Weekly Message - State Superintendent June Atkinson

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Superintendents' Weekly Message
June Atkinson

I hope all of you can join NCDPI staff on Wednesday at 10 a.m. for a legislative webinar regarding the state budget and other legislation of special interest. The login information was sent to you on June 30, and is repeated in the first item below.

 

With the 2015-16 school year behind us, we can do a “year-in-review” to see where we had successes and where we need to work harder.

 

Thanks to the local testing and technology teams statewide, NCTest, the North Carolina Online Assessment platform, completed a record-setting online assessment year. I want to offer a special thanks to our partners at the Center for Urban Affairs and Community Services at NC State University (Technical Outreach for Public Schools - TOPS) for its support and dedication to this project.

 

During the 2015-16 school year, your districts were given the option of taking nearly all state end-of-course and end-of-grade assessments and North Carolina Final Exams through NCTest. As of June 16, North Carolina students took more than 1,271,000 EOG, EOC and NCFE assessments through NCText. Students also completed more than 293,000 Career Technical Education assessments in the system. This record-setting year included a record-setting day on June 3 when 170,595 EOG, EOC, NCFE and CTE online assessments were completed.

 

This is good news as we continue to move toward better integration of digital learning technology in our schools.

June Atkinson's Signature

Laptop

Wednesday Webinar Focuses on New State Budget and Other Legislation

 

NCDPI staff will hold a webinar tomorrow, July 6, at 10 a.m. on the state’s new budget and other legislation of particular interest. If you haven’t already done so, you may register online.

 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.


NC State Board of Education Seal

State Board of Education Meets Thursday Via Conference Call

 

The State Board of Education will meet this Thursday, July 7, from 10 – 11:45 a.m., via conference call.

 

Action items include a policy amendment on Issuance of Special High School Diplomas for WWII, Korean Conflict or Vietnam Era vets, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grant, Capital Improvement Projects report, recommendations for charter schools scheduled to open this August, and the NCDPI Proof of Concept Study.

 

Discussion items include program approval and modifications for Institutions of Higher Education, policies on general licensure requirements, recommendation to add stipulations to Thunderbird Preparatory Academy’s charter agreement, and the State Board’s position on calendar flexibility.

 

The complete agenda as well as supporting executive summaries are available online by clicking on the Meetings tab. The meeting is audio streamed for those who cannot attend. To listen, please visit the above link and click on the live audio streams link to the right.


High School Math

High School Mathematics Information Sessions - Three Remain

 

Over 500 high school math teachers, district leaders and coaches have attended a regional information session in the last two weeks. There are still three sessions left, and all have available space. You do not have to reside in the region where it is hosted. 

 

Districts are asked to register a team of five-seven educators (ex. math lead teachers, district curriculum leaders, math coaches, math coordinators, etc.). The agenda in the morning session is devoted to both general and specific changes in standards and courses along with the new resources that are available to aid in the implementation of the revised standards. The afternoon agenda is high school math content specific.

 

Please click on the appropriate location below to register. The times and specific locations are located on the Eventbrite registration page. Please contact Susan Hart with any questions.

 

Region 8: Tuesday, July 12Waynesville

Region 7: Tuesday, July 19Morganton

Region 1: Tuesday, July 26Plymouth


NC Global Education

Global Education Updates


Global Ready Applications and Guidance Online

The 2016 – 17 Global-Ready School and Global-Ready District Applications and Guidance are available on the DPI website. District applications are due by Dec. 2, and the school applications are due by April 4, 2017.


If interested in applying for the designations, please complete the “Intent to Apply.” This ensures that interested applicants receive resources and updates to assist them through the application process. Both forms are available on the NC Global Education website.


Global Educator Digital Badge Reminders

Please note that if you have teachers and administrators pursuing their Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) their Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) must be turned in to NCDPI. Once the MOA is received, the GEDB candidate will have access to the online management platform where they may access resources and any additional forms or information to assist them through the process.


The MOA, Implementation Guide, April 2016 Webinar and other resources can be found on the NC Global Education website.

 

Global Education Professional Development Workshops

The Department of Public instruction, in partnership with three of the Regional Education Service Alliances (RESAs), will be offering two Global Education Professional Development Workshops this summer.

 

The Global Educator Digital Badge Capstone Project Workshop is for educators enrolled in the process of attaining the digital badge and also for school and district personnel leading the local evaluation of these projects before submission for state level review.

 

The Global-Ready School and/or Global-Ready District Applicant Workshop is for those intending to submit or exploring submission of an application to NCDPI.


Space is limited and registration deadlines for each site are one week before the workshop. For more information and registration please click here.


For more information on these or other Global Education initiatives, please contact Special Assistant for Global Education Helga Fasciano or visit the NC Global Education web page


Superintendent Job Openings

Superintendent Vacancy Announced: Caswell County Schools (readvertisement)

 

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 Schools attendance area. The application deadline is Aug. 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    


Latest Messages Online

 

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