OCS Office Hours
The purpose of the OCS Office Hours is to allow Charter School Leaders to connect with NCDPI departments to share information and resources. January 30th at 9 am: Infinite Campus and Charter Schools. Register here!
The Office of Charter Schools is excited to connect with you. If you have questions, contact Julie Whetzel at julie.whetzel@dpi.nc.gov
TRANSPORTATION GRANT 2024-2025
Charter school leaders - you've received the 24-25 Transportation Grant instructions and application in your Epicenter account. Please review the instructions and application fully before reaching out with questions. Instructions, deadlines, and more are provided within that document. You must serve at least 50% Economically Disadvantaged students in order to receive funding. OCS will confirm your EDS headcount following the December headcount. Questions should be directed to Nicky Niewinski < Nicole.Niewinski@dpi.nc.gov>. PLEASE READ! 2025 NSCECU Foundation PHP Scholarship Instructions
Greetings Principals and Counselors of NC Charter High School Seniors,
Welcome back to the 2025 NCSECU People Helping People Scholarship Awarding process for charter high school seniors. The grant application window opens on Monday, Dec. 16th, 2024.
OCS will be selecting 10 NCSECU Scholarships to be granted in 2025, awards of up to $10,000 per student.
Here is the folder (LINKED) of information for your school nomination. Carefully read through these resources. There will not be more than one candidate within a school's choosing, due to the number of applicants working to achieve the same goal from other charter schools.
Directions and Dates for Submissions-
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The NCSECU PHP Scholarship application opens December 16th, 2024. Another post will be repeated within the next few weeks in our OCS Charter School News blasts.
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As the school facilitator, you should plan for this process to be complete by March 5th. Then your on-site Selection Team will have time to select your finalists and can complete your submissions via email no later than March 12th, at natasha.norins@dpi.nc.gov in PDF formats. The email should include your student's email address, your email address, your school name, their NCSECU Eligibility verification forms, their student questionnaire, and all essays with their grade averages including college credits earned. Please ensure the Application Process document is read and reread for your understanding as Counselor Facilitators of this process.
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Prior to the 3/12/25 deadline, students and you will follow the instructions carefully with the Docusign application process, but should solidify all your nominations a few weeks prior to the 3/12/25 deadline. March 12th is a final hard deadline, and no applications will be accepted after this date.
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Along with this final portion of the application, once students complete the application process with all elements included, (which may take up to a week’s worth of effort with emails and completion of packets), you as the school Facilitator will send Dr. Norins emailed applications as PDF files of your final selected senior. *Please note: any application missing elements from the required checklist will not be moved to final stages of selection.
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The OCS Selection Committee will process the application materials, perform our calibrations, and finalize formal requirements set by NCSECU Foundation.
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OCS selections are then sent to NCSECU no later than April 4th, 2025, and those students will be invited to attend the Charter School Review Board Meeting in May 2024 for formal recognition.
OCS appreciates your partnership to provide this opportunity! Thank you!
Kindly,
Dr. Natasha Norins, Ed. D.
School Business December 20, 2024
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The FBS website continues to be updated with information related to School Business and our ongoing operations. Please check the FBS homepage regularly for updates. Please review the upcoming deadlines for due dates.
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New SBS Reporting Platform - All PSUs
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We are proud to announce the School Business Data Analytics and Reporting Tool (SBS DART) went live today. SBS DART will be the new home of our financial reports moving forward. Internal reports such as the monthly financial reports, cash zero out report, invalid codes report, remaining allotment balances, etc. will now live within SBS DART.
All users who were approved to have PSU level access to their internal financial reports should have received an email today with the directions on how to login and access SBS DART. If you did not get an email and believe you should have received access, please check with your finance officer/director first. If they included you on the approved list and you did not get the email, then you reach out to nathan.craver@dpi.nc.gov and he will follow up with you.
Please keep in mind that 2024-25 is our build-out year and consider SBS DART as under construction. As such, we will be adding reports and features throughout the final part of the school year, and we also welcome your feedback. If there are reports that you need and/or would like to have, please let us know. We will be posting a feature/report suggestions link inside of DART soon. We look forward to continuing to improve our data reporting and analytics tools as we move ahead.
