STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ITEMS

 NC STANDARD COURSE OF STUDY POLICY

The policy governing the review, revision, and implementation of the NC Standard Course of Study will be discussed at the February 2018, State Board of Education (SBE) meeting, which takes place 1/31/18-2/1/18.  To access the proposed policy or to listen in on the audio stream for any of the SBE meetings, please visit: https://stateboard.ncpublicschools.gov.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS STANDARD COURSE OF STUDY UPDATES

An update on the roll-out of the K-12 English Language Arts and K-8 Mathematics Standard Course of Study (both scheduled for implementation during the 2018-19 school year) will be presented to the NC State Board of Education at their February meeting, which takes place 1/31/18-2/1/18. To access the presentation materials or to listen in on the audio stream for any of the SBE meetings, please visit: https://stateboard.ncpublicschools.gov.   

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Please see the information below to stay informed of legislative issues and actions impacting K-12 education:

January 10, 2018, the General Assembly returned for an abbreviated session.  

See this link for a complete list of bills impacting K-12 education.

To view previous Weekly Legislative Updates click here

The NC Department of Public instruction offers a number of topics for subscription.

      To subscribe to the Weekly Legislative Update, click here.
      To subscribe to other NC Department of Public Instruction 

      topics, click here.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS SUPPORT - WINTER/SPRING 2018

K-12 English Language Arts Revised Standards Regional Meetings

Introducing the Virtual Implementation Kit

Explore the new resources and learn how to use them. Join NCDPI ELA consultants for professional development on the new resources developed by NC educators for supporting the implementation of the 2017 standards.

Who: LEAs are encouraged to bring a team of up to 5. We suggest creating a team that includes elementary, middle and high ELA leaders, coaches, and district leads.

What: Along with introducing the new resources, we will explore how to use them as a part of your ELA implementation plan.

When and where: Choose the area and date that works best for you. Click on the corresponding link to register.

Notes: All sessions are 9:00-3:00 p.m. Please bring a laptop.

Northeast - District 1 - February 13, 2018 - Edenton, NC

Southeast - District 2 - February 15, 2018 - Kinston, NC

North Central - District 3 - March 1, 2018 - Raleigh, NC

Sandhills - District 4 - February 22, 2018 - Fayetteville, NC

Piedmont-Triad - District 5 - March 8, 2018 - Summerfield, NC

Southwest - District 6 - February 21, 2018 - Salisbury, NC

Northwest - District 7 - February 28, 2018 - Morganton, NC

Western - District 8 - February 27, 2018 - Asheville, NC

Charter Schools - March 23, 2018 - Raleigh, NC

The attachment provides more information, including the locations/dates/registration links.  For more information, please contact julie.joslin@dpi.nc.gov.

• Spring+PD+VIK+Abstract.pdf

K-8 MATHEMATICS REVISED STANDARDS REGIONAL MEETINGS

Winter/Spring, 2018

This session, designed for District Level Curriculum Leaders or designees, will focus on supports and information for the implementation of the Revised North Carolina K-8 Mathematics Standards to be taught and assessed beginning in the 2018-19 academic school year. The session will include an overview of the substantive changes to the standards, a sampling of the resources that will be available to support implementation, and a tentative timeline of the resource roll-out. The session will also serve as an introduction to the follow-up workshop in late spring/early summer that will be designed specifically for teacher leaders that will be heavily involved in implementation within their districts. Therefore, it is highly encouraged that districts thoughtfully choose two individuals that can contribute to the planning and roll-out in their districts.

Session Logistics:

Audience: District Level Curriculum Leaders or designee (please read session description above)

Times: Registration beginning at 8:30 am; Session from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Lunch: On your own from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Please use the following links to register EXACTLY two individuals for your LEA based on your assigned educational district. Please register participants at the same time so that we have an accurate account for who is coming. Additionally, we ask that you please refrain from sending the links to individuals to register themselves.

Northeast - District 1 – February 20, 2018 – Plymouth, NC                  Register Here

Southeast - District 2 – February 22, 2018 – Kinston, NC                     Register Here

North Central - District 3 – March 7, 2018 – Henderson, NC                   Register Here

Sandhills - District 4 – March 5, 2018 – Hamlet, NC                        Register Here

Piedmont-Triad - District 5 – March 2, 2018 – Winston-Salem, NC        Register Here

Southwest - District 6 – February 26, 2018 – Charlotte, NC                  Register Here

Northwest - District 7 – March 21, 2018 – Wilkesboro, NC                   Register Here

Western - District 8 – March 22, 2018 – Asheville, NC                       Register Here

Public Charter Schools – March 16, 2018 – Raleigh, NC                           Register Here

The training is free; however, schools/systems are responsible for all other costs relative to travel and lodging; to include payment of substitutes for classroom teachers. For more information, please contact beverly.vance@dpi.nc.gov.

