Charter Schools Weekly Newsletter

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Office of Charter Schools

6303 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6303  •  919.807.3491


WEEKLY NEWSLETTER  –  September 2, 2016


Upcoming Events

 

September 12,  2016

 

Charter Schools Advisory Board Meeting


October 4 - 6,  2016

 

State Board of Education Meeting

 

October 10 - 11,  2016

 

2016 Charter School Leadership Institute


Action Needed

 

September 15, 2016

 

TOY Portfolios Due

 

EC Educator of Excellence Nominations Due

 

September 18, 2016

 

Registration Due for the September 2016 Planning Year Session

 

September 23, 2016

 

AU PRC 118 Funding Applications Due

 

November 1, 2016

 

Kindergarten & 7th Grade Immunization Report Due


Charter School Annual Health Reporting Due

 

November 18, 2016

 

Language Instructional Education Plan (LIEP) Due

Union Academy

NCDPI Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates


Union Academy Charter School Receives Special Recognition from State Board of Education (SBE) 


On September 1, 2016, Union Academy Charter School received special recognition as a State and National School of Character! Congrats to Union Academy on this accomplishment. 


2016 Charter School Leadership Institute Registration Now Open


The OCS will host its 2016 Charter School Leadership Institute October 10 - 11, 2016 at The Expedition School in Hillsborough, NC. The two-day event will feature relevant charter school topics and several guest speakers.

 

Attached is the preview of potential session topics.  Please use the registration link below to register for this amazing opportunity. Don’t miss this exciting charter school professional development event! Please contact Brian Smith @ brian.smith@dpi.nc.gov with questions or concerns. 


 

Attachment:     2016 Leadership Institute Registration Link

 

 

 

                            Charter School Leadership Institute Agenda Preview


NC Professional Development

Training Opportunity

 

Board members from charter schools that are opening in 2017 are required to attend 5 face-to-face planning year sessions from September to January.  The school leader and some of the board members are also required to attend the New Charter School Leaders Institute in June.  

 

As a customer service, the Office of Charter Schools continues to open up these sessions to all charter schools.  If you have a new school leader and/or a new board member interested in attending any of the sessions, he or she must register to attend.  Please note the schedule below:

 

 

​Registration is now open for the September session.  Registration ends on Sunday, September 18th. Please use this link to register:  September 2016 Planning Year Session Registration Link.

 

For questions, please contact Dr.  Kebbler Williams at kebbler.williams@dpi.nc.gov


Charter School Public Records Expectations

 

The attached memorandum is provided to remind charter schools of the expectation to comply with requests from the public or the media for public records as defined in G.S. 132-1 of the Public Records Act.  Additionally, those charter school boards that contract with management companies, this memo contains an annual request for certain information, which, pursuant to your Charter is required to be provided to the Department of Public Instruction by September 23, 2016



Attachment:     Public Records Memo


In Case You Missed It

Charter School Fees

 

As the 2016-17 school year begins, many campuses may collect various forms and supply donations from students. As you consider collecting fees from students, please revisit NC General Statute 115C-218.50(b) which provides explicit language on what fees charter schools may charge. Charter schools may not charge any tuition or fees beyond that which is described in statute. The statute states:

 

  •  A charter school may charge any fees that are charged by the local school administrative unit in which the charter school is located.


  •  A charter school, upon approval by the board of directors of the charter school, may establish fees for extracurricular activities, except those fees shall not exceed the fees for the same extracurricular activities charged by a local school administrative unit in which forty percent (40%) or more of the students enrolled in the charter school reside. 

 

The Office of Charter Schools recommends that any charter school charging a fee ensures compliance with statute.  You should have evidence available for families to demonstrate compliance and a plan in place for families who may not be able to afford the permissible fees such that fees are not a burden for enrollment. 

 

Please contact OCS directly with questions or concerns at  919-807-3491. 


NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Updates

 

Co-Teaching Cadre Meeting and Co-Teaching for Administrators and Teachers Modules Release



Please see the attached regarding a September 7 Co-Teaching Cadre Meeting.  The deadline to register is September 6.



If you have any questions, please contact Paula Crawford (paula.crawford@dpi.nc.gov) or Melissa Towery (Melissa.towery@dpi.nc.gov).