There will be a public access site within SBS Dart as we continue development. At this time, we are only setting up access for the PSU fiscal staff and will expand from there. Thank you for your continued patience as we modernize our systems.
January Teacher Bonus – all PSUs
The Third Grade Read to Achieve Teacher Bonus (PRC 046) and Other Teacher Performance Bonuses (PRC 048) were allotted on December 18th to be paid in January. The staff qualifying for the bonus will be posted to the normal sites; the HR Secure Shell and CTE should be communicating that bonus information.
PSUs are responsible for ensuring that those employees on the listings provided by DPI qualify for these bonuses based on their internal records. You cannot solely rely on the DPI file to ensure compliance. The FAQs for all teacher bonuses are posted on our website under What’s New. Please be aware that is important to correctly code the bonus as it will be used later for Legislative requests.
Please contact Michael Ray (michael.ray@dpi.nc.gov) should you have any questions, and he will be happy to get you in contact with the appropriate program area.
FY2024-25 Allotment Update - All PSUs
The following items of interest are scheduled for allotment before the Christmas Holiday Break:
- State PRC 0016 – Summer Reading Camps – FY2025 Summer Reading Camp Funds
- State PRC 0036 – Charter Schools – Paid Parental Leave Substitute Reimbursement
- State PRC 0046 – Third Grade Read to Achieve Teacher Bonus
- State PRC 0048 – Principal and Other Teacher Performance Bonuses
- AP/IB/AICE Performance
- Career & Technical Education
- Grades 4 & 5 Reading
- Grades 4-8 Math
- State PRC 0094 - Average Daily Membership (ADM) Growth Allotments Final Adjustments
- Final Growth Adjustment based on the Best 1 of 2 ADM (for Units who have submitted complete PMR 1 and 2 data) will be allotted by end of week.
- Various State PRCs
- ABC Transfers and other Conversion and Transfer Requests
- Various Federal PRCs
- Allotment Approvals received from Program areas as of December 13, 2024
If you have general allotment questions, please email allotments@dpi.nc.gov.
From the DPI Department of Information Technology
Hurricane Helene Technology Recovery Funds Process - Helene PSUs Only
In accordance with NC S.L. 2024-54, $5,000,000 was appropriated for “replacement of school technology, particularly student and teacher devices, in counties with a federal disaster declaration due to Hurricane Helene”. NCDPI has created the form linked below for PSUs to request funding for technology damaged because of Hurricane Helene. We request that all PSUs within these counties complete this form to indicate if they are requesting these funds.
The required “Damaged Technology Inventory Template” and “Procedure and Attestation form” are attached to this email or available via the links below. Submissions are requested by the end of January 31, 2025, via this form https://go.ncdpi.gov/HTRF-Form. Submissions received after January 31, 2025, will be considered if funds are still available.
Process and required documentation for PSUs requesting funding:
- Compile source documentation to reflect the actual losses and the value of the losses as a result of Hurricane Helene. Documentation should include the following.
- Complete the damaged technology inventory template to identify technology equipment losses and the value of the losses as a result from Hurricane Helene. - https://go.ncdpi.gov/HTRF_Damaged-Inv-Template
- Submit technology equipment repair and/or replacement invoices on form referenced in step three below. Include any other documents that substantiate the claim for State funds to support the repair and replacement of technology equipment.
- Print, review, complete and sign the Attestation Form. The Finance Officer and Technology Director signatures are required to process the claim for State Disaster Funds. - https://go.ncdpi.gov/HTRF-Procedure&Attestation
- One Attestation Form should be completed per PSU request.
- Submit all documents, including the damaged technology inventory, replacement invoice(s), and completed Attestation Form using the Hurricane Helene Technology Recovery Funds Form -https://go.ncdpi.gov/HTRF-Form.
- Each PSU will receive a confirmation email once all documents are received.
- Complete submissions by the end of January 31, 2025. Approved submissions are projected to be included in a February/March allotment.
- Reimbursements will be made through DPI School Business Allotment (PRC 0230).