MINDFULNESS IN THE SCHOOLS - TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WEBINAR

The concept of mindfulness has grown exponentially in popularity over the past five years; however, there is a range of variability in understanding what it is and how to effectively incorporate it in a school setting. The NC DPI Exceptional Children Division is pleased to offer a technical assistance webinar on mindfulness, Monday, February 5, 11:00 am-12:30 pm, to support effective practice in NC public schools. Although this webinar is hosted by the Exceptional Children Division, the information is relevant for all student populations, regular education and exceptional.

Click here for more information. Registration deadline is January 19.

Questions regarding the webinar may be directed to Lynn Makor, DPI Consultant for School Psychology, at lynn.makor@cidd.unc.edu or 919-843-7049.

NC READING CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 2018

The 49th NC Reading Conference, “Power-Up Your Literate Mind,” will be held March 18-20 at the Raleigh Convention Center. This year's conference includes sessions by NCDPI staff, nationally recognized speakers and authors (Jan Richardson, Kelly Gallagher, Linda Hoyt, Katie Garner), college professors, and North Carolina classroom teachers and specialists. Teachers can earn up to 1.5 reading CEUs. Discounted early bird registration is available before Feb. 15. Online registration and detailed program information are available on the NC Reading Association website.

EXCEPTION FOR ADVANCED MATHEMATICS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL BUSINESS RULES WEBINAR

The NCDPI Accountability; Standards, Curriculum and Instruction; and Advanced Learning and Gifted Education Divisions hosted  a webinar to discuss the new Exception for Advanced Mathematics in Middle School business rules on Monday, January 8, 2018 from 4-5pm. The webinar and accompanying materials are available online at:  (check with Beverly and/or Julie Monique on archive information for webinar, if this is available).  

 
NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART ONLINE COURSE FOR EDUCATORS

Visual Literacy: Making Connections with Works of Art

Tuesday, February 6, 2018 – Tuesday, March 12, 2018

MORE INFORMATION

This five-week self-paced course explores visual literacy in the classroom and its connection to the North Carolina Essential Standards. The course includes weekly assignments that provide opportunities for educators to practice concept mapping, inquiry-based discussion, and multimodal activities in their own classrooms and to reflect within a collaborative peer learning community. This course is designed for teachers of all disciplines and audiences. A certificate of participation for 10 hours will be provided (1 CEU, with prior approval from the local school system).

NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART PD FOR EDUCATORS
EdCamp

February 24, 2018 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM

MORE INFORMATION - Collaborate and connect through an “unconference” approach to professional development. Participants create, lead, and attend participant-driven sessions on arts integration that are responsive to educators’ needs and interests. Open to educators from all grade levels and subject area.

NC K-3 Formative Assessment Process:
Success During the Kindergarten Year

Teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators in North Carolina’s public schools are sharing how their engagement with the NC K-3 Formative Assessment Process is impacting teaching and learning in classrooms across the state.  The following story illustrates the the valuable instructional benefits of utilizing whole-child data from the Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) portion of the NC K-3 Formative Assessment Process to support students’ development.

Robyn Sutton, a 20-year veteran teacher working in Duplin County Schools, shares that the NC K-3 Formative Assessment Process has been “the greatest professional development experience for me since I received National Board Certification.”  She continues, “The K-3 Formative Assessment Process is not just another ‘assessment’ for teachers to administer.  While summative assessment is still an integral piece of the puzzle in my classroom, the K-3 FAP provides a platform for documenting the guiding information that we learn about our children throughout our daily interactions with them when they are placed in challenging yet developmentally appropriate settings.”

“This process has been so affirming and inspiring for me as a teacher.  I have had the opportunity to observe a NC Demonstration Classroom, attend the NC Association for the Education of Young Children (NCaeyc) conference, and train my district on the importance of formative assessment and developmentally appropriate practices in our classrooms. With my own students, I have been empowered to delve deeper into teachable moments and student needs, and I am able to provide rationale for each of my lessons and daily practices based on how young children learn best. I am personally so grateful for the K-3 FAP and how it has reignited my passion for effectively teaching kindergarten students.” 

For more information about the K-3 Formative Assessment Process, please visit our wiki or contact your regional K-3 Education Consultant.