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Weekly Newsletter- August 7, 2020

Thank you for updating Epicenter!

• OCS Guidance SB199 Sex Trafficking Prevention Training and SB476 Mental Health Plans
• OCS Guidance for Charter Schools SB681/Session Law 2020-78 Enrollment Priorities, Assessments Memo, and CARES Act additional funds available 7/17/2020 
• OCS Guidance for Charter Schools House Bill 1043 / Session Law 2020-4 Summer Learning Program and Supplemental Grants 6/2 revised 6/8/2020
• OCS Guidance for Charter Schools SB704/Session Law 2020-3 and SBE Remote Instruction Plan Requirements 5/22/2020

FYI: Please email us your questions!

We are working remotely, and cannot always access our new phone system voicemail.

COVID TOP TEN:

To help recap important news of the week, we are pleased to bring you the NCDPI COVID-19 WEEKLY TOP TEN.   The link does not change.  New content is added to the top of the document weekly.  

NC CENTER FOR SAFER SCHOOLS

NC Dept. of Public Instruction

Task Force Meeting

10:00 am until 2:00 pm

Virtual Link & Additional Information 

Coming Soon

Dear Early Childhood Colleagues,

The Office of Early Learning is pleased to announce that we have a new resource to support the implementation of the NC Early Learning Inventory during COVID-19.  This interactive guide was developed with the input of master kindergarten teachers from across our state.  It includes information about the updated requirements for the 2020-2021 school year as well as ideas and resources to support kindergarten educators as they plan instruction and observe and document children's development and learning.  We hope that you find this helpful.  To access this new interactive guide click here.

For additional information about the NC Early Learning Inventory, please visit our Google Site.

Sincerely,

The Office of Early Learning Team

 Charter School Teacher of the Year process

NC Burroughs Wellcome Teacher of the Year Process

https://www.bwfund.org/

2021 EOY Timeline 

Educators, Parents, and Caretakers –

These are challenging and frustrating times for everyone. There are a lot of different opinions on how to return to learning this month. About the only thing we can all agree on is that no one is going to be happy with how this school year is starting.

We get it. Distance learning doesn’t replace being in a classroom and is a struggle for parents, students, and teachers. At the same time, many educators and parents share concerns about the potential for the spread of COVID-19 at schools.

The tough decisions on how communities are returning to schools are being made by your local school leaders under the requirements set forth by Governor Cooper and his team. Every school faces unique challenges that reflect the uniqueness of each community, so different decisions will be made for different communities. Currently, two out of three of North Carolina’s students will start this school year with distance learning.

At your NC Department of Public Instruction, we have been supporting local schools and communities by providing multiple strategies on how schools can meet the COVID-19 requirements for in-person learning. We have worked closely with local districts to strengthen distance learning so that it is improved from what students, parents, and teachers faced at the end of last school year. It still will not be perfect, but it will be better and specifically should have more live interactions with teachers, even if over video chats. Please click here to visit our resource page for parents and teachers.

Please join us as we work to help encourage each other and our students. We can all agree that no one is happy that COVID-19 has created obstacles unlike any we have ever faced. We don’t have to agree on everything after that, but let’s work together, with grace and encouragement, to overcome the challenges ahead.

Sincerely,

Mark Johnson
NC Superintendent of Public Instruction

School Business – August 7, 2020

The FBS website continues to be updated with COVID-19 policies and information related to School Business and operations, as well as our ongoing operations.  Please check this site regularly for updates: www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/district-operations/financial-and-business-services.

Recent posts:

• Schedule of COVID Funds as of August 6, 2020
• COVID Allotment Policy Manual 2020-21 Updated August 6, 2020

 Key updates to the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit (K-12):

Click here to see the updated StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit (K-12)

Click here to view all public health guidance documents for K – 12 schools 

Download the social media toolkit (English | Spanish) including images and language for social media posts. Help share this important information with students and their families across North Carolina!

Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions document (English | Spanish) for additional support.

"Lighting the Way Forward" FAQs

https://files.nc.gov/covid/documents/guidance/education/Strong-Schools-NC-FAQs.pdf

State Legislative Update:

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCSBE/bulletins/292cf0c

Exceptional Children's Division (Parent Letters):

• 08.05.20 Newsletter - Spanish.pdf
• 08.05.20 Newsletter.pdf

Charter leaders, please take a look at the timeline and requirements for the Second Annual NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year Award! Recognize your amazing beginning charter leaders. All the details are right here!

Second Annual NCCAT BTOY Award

The NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year  timeline has changed due to these unprecedented times. Please find a link here to the new timeline. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19cGanTnK5KwiXlKe2BNp2mgtn7Eb5Xgr/view

Upcoming Events and Reminders!

Save the Date!

Board members from charter schools that are opening in 2021, as well as acceleration applicants,  are required to attend 5 virtual Planning Year Sessions from September to March; this year we have spaced the sessions out more throughout the year.  Schools is a delay year are not required to attend but are welcome to. The school leader and some of the board members are also required to attend the New Charter School Leaders Institute in June 2021.  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.  Registration for the September virtual Planning Year Session I will open shortly.

Please note the schedule below:

Note: Dates and topics are subject to change.  If needed, other trainings may be scheduled.  Site visits and/or board meeting observations may be scheduled during these months, as well.

Click for latest DHHS Guidance