Number 10

Portrait of a Graduate Playbook - Learner's Mindset

The focus for this month’s Portrait of a Graduate Playbook is Learner's Mindset. The updated playbook includes new activities by grade span to reinforce this competency. Each month, another competency will be added until all seven are reflected in the document.

For additional resources including a video, graphics and English/Spanish versions of the Portrait, please visit the NC Portrait of a Graduate webpage.

Number 9

Save the Date - Annual ESSA Summer Conference July 25-27

Mark your calendars for the Annual ESSA Summer Conference July 25-27! This year's conference will be held at the Greensboro High Point Airport Marriott in Greensboro. 

Registration details will be made available soon. 

Number 8

Rethink Education In-Person Northwest Region Networking Event

Community is a powerful tool for effective educators! If you're in the Northwest region, join Rethink Education after school to build community with colleagues who are also rethinking education!

In partnership with RTI International, DPI will host an in-person networking event for Northwest Region educators to discuss common problems of practice around blended learning. The networking event will take place Tuesday, May 2, from 5-6:30 p.m., at J.E. Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir. This session is open to all educators in the Northwest Region. 

Learn more and register here.

Number 7

Every Kid Healthy Week - April 24-28

This week is Every Kid Healthy Week! Every Kid Healthy Week is an annual celebration of school health and wellness achievements. It takes place during the last full week of April – each day shines a spotlight on the actions schools and families are taking to improve the health and wellness of their kids. Every Kid Healthy Week also highlights the link between nutrition, physical activity, mental health and learning – because healthy kids are better prepared to learn and thrive.

Learn more, get involved and find resources here.

Number 6

Host a Community Tree Planting Event with Tree-Plenish

Build a greener, more sustainable community by hosting a Tree-Plenish event and offsetting your school's energy consumption. All tree-planting events take place in the spring and the planning happens throughout the school year.

During the beginning months of the school year, Tree-Plenish recruits student leaders to host community-wide tree-planting events that are representative of their school’s annual energy usage. These events come at no cost to you or your school, and Tree-Plenish will mentor you throughout the planning process, offering resources and guidance.

Learn more and get involved here.

Number 5

RISE Back to School Safety Summit Call for Proposals

Do you or someone you know have a school safety workshop that would be appreciated by the RISE Back to School Safety Summit participants?

If so, please complete this form. The deadline to submit is May 10.

Number 4

Summer Employment Opportunities at NC Governor's School

The NC Governor’s School is the oldest program of its kind in the nation and has inspired similar programs throughout the United States. Bright and talented high school students from across the state undergo a competitive application process to be selected to attend.
The summer session will be from June 12-July 15 for staff (June 18-July 15 for students) and will be at two campuses: Meredith College (East campus) and Winston-Salem State University (West campus). We currently have openings for Fellows and Instructors (see more information under the headings for Fellows and educators below).

Being on staff at NC Governor’s School will allow you to play a role in a life-changing summer for these amazing students. It’s an opportunity to work with high school students in a residential environment where creativity and curiosity are valued and learning takes place without the pressures of grades or tests.

NCDPI will be reviewing applications and conducting interviews through an on-going process until all positions are filled. Position availability, job descriptions, and application are available here. Please contact Rodney Allen with your questions at ncgovschool@dpi.nc.gov.

Number 3

Quarterly PIO Call Follow-Up

LEA and Charter Communication Leaders, if you were unable to attend the Quarterly PIO Call last Thursday, April 20, and did not receive the follow-up email, please reach out to communciations@dpi.nc.gov.

Number 2

Resources for Assisting Families with Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program

To help schools and districts as they assist with Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) sign-ups, the Office of Educational Technology (OET) developed FAQs and resources to facilitate communication with families about their eligibility. This includes a template letter to let families know their child receives free or reduced-price school meals and therefore meets the ACP’s eligibility criteria. OET also provides a sample form that can be used to obtain families’ consent to share their child’s eligibility for free or reduced-price school meals with ACP-participating providers.

Learn more about the Affordable Connectivity Program and view the support resources here.

Number 1

Center for Safer Schools Director Talks School Safety in CBS17 Interview

"When a school goes into code red lockdown, it can leave parents and students’ hearts racing — often not knowing if they’re dealing with a real threat or a hoax. So how do schools balance the need to keep children safe while making sure they aren’t scared to go to school?"

Check out this interview with Karen Fairley, Director of the Center for Safer Schools, where she discusses the proactive steps the Center is taking to keep students safe. Watch here.