TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2009

SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 - Teachers' Biweekly Messages

There are few areas of school operations unaffected by this year's budget issues. Textbooks are no exception. This year, funding for textbook purchases was provided to cover the K-5 math adoption, replacements for work or lost books and to provide books for new students. The entire textbook allotment was cut out of the second year of the biennial (2010-11). As a result, textbooks are expected to be approved by the State Board of Education in October for mathematics grades 6-12; Second Languages; Agriculture Education; and English as a Second Language (English Language Development). These approvals will move forward even though no state funding is allocated for purchases next year because most of the evaluation process was completed and some districts may have other sources of funds for textbook purchases. As publishers sign contracts with the State Board of Education, the NCDPI will continue to provide book purchases through the warehouse at the cost savings offered through the bulk purchasing. The textbook evaluations scheduled for 2010 (Science K-12 and Technology Education) are being reconsidered due to a lack of funds to support the evaluation and approval process. We will keep you posted on these decisions as they are completed.

Regards,
June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:

1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2. Standard Course of Study Receives First Major Revision
3. Fewer Teachers Leave the Classroom in 2008-09
4. NC End-of-Grade and End-of Course Tests Available Online
5. NC Teacher of the Year Recognized in Article
6. USDLC Extends Free Online PD for NC Educators Through December
7. 2009-10 Great Salt Water Educational Outreach Program Targets Fourth Graders
8. LEARN NC Fall 2009 Interactive Fall Conference
9. NC Association for the Education of Young Children Study Conference
10. 21st Century Skills for the Global Economy
11. Writing Contest Targets High School Students

State Board Meeting Highlights

At last week's Board meeting, members approved changes to policy delineating the components of the ABCs program for the 2009-10 school year to remove the Competency Tests in Reading and Mathematics, Computer Skills tests, and end-of-course tests in Chemistry and Physics as required by legislation, modifying the Educational Value Added Assessment System (EVAAS) Teacher Module policy to allow for the data to be used as part of summative teacher evaluations, and clarifying the effective date of the adjusted Praxis II score for Physical Education to May 6, 2009 license areas. Members discussed Honors Course Policy revisions, implementation of the Healthy Youth Act in grades 7-9, and the plan for statewide assistance for schools. Complete Board highlights will be posted online tomorrow afternoon at www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/highlights.

Standard Course of Study Receives First Major Revision

After numerous face-to-face and virtual meetings, thousands of comments and three rewrites, the State Board of Education at their September meeting approved the essential standards for K-12 Mathematics, English 10, the Occupational Course of Study and K-12 Information and Technology. This first group of essential standards, which become effective in the 2011-12 school year, are an integral part of the statewide Accountability and Curriculum Reform Effort (ACRE) approved by the State Board of Education as part of its "Framework for Change." To read more, please visit the NCDPI Web site at www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under "News."

Fewer Teachers Leave the Classroom in 2008-09

Fewer North Carolina teachers left their jobs last year according to the annual "Teacher Turnover Report" presented to the State Board of Education at its meeting last week in Raleigh According to the statewide reposchool systems had an average teacher turnover rate of 12.72 percent for 2008-09, slightly less than the 2007-08 rate of 13.85 percent. North Carolina's teacher turnover rate also remained lower than the 16.8 percent rate of turnover among all teachers in the United States. The State Board will officially approve the report, which is available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/stateboard/meetings/2009/09/tcp/09tcp07.pdfat its October meeting.

NC End-of-Grade and End-of-Course Tests Available Online

One form of most of North Carolina's statewide assessments and the corresponding answer keys and scoring tables are available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/releasedforms. This is the first time that the tests have been publicly available for review by students, parents and others. Releasing forms of the test was a commitment that the State Board of Education made as a part of its "Framework for Change" efforts. The Board's decision to release one form of each test is intended to increase public awareness and transparency for the state's assessment program.

