NCDPI Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates
Important reminder prior to running your enrollment lottery
Dear school leaders and vendors who assist with PowerSchool or the enrollment lottery, please note you must enter student records individually into PowerSchool. Do not import batch data.
As Charters begin to prepare for the new school year, NCDPI would like to remind PowerSchool admins and third-party management companies that students should not be imported into the system. Importing student records bypasses our UID integration and customization, therefore all students should be entered individually, following the steps providing in this Quick Reference Document. Importing student records bypasses our UID integration and creates duplicate records in PowerSchool if the student has an existing record in the UID system. We currently have an overwhelming amount of duplicate records and clean up of duplicate records could take an extended length of time.
Please review the steps provided in this document and let us know if you have any questions. We appreciate your cooperation in this process.
Did you know……
The Charter School Health Annual Report is the primary indicator for how well your school is following Department of Health & Human Services standards, determining your status on the A17 Performance Framework measure.
Please click here and review the template for this self report that your school will submit in May. It is very important that the person filling out the report for your school understands all of the questions, practices at your school, and expectations in order to meet compliance. Your school may be doing everything right but if the report incorrectly indicates 'no' it is going to result in a less than perfect Performance Framework report. When the annual report window opens for submission we will provide a link in an Epicenter task to bring it front and center!
Within Epicenter, there is a webinar for the A17, check it out! https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/8679661741044244232
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Newsletter for Professional Development and Renewal
Professional Learning 101
The Scoop with Coop - Renewals
The Scoop with Coop is a newsletter that focuses on the North Carolina Charter School Renewal process. In addition, this letter provides insight on a variety of charter school topics to assist our leaders and readers alike! https://www.smore.com/8hcf9
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SAVE the DATE: March 9, 2020 to March 11, 2020 Charter School Connections Conference-Cullowhee
How can charter school teachers build networks of support for schools, staff, and students? With each charter school operating as an independent LEA, how do we form communities with other charter school educators to share best practices and increase community support?
Explore how teachers can better advocate for their specific school and charters in general and how to develop your own leadership style to help support school initiatives. Learn best practices in connecting students to digital learning and student leadership development through exploring personalized, project-based and flipped learning. Discuss ways to model these practices in your schools. Using a “make and take” model, participants will have time to develop a communication or networking plan, digital lessons, and project-based modules to share with your school.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
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Charter School Leadership Institute 2020
SAVE the DATE!
Charter Schools Leadership Institute 2020
Triangle Math & Science Academy
312 Gregson Dr., Cary, NC 27511
October 22nd & 23rd, 2020
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2020 SECU People Helping People Scholarship (DEADLINE IS MARCH 20TH)
Reminder for all charter school counselors! 2020 SECU Foundation People Helping People Scholarship!
The March 20th, deadline for submissions of SECU Foundation scholarship applications, is fast approaching. Please do not wait until the last minute to get your applications in to the Office of Charter School. Please be sure to carefully review the eligibility criteria several times before submitting fully completed application packets to claire.porter@dpi.nc.gov
Each year, $10,000.00 scholarships have been awarded to three graduating seniors attending North Carolina Charter Schools. These scholarships will be awarded to students attending one of the 16 constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina. Funds are made possible through the contributions to SECU Foundation by members of the State Employees’ Credit Union. Please see the attached memo, Eligibility Criteria, Program Application and Consent Form linked below. If you have any questions, please contact Claire Porter at Claire.porter@dpi.nc.gov
2020 Charter Schools People Helping People Memo
2020 Charter Schools People Helping People Eligibility Criteria
2020 Charter Schools People Helping People Operating Procedures
2020 Charter Schools People Helping People Consent Form
2020 Charter Schools People Helping People Application
NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Updates
FBS - Financial and Business Website Outline Helps Visitors Find Content
If you need help locating content on the new Financial and Business Services (FBS) website, check out the FBS website outline in the What’s New section on the FBS home page.
The outline lists the main navigation areas for the site, then highlights content that is available for each area.
Web Links:
World View’s Spring Programs for K-12 Educators
Important clarifying information regarding school bus drivers and drug testing
Annual State Technology Directors' Meeting Registration and New Recognition Program
We are less than a month away from The Annual Technology Directors' Meeting which will be held on Wednesday, March 4 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM in Room 402 at the Raleigh Convention Center. The theme this year is Reimagining Collaboration and Support!
We look forward to seeing you on March 4 to collaborate, network and learn together through discussions and roundtable events. Please register now and share with your colleagues: bit.ly/NCTIesDirectorsRegistration.
(Light snacks will be served.)
North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey Opens March 2nd
Between March 2nd and March 31st 2020, all teachers and school-based licensed educators in North Carolina will have the opportunity to answer questions on the 10th biennial statewide NC Teacher Working Conditions (NC TWC) Survey. The NC TWC is an online, anonymous survey that assesses teachers’ working conditions in key areas. Questions focus on time, facilities and resources, community support and involvement, managing student conduct, teacher leadership, school leadership, professional development, instructional practices and support, and new teacher support.
