Dear Charter Leaders,
The NCDPI ELA and OEL Teams are providing June sessions to discuss the new PK-12 Literacy Instruction Standards (Section V of SB387). While submitting the local curriculum and instruction explanation form is optional for charters (much like the Literacy Intervention Plans), we will provide a virtual charter session, for those interested. This session will focus on:
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A general overview and understanding of the Literacy Instruction Standards (LIS)
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Guidance for evaluating and modifying curriculum and instruction to align with the LIS
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A review of the model and non-model implementation plans
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Support on the form to be submitted, for those charters interested
The session will be held June 8 from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM on WebEx. If interested, please complete this Registration Link. Once registered, you will receive a calendar invite that includes the meeting link.
For questions, please contact Dr. Kristi Day, Assistant Director of Academic Standards, at kristi.day@dpi.nc.gov or (984) 236-2835.
We look forward to seeing you!
Kristi Day, Ed.D.
Assistant Director
Division of Academic Standards
NC Department of Public Instruction
Healthful Living Standards Revision Survey / Data Review Committee Application
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Healthy Schools team is seeking input on the current K-12 Healthful Living Standards from educators, administrators, parents, students, institutions of higher education, business/industry representatives, national organizations, and other education agencies.
This survey is being shared to gather thoughtful input and comments from stakeholders familiar with the Healthful Living Standard Course of Study in order to inform revision decisions, which may include changes, clarifications, additions, deletions, or replacements to the current standards.
This survey is estimated to take about 10 to 20 minutes to complete, depending on how many grades you choose to review and will remain open until July 7, 2022.
We thank you for your time and input. Your feedback is extremely valuable to the Healthful Living standards revision process. In addition to this survey, there will be several additional opportunities for you to provide feedback on the standards throughout the revision process.
The NCDPI Healthy School Team is excited to share an opportunity for interested educators and community partners to participate in the K-12 Healthful Living Standards review process by serving on the Data Review Committee (DRC). The goal of this committee is to review data and trends on the current Healthful Living Standard Course of Study along with feedback collected from interviews, focus groups, and survey responses from stakeholders. The DRC will analyze this data to make recommendations for a separate Standards Writing Team (SWT) to consider.
NCDPI is seeking applications from a range of stakeholders with experience in reviewing and compiling data including K-12 educators from all grade levels, content areas, and resource specialists. Equally important are school/district leaders, educators from institutions of higher education, and business and community leaders.
Please use the links below to apply. The application window will remain open until June 9, 2022
Reporting Discipline Data to the State
Per SBE policy (SSCH-000), incidents of certain behaviors and disciplinary actions must be submitted to the state within 5 business days of occurrence (see pages 4 - 6 on the North Carolina Discipline Data Reporting Procedures Manual). All discipline data must be submitted by June 29th this year when the window for reporting closes.
To meet this requirement, the data must reside in the state database where it can be viewed in state reports. For these offenses to be pushed into the state database and be viewed in state reports, you must not only enter the offenses in PowerSchool but also run the State Discipline report in PowerSchool. If you are using 3rd party software to enter your data, please verify with your vendor that your data is being submitted to PowerSchool in a timely manner. You should also verify that these data are accurate by running the state level reports periodically throughout the school year.
Also, please review the disciplinary data manual found on the NCDPI website and make sure your staff understands the definition of each of the reportable acts and consequences to ensure you are reporting them both correctly.
ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS & SCHOOLS (ALPS)
To help us maximize our support, we request your assistance in updating the ALPS District Data Coordinators Contact List and the ALPS Directory. To make it easy for you to provide your updates, we are utilizing Qualtrics Survey and Google Sheets (see links below). Once we receive your input, we will post the updated ALPS Directory on the NCDPI website.
Annual Charter School Health Report Is Open
The Annual Charter School Health Report link is now open. Reporting must be completed no later than June 20, 2021. The report is designed to assist in identifying resource needs for healthcare of students in charter schools. Responses will be used to inform future training topics and to report on compliance with required legislation and policies such as Care of Students with Diabetes (§ 115C-375.3.) and School Supply of Epinephrine Auto-Injectors (§ 115C-375.2A). You may click here to access the report link or copy and paste the link below into your browser.
