OCS Weekly Newsletter for April 30, 2021

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6307 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6307  

Weekly Newsletter- April 30, 2021


SLA 1 - Summer School Guidance & Policy Recommendations - 

 

SL2021-7 requires each LEA to develop a school extension learning recovery and enrichment program.  Charter schools are encouraged to submit a plan for grade levels served by the school.  The program is to exist outside of the instructional calendar, meaning it cannot be an extension of the 2020-2021 academic year and must conclude prior to the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year.  For year-round schools, the program can be extended through October 1, 2021 by providing the program during track-out periods.  


Graduation Requirements – Keep these up to date!

OCS recommends that each charter school serving high school grades levels review the state graduation requirements each year and make sure all school requirements are aligned. State graduation requirements are changed periodically as a result of statutory or SBE policy changes. Graduation requirements are based on the entrance year of students into 9th grade.

 

You can find the state requirements here. Our office recommends two years of foreign language as the University of North Carolina schools require two years of a foreign language during high school for admission. We also recommend mirroring your course names exactly as listed in the graduation requirements so there is no confusion. All schools are required to offer the Occupational Course of Study diploma.


Please be sure to keep EDDIE up to date!

 


Upcoming Events and Reminders!

Save the Date!

 


OCS OFFICE HOURS IS BACK Monday, May 3rd at 11:30 a.m.

Join Us for Office Hours on Monday, May 3rd at 11:30 a.m.

Here is the NEW OCS Office Hours LINKhttps://ncgov.webex.com/webappng/sites/ncgov/meeting/download/184509c605b64005a0671c573f999fe7?siteurl=ncgov&MTID=m63130db7d3357c89a7332d38b6921c79


Monthly NCDHHS Joint COVID Webinar

Tuesday, May 4, 2021  |  8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Topics Include:
DHHS updates: statewide COVID updates, testing updates, vaccine updates, and K-12 guidance


Audience:
 Communications Leaders, Superintendents, Principals, Charter Leaders

IMPORTANT! Please use this login to access the webinar: https://ncvps.zoom.us/j/84765208675


Schools Survey on COVID-19 Testing and Vaccines

Please see the attached note from Dr. Tilson as DHHS is seeking input from school leaders to complete a survey by Wednesday, May 5 at 5 p.m. DHHS is seeking to understand how they can support our schools in both vaccinating and testing to safely continue in-person learning. 


Principal of the Year nominations deadline extended

We hear you!  The 2021 Charter One NC OCS Principal of the Year deadline for submissions has been extended to May 14th at noon. Please see this linked message that was sent to Board Chairs on April 11th with submission and process clarifications.  We already have a few amazing submissions!  Let’s get yours in…


PRC 172-ESSER II Application is open in CCIP

IMPORTANT DATES for ESSER II/III

ESSER II (PRC 171) Opened in CCIP on April 1st - Due by May 7th

ESSER II (PRC 172) Supplemental Funding for Charters – Due by May 7th

ESSER III (PRC 181) Opens in CCIP the week of April 12th – Due by May 7th

*May 7th due date allows for funds to be distributed in FY21 for access to the funds for Summer 2021 and for planning/expenses for the opening of the 2021-2022 school year. If funds are not disbursed in FY21, it will be late July into August before funds would be distributed in FY22 for your charter.


English Language Learners

The 2020-2021 ACCESS for ELLs data validation window for Public School Units (PSUs) opens May 18th and closes June 1st. Data validation is the time after testing and before reporting when PSUs can review student data in WIDA AMS. Please open and save the Data Validation Information Guide for:

  • A link to a prerecorded presentation on steps for completing data validation (password is Datavalidation2021)
  • A link for Q&A sessions that will be held May 4th (2:30 - 3:30 pm) and May 7th (8:30 - 9:30 am) to ask any questions that may come up after viewing the recorded webinar
  • A link to the slides used in the presentation with tips for successful data validation
  • A link to Office hours that will be held Monday-Friday from 8:30 am - 9:30 am during the week of May 24th - 28th

Please email Susan Walz for any additional information.


