This newsletter contains the latest announcements and current news impacting K-12 STEM in North Carolina public schools.  As always, we encourage those of you who receive the updates to please share this issue with others who are not currently subscribed to our listserv. To receive STEM updates please sign up following the information provided at the bottom of this page.

More Than a Recognition Program

The STEM Schools Progress Rubric is a strategic planning document that is valuable for any school or program within a school that wants to improve STEM teaching and learning.   To get the most out of the STEM rubric, consider the following: The rubric is an instrument to be used by the whole school rather than an individual. It requires the input and perspective of various stakeholders within the school as well as outside such as parents, business partners, and community members. Begin by identifying your current level of performance for each Key Element. The provided Quality Indicators serve as benchmarks for coordinating areas upon which to focus within your School Improvement Plan. Be patient. There are many attributes associated with quality STEM instructional design. Finding what is right for your school and community will take time. Involve all stakeholders, both  within and outside of your school, and keep record of what works well with your student population. Let STEM develop your culture of learning. Student achievement through inquiry is highly rewarding and often leads to expanded student interests and deeper understanding of content. Nourish extracurricular opportunities that may arise and encourage academic exploration across content areas within your school. Obtain your copy of the STEM Schools Progress Rubric by visiting the NC DPI STEM webpage.

K-12 Standards Updates NCDPI's Division of Academic Standards has announced the following Standards Review and Revision Updates. Please share this information with anyone who may be interested.   All-Stakeholder Surveys   The K-12 Healthful Living and Science teams are seeking input on the current K-12 North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS) in their areas from educators, administrators, parents, students, institutions of higher education, business/industry representatives, national organizations, and other education agencies. These surveys are being shared to gather thoughtful input and comments from stakeholders familiar with the Health Education, Physical Education, and Science standards to inform revision decisions, which may include changes, clarifications, additions, deletions, or replacements to the current standards. Your feedback is extremely valuable to the standards revision process.    Please use the links below to access the All-Stakeholder, or Standard-by-Standard, Surveys that are open for submissions through early July. Science All-Stakeholder Survey due July 1 Physical Education All-Stakeholder Survey due July 7 Health Education All-Stakeholder Survey due July 7

Plasma Games Pilot Competitive Grant

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is pleased to announce the Plasma Games Pilot Competitive Grant approved by the State Board of Education, to promote access to innovative digital and personalized learning solutions for high school students that bridge the gap between chemistry and physical science classes and career and technical education (CTE) career pathways.

The purpose of the Plasma Games Pilot Competitive Grant Program is to promote access to innovative digital and personalized learning solutions for high school students demonstrating proficiency in science and math and to support schools in their efforts to increase the number of students pursuing education and career opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Districts and PSUs participating in the pilot must incorporate the software program developed by Plasma Games, Inc., in select STEM classes, and CTE programs, to encourage student interest and workforce development. A local school administrative unit participating in the pilot shall provide the Department with a plan for the placement of the STEM-focused educational technology developed by Plasma Games, Inc., in its schools and may include a plan from the pilot program established pursuant to Section 4.2D of S.L. 2020-4, as enacted by Section 1.1(e) of S.L. 2020-80, if the unit participated in that pilot.

Any public school unit, including districts, charter schools and lab schools, are eligible to apply to the Department of Public Instruction for a grant to implement a Plasma Games Pilot.  The Division of Academic Standards at the Department of Public Instruction has been tasked with the administration of this pilot program. As required by the legislation, the Agency will provide payment to PSUs to cover the full or partial cost of the program. NCDPI will utilize the CCIP program to accept grant requests.  Applications must be submitted by close of business July 1, 2022.

Following the completion of the required information, grant applications will be evaluated by a review team and awardees approved by the State Board of Education.  Information provided on the Plasma Games Pilot Grant will be located on the NCDPI  Division of Academic Standards website. Questions pertaining to the logistics of the Plasma Games Pilot Competitive Grant reimbursement can be directed to Howard.Ginsburg@dpi.nc.gov.

Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB)   The Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB)  provides an opportunity for educators to focus their professional development on developing their own global context and understanding of how to integrate global education throughout curricula. It also provides the opportunity to build global competency in students. The State Board of Education approved North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) is available for the following educator categories: Teacher Teacher Leadership Specialist Library Media Coordinator Instructional Technology Facilitator School Counselor Career Development Coordinator School Social Worker, School Psychologist Speech-Language Pathologist Instructional Central Office Staff Principal/Assistant Principal, Superintendent In this short video,  educators, who have earned the NCDPI Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB), shared their thoughts on the benefits of getting the badge and how it has impacted their teaching.  The words of wisdom from the GEDB recipients may help you to make a decision about applying for the badge. For more information on the Badge (SBE Policy, FAQs, Process Flyer, Implementation Guide, MOA), please visit our website or email NCGlobalEducation@dpi.nc.gov.

The division of Digital Teaching and Learning (DTL) is excited to announce its new iteration of NCBOLD for this summer. Previously NCBOLD had been a virtual professional learning opportunity for public school educators throughout North Carolina.  

Realizing the importance of high quality, face to face professional learning, DTL will offer an all day digital teaching and learning conference in each of the educational regions throughout our state.  NCBOLD has recruited current, practicing educators with a proven track record of delivering high quality and innovative professional learning tied to the Digital Learning Competencies for both educators and administrators and the Digital Learning Standards for students. These NCBOLD ambassadors will create and execute innovative sessions that will allow practicing educators to effectively integrate digital teaching and learning in their classrooms. For the summer of 2022, NCBOLD will be hosted at the following locations. 

Please register for any date and location that works for your schedule!

For questions or additional information, contact Lauren.Boucher@dpi.nc.gov and Brian.Whitson@dpi.nc.gov.

NC DPI STEM Consultant

Howard Ginsburg

howard.ginsburg@dpi.nc.gov

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Disclaimer Statement

Because North Carolina is a local-control state, all curricular decisions are approved at the local level. Prior to implementing any of the materials, teachers should follow appropriate policies and procedures to have content vetted and approved by their school and district leaders. 

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