportunities. The training will be held July 30-31 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. in Room 150 of the Education Building, Raleigh. There is a $75 per person registration fee that covers session materials and lunch both days. The non-refundable registration fee must be received by July 23. The session is limited to 100 participants. For more information, including registration, please go online to www.ncpublicschools.org/racg or contact Ken Babineaux at 919.807.3657, or by email, kbabineaux@dpi.state.nc.us.

Spring/Summer Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers

Following are some professional development opportunities teachers may want to take advantage of this summer:

• "Literacy to Learn: Professional Development for 21st Century Educators" is composed of online modules supported by video documentaries of best practices in the classroom. Courses can be taken at three different levels. Register by June 25 for reduced fees of only $50/course (regularly $150/course). Additional information is available online at www.usdlc.org/pathways/ltol.jsp. For more information, please contact Linda Walters, USDLC Professional Development Coordinator, at lwalters@dpi.state.nc.us or 919.807.3497.
• Help turn your students into savvy consumers of information. Explore reading and writing instruction and information literacy concepts, and learn to effectively integrate these literacy skills into your teaching, regardless of the subject or grade level. This course begins June 25. For more information or to register, please visit www.learnnc.org/courses.
• Tailor your instruction to meet the unique learning styles of specific students. You'll develop differentiated components of your own online courses through practical assignments, and modify content, learning experiences, and assessment to address individual students' needs. This 6-week online course is part of LEARN NC's Carolina Online Teacher Program and is worth 3 CEUs. This course begins July 7. For more information or to register, please visit www.learnnc.org/courses/current/Differentiating_07_07_08_Walbert
• All Kinds of Minds' Schools Attuned Program is a professional development and service delivery program that assists K-12 educators in using neurodevelopmental content in their classrooms to create success in learning. The Schools Attuned Program helps teachers understand their students' learning profiles and gives them the knowledge, tools, and skills needed to help frustrated students break through barriers to success - and reclaim the joy in learning. A number of courses in a number of different locations are being offered this summer in both the generalist and subject specialist path courses. There is a $100 non-refundable registration fee. For more information, including registration, please go online to www.allkindsofminds.org/sa.

National Student Parent Mock Election

North Carolina public schools are invited to be a part of the National Student Parent Mock Election (NSPME) taking place this fall. The Mock Election is an outreach and education project administered by the North Carolina Center for Voter Education, a non-profit, non-partisan organization. The NSPME is designed to engage students and parents in the power of the ballot by actively involving them in a full-fledged campaign during the national election. There is no cost to participate. Schools can sign up to participate by going online to www.ncmockelection.org. The deadline to register is Oct. 15, and the mock election is Oct. 30. For more information, please contact Lindsey Hosner at 877.258.6837 (toll-free) or via email at lshosner@ncmockelection.org.

 

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