Number 10

NC Department of Public Instruction Launches Promising Practices Resource to Improve Educational Opportunity Statewide

"The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) has launched a new web-based resource to promote promising practices that motivate, engage and provide measurable results in North Carolina’s public schools. This new Promising Practices Clearinghouse will support teachers, administrators, district personnel, and other education advocates seeking strategies that have proven successful in North Carolina districts."

Read the full release here.

Number 9

ACT Information

North Carolina administers the ACT to all 11th graders during the March statewide administration. Through the ACT State Testing Program, NCDPI brings the ACT exam to students in the classroom.

To learn more about testing timelines, test prep and other important information about the ACT, check out this month's ACT newsletter.

Number 8

Military-Connected Student Dashboard

NCDPI developed the North Carolina Public Schools: Military Connected Data dashboard to display the most current data on the number and percentage of students with military connection in NC Public Schools, using a variety of visualizations including a map and tables. This resource is located on the NC Supports Military Children NCDPI website. Please contact Dr. Angie Mullennix, angie.mullennix@dpi.nc.gov, for any questions.

Military-Connected Student Dashboard

Number 7

Hoke County Wind Ensemble Selected to Perform at National School Board Association Conference

The Hoke County Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the 2022 National School Board Association Conference this April in San Diego, CA. The Hoke County Wind Ensemble was one of six bands chosen out of 674 that applied!

Congratulations to the Hoke County Wind Ensemble and Hoke High School band director Devon Pickett on this amazing feat!

Number 6

NCDPI Partners with Microsoft & Prodigy Learning to Offer ‘Coding in Minecraft’ to Middle School Students

"The N.C. Department of Public Instruction announced today a collaboration with Microsoft and Prodigy Learning to bring the award winning ‘Coding in Minecraft’ credential program to all middle school students across the state over a three-year period. This announcement comes on the heels of State Superintendent Catherine Truitt’s recent launch of her Four Workforce Goals, which is part of a concerted effort to better align the K-12 system with industry needs so that students are prepared post-graduation."

Read the full release here.

Number 5

Five Teams Vie in Fifth North Carolina Jr. Chef Competition

"Five teams of high school students enrolled in food and nutrition and culinary arts courses will vie for the state title in the 2022 North Carolina Jr. Chef Competition. Based on applications and recipes submitted, teams from Apex High (WCPSS), Ashe County High, Monroe High and Parkwood High (Union County Public Schools), and Swain County High were selected as finalists in the statewide cook-off next month."

Read the full release here. 

Number 4

Updates to StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit + Briefing

Today, NCDHHS released updates to the StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit. If you were unable to attend the briefing and did not receive the meeting recording, please email communications@dpi.nc.gov. 

If you have specific questions on the Toolkit, please email StrongSchoolsNC@dhhs.nc.gov.

Number 3

NCCAT Charter School Connections Conference

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. 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.

The conference will be held March 7-9 in Cullowhee, NC. Learn more and register here.

Number 2

Two NC Educators Receive Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

"Two North Carolina elementary school teachers were honored this week as recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the highest award K-12 teachers can receive for instruction in those two subjects by the federal government. In all, 102 teachers nationwide were named by President Joe Biden as 2020 award recipients in an announcement earlier this week.

Read the full release here.

Number 1

Black History Month

In honor of Black History month, NCDPI will share facts about North Carolina's African American history.

From 1896 to 1961 the grounds of St. Augustine's University in Raleigh housed St. Agnes Hospital, the first nursing school in the state for African Americans. For many years St. Agnes was considered the best hospital for Black people between Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, regularly serving not only Black North Carolinians, but those from Virginia and South Carolina as well. 

Since receiving Historic Landmark status in 1979, the hospital has remained relatively untouched, serving as a monument to Raleigh’s Black history. Learn more about St. Agnes here.