New in NCEES - Premium Library will be live soon!
You are invited to Preview Premium Library and what it has to offer to expand your educators online professional learning opportunities.
Premium Library consists of high-quality, self-paced professional development courses from trusted professional learning vendors.
 
Located in the NCDPI Home Base NC Educator Effectiveness System (PowerSchool Unified TalentTM Professional Learning) the Premium Library offers topical trainings. 
Select free or pay-by-seat courses that address the needs of all learning environments including Remote Online Teaching, Social Emotional Learning, Compliance and Classroom Technology. Learn how to easily search, purchase, assign, and track professional development that will meet your educator's growth goals.
Join NCDPI and PowerSchool to learn more and ask questions about Premium Library by clicking the webinar link on the date and time of your choice below. 
Please forward/share with your Professional Development Teams as they prepare and plan local PD offerings for the upcoming school year 2021-2022.
 
NCDPI & PowerSchool Premium Library Webinar
Monday, 5/10/2021 from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Presenter: Sean Vair, PS Sr. Educational Impact Consultant
NCDPI & PowerSchool Premium Library Webinar
Wednesday, 5/12/2021 from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Presenter: Sean Vair, PS Sr. Educational Impact Consultant
We realize this is short notice and webinars will be recorded, then both emailed to you and posted on NCEES Information & Resources site within a week after the live sessions. Questions? Please contact Cami Narron, cami.narron@dpi.nc.gov.
Thanks,
Cami Narron, Education Product Consultant 
NCDPI DTL/Home Base 984-236-2956

Charter School Nursing Services Survey

 

Please take a moment to complete this brief survey on school nursing services in charter schools. The questions are normally a component of annual compliance reporting done by charter schools each May, which is waived this year due to challenges that were created by the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020-2021 school year. Your responses are helpful to the Office of Charter Schools in supporting the need for nursing services.

 

Please complete one survey per school no later than May 28, 2021. Questions can be directed to Annette.Richardson@dhhs.nc.gov or 252-339-3009.

 

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6268193/c239e3b531c4


New Charter School Leaders VIRTUAL Institute 2021

June 8th & 9th, 2021
Cohort 2021 new charter leaders (heads of school) are required to attend this two-day VIRTUAL institute. Please register at the link here.  BOD members are also welcome and encouraged to attend.

Weekly Top Ten-April 29, 2021

            Effective April 30th, per Executive Order 209, Schools may lift mask restrictions when outdoors.

 

NCDPI COVID Updates Webinar Tuesday, April 20

Follow-Up for Monthly NCDHHS Joint COVID Call


NCDPI Agency Horizontal Logo

State Mental Health Policy Resources

 

The policy webpage, linked here has a recorded session that walks though the policy, website, and real-life examples from districts at the end of the video.  At the bottom of the page is a blue button that loads the video. 


4/22/21 Charter Leader's Call Recording


MEMO - Alternative Schools’ Modified Accountability System Options


Integrated Academic and Behavior Systems

April 2021

You won’t want to miss the continued SELfcare sessions being offered throughout May. The arts can play a large role in your SELf care, but how does all this relate to an MTSS? MTSS is focused on building efficient systems for educators so they can effectively support students. 

Happy Teachers = Happy Kids 

If you have questions about strengthening  Social and Emotional Learning within your MTSS framework, we encourage you to reach out to your IABS Regional Consultant, examine your FAM-S data or spend some time looking through the NCSEL resources here.

IABS

Charter school leaders,

Please thoroughly read the memo, Justification Required for Exceeding 1.0 Percent Participation in the Alternate Assessment, from Dr. Catherine Edmonds, Dr. Tammy Howard, and Ms. Sherry Thomas.