2020 brings many new aspects of the survey. This year the survey has a new vendor, The Center for Optimal Learning Environments (COLE); a new website, www.asqnc.com; and new questions to gauge teachers’ perceptions about equity and school safety.
There is no opt-out process with the survey. All educational entities with school numbers are included in the survey and expected to participate. All schools that reach the minimum threshold of 40% response rate with at least 5 educators completing the survey will be issued a detailed online report.
This year the Office of Charter Schools joined our NC TWC Advisory Committee to help us strategize on how to increase Charter School participation from 73% in 2018 to 100% in 2020. Participation is key in documenting and analyzing school improvement through innovation.
A partnership between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), The North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE), North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals’ Association (NCPAPA), North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), and the Personnel Administrators of North Carolina (PENC) this year made it possible for schools to be eligible for prizes and monetary incentives. All schools to reach a 100 percent response rate are eligible to receive a cash prize. Response rates will be shown in real time on the website at www.asqnc.com. Drawings will be held throughout the survey window. Those schools picked will be featured on the new website.
2020 Survey results and findings will be presented to the State Board of Education and released to the public six weeks after the survey closes. Preparation webinar recordings can be found here. For more information regarding the NCTWCS initiative, please contact Dr. Cynthia Martin, cynthia.martin@dpi.nc.gov
When You Are Not Yet Where You Want To Be
One critical area of school improvement is having a consistent model of problem solving. Selecting a specific model allows the development of common language and a common approach to working with school data. This is especially helpful in efficiently tackling the plethora of data available. Having the support of colleagues and leadership through a common approach allows teams to move past just “admiring a problem” to truly solving a problem. The IABS Team has created this Problem Solving Model Crosswalk to allow your School Improvement Team a way to determine which model will work best in your setting.
For questions or feedback, please contact your IABS Regional Consultant.
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Annual State Technology Directors' Meeting Registration and New Recognition Program
We are less than a month away from The Annual Technology Directors' Meeting which will be held on Wednesday, March 4 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM in Room 402 at the Raleigh Convention Center. The theme this year is Reimagining Collaboration and Support!
We look forward to seeing you on March 4 to collaborate, network and learn together through discussions and roundtable events. Please register now and share with your colleagues: bit.ly/NCTIesDirectorsRegistration.
(Light snacks will be served.)
OCR/CRDC - Office of Civil Rights Coordinator Contacts in EDDIE - Due Friday, March 6, 2020
Dear Coordinators,
Please inform other staff as appropriate.
The Office of Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) will begin sometime during the 2020-2021 school year. Data for the collection is from the previous year (School Year 2019-2020). Note: PSUs that were not open in the school year 2019-2020 are not required to participate in this collection.
The first step in preparing for the collection is ensuring the NC DPI has the most recent staff contact information.
PSUs must verify or update the EDDIE system with two Staff who have been identified as the 'Office of Civil Rights Coordinator'. Delete any records in EDDIE for OCR contacts that are no longer with your PSU. These staff are the technical contacts for the CRDC and will be responsible for running the PowerSchool CRDC Preview Report, verifying data, correcting and adding data to the Federal CRDC tool, and certifying in the Federal CRDC tool when the collection is complete.
PSUs are also strongly advised to verify or update the Student Information Coordinator contact as well. Updates must be completed by the end of business, Due Friday, March 6, 2020.
If you are unsure who your EDDIE administrator is please visit the Subscribed User List located at https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/district-operations/financial-and-business-services/demographics-and-finances/eddie#help-using-eddie
To date, the Federal government has not published an official start date. The NC DPI will notify the State once an announcement has been made.
Please contact Terra Dominguez at terra.dominguez@dpi.nc.gov with any questions you may have.
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PLANNED PURPLE STAR EVENTS:
This only applies to the following Required Activities: Item #4 (Professional Development) and Optional Activities: Items A and C.
If your school has a pre-planned event that will take place after the Purple Star application submission deadline of February 28, 2020, your school can still use that event as evidence. Please provide documentation to clarify what that event entails (i.e. social media outreach, timeline, potential outcomes, or any other relevant information). For example: Jim Jones Elementary has a Purple Up! event scheduled for April. The event can still meet the requirements, as long as the evidence provided indicates the event details so that it is clear during the application screening process. All planned events that coincide with this academic school year (for the 2019-2020 Purple Star Award period) must be complete no later than June 30, 2020.
SAVE THE DATE: The Purple Star Award Ceremony will be held in Wayne County on April 30th. Plan for the event to last from 10-12, but with an unknown number of applicants at this point, the event could extend beyond that window. Thank you Dr. Dunsmore for housing this event!
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EC Division
ECATS: Monday Message
Please review the attached ECATS Monday Message.
Indicator 8: Parent Involvement Survey
Please review the attached memo asking for your input on a questionnaire concerning the Indicator 8 parent involvement survey.