 

Attachment:     Memo-Co-Teaching Cadre 090716.pdf


Legislative Building

Read to Achieve Alternative Assessments

 

 

Please see the attached memo, Read to Achieve Alternative Assessments, from Dr. Rebecca Garland and Dr. Tammy Howard, to all Charter School Directors.



Attachment:     Read To Achieve Alternative Assessments Memo


Registration for the 2016 English Learner (EL) Coordinator Meeting

 

Please see the attached information about the NCDPI  ESL/ Title III team for the 2016 EL Coordinator meeting on September 12-13, 2016.  Questions or concerns should be directed to Christie Lynch @ christie.lynchebert@dpi.nc.gov.



Attachment:     EL Training Opportunity


June Atkinson

Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC)


Please see the attached memo, Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), from Dr. June Atkinson, to all Charter School Directors.



Attachment:     Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC)


English Learner (EL)/ESL Steps to Success

 

 

Ivanna Mann Thrower Anderson works with all NC Charter Schools in regards to English Learners (ELs). This includes English as a Second Language (ESL) services, Title III funding, professional development (PD) and much more.  

 

 

In order to better serve you and help you remain in compliance, we need to know your plan for serving the ELs in your charter.  Please take a few moments to review the supports offered by clicking the below hyperlinks. If you have even one EL, begin developing a Language Instructional Education Plan (LIEP). Plans are due Friday, November 18, 2016. 

 

  •  The ESL wiki Charter page – A one stop shopping site for all things EL! 11 Steps to success. Contact information. Important dates. 

 

  •  EL Coordinator MeetingSeptember 12-13. Special charter break out session in the afternoon of day two of the meeting. Charters who are not Title III Subgrantees may attend the charter break out at no cost!  

 

  • English Learner Coordinator listserv - Click the hyperlink, then click the "Sign Up for Updates" Icon on the left side of the screen. Enter your email and look for “English Learner Coordinators” under "Newsletters." 

 

  • FREE Professional Development – Register today and join us for topics that will help you serve your ELs. Fall offerings include: Demystifying Writing, SIOP, LinguaFolio, ExC-ELL, WIDA, Technology for ELs and more.

 

  • Additional PD Support – If you need EL related PD specifically for your charter, consider using the EL Support Team, a cadre of trainers and coaches who can come to you!

  

Please contact Ms. Ivanna Mann Thrower Anderson @ Ivanna.anderson@dpi.nc.gov with questions or concerns. 


Financial and Business Services Newsletter

File Transfer Service for Charter Schools


NCDPI is replacing the file transfer service used by the Charter Schools to submit their monthly financial data.  Please see the attached document for specific details regarding the replacement system.


 

Attachment:     File Transfer Service for Charter Schools


Intent to Implement - Specific Learning Disabilities - Addendum to NC Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities. 


Please see the attached information regarding the opportunity for districts and charters to adopt the new Policies prior to official implementation.



If you have any questions, please contact Lynne Loeser (lynne.loeser@dpi.nc.gov) or Carol Ann Hudgens (carolann.hudgens@dpi.nc.gov).

 

 

 

Attachment:      Memo-SLD Intent to Implement 0816.pdf

 

 

                             Memo-SLD Intent to Implement Assurances 0816.doc


Don't Miss This

NCDPI Newsletters


Gaps Narrowing as NC Graduation Rate Climbs 

School Grades Improve – More Earn As, Bs and Cs 

North Carolina Teachers Receive Highest Math/Science Award 

Back to School in NC: By the Numbers 

NC Public Schools Begin Fourth Year of PowerSchool

 

NCDPI Global Education August 31, 2016

 

Finance Officers' Newsletter September 2, 2016


Charter Schools In the News


 Magnets, Charters and Vouchers Bring Back-to-School Choice

 

Start-up Charter school is Latest in a Series of Family Choice

 

All Girls Charter School is first in NC for Single Gender

 

Ed Reform $100,000 Video Contest

 

Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington Welcomed Its Inaugural Class of 100 Sixth Grade Girls Monday


Other Updates

 

NC Homeless Liaison Compliance Orientation

 

Please see the attached information from the NC Homeless Education Program (NCHEP) for its 2016 New Homeless Liaison Compliance Orientation. The orientation is scheduled on September 8, 2016 at 4:00 pm. 

 

Any questions or concerns regarding registration or the training should be directed to Patricia Lentz. or Beth Thrift



Attachment:     New Homeless Liaison Compliance Orientation