Many
school districts across North Carolina were forced to cancel or adjust school
schedules for Friday and today because of the snow and ice that fell over the
past few days.
I hope that all your students, staff and you stayed safe during
this time. As a handy reference, information on school closings due to
inclement weather is included in the School
Attendance and Student Accounting (SASA) Manual, which
was updated recently and posted online on Jan. 20.
Although
the weather caused us to postpone our Parents and Teachers Advisory Committee
meetings, I do have a meeting with the Principals Advisory Committee later this
week. If you have staff who serve on these groups, thank you for
supporting their participation. Their feedback on a variety of topics is very
helpful to NCDPI staff and me.
|
Low-Performing School/District Plans for Improvement Due
Feb. 15
As a reminder, NCDPI District and School
Transformation staff’s goal is to have all Final School Plans for Improvement
for the 2015-16 school year submitted by Feb.
15. Please continue to use the website for Low-Performing Districts and Schools to
submit a Plan for Improvement.
It’s important to
confirm successful completion of the Plan for Improvement process by checking
the NCDPI website for the school or district plan. For further questions or support, contact
District and School Transformation staff at 919.835.6101.
Multi-Tiered System of Support: District Leadership Teams
Over the last three weeks, 37 District Leadership
teams attended the Cohort 2 session of the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)
blended professional development.
The purpose of this team is to lead by removing
barriers for sustainable, district-wide implementation of MTSS. The primary
responsibilities in accomplishing this purpose center around:
-
participating with District MTSS team in Overview Session and
contributing to the development and installation of implementation plan;
-
facilitating and implementing a communication and visibility plan that
addresses internal and external communication to all stakeholders;
-
Utilizing data-based problem solving for district-wide implementation;
-
supporting use of only engaging, research-based practices in both
academic and social-emotional/behavioral instruction and intervention; and
-
supporting district and school staff to understand and have access to a
comprehensive, balanced assessment system, procedures and protocols for data
collection and educational decisions, as well as data on fidelity of MTSS
implementation.
All districts, charters, and state-operated
programs will be invited to participate in the MTSS Cohort Sessions. If you have any questions, please
contact Amy
Jablonski.
|
Implementation
Science Correction
In last
week’s superintendents’ message, an item discussing Implementation Science
identified nine districts pioneering this program. That number should actually
have identified eight. Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools are not participating at
this time. We apologize for the error.
|
Summer Nutrition Programs Help Bridge Hunger Gap
One of top priorities for School
Nutrition Services staff at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
is to promote students' overall health, well-being and academic success. To
achieve this priority, staff partner with parents and communities and other
child advocacy organizations throughout the school year and during the summer
months when school is not in session. One of the department’s most important
summer collaborations is the Summer Nutrition Programs, which provide appealing
meals to students in their communities.
The Summer
Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) were established by the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure economically
disadvantaged children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not
in session.
To read more, please
visit NCDPI’s Newsroom.
Problem-Solving Network – Host an Issue Session
The
Problem-Solving Network provides opportunities for educators across the state facing
similar issues and challenges to collaborate on solutions.
During
virtual sessions, participants will:
•
listen as a district or charter school representative
details an educational dilemma;
•
actively engage in a virtual discussion using prompts;
•
collaborate on solutions as a network; and
•
provide feedback about the process and content.
Please consider hosting a session by
submitting a dilemma/issue for discussion. Educator Effectiveness staff will assist you with any questions. Just
complete the request form and a
professional development coordinator will contact you. See the next item and
join the conversation!
Problem-Solving
Network: Small District/Charter School
Solutions
Wednesday, Feb. 3, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
During
this online and interactive session, Dr. Kim Morrison, the Chief Academic and
Innovation Officer from Mt. Airy City Schools, will describe a few dilemmas
facing small districts and charter schools today. These include personnel and
how to use personnel most effectively, using funds efficiently, creating PLCs
across districts for singleton classes, and innovative ways to deliver more courses
for high school.
Based on
the needs of the participants in attendance, some or all of these topics will
be discussed further by participants asking clarifying and probing questions
and then exploring possible solutions.
Educators
from across the state, including central office staff, administrators, and
teachers are encouraged to attend this session to help develop and discuss
solutions to common problems for small districts and charter schools. Participants
should be prepared to speak during the webinar so please be sure your computer
has speakers and a microphone.
Participants may register for this one-hour webinar online.
|