For questions, contact the following personnel in the Technology Services Office: Tim Wease, PSU Cybersecurity Director, (948) 236-2269, timothy.wease@dpi.nc.gov
From the Center for Safer Schools Director, Karen Fairley
School Safety Grants Update
Thank you for applying for funding as part of the 2024-2025 School Safety Grant Program. The Center for Safer Schools has been made aware of misinformation regarding disbursement of the monies. I am writing to provide you an update on the process.
- Public school units that applied for School Resource Officer funding have been notified of their award status.
- The School Safety Grant Review Committee is currently reviewing each application for funding for Safety Equipment, Services for Students in Crisis and Training to Increase School Safety. Applicants will receive notification of their award status the week after Christmas break.
- Session Law 2024-57 /Senate Bill 382 transferred the Center for Safer Schools to the State Bureau of Investigation. However, you will still receive funding.
If you have questions, please send an email to schoolsafetygrants@dpi.nc.gov. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work together to help keep our schools safer.
From the Office of School Nutrition
Direct Certification (DC) student file upload from Infinite Campus - All PSUs
SFA’s are no longer required to obtain Infinite Campus (IC) Student File from their SIS Coordinators and upload it to DC in SNTS. The students are now included with the PowerSchool data file upload that NC DPI provides to LINQ. Note that you are still required to work on the Additional Possible Matches and Extended Eligibility Matches in DC. This process did not change. If you have any questions, please contact your School Nutrition Zone Consultant.
From the Office of School Insurance
2024 Year End Unemployment Invoice
There has been a delay in posting the 2024 year-end unemployment invoices in NCSUITS. DES is projecting that the invoices will be generated this weekend (12/21 and 12/22), and will be available Monday, December 23rd.
DES is statutorily required to have the invoices available no later than December 31 of each year.
Assuming invoices are posted 12/23, we will have until 1/23/2025 until payment is due to DES. You will be required to submit your worksheets and payments due to DPI no later than 1/21/2025.
Please see the revised 2024 UI Instructions, as well as the Employee and Master Worksheets.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We will keep you informed of any additional changes as we learn them from DES.
Please contact Eileen.Townsend@dpi.nc.gov if you have any questions.
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Deadline Reminders
ALL PSUs
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DUE DATE
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TOPIC
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NEWSLETTER
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12/29/2024
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Federal grants liquidation
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12/13/2024
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Monday 12/30/2024 at 11:45 pm
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Cash Requests for Friday January 3, 2025 FRD
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11/21/2024
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01/03/2025
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December 2024 Datafiles
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12/13/2024
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IPS ONLY
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DUE DATE
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TOPIC
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NEWSLETTER
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03/14/2025
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PPL Form for March Reimbursement
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10/10/2024
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OCR/CRDC - SY2324 - NCDPI Upload Progress - Partial Upload Complete
Note: PSUs that were not open in the school year 2023-24 are not required to participate in this collection.
SY2023-24 CRDC – NCDPI Upload
NCDPI has completed a partial upload of CRDC data. Users may now access and update the system, except for Retention (RETN) and Internet (INET) data. RETN and INTET will be uploaded the week of January 13, 2025. Please refrain from updates to modules RETN and INET until NCDPI confirms that the data pre-population process is complete.
Before making updates to the Federal Submission Tool, NCDPI recommends running and saving the following two reports in the system:
- Submission Review Report
- LEA Submission Download
Users may also access the NCDPI Submission views within their secure eMFTS CRDC reports folder.
Access to the Federal Submission System
If no staff member from your PSU receives an account email from the CRDC Partner Support Center (PSC), please reach out to PSC. PSC will work with your PSU to ensure a staff member has access to the tool and can provision accounts to others as needed.
CRDC Support
2024 Driver Education Certificates
Are you looking for the new 2024 Driver Education Certificates for your students to take to the DMV?
Look 👀 no Further! Email all requests directly to the Office of Charter Schools at StakeholderSupport@dpi.nc.gov. They will be processed within a week. Schools may continue to utilize the old forms until supplies are depleted.