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Parent Engagement - Third Cohort
Please review the attached memo regarding an opportunity to participate in a new cohort being provided around parent engagement.
Assistive Technology throughout the IEP-Webinar
Please review the attached memo regarding an opportunity to participate in a webinar entitled, Assistive Technology throughout the IEP.
Webinars
NCEES upcoming webinars
Mark your calendars for the upcoming NCEES webinars. All webinars will be recorded and posted to the Webinar Series document located on http://bit.ly/ncees-support. Click the titles below to register.
Please click the following link to review the full list: NCEES 2019-2020 Webinars.
UPCOMING WEBINARS:
Note: Participants only register 1 time for all 10 meetings included in the series.
Description: New assistant principals need consistent ongoing support. This New Assistant Principal NCEES Series will offer 10 meetings over the 2019-20 school year. Each meeting will address timely topics to support NCEES, ensuring fair and reliable practices for assistant principals to support teacher growth. This series will also focus on the growth and development of the AP using the NC School Executive Standards within the AP evaluation process. An agenda outline for all 10 meetings has been developed. In addition, participants will have a link to submit questions and ideas for topics/ standards to be covered throughout the series. This participant driven agenda will provide relative professional development that is immediately applicable for leader success. A deeper study of the standards will be guided by the feedback survey. Also note: The agenda may change throughout the series depending on professional development needs of the participants.
Link to agenda outline for all 10 meetings
Target Audience: NEW Assistant Principals
Remaining Dates: March 31, April 28, May 26, June 16
Time: 4-5 p.m.
Description: The Summative Evaluation can be difficult and stressful for the evaluator and the teacher. This webinar will provide ways to use the language of the Professional Teaching Standards and the rubric to ensure accurate and reliable feedback as it relates to the Summative Evaluation. Effective feedback strategies and practices will be discussed, including how to structure a framework/protocol for the Summary Evaluation Conference.
Target Audience: Observers and Evaluators
Remaining Dates: March 3
Time: 4-5 p.m.
Description: Participants will gain an understanding of the process for completing the Professional Development Plan End-of-Year Review. Teachers will explore the steps leading to the Summary Evaluation Conference, how to complete the signatures acknowledging the summary evaluation and how to provide a written response and artifacts.
Target Audience: Teachers and Support Staff, Evaluators, Observers
Remaining Dates: March 10
Time: 4-5 p.m.
Conferences, Workshops and Institutes
NC Reading Conference
51st NC Reading & Literacy Conference Spark the Magic: Creating a Passion for Literacy
Geared to K-12 teachers and administrators, the 51st Annual NC Reading Conference will be held at the Benton Convention Center, Winston-Salem, March 22 – 24, 2020. Educators can earn up to 2.0 literacy CEUs attending sessions by NC DPI, nationally recognized professional speakers and authors, college professors, classroom teachers and specialists. NEW THIS YEAR: Leadership track for administrators – sessions by Adam Dovico, Steve Lassiter, Jason Griffin.
Featured professional speakers & authors: Colby Sharp, Tanny McGregor, Adria Klein, Pernille Ripp, Donalyn Miller, Sharon Draper, Sue Soltis, Lester Laminack, Stacy McAnulty, Nora Carpenter, Tracy Deonn Walker, John Claude Bemis, Camille Andros, Kelly Starling Lyons, Jennie Liu.
Sample session topics include:
* Best Practices for Imlementing the Current ELA NC Standard Course of Study
* Using the Best Digital Tools in the Classroom
* Differentiating Instruction for Diverse Classrooms
* Reading Complex Texts
* Fostering Academic Language in the Classroom
* Disciplinary Literacy
* Critical Literacy
* Making Data-driven Decisions for Instruction
* Involving Parents in Literacy
For online registration and detailed conference information, go to Annual Conference at www.ncreading.org. For conference questions, email ncra.execassist@gmail.com or call Jean House at 919-606-3806.
Other News From Our Charter Schools
Leadership Opportunity with a North Carolina Charter School in Lake Lure, NC
Executive Director
(full time, beginning July 1, 2020 (or earlier if possible)
Lake Lure Executive Director Job Posting
SIOP - Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol
Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) at CASA Esperanza March 6 and April 13.
Registration: SIOP registration at Casa Esperanza
Inquiry Conference
The Cape Fear Center for Inquiry in Wilmington, NC is having its first ever Inquiry Conference. The Cultivating Curiosity Conference will be held on Saturday, March 28 with CFCI faculty and stakeholder presentations. It's a half day workshop focusing on the theme of Inquiry for All with keynote speaker, Dr. Brian Housand. Sessions are open to teachers, future educators, and parents who are interested in learning more about sparking wonder in their child's education. Topics included are "Inquiry and Innovation in the Math Classroom," "Emmitt Till and the Death that Ignited Change," and more. For more information, visit https://cfci.net/cultivatingcuriosity/
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