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Number 10
NCVPS In Real Time (IRT) Offerings Expanded
In-Real Time (IRT) is the synchronous class delivery program for North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS). The program model is a whole-class, middle school course, with required synchronous sessions with a NCVPS teacher. The IRT pilot for 8th-grade core instruction began in the Fall 2023 with selected schools. Course offerings were in 8th Grade ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science. Currently, these course offerings have now been expanded to the 7th grade for the 2024-2025 academic year as a pilot for this grade level.
Additionally, IRT will continue to be offered for 8th grade in all core content areas for the 2024-2025 academic year through our catalog. middle school and high school Math 1 courses have been added as course offerings for the program. This program is designed to support instruction by providing a certified NCVPS teacher to work alongside a substitute or beginning teacher to provide quality instruction for students. For more information about the program, please complete this interest form. Please share with your stakeholders.
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Number 9
RISE 2024 Student Engagement Contest
The Center for Safer Schools Student Engagement Team is holding a contest for K-12 students in North Carolina public school units in conjunction with the 2024 RISE Back to School Safety Summit. The theme is “Shine a Light on What a Safer School Looks Like.” Creativity is encouraged, as submissions could include videos, songs, poems, skits, speeches and chants.
The contest is divided into three categories: middle school, high school and classroom (New Hanover County only). Two middle school winners will receive a Chromebook and a trip to RISE 2024 at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, and four high school winners (two boys and two girls) will receive a Chromebook and a trip to RISE 2024.
In the classroom category, each student in the winning New Hanover County classroom will receive a Chromebook.
The deadline for all submissions is Monday, June 10 at 5 p.m. All entries should be emailed to CFSS Program Development Coordinator Kaliah Thompson. Please direct any questions to cfss@dpi.nc.gov.
Learn more about the contest here.
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Number 8
AIM 2024 Conference Accepting Proposals Through June 30
The 2024 AIM Conference will be held on Oct. 7-9 at the Raleigh Convention Center. This agency-wide event is an excellent opportunity to share expertise with the field. The proposal window for the conference has been extended and will close on June 30.
Submit proposals through the 2024 AIM Call for Proposals form. In an effort to assist you with the completion of the Call for Proposal, you may want to complete a 2024 AIM Conference Call for Proposals Worksheet.
The proposal window will be open through June 30. Individuals selected for presentation will be notified of acceptance status by July 12.
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Number 7
Sprouting School Gardens Grant
Sprouts Farmers Market is helping kids grow healthy through nutrition education and gardening programs that bring learning to life with a new grant dedicated to building and sustaining school garden programs.
Bring hands-on learning and nutrition education to your students by building a school garden. Funding can support the building or expansion of your school garden, the educators time and/or any cooking program materials. Grants range in size from $5,000 to $10,000.
The deadline to apply is June 30. Learn more and apply here.
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Number 6
ECU Microcredential PD: Cultivating a Positive School Culture of Teaching and Learning
ECU is hosting a 1-day seminar (.5 CEUs) facilitated by ECU faculty and local school and district leaders in Greenville on August 9, focused on four key areas: classroom instruction, student behavior, student discipline and community engagement. Each one-hour session will be offered three times, so participants can attend three of the four over the course of the day.
This PD is designed for building and district leaders, instructional coaches and classroom teachers. Teams from schools and districts are especially encouraged to attend together.
Learn more about the seminar and register here.
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Number 5
Spaces Still Available for 2024 ARP Convening June 27
The 2024 ARP Convening still has open spots for June 27! This year's convening serves as a dual-purpose platform. Firstly, to celebrate the remarkable achievements of district and charter schools in leveraging ESSER funds effectively, fostering significant strides in education despite the challenges of the pandemic. Secondly, the aim is to equip PSUs with essential knowledge and resources to sustain the momentum they've built post-pandemic with the aid of ESSER funding. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that every student, irrespective of background, continues to receive the support necessary to thrive academically and transition successfully into their post-secondary pathway of choice.
Learn more and register here.
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Number 4
N.C. Summer Meals Programs Offer Free Food, Fitness, Farm to Summer, Fun for Kids
"More than 900,000 North Carolina students rely on the nutritious meals and snacks served during the school year through the School Breakfast, School Lunch and Afterschool Snack Programs. When school is out, Summer Meals Programs provide nutritious meals at no cost for children and adolescents ages 18 and younger.
To find nutritious summer meals at no-cost near you for kids and teens:
Read the full press release here.
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Number 3
NC Youth Risk Behavior Surveys Show Improvement in Student Mental Health
"North Carolina students’ mental health is improving as they become more physically active, according to the results of the 2023 NC Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) presented to the State Board of Education today.
After nearly a decade of declining physical activity and mental health metrics, the new data shows positive trends in both categories.
The percentage of high school students who reported feeling sad or hopeless dropped to 39 percent for 2023 after reaching 43 percent in 2021. The percentage of middle school students feeling sad or hopeless dropped from 35 to 32 percent during the same time period.
Several other metrics related to students’ feelings about themselves and their teachers also improved. The percentage of high school students who seriously considered suicide in the past year dropped from 22 percent in 2021 to 18 percent in 2023."
Read the full press release here.
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Number 2
10 Public School Units Receive Grant Funding to Advance Digital-Age Teaching and Learning
"The State Board of Education approved 11 grant proposals for 10 public school units today that will fund effective digital learning practices in North Carolina’s K-12 public schools. The state-funded competitive grant program under the state’s Digital Learning Initiative supports the development and dissemination of local innovative digital learning models.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt said these grants are key to helping North Carolina’s students be better prepared to compete for high-wage, high-demand careers while supporting districts in their effort to adopt new technologies and methods for teaching.
'These grants are a fundamental way to ensure that we are providing supports and resources for digital teaching and learning in North Carolina’s schools,' Truitt said. “'f we want our state’s students to have ample opportunity for success after graduation, we must properly equip both students and educators with the tools to succeed and teach in our rapidly evolving, technology-forward world. These grants play a critical role in that effort.'”
Read the full press release and see the awarded public school units here.
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Number 1
Over 44,000 Elementary Educators Master Science of Reading Professional Development
"Over 44,000 North Carolina educators are now practitioners in the science of reading as the third, and final, cohort of educators completed professional development as of this month, June 2024. Elementary educators have mastered this professional development, improving literacy outcome potential for over 770,000 elementary students across North Carolina.
The Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, or LETRS®, which began rolling out the same year as the DIBELS 8 assessment, is a two-year professional development program that equips K-3 teachers with instructional tools based on decades of literacy research grounded in the science of reading. Throughout the past two years, 44,000 teachers, administrators and coaches mastered the K-5 or early childhood LETRS professional development course, equating to over 6.5 million hours of professional development."
Read the full press release here.
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