Number 10

Digital Learning Initiative Grant Webinar Series

Join the Digital Teaching and Learning team throughout the month of May to gain real insights and stories of impact from the field on innovation, digital teaching and learning, personalized learning, blended learning, STEM, robotics, and much more! 

Learn more and register here.

Number 9

PBS Impact Early Childhood Education Summit

This June, PBS will host their first Impact Summit—a free professional development conference for early childhood educators in North Carolina. Discover new strategies for helping our youngest learners (birth to grade 3) grow strong roots in literacy and beyond at this daylong event for educators, parents and caregivers. Attend presentations and breakout sessions, network with colleagues and earn contact hour credits on topics ranging from art integration, educational media and STEM curriculum to equity in education and parenting.

The summit will be June 18 at UNC Charlotte. Learn more here.

Number 8

Virtual Schools Network: A collaboration between the Friday Institute & NCVirtual

NCVirtual is collaborating with NC State's Friday Institute to form a collaborative support group for newly formed (and established) virtual schools across the state. 

"Over the past several years, districts throughout North Carolina have opened virtual schools to provide educational options for students and their families. Various models have emerged based on the needs of each unique community.

In some cases, virtual schools provide diverse course offerings in districts with limited in-person instruction. In other areas, these virtual schools are the direct result of students and parents preferring a highly personalized, flexible environment over traditional schooling. While some of these schools are primarily asynchronous, others are a mix of synchronous and asynchronous virtual instruction, while still more are blended online and face-to-face experiences. To add another layer of variation between districts, these virtual schools differ in terms of their curriculum; they are creating their own, partnering with external organizations to use theirs, or relying primarily on NC Virtual Public School (NCVirtual)."

Read the full perspective piece from EdNC here.

Number 7

Monthly DPI/DHHS Joint COVID Call

Tuesday, May 3, 2022 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

If you need the Zoom link to be emailed again, please reach out to communications@dpi.nc.gov.

Number 6

Deadline Extended for Rethink Education Parent and Family Engagement Survey

The Rethink Education Parent and Family Engagement Survey deadline has been extended to Friday, April 30. This brief survey helps understand parent engagement and satisfaction with virtual and hybrid learning options and helps identify barriers to engagement and satisfaction to continue to improve learning experiences for all students.

Learn more here. Take the survey here.

Number 5

Special Advisor to the Superintendent: Educator Engagement Visits Pender County Schools, Discusses Post-Pandemic Challenges

This week, Special Advisor to the Superintendent: Educator Engagement Julie Pittman visited Pender County Schools to discuss with PCS Teachers of the Year challenges facing teachers and public education post-pandemic. 

Watch the video here.

Number 4

Building Engineers in K-5 Classrooms: STEM Teacher Collaborative

The STEM Teacher Collaborative program is designed to gather passionate STEM teachers in K-5 schools who are looking to advance STEM education in North Carolina. This Collaborative will bring educators together to share ideas, best practices and advance STEM education.

Learn more here.

Number 3

NCDPI Recognizes Inaugural Cohort of Educators Leading NC into the Future as Rethink Education Facilitators for Blended Learning

"Today, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) announced the initial cohort of educators who have earned their Rethink Education Facilitator Badge after training to become experts in how to use new statewide blended learning models that add online learning to existing classroom teaching. The educators participating in Rethink Education, an initiative of the Virtual Instruction Support Services Division at NCDPI, will now serve as facilitators who help prepare teachers across the state to deliver high-quality blended instruction in a variety of settings and situations."

Read more here.

Number 2

Cabarrus County Student Places Second in National Vocal Competition

Cox Mill Elementary student, Agneya Roy, placed 2nd in the 12 and under Children’s Musical Theatre Division for the 2022 Hal Leonard Publishing National Vocal Competition! 

Congratulations Agneya! Watch the full performance here.

Number 1

President Biden Honors Cumberland County JROTC Instructor for Answering the Call of Duty and Community

"April is National Volunteer Month—a month dedicated to highlighting the impact of volunteer service and the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges, build stronger communities and be a force that transforms the world. There are many shining examples of volunteerism in Cumberland County Schools (CCS), and one of the district’s premier professionals has received national recognition for her volunteer efforts in the community.

For her dedication to building a stronger community through volunteer service, Retired Army Sgt. Maj. Ruby Murray, the JROTC Instructor at South View High School (SVHS), was recently awarded the 2021 President’s Lifetime Achievement Award by President Joseph R. Biden. This award is the highest designation of the President’s Volunteer Service Award. It honors individuals whose service positively impacts their communities and inspires those around them to serve. To earn the Lifetime Achievement Award, an individual dedicates 4,000 hours or more to volunteer service."

Read the full news release here. Thank you Sgt. Maj. Murray for your service to our country and the students of North Carolina!