On Friday, the Academic Standards Review Commission met to consider its final recommendations, the culmination of more than a year’s worth of work.

The report as presented in its draft form was not approved, and Commission members directed changes to the mathematics recommendations in particular. A revised version of the report should be posted by the end of the day on Dec. 22, according to the Commission members.

Once approved, the Commission’s report and recommendations will go to the State Board of Education for its consideration and potential action. Please continue to watch the Board’s upcoming agendas and news items to track this progress. As we meet with you in regional meetings and in other settings, there will be opportunities to keep you updated and to gather any feedback needed.

We know that your 2016 calendars are probably already filling up for the first few months of the new year. Please keep in mind that in early January we will send you dates for webinars dealing with Every Student Succeeds Act planning. Also, the next weekly superintendents’ message will be sent Monday, Jan. 4. Interim messages will be sent as needed. We wish your family and you a joyous holiday season!

PowerSchool to be Upgraded;
Move to New Host

The migration of PowerSchool customers to the new hosting environment (Rackspace) is underway. Moving to the new environment as quickly as possible is a top priority due to the reliability issues caused by distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS). Rackspace provides

*  more robust defense against DDoS attacks;

*  increased internal and external bandwidth;

*  improved performance; and

*  enhanced security features.

In addition, the PowerSchool application upgrade to version 9.2 is scheduled for Feb. 19-21. This upgrade contains many new features and several functionality updates that our users have requested and will benefit our customers greatly. Key updates include

*  attendance and grade visualizations;

*  PowerScheduler updates;

*  course availability updates;

*  updated mobile and parent access settings;

*  grade scale enhancements and reporting; and

*  enhanced grade pass-back functionality needed for Canvas and other LMS’.

In order to limit downtime, the maintenance weekend scheduled for Feb. 6-8 is being postponed until Feb. 19-21 to accommodate both the migration to Rackspace as well as the upgrade to PowerSchool v.9.2. NCDPI staff will provide periodic updates during this transition.

Creating Readiness for MTSS

Completion and submission of the Readiness Instrument by a team will provide useful data in how to create readiness for implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).

An important function of the district implementation team is to work with individuals and groups to help them think about the need for change, get ready for change, and to actively participate in the implementation process. Eighty percent of the work of an implementation team is creating readiness. This team will be key in consistently responding to stakeholder questions such as:

•  What is MTSS?

•  How may I get more information?

•  How may I participate?

The professional development and technical assistance offered by the Department’s MTSS team will provide guidance, tools, resources and coaching to district MTSS teams focused on establishing readiness as well as sustainable implementation of an MTSS.

The electronic link to the Readiness Instrument will be sent to curriculum and instruction directors, exceptional children directors, state operated program directors, and charter school directors via the NCDPI list serve.

Thank you in advance for your support and involvement in this work. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Jablonski.

Superintendent Vacancy Announced: Caswell County Schools

The Caswell County Board of Education is seeking a superintendent to lead the school system in its continuing pursuit of excellence. Candidates must have or be qualified to hold a North Carolina superintendent license. Central office and building-level experience are preferred. A doctorate degree or progress toward a doctorate degree is preferred but not required. The individual chosen will be required to live in the Caswell County School District. The application deadline is Feb. 8.

An electronic version of the application is available by going to the N.C. School Board Association's website and clicking on the appropriate link. Inquiries and requests for applications also can be directed to Allison Schafer, Legal Counsel/Director of Policy, North Carolina School Boards Association, PO Box 97877, Raleigh NC 27624-7877, telephone 919/841-4040, fax 919/841-4020, email. All inquiries will be kept confidential.

Dual Language/Immersion Administrator Seminar

NCDPI staff will hold a NC Dual Language/Immersion (DL/I) Administrator Seminar on March 9-10 on the UNC-Charlotte campus. This seminar is designed for current program administrators and administrators exploring implementation options.

Day one will begin with a keynote by Thomas and Collier followed by breakout sessions led by NC practitioners. Day 2 will provide opportunities to visit a DL/I school. Once you have registered and paid the registration fee of $30, you will receive a survey to sign up for a school visit on Day 2. 

Register Now for 2016
Home Base Symposium

NCDPI Home Base staff invite you to connect with your peers at the 2016 Home Base Symposium scheduled for Feb. 10-12 at the Sheraton Four Seasons/Koury Convention Center, Greensboro. The 2016 Home Base Symposium invitation and registration details are available online.

NCDPI Professional Development Opportunities

Claim Your Seat in Educator Effectiveness’ New Slate of Spring Courses

Two FREE 14-week instructor-led online courses – Using Data to Create and Use Assessment and Measurement and Implementing Action Research in the Classroom – will start Monday, Jan. 11. Registration is limited to 35 participants per section.

Nine FREE 5-7 week instructor-led online courses will start Monday, Feb. 8. Topics span from 21st Century Learners to the North Carolina Evaluation Process. Registration opens Jan. 11, and is limited to 35 participants per section.

The Mooclet, Effective Digital Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the K-12 Classroom, returns Monday, Feb. 8. Registration for the course opens Jan. 11. The Mooclet focuses on using digital tools and strategies to support teaching and learning and enriching individuals’ knowledge through developing communities of practice across the state. This six-week course is limited to 200 participants.

For a full description of all courses and associated CEUs visit Educator Effectiveness’ new and improved website. Please contact Geetanjali Soni if you have any questions about Educator Effectiveness courses, webinars or other professional development resources. 

North Carolina Improves Calibration of Evaluators with Observation Engine

There is still time to register for the Observation Calibration Training (OCT) offered to administrators across the state. More than 375 administrators have registered for the online training, and that number is expected to grow.

Registration for individuals and groups will remain open until Jan. 15 to ensure that all administrators have an opportunity to register. For more information, refer to the OCT wiki page or contact Kimberly Simmons, NCEES Coordinator.