World Languages Standards Implementation PD Registration
World Languages and Healthful Living are currently in Standards Installation. As part of installation, both teams will be providing regional standards implementation PD in Spring 2025. Below are the current schedule and registrations for World Languages.
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Date
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Region
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World Languages Registration
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February 26, 2025
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
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Southeast -Onslow 2
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February 27, 2025
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
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Northeast - Dare 1
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March 11, 2025
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
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Sandhills - Robeson 4
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March 13, 2025
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
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Southwest- Charlotte-Mecklenburg 6
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March 25, 2025
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
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Piedmont Triad -
Winston Salem 5
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March 27, 2025
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
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North Central - Wake 3
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April 7, 2025
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
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Western- Buncombe 8
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April 8, 2025
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
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Northwest- Catawba 7
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Regional Trainings for Arts Education Leaders in Charter Schools
Join the Office of Academic Standards K-12 Arts Education Consultants to learn how to lead unpacking guidance of the new K-12 Standards in Dance, General Music, Vocal & Instrumental Music, Theatre, Technical Theatre, and Visual Arts in your districts and charter schools! It is advised that Charter Schools please send one individual who can best support the implementation of the new standards at their school. If serving multiple schools/grade bands and feel that an additional leader would be beneficial, please contact laura.stauderman@dpi.nc.gov or brandon.roeder@dpi.nc.gov to check on seating availability prior to registering. Leaders can register for any of the eight trainings should the one offered in their region not align with their schedules. Please use this registration link or button below.
NCED Connect Symposium
Call for Proposals, Hotel Information and more are now available at the DTL hub
Who: This event is tailored for District Leadership, CTOs, Teachers, Coaches, Accountability Teams, SIS Coordinators, Data Managers, Ed Tech/Media Specialists, and E-Rate On-Site Support staff and any educational professional that wants to leave with actionable strategies they can apply in their classrooms or schools immediately with NCSIS and more!
What: This symposium will offer sessions on the North Carolina Student Information System (Sessions for SIS Coordinators, District and School Leadership, Data Managers, and Teachers), Homebase applications (NCEES - Teacher Evaluation System, Schoolnet- nstructional Improvement System), EdTech, AI in education, Data Privacy, and school Media programs. It provides an opportunity to engage, learn, and connect while sharing research-based strategies for improving teaching practices and student outcomes. Attendees will gain insights, professional support, and data-driven approaches to enhance school operations, foster collaboration, and manage student data effectively through SIS, driving both immediate and long-term educational success.
When and Where:
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Tuesday- Thursday; January 21-23, 2025
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Koury Center in Greensboro, NC
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Full Sched will be released in November
Regular Registration - $300/pp | Nov. 23 - Dec. 18
Late/On-Site Registration - $350/pp | Dec. 19 - Jan. 23
*Lead Presenters will be free (1 person per session) Call for proposals are still open!
Matthew C Mayo, CeCTO, IPT, CETL
Director of Digital Teaching & Learning and School Connectivity
The Center for Safer Schools
2025 SHINE Cohort
The Center for Safer Schools seeks one middle school from Eastern North Carolina and one from Western North Carolina to participate in the SHINE Leadership Academy 2025 Cohort.
The cohort will begin Feb. 10, 2025, and is expected to be completed by August 2025. The maximum number of middle school participants from each region is 15.
Students will take part in activities that will develop leadership skills, aid them in understanding healthy relationships and boundaries, provide them the basics of how to engage safely with social media and the internet, showing how to make good decisions, realizing the importance of community engagement and understand that students are intricate part of school safety.
Requirements are the following:
- Participants must be in grades 6-8.
- Participants must be active and engaged in SHINE workshops and activities.
- Participants must complete 40 hours throughout the school year (February-August 2025).
- Participants and their parent/guardian must attend RISE Youth Conference 2025.
Middle schools in the North Central, Northeast, Southeast and Sandhills regions may apply to represent Eastern North Carolina. Middle schools in the Piedmont-Triad, Northwest, Southwest and Western regions may apply to represent Western North Carolina.