A preparation worksheet is provided with the report questions. All schools are encouraged to download the worksheet and mark the appropriate responses before beginning the online report survey. You may click here to access the worksheet or copy and paste the link provided below into your browser. Once you have prepared your responses, save the document to your local computer. This worksheet cannot be accepted as your report. You will use it as a reference tool to enter your information into the online survey system.
Charter school Health Services Report and Section Two Report
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6525551/2021-22-Charter-School-Health-Services-Report-and-Section-Two-Survey
Charter School Health Services Report and Section Two-Worksheet
http://surveygizmolibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/library/12181/202122_CharterSchoolHealthServicesReport_Section2_Worksheet.pdf
If you have questions or concern regarding the report, please contact annette.richardson@dhhs.nc.gov or amy.t.johnson@dhhs.nc.gov
Important MEMOs:
Signs of Abuse Memo
Please see the memo below with guidance to comply with SL 2021-132 and forward, as appropriate, to student services personnel. These materials are being released now so that you can better prepare for the upcoming school year and organize beginning of the year requirements. This applies to all grade 6-12 schools and students.
SL 2021-132: Signs Of Abuse Memo
NCDHHS/DPI
Follow-Up for Monthly NCDHHS Joint COVID Call
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Good morning and thank you to all who participated in this month's call.
For those who couldn't join the call, click here to access the recording with integrated chat and transcript.
Additional links and resources referenced in the call:
5.3.22 DHHS Slide Deck
Please reach out to Sharon Bell with any questions on Youth Mental Health First Aid.
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Office of Learning Recovery info
Charter school leaders, as discussed at Monday's office hours, we have provided the slides from the Office of Learning Recovery Meeting, Thursday March 31st: OLR HB196 Regional Charter Meeting March 2022.pdf
FAFSA Tuesday Tracker: What Graduating Seniors Need to Know About Financial Aid
A wide range of financial aid, scholarship and loan programs are available for high school seniors as they pursue their post-secondary options.
A large number of the federal and state opportunities for money rely on the students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Schools can help graduating seniors by:
- Including FAFSA completion on graduation checklists and conversations.
- Sharing financial aid resources with students and their families
Want to do even more? Authorized school professionals can access the Finish the FAFSA for individual student level data. Last year high school graduates in North Carolina who were unable to complete the FAFSA left $126 million in Pell Grants on the table. Pell Grants are just one type of financial aid that requires FAFSA completion. The FAFSA is also an important first step in securing the NC Long Leaf Commitment Grant, which for many of our students could mean FREE community college.
Between now and June 30th, North Carolina’s schools are pushing toward the state’s FAFSA completion goal of 65% We will keep you up to date on our progress and continue sharing resources.
Don't forget, you can track your district's FAFSA completion progress using the NC First in FAFSA Tracker.
Jessica Swencki
Deputy Director
2022 Virtual BT Summit
Greetings,
The Regional Education Facilitator Team is excited to announce registration for the 2022 North Carolina Beginning Teacher Virtual Summit: Reaching for the Stars is open!
This virtual summit is a state-wide FREE professional development opportunity specifically designed to address the needs of new teachers. The past few years have both challenged us and taught us the importance of being flexible, maximizing our resources, and practicing reflection.
Therefore, this year’s virtual summit will feature sixteen excellent, pre-recorded sessions from last year’s conference that statistically align with the most common needs of BTs across the state. Participants choose from topics on classroom management, equity/diversity, tech tools and tips, differentiation, social/emotional/self-care, teacher leadership, professionalism, and parent communication.
Through a blend of live opening and closing sessions, live Teacher of the Year Panels, and pre-recorded breakout sessions, beginning teachers will be able to self-select sessions on essential instructional practices to impact student learning positively.
Register now using this Google Form link to receive live session updates and information on the summit via email: https://forms.gle/swApMk9La8eKumX89.
*Please note that CEU credits for the live and pre-recorded breakout sessions may be given at the discretion of your Public School Unit (PSU) or non-Public School Unit.
We’re looking forward to an amazing Beginning Teacher Summit experience!
