Number 10

American Indian Heritage Month

North Carolina is home to eight American Indian Tribes and has the largest American Indian population in the Eastern United States. Over 17,000 American Indian Students attend North Carolina Public Schools. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recognizes the rich history, vibrant culture, and valuable contributions of our American Indian tribes and communities. Educators at all levels are encouraged to recognize American Indian heritage and culture this month and all year round through curriculum and educational resources. Learn more about the tribes of North Carolina here.

DPI works in collaboration with the NC State Advisory Council on Indian Education (SACIE). SACIE produces an annual report regarding the state of education of American Indian. Districts are strongly encouraged to use this information to design targeted support for American Indian students.

Click here to access the 2022 State Advisory Council on Indian Education Annual Report.

Number 9

NC FFA Success at the National FFA Convention & Expo

North Carolina FFA was represented well at the National FFA Convention & Expo last week! Thank you to all of our members, chapters, and advisors for all of your hard work.

Find a list of our national winners here.

The North Carolina FFA Association was recognized as the second highest total gain in FFA membership - congratulations to all chapters for this achievement! The NC FFA is also celebrating its first National FFA Officer since 1996. Congratulations to MacKenna Clifton on this honor!

Number 8

NCVirtual Identified as a Top Five Program Supporting Inclusive Education

NCVirtual is identified as one of the top five programs in the nation that includes evidence-based practices that support inclusive education by the Center on Inclusive Technology & Education Systems (CITES)!

CITES is developing a framework of evidence-based practices to empower school districts to create and sustain inclusive technology systems that serve all students. CITES also operates its Virtual Learning Project, focused on promising practices related to educating and supporting students with disabilities and their families in virtual school programs.

Check out the Digital Learning Collaborative's blog that highlights the CITES Virtual Learning Project here.

Number 7

North Carolina Symphony to Honor Three Outstanding Music Educators November 19

Saturday, November 19 at Meymandi Concert Hall, three music teachers from three different counties will receive North Carolina Symphony (NCS) 2022 Music Educator Awards. These annual awards recognize outstanding teachers who make a lasting difference in the lives of students of all abilities and backgrounds; serve the community in an exemplary manner as a role model in music education; inspire students to reach high musical standards; and instill a love for music in children. 

Congratulations to the three winners:

• Margaret Maurice, Mecklenburg County - Maxine Swalin Award for Outstanding Music Educator
• Meredith Regan, Davidson County - Jackson Parkhurst Award for Special Achievement
• Pablo Salamanca, Alamance County - North Carolina Symphony Musicians Award

Margaret, Meredith and Pablo, thank you for your dedication to the arts and to the students of North Carolina! Read more about the NCS 2022 Music Educator Awards and the honorees here.

Number 6

PRC 189 Webinar - Hosted by NCDPI Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration and the NC Center for Afterschool Programs

Join the Office of Learning Recovery & Acceleration (OLR) and the NC Center for Afterschool Programs for a webinar exploring ways to utilize your funding for PRC 189 in creating a robust, math-standards aligned afterschool program.

Wednesday, November 9th, 1-2 p.m.

Number 5

Registration for NCBCE’s Annual Ready, Set, App! Competition Now Open

The North Carolina Business Committee for Education’s (NCBCE) Ready, Set, App! challenge is a mobile app development competition for high school students sponsored by Lenovo. Student groups are asked to develop a mobile app using a mobile app development platform (e.g., MIT App Inventor) to solve a problem in their school or community. Ready, Set, App! focuses on three primary pillars:

• Mobile App Development
• Professional and Personal Development
• Interpersonal and Soft Skills Development

Please contact NCBCE Program Manager, Ciera Tucker, at ciera.tucker@nc.gov with any questions. 

Learn more and register here.

Number 4

District Highlight: Pitt County Schools - Chicod Teacher Honored as Statewide Art Educator of the Year

"In the last several months, Kathryn Bello has seen her Chicod School art students bring home awards from the Ayden Art Show, Pitt County Fair, North Carolina School Boards Association and the National Association of Counties. But over the weekend, it was her turn.

Bello, who is known for having her students enter — and win — various art competitions, came back to school Monday with not one but two awards from the North Carolina Art Educators Association. After more than 25 years in the classroom, she has been named NCAEA Elementary Art Educator of the Year and NCAEA Art Educator of the Year in recognition of her commitment and contributions to the visual arts in North Carolina."

Congratulations, Kathryn! We are so grateful for your service to the students of our state. Read the full story here. 

Number 3

2023 School of Character Applications - Deadline Approaching

Schools and districts that apply to receive the School of Character Certification must meet the rigorous standards articulated in Character.org’s 11 Principles Framework for Schools. Each school is assessed by a team of trained evaluators.

The deadline to apply is Friday, November 11. Apply here.

Number 2

NCDPI Seeks Public Input on K-12 Arts, Guidance and World Language Standards

State Board of Education policy specifies that the NC Department of Public Instruction will formally collect feedback on current standards from educators, administrators, parents, students, institutions of higher education, business/industry representatives, national organizations, and other education agencies. The purpose of these surveys is to obtain input from educators and stakeholders in order to inform revision decisions, which may include changes, clarifications, additions, deletions, or replacements to the current standards

Participate in surveys by selecting the links below. The surveys will close at 5 p.m. on November 17.

Arts Education
Guidance
World Languages

Number 1

Center for Safer Schools Awards More Than $74 Million in Safety Grants

"Two hundred school districts and charter schools across North Carolina will benefit from more than $74.1 million in school safety grants announced today by the Department of Public Instruction’s Center for Safer Schools.

The funding will be used for safety equipment, school resource officers, training and services for students in crisis in elementary, middle and charter schools across the state. High schools were eligible for funding other than for school resource officers.

All the school districts and charter schools that applied for School Safety Grant funding for the 2022-23 school year received an award and were notified last week."

Read the full press release here.