North Carolina Student Surveys:
Spring Administration Ends Friday

Student Surveys are available to all 3-12 grade teachers free of charge. Each survey takes approximately five-six minutes to complete.

Login through your NC EdCloud Account to access the surveys and administer them to your students before the window closes this Friday, April 28.

Visit the NC Student Survey Wiki to learn more! Contact Jennifer DeNeal with NCDPI Educator Human Capital Policy and Research for further assistance.

Multi-Tiered System of Support:
Self Assessment

The Self Assessment of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (SAM) is available for districts, charter schools and state-operated programs in Cohorts 1-4. SAM provides the opportunity to analyze schoolwide and districtwide data in relationship to the degree implementation has occurred around the six critical components of MTSS.

Some indicators of strong implementation are:

-  A strategic plan for MTSS implementation is developed and updated as part of the school improvement planning process.

-  Data-based problem solving for student academic, behavior and social/emotional outcomes occurs across all content areas, grade levels and tiers.

-  The leadership team engages district, family and community partners to identify stakeholder needs, resources for and barriers to implementation.

-  Resources are allocated based on student need and result in improved student outcomes.

-  Core academic and behavior practices exist that clearly define learning standards and identify schoolwide expectations for instruction that engages students.

Additional information is available online or by contacting NCDPI Director of Integrated Academic and Behavior Systems Amy Jablonski.

Rowan-Salisbury Schools’ Administrator Included in “20 to Watch” for 2016-17

Congratulations to Rowan-Salisbury Schools’ Chief Strategy Officer Andrew Smith who was named to the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Technology Leadership Network’s “20 to Watch” for 2016-17.

In his selection, NSBA stated “urgency and a vibrant spirit define Andrew Smith’s style as he leads professional learning experiences for educators and administrators, including the district’s 1:1 initiative for students and the digital citizenship curriculum he designed for parents.

One wing of his Center for Innovation focuses on research and development for procurement and product effectiveness while the other addresses professional development and includes the Innovation Playground where teachers can experiment with new solutions.”

E-Learning Advisor of the Year Candidates Announced

NCVPS is pleased to announce its top four candidates for the 2017 E-learning Advisor (ELA) of the Year award. NCVPS teachers and staff nominated educators at the school and district level who have had a positive impact on their NCVPS students. Nominated ELAs employ innovative practices that can serve as a model for other schools or districts. Their practices improve the overall effectiveness of online learning and contribute to the success of students taking NCVPS courses.

Nominations included individuals working in various roles such as the e-learning advisor, lab facilitator, EC coordinator, data manager, principal and the district e-learning coordinator. Nominees were then invited to submit a portfolio that showcased their e-learning program.

The four finalists for the 2017 award are:

-  Robin Lamb - Cedar Ridge High School, Orange County Schools

-  Neal Dorow - Eugene Ashley High School, New Hanover County School

-  Nartarshia Sharpe - Crossroads Flex, Wake County Schools

-  Amanda Housand - Union Academy Charter School

NCVPS will conduct phone interviews with each finalist to conclude the award process. A winner will be announced in two to three weeks.

Congratulations to all 13 candidates who were nominated for this year’s award. NCVPS could not have achieved the success that it has without the fantastic ELAs at the school and district level.

Three Middle Schools Tapped as Schools to Watch; 11 Middle Schools Earn Re-Designation

Congratulations to Ellerbe Middle and Rockingham Middle (Richmond County Schools), and Newton-Conover STEM Middle (Newton-Conover City Schools) for being the latest North Carolina middle schools to be named Schools to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. The schools’ emphasis on strong academics, sensitivity to young adolescents’ needs and interests, and commitment to providing all students equal access to a high-quality education resulted in the well-deserved recognition.

In addition, the following 11 North Carolina middle schools were re-designated as Schools to Watch:

• Charles W. Stanford Middle (Orange County Schools) and Mount Airy Middle (Mount Airy City Schools) earned their first re-designation.
• McGee’s Crossroads Middle (Johnston County Schools), Piedmont Open IB Middle (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools), and Chowan Middle (Edenton-Chowan Public Schools) – first designated six years ago – were re-designated for the second time.
• Rogers-Herr Middle (Durham Public Schools), West Pine Middle (Moore County Schools), and Thomas Jefferson Middle (Winston-Salem/Forsyth Schools) – first recognized nine years ago—were re-designated for the third time.
• Carmel Middle and Jay M. Robinson Middle (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools) and East Yancey Middle (Yancey County Schools) – first recognized 12 years ago – were re-designated for the fourth time.

To find out how your middle grades school can be apply for this recognition, please visit the North Carolina Association for Middle Level Education website or contact NC Middle School Association Executive Director Dr. Cathy Tomon or 252.241.1586. The deadline to apply is Aug. 15.

Manage Your Email Subscriptions with NCDPI

As a reminder, GovDelivery, the email delivery system for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, offers you the opportunity to manage your subscriptions so that the mailings you receive provide the information you want!

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has more than 50 topics you may subscribe to including news releases, meeting and event notices, From the Board Room – a monthly newsletter highlighting State Board of Education activities, Legislative Alerts, and numerous Department newsletters.

To manage your subscriptions, all you need to do is go to GovDelivery’s landing page and enter the email address by which you received this message. NCDPI staff hope the ability to manage your emails from the Agency is helpful to you!