Number 10

District Highlight: Guilford County Schools - See You in Four Years! These Students are Fresh out of GCS -- and Already Have Early Contracts to Return as Teachers

"Page High School senior Jai Johnson loves a challenge.

When she walked into an elementary school classroom for her first day as a teacher cadet, she was undeniably excited. However, almost immediately, she noticed what she could only describe as 'turbulence' among the students. She took it in stride.

'You know how kids are, they like to test boundaries a little bit,' she said. 'So they were doing that, and I was all for it because you’ve got to get to know me. You’ve got to make sure I’m a safe person.'

Now, her favorite students are the ones who did not take a liking to her initially.

'I loved being around the students who just weren’t there to learn, where they just didn’t want to be there,' she said. 'Eventually, I knew I could help them change their attitudes and realize how good school could be for you and how beneficial a high school diploma can be.'

On Thursday, Guilford County Schools recognized 30 graduating seniors who are members of the county’s chapter of the North Carolina Teacher Cadet Program. This program serves to recruit a new generation of teachers and serve as a pipeline into public education. Cadets from Smith, Dudley, Page, Southern Guilford, Southwest Guilford and Western Guilford high schools were presented with early contracts, guaranteeing a substitute position after high school graduation and a teaching position following completion of four years of college.”

Read the full article here. 

Number 9

Portrait into Practice: Performance Tasks Unveiled Webinar June 17

NCDPI and Battelle for Kids are hosting a webinar on Monday, June 17 at 3 p.m. to explore the sample performance tasks and their role in bringing the North Carolina Portrait of a Graduate to life. This session is ideal for leaders, educators and school counselors who want to enrich and engage students in meaningful, deeper learning experiences that foster durable skill competencies.

Click here to register. If you are unable to attend, a recording of the webinar will be posted on the NCDPI YouTube page.

Number 8

Summer of AI: Wednesday Webinar Series

NCDPI's Office of Digital Teaching and Learning is offering a webinar series on Wednesdays throughout the summer to support AI Literacy and the implementation of AI in North Carolina.

Webinars are scheduled for 10-11 a.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m. Learn more and register here. 

Number 7

Submit a Proposal to 2024 AIM Conference NC K-12 Research Roundtable Session

Join NCDPI for a “Research Roundtable & Reception” at the Raleigh Convention Center on the evening of Monday October 7, 2024 at the 2024 AIM Conference.

NCDPI is interested in highlighting research and evaluation studies conducted in NC public school settings since 2020. This convening will provide an opportunity for researchers from around the state to engage directly with state education leaders, policymakers and district and school practitioners about their K-12 research and findings.

If interested, please complete this AIM Proposal for Research
Roundtables form by June 30.

Number 6

2023 K-12 Science Standards Support documents Now Available

The 2023 K-12 Science Standards support documents are now available on the K-12 Science Standards Resource Hub.

In addition to the support documents, the Hub houses other resources such as the standards, crosswalks, communications, and other recommended material related to the implementation of the North Carolina K-12 Science Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS).

Science educators are encouraged to browse, reference, download, share, discuss and adapt the resources.

Number 5

2024-25 NCVPS Edvantage Tutoring

Edvantage Tutoring, as part of North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS), is in the midst of accepting school enrollments for the 2024-25 school year! Edvantage is growing, and we are excited to continue tutoring students across NC.

Edvantage Tutoring will be offered in the following curriculum areas:

• 6th, 7th & 8th Grade ELA
• Middle School ELA: Writing Lab (asynchronous assistance in ELA)
• 6th, 7th & 8th Grade Math
• 6th, 7th & 8th Grade Science
• 8th Grade Math I
• High School Math I, II and III
• High School Biology
• High School Chemistry
• High School English: Writing Lab (asynchronous assistance in English)
  *General MS/HS Asynchronous Support (asynchronous assistance in all curriculum areas)

Tutoring will be available Monday-Thursday, 4-7:30 p.m. nightly September 23, 2024 through May 22, 2025. Daytime tutoring is also available per school/district request and may be utilized for students who are in ISS, suspended, homebound, absent, and/or working from home, McKinney-Vento, athletes needing extra support, etc.

There is a flat fee of $35/hour for tutoring and all tutoring slots are available in 30-minute increments. Please keep in mind that any unused purchased minutes automatically roll over to the next school year!

Please take a few moments to complete the 2024-25 Edvantage Tutoring District/Schools Partnership Form. You may also send an email to learn more!

Number 4

NCCAT Fall Professional Development Registration Now Open

North Carolina educators are invited to take advantage of professional development opportunities offered by the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) from September through December. NCCAT, a distinguished national leader in teacher professional development, provides educators with a platform for collaboration and growth. One of the key advantages of NCCAT programs is the opportunity for educators to collaborate with peers from across North Carolina. Lodging, meals, and materials are provided free of charge, making these programs accessible to educators across the state. Registration for the upcoming fall programs is now open, and educators are encouraged to register early to secure their spots.

Click here to learn more about available programs and apply here. 

Number 3

Deadline Extended to June 17 - 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.

Number 2

NC Portrait of a Graduate Performance (POG) Tasks Now Available 

The North Carolina Portrait of a Graduate (POG) team is pleased to share sample performance tasks teachers can use to bring the NC POG to life in classrooms this fall. Performance tasks are lesson plans created by teachers for teachers that incorporate the Portrait's durable skills with academics aligned to the NC Standard Course of Study.

Over the past six months, a group of educators and experts representing more than 30 PSUs and stakeholder groups across the state have researched, planned and field-tested these tasks. They are authentic learning experiences that require students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges. The POG team hopes these sample tasks will serve as a springboard for PSUs across the state to begin incorporating durable skills into everyday lessons.

Find the performance tasks and additional helpful resources, including an FAQ, task summaries and an implementation guide, here. 

Number 1

Video: NC's Completion of LETRS PD Marks Important Literacy Milestone for Educators and Students

June 2024 marks an important milestone in early literacy education in North Carolina as K-5 educators across the state complete LETRS professional development.

State Superintendent Catherine Truitt congratulates elementary educators and administrators from Murphy to Manteo for their dedication to professional growth and student success. District staff share how literacy instruction based in the Science of Reading is motivating the state's youngest learners to read, lead and succeed.

Watch the video here.