TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2009
TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2009SEPTEMBER 24, 2009 - Teachers' Biweekly Messages
The State Board of Education approved the first set of new Essential Standards at its September meeting - a key step toward revamping our state's curriculum, assessments and school accountability model. The Essential Standards will replace the old Standard Courses of Study in mathematics, the Occupational Course of Study, Instructional Technology and English 10 in the 2011-12 school year. Between now and then, new assessments are being developed for all of these areas. The next phase of new Essential Standards includes social studies, foreign languages, health, physical education and the fine arts. Science Essential Standards also are under revision on a slightly different timeline. All of this work has included key input from many of you and from higher education, the business community and national standards. Professional development modules are in development now and are expected to begin appearing in February of 2010. North Carolina is the only state to completely overhaul all three components - curriculum, assessments and accountability - simultaneously. I hope you'll watch this work unfold online at www.ncpublicschools.org/acre
Regards,
June Atkinson
In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:
State Board Meets Next Week
The State Board of Education will meet next Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 30-Oct. 1, in the 7th Floor Board Room, Education Building, Raleigh. Board members will discuss all agenda items during their committee meetings on Wednesday and Thursday morning, and take action as appropriate when they meet as a Board later Thursday morning. Action items include Honors Course policy revisions, considerations for English I being taken at the middle school level, and a Supplemental Educational Services Evaluation Policy. Discussion items include the state's proposed new accountability model, the American Diploma Project/Algebra II results for spring 2009, and the formative evaluation report for the North Carolina Virtual Public School. The complete agenda and executive materials are posted online at www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/. Also, the State Board's committee meetings and full Board meeting are audio streamed for those who cannot attend. To listen to the sessions, please go online to www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/ and scroll to the Live Audio Stream links.
Apply Now to North Carolina Principal Fellows Program
The North Carolina Principal Fellows Program, a merit-based scholarship loan program funded by the North Carolina General Assembly, is accepting applications to its full-time, two-year Master of School Administration (MSA) degree programs. The program provides funding for two years of full-time study in the amount of $30,000 for first year and the equivalent of beginning assistant principal 10-month salary plus $4,100 in second year. Scholarship loan recipients agree to practice at an approved site in North Carolina as a full-time school-based administrator for four years or repay the loan. The deadline to apply is Jan. 15, 2010. For applicant criteria and an application, visit www.ncpfp.org . Questions may be directed to Caroline Green at cogreen@northcarolina.edu.
NBPTS Application Deadline Approaching
The deadline for requesting state funding for applications for National Board Certification is Oct. 31. In 2009-10, there is state funding for the National Board application fee. However, Per Senate Bill 202 Section 7.30(a), beginning in 2010-11, the application fee will no longer be paid by the State. Eligible candidates will be able to take out a loan for the funds through the State Education Assistance Authority. For more information on the National Board application process, visit www.ncpublicschools.org/recruitment/nationalboardcertification/
NC Outdoor Classroom Symposium
North Carolina's first Outdoor Classroom Symposium will be held Friday, Oct. 23, at the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. This symposium is targeted for PreK-12 grade teachers, administrators, parent volunteers and others will focus on techniques for creating, maintaining and using outdoor classrooms and strategies for integrating outdoor learning into the classroom. Please visit www.eenorthcarolina.org/outdoor_classrooms_home.htm for full details including registration. The registration deadline is Oct. 14.
LEARN NC has published Mandarin Chinese II
LEARN NC has published Mandarin Chinese II, the second in a series of digital textbooks for Mandarin Chinese courses. Like the textbook for Mandarin Chinese I, which was published in December 2008, this textbook incorporates audio and video with instruction in grammar, language and culture. Mandarin Chinese II helps learners build on the skills they learned in Mandarin I. In addition to learning more complex grammar rules and sentence patterns - including how to use past and future tenses - the textbook focuses on differences in formal and informal language. View it online at http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/mandarin2
Online Conference Targets CIimate Change
On Sept. 29-30 and Oct. 1, Smithsonian experts will explore climate from the point of view of various science disciplines, as well as the disciplines of history, art, and culture through an online conference. Each of the live sessions will focus on a different researcher and his or her work, with opportunities for the audience to interact by asking their own questions or responding to ones posed by Smithsonian staff. Some sessions will feature student volunteer projects and inventions that are having a positive impact on our environment. Also included will be demonstrations of pre, during and post activities that were developed with help from Teachers of the Year in Colorado, Hawaii, Missouri and Michigan. The conference will not address policy issues, and all conference sessions will be archived for later viewing. To learn more about the conference, including registration, go to www.SmithsonianEducation.org/Climate.
Search Underway for Nation's Top Youth Volunteers
Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals is sponsoring its 15th annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. This Award's program recognizes outstanding community service by students in grades 5 though 12. The top middle and high school candidates in each state win $1,000 and a trip to Washington, D.C. Program information has been sent to all middle and high school principals and guidance counselors but also is available online at http://spirit.prudential.com or by calling 877.525.8491. Students must submit completed applications to his or her principal by Nov. 2. Schools will then select the top recipients and submit those names for state-level judging. The middle and high school recipients for each state will be named in February 2010. State honorees will travel with a parent to Washington, D.C., May 1-4 for national recognition events. Ten national honorees will be named and among other things, will receive an additional $5,000 in awards. Austin Shaw of Wake Forest and Sydney Pfaff of Morehead City were North Carolina's top youth volunteers for 2009.
If you'd like to review past Teachers' Biweekly Messages sent to the listserv group, just go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/teachersarchive/.