If
your school district is affected by today’s inclement weather, I hope you are
staying safe and that your students and faculty are safe, too.
This
morning, since many of NCDPI staff were iced out of the office, we met by
conference call to preview the March 2-3 State Board of Education’s meeting
agenda. There are many important items on the upcoming meeting agenda, and
I want to draw your attention specifically to ES&P 2 - Policy Recommendations for Teacher
Licensure and Evaluation Process.
This
item was on the Board’s discussion agenda in February, and will be back on the
Board agenda for potential action in March. News accounts of the February
meeting focused on the “removal of student growth” from the teacher
effectiveness model. The removal of Standard 6 does not eliminate student
growth from the teacher evaluation model. Student growth continues to be a
required artifact that principals will use in evaluating teacher
performance.
Currently,
state law citations for student growth requirements include:
a.
The General Assembly's stated intent to use, in part, student growth as part of
a future performance pay plan. SL 2013-360, Section 9.5 "Pay for
Excellence;"
b.
Student growth measure as requirement for "clinical educator" (i.e.,
supervising teacher of student teacher). SL 2015-241, Section 8.41(a) [new
G.S. 115C-296.11]; and
c.
Student growth as 20% of A-F School Performance Grade formula. G.S. 115C-83.15.
According
to state law, the State Board of Education can no longer give waivers to its
policies. That is the reason why school growth can no longer be used to give
an individual teacher a student growth measure.
In
addition, I want to draw your attention to the other licensure
changes that are outlined in the Board item for March. The policy changes are
intended to provide you with some relief from Highly Qualified requirements so
that you will have a broader pool of potential teachers to hire,
especially in the elementary grades.
If
you or your staff members are interested in providing us with feedback on these
changes, please note that you can do so by going
to www.ncpublicschools.org and clicking on Let’s Talk. In Let’s Talk,
there is a dialog topic called Education Policy Feedback. Please use this tool
to send me your feedback. It routes your comments directly to
my office.
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Panic Alarm Grants
NCDPI School
Planning staff will be accepting requests for Panic Alarm Grants from new
schools that did not already have panic alarms and from schools requiring
additional panic alarms. Requests must be submitted by April 30. Visit School Planning's website for grant request
instructions and system design criteria or contact Jonathan Jones with NCDPI School
Planning.
Multi-Tiered System of Support:
Strengthening Core Instruction for All
The
work of MTSS is designing a multi-tiered system of support to meet the needs of
all students. In order to do this, a system must be designed that works for
school staff. The District MTSS Team will guide School Leadership Teams
to examine and/or select instruction and curriculum.
It is
critical for these teams to make informed decisions while defining core
instruction and curriculum for academics and behavior. When we think about
curriculum, we think about standards and materials. The materials support students
to meet those standards. When we think about behavioral standards, we start
with school-wide expectations.
Selecting
practices that have the most impact on student learning and then ensuring these
adopted practices can happen for all students is part of building an MTSS
framework. The professional development being offered via integrated academic
and behavioral systems provides resources for teams engaged in designing an MTSS
for all students.
For
more information on these layers of support, see this graphic
or visit the MTSS wiki space. If you have questions, please contact Amy Jablonski.
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 Global Readiness
Webinar
Join NCDPI and World View staff on Tuesday, Feb. 23, from 4:30-5:30
p.m., for a webinar on the Five Levels of Global Readiness. This webinar
will provide context and examples of what it means to be global-ready at the
individual, classroom, school, district and state levels. Global education best
practices and resources will be shared, and the State Board of Education Global
Education Initiative along with other statewide global initiatives will be
highlighted.
This webinar is appropriate for administrators and teachers of all
disciplines and grade levels. You may register online. Once you have registered, you will
receive a confirmation email with participation instructions.
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Severe
Weather Preparedness Week: March 6 – 12
With
winter on its way out and peak severe weather season looming, Gov. Pat McCrory
has proclaimed March 6 – 12 as Severe Weather Preparedness Week to encourage
schools, families and residents to prepare now for unpredictable, severe weather
including thunderstorms.