NC Teacher of the Year Recognized in Article

2009-10 North Carolina Teacher of the Year and Porter Ridge High School (Union County Schools) Spanish teacher Jessica Garner is the subject of a recently published feature article by LEARN NC. The article, the second of a planned series spotlighting teachers who employ inventive instructional techniques, addresses Garner's enthusiastic approach to innovative uses of technology in the classroom. To read the article, please visit www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/

USDLC Extends Free Online PD for NC Educators Through December

USDLC received such a big response from state educators to its summer offer of free, online professional development that they've decided to continue the offer through December so that educators can complete all the courses they've started. New registrants also are being accepted for courses through December. There are a wide variety of courses being offered, but before you start a course you will need:

• Prior Approval (USDLC offers a form if you do not already have one. This is for your local CEU process and not returned to USDLC.)
• Locally assigned evaluator (supervisor level-i.e., principal, PD coordinator, county-level PD coordinator to review and approve reflective papers in order for you to receive an e-Certificate of Completion.)

To register, go online to www.usdlc.org and select "Add Me to Our Site License." Complete the form using your county SiteID. (All NC counties now have a USDLC SiteID. If you do not know yours, email info@usdlc.orgor call 888.828.7352.) If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please contact Cris Crissman, NCDPI Distance Learning Consultant, at ccrissma@dpi.state.nc.us or 919.807.3582.

2009-10 Great Salt Water Educational Outreach Program Targets Fourth Graders

The Coastal Carolina Indian Center & Association is sponsoring the 2009-10 Great Salt Water Educational Outreach Program. This is a unique enrichment opportunity for fourth grade teachers and their students. Upon request, staff from the Center will visit schools and individual classrooms so that students can examine a variety of artifacts, ask questions and learn more about some of the fun and thrilling facts of North Carolina Indian history. For more information regarding how to participate in this program, please go online to http://www.coastalcarolinaindians.com/news/071808_EducationalOutreach.htm or call 252.354.5905.

LEARN NC Fall 2009 Interactive Fall Conference

Sign up now to attend LEARN NC's free 2009 interactive conference scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1, from 1-5 p.m. Though the face-to-face seats are now filled, virtual attendees get the same great afternoon sessions as face-to-face participants, including sharing free resources, technology integration, professional development strategies, and more. Inte ract with fellow educators frsoftware, Twitter, and the online back channel. Virtual participants may join for the entire afternoon or for whatever portion of the conference is convenient. For full details and registration information, please visit http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/fall-conference-2009/5767

NC Association for the Education of Young Children Study Conference

The 2009 NC Association for the Education of Young Children Study Conference will be held Oct. 1-3 at the Raleigh Convention Center. New this year is a track based on the 3rd Edition of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs. Individuals completing this track can earn one CEU. In addition, there are special tracks just for Pre-K-Kindergarten educators as well as for Primary (1-3) educators that are focused on appropriate practices in these very important foundation years. Full details, including registration information, is available online at www.ncaeyc.org/conference/2009/registrationinformation.html .

21st Century Skills for the Global Economy

World View will sponsor its 2009 Global Education Symposium, "21st Century Skills for the Global Economy," on Oct. 14-15 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. The symposium will offer techniques and resources for integrating 21st Century skills across the curriculum. The cost is $150 per person and $500 for a team of four. Completers will receive 1.5 CEUs. For more information, including registration, please visit www.unc.edu/world/2009Symposium.htm

Writing Contest Targets High School Students

The First Freedom Center is sponsoring its 17th annual First Freedom Student Competition. This national essay contest offers 9th-12th grade students an opportunity to compete for a $3,000, $1,500 and $750 award, as they examine the history and implementation of religious freedom-the freedom of conscience-in American democracy and the world today. This year the competition is going global, as the topic asks students to write about international religious freedom. Students will be introduced to Article 18 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the place of religious liberty in U.S. history and foreign policy. Their task will challenge their analytic writing skills and require them to assess current-day events in terms of international human rights and history. For the topic, guidelines, registration, classroom poster, student flyer and other details, visit www.firstfreedom.org, and then click on the red First Freedom Student Competition button (center column). Student online registration is required on or before Monday, Nov. 23, and the postmark entry deadline for mailing the essay with its accompanying entry materials is Saturday, Nov. 28. Questions may be directed to Isabelle Richman, First Freedom Center, at competition@firstfreedom.org or 804.643.1786.

 

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