Regards,
The Regional Education Facilitator Team
Upcoming 2021-2022SY McKinney-Vento Deadlines
Please note the following McKinney-Vento end-of-year deadlines. This NCHEP compliance deadline document will provide further details on the upcoming McKinney-Vento deadlines listed below:
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Homeless Data Collection Submission Deadline: May 30, 2022
_McKinney-Vento Posting Elements_21-22SY.docx
- Online submission workshops are being offered in May. Details included in the compliance deadline document provided.
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McKinney-Vento Needs Assessment Deadline: June 30, 2022
_CHARTER SCHOOL Needs Assessment Template_2022SY.docx
- An alternate submission deadline is offered to charter school homeless liaisons who have been in the role for less than 1 year. Please see overview document for further details.
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McKinney-Vento Dispute Policy Deadline: June 30, 2022
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McKinney-Vento Web Posting Deadline: As Soon As Possible (If not already in place.)
If clarification or assistance is needed on any of the upcoming deadlines, please contact Tricia Lentz, NCHEP Program Specialist for Charter Schools (336-681-7561).
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EC ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Attached is a Public Notice of Participation and Comments on the NC Application for IDEA Part B Grant Award. Please display the Public Notice and proposed State Application in the main lobby of your Central Office from March 25, 2022 - May 25, 2022.
If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Sinclair at Nicole.sinclair@dpi.nc.gov or 984-236-2597.
Please see the attached newsletters.
Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates
2023 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Teacher of the Year Nomination Process
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Teacher of the Year is recognized at the school, regional, and statewide levels. Individual public charter schools nominate a Teacher of the Year who participates in a selection process facilitated by the Office of Charter Schools at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Once the charter school nomination processes are completed, the teacher finalists vie as one of the state’s nine Regional Teachers of the Year. [The state is divided into eight geographical regions and NC Charter Schools are clustered together to form the ninth region of the state. The Charter School Teacher of the Year joins the Regional Teachers of the Year team as a finalist for the state Teacher of the Year]. This selection process is facilitated in each region by Regional Education Facilitators. If you need additional information please reach out to your Regional Educator Facilitator or Dr. Sonja Brown at Sonja.Brown@dpi.nc.gov Please remember to nominate your school's Teacher of the Year.
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Meet our newest staff member - Jenna Cook
Jenna Cook is the newest Education Consultant with the Office of Charter Schools. She has 10 years of experience as a K-12 teacher and administrator. She began her career in education as a 2021 Teach for America Corps member in the Mississippi Delta teaching middle school math. After 3 years in Mississippi, Jenna obtained her Master’s Degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College in Public School Administration through the Summer Principal’s Academy. She was a middle school Dean and then School Director in her home state of Ohio at a charter middle school, Columbus Collegiate Academy - Dana Ave. As the School Director of CCA-Dana, Jenna was also part of the United Schools Network Leadership team, a small charter management company in Columbus, Ohio. In the fall of 2021, Jenna and her husband, Matt, and two boys, moved to Raleigh. Jenna was the Dean of Middle School at Southern Wake Academy before joining OCS in April 2022. Outside of her work in schools, Jenna enjoys exploring her new city with her family, baking, and cheering on the Ohio State Buckeyes.
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OCS Consultant Sites
Need student desks? We've got 2 offers!
- We have close to 100 student desks available. They are gently used, however they had plexiglass affixed to them last year which has since been removed. We are asking $5 per desk or best offer. Please contact Gina Newell at Achievement Charter Academy 919-567-1234, gnewell@achievementcharteracademy.org.
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At Pine Springs Prep, they have approximately 200 white desks that are available to be donated to another charter school who may benefit from them. The desks do have some usage that shows on the tops (not pure white anymore) but they are certainly serviceable. Used in grades 3 and 4, they would be a bit too big for K and 1st grade. They are willing to donate them to a school willing to come to Holly Springs to pick them up. If interested, contact bfriend@pinespringsprep.org.
Other Resources from DPI
Leadership Opportunities
Whom Should I Contact at the Office of Charter Schools?
OCS Main Number: (984) 236-2700 / Email: ocs@dpi.nc.gov
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