These
storms can produce damaging winds, hail, tornadoes and even flash floods.
Faculty, staff and students need to know what to do in the event that a tornado
touches down during school hours.
North
Carolina will hold its annual tornado drill on Wednesday, March 9, at 9:30 a.m.
Most NOAA weather radios will NOT sound an audible alert to mark
the beginning of the drill. As such, schools are encouraged to self-initiate
their tornado drills at 9:30 a.m. as if an alert had been broadcast. The drill
will conclude when participants complete their drill activities. No all-clear
message will be issued. If this time is not convenient for your school’s
instructional program, you may reschedule the tornado drill on another day
close to March 9.
North
Carolina Emergency Management encourages everyone to follow four simple steps
to prepare for severe weather: make a plan, practice the plan, have an
emergency supplies kit and stay informed. Teaching kids how to be ready for
disasters can get the entire family ready. For details, visit www.ReadyNC.org.
 Hoke County Superintendent Made Final Four
Congratulations to Hoke County Schools’
Superintendent Freddie Williamson who was one of four finalists competing for
2016 AASA National Superintendent of the Year honors. An Ohio district
superintendent received the top honor at the national conference held last
Thursday in Arizona.
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 Superintendent Vacancy Announced: Guilford County
Schools
The
Guilford 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 Guilford County Schools' District. The application
deadline is March 23.
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.
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Upcoming Meetings
Driver Education
Advisory Committee to Meet
The Driver Education Advisory Committee will
meet tomorrow, Feb. 16, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., in the 7th Floor Board
Room, Education Building, Raleigh.
Agenda items include the Driver Education
Multi-Year Survey report to the General Assembly, appointment of members and
leads for the five subcommittees (New Teacher Training, Education and Training,
Instructor Qualification, Parental Involvement and Coordination with Driver
Licensing) and an update on the Committee’s strategic plan.
The meeting will be audio streamed (click on Live Audio Stream link) for
those who cannot attend.
NC Virtual Public
School Advisory Council to Meet
The North Carolina Virtual Public School
Advisory Council will hold its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 23, from 10
a.m. – 12 p.m., in the Spring Board Conference Room 205, Poulton Innovation
Center, NCSU Centennial Campus, 1021 Main Campus Drive, Raleigh.
Agenda items include the Council’s bylaws,
visioning the future and the NCVPS strategic plan, and the study on alternative
funding options.
Questions regarding this meeting should be
directed to NCVPS at 919.513.8550.
College for Every
Student
College for Every
Student (CFES), a non-profit organization committed to helping underserved
students get to and through college, has received funding to select four
low-income schools for a Closing
the Gap program award: a three-year school program to help
underserved students become college and career ready.
CFES currently
supports 25,000 students in 200 rural and urban K-12 schools in 30 states and
Ireland by providing a framework that allows schools to customize the
implementation of three core practices (Mentoring, Leadership Through Service
and Pathways) proven to help students develop essential skills for college
success and 21st century job readiness.
Information
on the College for Every Student Closing
the Gap program awards can be found online.
Interested schools should complete the application by March 1.
2016 NC Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science
Teaching Awards Nomination Deadline Approaching
April 1 is the deadline to nominate elementary teachers
(grades K-6) for the 2016 North Carolina Presidential Award for Excellence in
Mathematics and Science Teaching.
The Presidential
Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is
the highest honor bestowed by the United States government specifically for
K-12 mathematics and science teaching.
Anyone – principals, teachers, parents, students,
or members of the general public – may nominate a teacher by completing the
nomination form available on the PAEMST website. To submit a nomination, you’ll need the
teacher’s name, email address, and school contact information. If you know more
than one teacher deserving of this award, you may submit more than one
nomination. Teachers also may apply.
One mathematics
teacher and one science teacher will be selected. Each will receive a $10,000
award and a trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the National Awards Recognition
Program. Secondary school teachers
(grades 7-12) will be eligible to apply during a future cycle.
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