May 19, 2016 Principals' Biweekly Message

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Principals' Biweekly Message

May 19, 2016

June Atkinson

Recently, a Moore County student was injured by a truck passing a stopped school bus (on the right side!), and WSOC-TV in Charlotte recently reported on multiple cars in Avery County passing stopped school buses. In the excitement of the end of the school year, please consider reminding students about the importance of following safety guidelines regarding boarding and leaving the school bus. 

 

It is an exciting time of year for students, but we want everyone to stay safe and for students to remember the importance of making sure all traffic has stopped before they cross the road and watching for the bus drivers’ hand signals as they board the school bus. During our one-day stop arm violation count this spring, over 3,100 vehicles illegally passed a school bus that had stopped with red lights flashing and stop arm extended to load or unload students.

 

While I wish motorists would all follow the law, we cannot count on them, and students and bus drivers must guard against those motorists. I hope all our students end the school year safe and sound.

June Atkinson Signature

Man Taking an Online Survey

Comment Window on Revised Proposed Math Standards Closes May 20

 

The public comment window on the revised high school mathematics standards closes tomorrow, May 20. That survey may be accessed online.

 

NCDPI staff have been facilitating a review of high school math standards, Math I, II and III. The State Board of Education heard discussion on the high school math standards review/revision process as well as drafts for revisions to Math I, II and III at its May meeting and information review at its April meeting.

 

The item will return as an action item at the Board’s June meeting. Should Board members adopt the revised standards known as NC Math 1, NC Math 2 and NC Math 3, the draft implementation plan will be enacted. The first step will be regional information and professional development sessions in each region throughout June and July. See that draft Implementation Plan at Draft Implementation Overview Graphic, including summer dates.

 

Please contact Tiffany Perkins or Jennifer Curtis with any questions.


Multi-Tiered System of Support

Scheduling for a Multi-Tiered
System of Support

 

The Self-Assessment of MTSS Implementation (SAM) provides information to school teams on the components critical to building a strong and sustainable school improvement framework.

 

Developing school-wide capacity and infrastructure are necessary to implement and sustain an MTSS. This happens when the ongoing professional development and coaching plan is focused on data-based problem solving, and multi-tiered instruction and intervention. Additionally, school leadership teams should focus on scheduling that allows staff to plan, implement both core instruction and interventions, as well as time to engage in data-based problem solving.

 

The quarterly MTSS Principal Brief provides additional information on scheduling for an MTSS within your school. For more information, contact Amy Jablonski with Integrated Academic and Behavior Systems.


Implementation Science

Implementation Science:
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

 

The idea of moving from Letting it Happen to Making it Happen is the new mantra that NCDPI has so ambitiously embraced. In order for this shift to successfully occur, Implementation Teams must be involved.

 

Whether a policy or program has been mandated or adopted, the Implementation Team is accountable for developing the implementation support systems, resolving organization and system issues that arise, and achieving positive results. Implementation Teams establish an aligned and linked teaming infrastructure that can help integrate, sustain, and scale-up interventions with fidelity over time, as shown in the graph below.


Implementation Science


The research shows that using Implementation Teams yields results in as little as three years with 80 percent fidelity, while not using Implementation Teams as little as 14 percent fidelity is reached over a 17-year period, more than a student’s career in K-12 education.

 

Additional information on the Implementation Teams is available online.

 

Happening Now  

 

Each local school district and charter school participating in MTSS Cohorts 1 and 2 has developed a District Leadership Team and a District Implementation Team. The District Leadership Teams are charged with providing systemic guidance and support in developing policies and collecting resources for the implementation of MTSS. District Implementation Teams will provide technical support and coaching to individual schools and teachers to develop tiered interventions and supports that align vertically and horizontally.    


Melody Chalmers

Cumberland County Schools’ Principal Named Principal of the Year

 

Congratulations to E.E. Smith High School Principal Melody Chalmers who was recently named the 2016 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year.

 

State Superintendent June Atkinson commended Chalmers on her selection. “Melody is known as an innovative problem solver who is committed to the academic and personal growth of each of her students and teachers. Her staff and students truly benefit from the nurturing learning environment she promotes.”

 

As Wells Fargo Principal of the Year, she will receive $3,000 for personal use and $3,000 for her school. She also receives professional development and resources supporting global awareness in the curriculum for her staff thanks to Education First Tours, and a custom-made NC Principal of the Year signet ring and pendant from Jostens Inc.

 

She will continue to lead her school for the next year however, Wells Fargo will furnish her with a stipend to travel across the state serving as an ambassador for education. She will serve as a member of the State Superintendent’s Principals’ Advisory Committee, and as an advisor to the State Board of Education and the Board of Directors for the NC Public School Forum.

 

Chalmers succeeds Pactolus School (Pitt County Schools) Principal Steve Lassiter.


21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Competition

 

NCDPI is pleased to announce a new grant competition for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program. The online application will be available in August for an initial grant award in the 2017-18 school year.

 

In order to support potential applicants, NCDPI will provide several technical assistance sessions across the state in the coming months. Organizations interested applying for a 21st CCLC grant are highly encouraged to attend. Please note, space for some locations is limited; register early to ensure a slot.

 

Additional information regarding the 21st CCLC program is available online


NC's Teacher Working Conditions Initiative

And the 2016 NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey Winners are…

 

NCDPI staff would like to thank the over 101,800 educators who participated in the 2016 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NC TWCS). Almost 1,100 NC schools met our statewide goal of 100 percent participation.

 

Wanting to recognize schools with a 100 percent participation rate, the NC Department of Public Instruction partnered with the North Carolina Business Committee for Education and, in particular, BB&T, California Casualty, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Duke Energy, Lenovo and the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) to award those schools prizes and monetary incentives.

 

On May 9, the Department organized a live drawing and randomly selected the following four schools and district to represent those schools and districts that led the state with participation:

*  Allenbrook Elementary School (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)

*  East Rutherford Middle School (Rutherford County Schools)

*  Creswell High School (Washington County Schools)

*  Edenton-Chowan Public Schools

*  Plain View Primary (Bladen County Schools) received the “Nick of Time” award for being the final school in the state to reach a 100 percent response rate.

 

All schools that reached 100 percent participation may be found here.


Fruits and Vegetables

New Resource to Support Staff Wellness

 

The State Health Plan is offering a free resource to qualifying schools participating in the Wellness Champions Program to support the health of their staff. This new resource is a fitness-based wellness platform that engages members with daily exercise and nutrition activities as well as social interaction and challenges. 

 

Plan staff would like to partner with schools to implement staff wellness initiatives because a healthy school staff helps to create healthy students.

 

The State Health Plan is prepared to meet the unique needs of school staff to foster their success. Together, we can create a healthier North Carolina by supporting high performing schools and staff!

 

Click here for details on this exciting new resource. For more information, please visit shpnc.com or contact NCHealthSmart@nctreasurer.com.


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