School Business Contact Information 

 

To ensure that School Business staff are able to contact you: 

Budget

IMPORTANT: Please see the attached memo regarding changes with automation of GPA and Grade-Scale beginning with the 2021-22 school year.


Please send the attached memo, Summer Programs 2020–21, from Dr. David Stegall and Dr. Tammy Howard to all Charter School Directors.


Monthly Update: NC Healthy Schools

Hello District Directors and Coordinators of School Counseling,

 

Please find below the latest NC Healthy Schools section updates with lots of information to help support your work. 

 

Additionally, Pachovia Lovett and I wanted to also share with you that the School Mental Health Policy web pages are continually being updated.  Recently added was a video tour and an outline for School Mental Health plans located on the bottom of the landing page.  Also, the Canvas courses have been released and can be accessed through Canvas Commons.  This guidance document can assist PSUs in loading the courses and making them available to school personnel.   As with all the training options listed, the Canvas courses are not mandatory and only serve as an option should you need it.  

 

Dr. Sarah Reives, NCCU, graciously agreed to join me online this week and last week to conduct a four-hour Trauma-Informed Practice for School Mental Health training for school counselors (some school social workers joined us, as well). If you have school mental health affiliated personnel who would be interested in viewing the training and accessing the handout, those will be available on the NCDPI School Counseling Google Site Archived Webinars and Trainings page soon (the handout is already there, but the recordings are taking time to process and upload).

Exceptional Children Division


Please review the attached EC Division communication updates and Guidance. 

Significant Disproportionality/Mandatory Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CCEIS)

Corrective Action

Technical Assistance Materials Statewide corrective materials have been made available through the shared drive http://bit.ly/SEAcaFOLDER


Resources Galore

School Business – April 30, 2021

School Business

NC Center for Safer Schools NEWSLETTER - May, 2021

NC SIS Weekly Email Bulletin

Monthly Update: NC Healthy Schools

DTL Insider - April 23, 2021

April 15, 2021 - Home Base Bulletin

AP/IB Update - April 2021

April 2021 From the Board Room

2019-2022 Allotment Policy Manual for Funding that is Pandemic Related

Announcing the First Annual Student-Led Computer Science Virtual Summit May 15th- Student Registration

Resources for GLE, NC's Seal of Biliteracy

Let’s Get Ready! A Family’s Guide to Support Kindergarten Readiness

25th Anniversary Art Contest Entries Due May 1st

Digital Learning Standards Course for 2021

Advancing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) as a Lever for Equity and Excellence - Equity Insights Report


Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates

logo

 

 

Evaluation Instrument Validation & Crosswalk

 

In State Board Policy TCED-016, it is stated that a local board shall use the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards (NCPTS) and North Carolina Educator Evaluation System (NCEES) unless it develops an alternative evaluation that is properly validated and that includes standards and criteria similar to those in the NCPTS and NCEES.

 

Critical Considerations:

  • The validation study should be conducted by an external agency. This means that the LEA or vendor should not be conducting its own validation study, but that an unbiased third party should conduct the validation study.
  • The third-party evaluator should submit a summary of its methodology along with its findings.
  • The LEA/charter school or the vendor should submit a crosswalk between the new instrument and the state instrument which demonstrates the coverage of all the domains of the state evaluation system.
  • *Note – A charter school is only required to use a validated/aligned evaluation system when it is used for the purpose of a Beginning Teacher Support Program in pursuit of licensure.

Per policy, if the charter school is using a tool REGARDLESS of when it was prepared, it must be resubmitted for validation.  This includes any evaluation tools used prior to 2018 that may or may not have been written into your approved charter agreement.  The agreement was approved, however the evaluation tool itself still MUST be validated by a third party.  No beginning teachers can be transitioned to career teachers on alternative evaluation instruments until said instrument has been validated.  DPI has indicated no exceptions. 

