June 2016 NC Public School Partners Newsletter

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JUNE 2016

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State Board of Education June Meeting Highlights

Approval of Math I, II and III Draft Standards Revisions Among Action Items

NC State Board of Education Seal

At Thursday’s State Board of Education meeting, members approved the Math I, II and III draft standards revisions (see next item), requests for local flexibility in the Analysis of Student Work, emergency licensure for core subjects, Career and Technical Education licensure revisions, and NC Driver Education Advisory Committee recommendations.

Among the Board’s discussion items were results from the 2016 NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey, applications for reform models, data privacy and security, and an update on the Department’s Proof of Concept Study.

Board members also recognized their outgoing advisors – Superintendent Advisor Rodney Shotwell, Principal of the Year Advisor Steve Lassiter and Teacher of the Year Advisor James Ford – and retiring RESA Directors Linda Lowe, Southeast RESA; Leon Holleman, Northeast RESA; and Larry Coble, Piedmont-Triad Consortia.

The complete list of this month’s Board actions is available on the Board’s website. The Board’s June agenda as well as supporting executive summaries also are available online by clicking on the SBE Meetings tab.

Revisions to Math I, II and III Draft Standards Approved

Revisions Take Effect in 2016-17

Hogh School Math Student

State Board of Education members unanimously approved revisions to the three high school math courses – Math I, II and III – to go into effect in the 2016-17 school year renamed NC Math 1, NC Math 2 and NC Math 3.

The changes modify the sequence of standards covered in these three integrated mathematics courses and improve the clarity of standards where recommended by teachers. Staff will follow the same process in the fall and engage mathematic teachers in reviewing K-8 math standards and fourth-level math courses Advanced Functions and Modeling, Discrete Mathematics and Pre-Calculus.

NCDPI’s mathematics team is working in conjunction with district math leaders and other external stakeholders to develop an implementation pacing framework that will provide the following supports for local mathematics leaders and high school math teachers:

   2016 Summer Information Sessions;
•   In-Person Regional Math Professional Development;
•   Virtual Teacher Support (just-in-time); and
•   Curriculum Leader Implementation Support.

The outcomes of this work will be to provide implementation support for local districts and schools; continuous learning and direct support for classroom teachers; increase district capacity to identify quality classroom resources; support teachers’ understanding of mathematical coherence and the “big ideas” in high school math courses; and build a digital tool for math teachers that is dynamic, sustainable and growth-oriented in years 2 and 3.

Cumberland County Schools’ Principal is Principal of the Year

Chalmers Succeeds Pactolus School (Pitt County Schools) Principal Steve Lassiter

Melody Chalmers

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.”

In naming Melody Chalmers the 2016 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year, Juan Austin, Wells Fargo Carolinas Community Affairs senior vice president, said, “Melody has a special ability to recruit and retain quality teachers in her school, and student achievement is remarkable. Our education system has never been at a more critical juncture than now and with administrators like Melody we all see how dedication and effort connects with students, staff and parents. I’m pleased that we have this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work of outstanding North Carolina educators who work tirelessly to help our children achieve academic success.”

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.

State Board of Education Honors Seven STEM Schools of Distinction

Two Firsts Highlighted This Year's Recognition Program

STEM Education

The North Carolina State Board of Education recently recognized the following seven public schools for exemplary leadership and instruction in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education:

·  Central Cabarrus High School STEM Magnet Program, Cabarrus County Schools, Model Level of Achievement;
·  Coltrane-Webb STEM Elementary School, Cabarrus County Schools, Model Level of Achievement;
·  Davie County High School STEM Center, Davie County Schools, Prepared Level of Achievement;
·  Nesbitt Discovery Academy, Buncombe County Schools, Prepared Level of Achievement;
·  North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham County, Model Future Ready School of Achievement;
·  Patriots STEM Elementary School, Cabarrus County Schools, Model Level of Achievement; and
·  JW York Elementary School, Wake County Public Schools, Prepared Level of Achievement.

Schools are recognized as meeting the Prepared or Model Level of Achievement, or as a Model Future Ready STEM School of Achievement. Regardless of the status, schools exemplify outstanding leadership and learning, which empower keen creative thinking, reasoning and teamwork – the underpinnings of 21st century skills. Schools recognized under the Model Level of Achievement go even further by systemically interweaving science, technology, engineering and mathematics into complementary coursework in the Arts, Career and Technical Education, English language arts, Healthful Living and World History. 

Two benchmark firsts highlighted this year’s recognition program. The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics was recognized as the state’s first Model Future Ready STEM School of Achievement. To achieve this, the school had to have a graduation rate of 90 percent or higher or a College Readiness/ACT with 90 percent of students having a composite score at 17 or above. The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics had a 99 percent graduation rate and an average ACT composite score of 31.6.

Cabarrus County was the first county to be recognized with a nucleus of neighborhood model STEM Schools of Distinction K-12 that are vertically aligned. The schools forming this nucleus are Coltrane Webb STEM Elementary School, Patriots STEM Elementary School, Central Cabarrus High School STEM Magnet Program and JN Fries Middle School (which was identified in a previous year).

The STEM Recognition Program was developed by NCDPI in partnership with representatives from schools, business and industry, and postsecondary institutions as a way to identify and recognize exemplary STEM schools and STEM programs. These schools were the third set of schools to be recognized under the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s (NCDPI) STEM Recognition Program.

21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Competition

Online Application Available in August

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 staff 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.

Information on Academic Achievement Gap Online

Research and Non-Research Texts Available

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Are you interested in the latest (and not so latest) research and non-research texts about the academic achievement gap and its attending issues (such as poverty) in North Carolina and elsewhere?

If so, then NCDPI's Division of Data, Research and Federal Policy can help. Just scroll through the summaries located on the Academic Education Research web page for relevant, interesting scholarly texts and articles.

2016 Give Five – Read Five Book Drive Concludes

Share Your Success Stories

Give Five – Read Five

As the 2016 Give Five – Read Five book drives wind down and the donated books are distributed to students, please share your success stories with us!

Send an email with what your organization has done to promote summer reading to Diane Dulaney. Visit the NCDPI Give Five – Read Five website to see stories about book drives and activities across the state to promote literacy.

We appreciate and applaud your interest in Give Five – Read Five. Your support will help ensure that students across the state return to school this fall better prepared to learn.

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State Board of Education Meetings

  • July 7, 2016 (Conference Call)
  • Aug. 3 - 4, 2016
  • Aug. 31 - Sept. 1, 2016

 

Celebrate NC Schools

This Month's Highlights