Number 10

Make Your Voice Heard – Submit Comments on New Child Nutrition Standards Proposed Rule by April 10

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced a proposed rule, “Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" which contains new Child Nutrition regulations regarding the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, Summer Food Service Programs, and Child and Adult Care Food Program. USDA is proposing to make nutrition standards more stringent by reducing sodium, increasing whole grains, and decreasing added sugar (which will impact the ability of elementary and middle schools to offer flavored milk) among other suggested changes.

The standards are available for public comment until April 10. Stakeholders are encouraged to review the proposed rule and related materials and submit comments on how the proposed regulations will impact your local School Nutrition Programs, public school units, students, and staff. USDA will review and record all comments submitted. The number of comments received makes a tremendous difference in the outcome. Every voice matters!

Number 9

Portrait of a Graduate Exemplars

The Office of Innovation at NCDPI is interested in showcasing exemplars of the Portrait of a Graduate Competencies as an extension of the Promising Practices Clearinghouse.

The competencies include Adaptability, Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Empathy, Learner’s Mindset, and Personal Responsibility. The exemplars should spotlight these competencies from various perspectives, such as leaders being collaborative, teachers being critical thinkers, students being adaptable, etc., with a special interest in student-based exemplars.

This information is being collected via the Portrait of a Graduate Exemplars Google form. Please feel free to share this flyer that outlines this information. Questions can be directed to Angie.Mullennix@dpi.nc.gov.

Number 8

Announcement of National Career Clusters Framework National Advisory Committee

In December 2022, Advance CTE announced the relaunch of an initiative to modernize the National Career Clusters Framework. Feedback from previous iterations of this work revealed the value of a National Advisory Committee (NAC) to provide expert insight into the decision making and change management processes for the national project team. While the NAC is not responsible for the eventual recommendations to update the Framework, they will provide strategic thought partnership about this initiative and help guide the direction of the project team’s work. 

Participants have significant experience with the Framework and career pathways systems, can speak to national, state, or local CTE systems, have a strong equity lens including a willingness to advocate for the specific and targeted inclusion of special populations and do not represent a specific industry sector or Career Cluster. Represented roles include current and former State CTE Directors, national experts in career pathways and workforce development, local administrators, and representation from the National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations, among others.

Learn more and see the full roster of the NAC, including NCDPI's CTE Director Trey Michael, here.

Number 7

Sign Up for New Parent Newsletter from Superintendent Truitt

Superintendent Truitt is starting a twice yearly parent newsletter that will help parents and guardians stay in the know on education happenings in our state. 

Sign up for the newsletter here by entering your email address and selecting "Superintendent Truitt's Parent Newsletter" under the "Internal Lists" section and keep an eye out for the first edition this spring!

Number 6

Feedback Requested for Draft 2 of 2023 K-12 Science Standards Draft

Draft 2 of the proposed 2023 K-12 Science Standards is available for public review and comment. Stakeholder input is valuable to the process as it may inform additional revisions to the draft standards.

Review and comment here by March 26.

Number 5

Person County Schools Social Work Coordinator Selected as NC's 2022-23 Homeless Liaison of the Year by NCHEP

Cathy Waugh has been selected as the 2022-23 Homeless Liaison of the Year! Ms. Waugh serves as the McKinney-Vento Liaison, ESSA Foster Care Point of Contact, and School Social Work Coordinator for Person County Schools. She was chosen for her endless dedication and commitment to serving one of our most vulnerable populations of students, her passion for education, and her mission for the overall success of students in school. Ms. Waugh is highly regarded as a school social worker and homeless liaison by her colleagues and is viewed as a model leader at the local and state level.

Congratulations, Cathy, and thank you for all you do for the students and families of North Carolina! Read more here. 

Number 4

Researchers Seek COVID-19 Learning Loss Solutions

"When Dr. Tanya Hudson went door-to-door interviewing families about the impacts of COVID-19, there was a clear consensus: students’ academic skills suffered because of extended online learning. This is often referred to as “learning loss,” and extends beyond North Carolina into every state that closed schools in 2020 to help stem the spread of the virus.

That initial survey was in 2022. Now Dr. Hudson is using what her team learned to implement and study a new after-school tutoring program at Walker-Spivey Elementary in Fayetteville. It’s called the Bronco Expansion, named for FSU’s bronco mascot, and it’s one of 20 research studies selected for a joint-initiative by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Collaboratory. The goal is to find solutions to an array of pandemic-related educational issues from learning loss to mental health."

Read the full story here.

Number 3

Registration for 2023 CTE Summer Conference Now Open

The NC Department of Public Instruction in partnership with the NC Association for Career and Technical Education is excited to bring you this year's 2023 Summer Conference! The conference will be held in Winston-Salem July 17-21. 

The deadline to apply is July 5, with early bird pricing ending on May 1. Learn more about the conference, including agenda, and register here. 

Number 2

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Student STEM Enrichment Program Accepting Applications Through June 9

The Student STEM Enrichment Program (SSEP) supports diverse programs with a common goal: to enable primary and secondary students to participate in creative, hands-on STEM activities for K-12 students and pursue inquiry-based exploration in Burrough Wellcome Fund's (BWF) home state of North Carolina. These awards provide up to $60,000 per year for three years. Since the program's inception in 1996, BWF has awarded 275 grants totaling $41.4 million to 130 organizations that reach more than 43,000 North Carolina students.

Learn more and apply here. Applications close on June 9 at 3 p.m.

Number 1

Cabarrus County School Teacher Named NCCAT 2023 Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year

"Natalia Mejia, a teacher at CC Griffin STEM Middle School in Cabarrus County Schools, was named the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) 2023 Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year in a special ceremony at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University Thursday March 9th. The award was presented for the fourth time, with finalists from across the state in attendance.

This teacher prioritizes relationships and notes: 'students will not understand why their teachers are trying to hold them accountable if they do not realize that you have their best interest at heart.' This teacher believes it is extremely important for parents to be involved in their child’s education and that successful teachers must prioritize getting to know others and building relationships. She experienced 100 percent growth of her students in her first year of teaching."

Read the full press release here. Congratulations, Natalia!