 

The Office of Charter Schools has been approved as a third party validator and we are in the process of developing a validation tool for charters that desire to use alternative evaluation instruments.  As such, we are preparing to have it as an upload in Epicenter for both your instrument and crosswalk.  OCS will then provide either validation or feedback for revision of your instrument.  Again approved validation by OCS or another third party MUST occur prior to using the instrument for evaluation purposes of Beginning Teachers.  We will keep you updated when the tool and the upload is ready.

 

If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office, Dr. Darian C. Jones, darian.jones@dpi.nc.gov


OCS Consultant Sites:

BRAND NEW Performance Framework Companion Site

 

Professional Learning 101

 

The Scoop With Coop-All Things Renewals 

 

Ready to Open/Planning Year


Other News about Our Charter Schools:

The 2021 People Helping People Charter Scholarship Winners Are:  DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!!

  1. Kathryn Karla Ximena Dukelow – Eno River Academy (NC State/UNC)
  2. Tray’von Malik Hanks – Henderson Collegiate (ECU)
  3. Kylie Lane Bradley – Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy (NC State)

TOY JWhite

Charter Schools were very well represented by Jeremy White, West Lake Preparatory Academy Kindergarten teacher and Charter Teacher of the Year 2021, at the Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year awards April 9th. Jeremy is an alum of Elon University and UNC Charlotte, with 9 years of teaching experience, including several years teaching in Japan. He is also a published author. State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Catherine Truitt, recognized Jeremy and other NC regional candidates before announcing the 2021 NC Teacher of the Year, Ms. Eugenia Floyd, of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.


Purple Star Designation

OCS thanks and congratulates 5 schools recognized by the 2021 Purple Star Award for serving the families of those serving in our nation's armed forces:

  • Alpha Academy
  • Anderson Creek Academy
  • Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies
  • Peak Charter Academy
  • Wayne Preparatory

Leadership Opportunities:

The NC Association for Public Charter Schools is seeking to recruit talented teachers and charter school professionals across the state. Virtual Career Fair on May 13th

Carolina International School Principal

Raleigh Charter High School - Multiple Opportunities!

Magellan Charter 5th Grade Language Arts/Social Studies Teacher

The Magellan Charter School EC Teacher

Brevard Academy School Director

Lincoln Charter Human Resources Director

The Magellan Charter School Administrator

Old Main STREAM Academy School Principal

Old Main STREAM Academy Staff

Telra Institute Early-Tenure Teacher

Telra Institute Grade Level Lead Teacher

Socrates Academy - Multiple Opportunities!

Pine Springs Prep Middle School Principal

Cape Fear Center for Inquiry: School Director

Carolina International Art, PE, Biology, 6th Grade, Interventionist


Whom Should I Contact at the Office of Charter Schools?

 

Please note that response times to voicemails left on our phones will be much slower than usual due to the COVID-19 response efforts. Sending us an email is ideal.  Clicking the link on our names will bring up an automatic email prompt. Thank you!

OCS Main number: 984 236 2700 ocs@dpi.nc.gov

Dave Machado         984 236 2702

Director of the Office of Charter Schools

Shaunda Cooper      984 236 2712

Consultant, Renewals & Stakeholder Support

Claire Porter              984 236 2707

Consultant, Planning Year & Ready to Open Process

Ashley Baquero         984 236 2708

Consultant, Amendments & Compliance

Joseph Letterio       984 236 2703

Consultant, Epicenter Tech Support & Performance Framework

Darian Jones           984 236 2705

Consultant, Professional Development

Melanie Rackley     984 236 2712

Consultant, Charter Applications

Jay Whalen              984 236 2711

Program Administrator, NC ACCESS Program

Barbara O'Neal        984 236 2706

Program Coordinator, NC ACCESS Program

Davida Robinson   984 236 2878

NC ACCESS Subgrant Program Manager

Lakisha Robbins  984 236 2704

NC ACCESS Finance Administrator