Applications are due Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. Click here to apply. For more information, send an email to CFSS Student Engagement Manager Chelsea King. Active Assailant Simulation Training
The Center for Safer Schools will host Active Assailant Simulation Training from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 18; Thursday, Dec. 19; and Monday, Dec. 30 at the CFSS Training Center in Moore County.
This course – for school resource officers and law enforcement – provides a simulation of active-shooter incidents. This course teaches best practices to prevent, recognize, plan and react to an active-assailant incident. Strategies are provided that can be applied in a facility’s Emergency Action Plan, including tactics on how to escape, hide and fight against an assailant attack.
For more information, send an email to CFSS School Safety Training Coordinator Jeff Branch. YMHFA Training
Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches adults who regularly interact with youth how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18. Certified instructors are authorized to teach YMHFA both in-person and online. Those trained can include school staff and administrators, law enforcement, mental health professionals and social workers.
CFSS Programs staff and Regional School Safety Specialists are certified to teach Youth Mental Health First Aid in North Carolina public school units. Click here to request YMHFA training facilitated by a CFSS staff member. 
Applications Open for Keep North Carolina Beautiful Window of Opportunity (WOO) Grants
Planning your next outdoor beautification effort? Check out the Keep North Carolina Beautiful annual Window of Opportunity (WOO) Grants. These grants are for outdoor projects that enhance the beautification of campuses throughout NC, along with projects that educate students of North Carolina on the impacts of preserving and enhancing our state’s environmental sustainability.
Learn more and apply here. The deadline to apply is December 20.
Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund
The "Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund" is a program of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), in partnership with PBS North Carolina (PBS NC), that provides reimbursements to public schools throughout North Carolina to engage in enriching, experiential field trips at DNCR's 100+ locations around the state!
The Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund will help ensure students from all regions of the state have the opportunity to engage in memorable educational experiences while cultivating a deeper understanding and appreciation of North Carolina’s rich history, culture, arts, science and natural resources. By providing financial support through reimbursements for schools to visit DNCR locations around the state, the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund empowers students to connect to what it means to live in and love North Carolina, ultimately helping to cultivate our state’s future leaders and innovators.
Learn more and apply here.
*NEW* NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NC TWC) Interactive Dashboard AND Interpretation to Action Guide
At the AIM Conference (see session slides), NCDPI released the *NEW* NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NC TWC) Interactive Dashboard AND Interpretation to Action Guide. Educators can now access these new resources to explore and use their local data in new ways. Available on the Resources Page of NC TWC Website.
Request Tech Support for NCSIS and Other Applications
Need technical support? View NCDPI Technology Services’ new one-page reference sheet for frequently used support links and contact information. Please note that there are now two options for submitting support tickets related to NCSIS powered by Infinite Campus.
- For Infinite Campus application issues and general technical support, visit support.infinitecampus.com.
- For other NCSIS issues (duplicate students, amplify/missing students, etc.), visit go.ncdpi.gov/help and choose “Something is Broken,” then “NCSIS – Powered by Infinite Campus.”
NCDPI Master Data Calendar for 2024-25
The Master Data Calendar for the 2024-25 school year is a valuable resource to have on hand. The calendar outlines all data due dates for the 2024-25 school year.
NCDPI Master Data Calendar for 2024-25
Academic Standards Statewide Supports for 2024-25
NCDPI's Office of Academic Standards Statewide Supports for 2024-25 is now online! The professional development calendar offers a year-long overview of upcoming webinars, resources and leaders’ meetings for each content area. Be sure to check the calendar regularly for updates.
Find professional learning opportunities, registration information and more.
NCSIS Implementation Check-In Calls
Regular check-in calls are instrumental in resolving issues and providing timely support to PSUs. Superintendents, leadership teams, technical leads and SIS coordinators are strongly encouraged to participate. Moving forward, these calls will transition to a bi-weekly schedule. To ensure your questions are addressed, please submit them in advance.
Use this link to register and submit questions.
*NEW* 24-25 Office of Academic Standards Statewide Supports Document
The Office of Academic Standards is excited to share a yearlong look of upcoming webinars, resources, and leaders’ meetings. This link will stay live and will be periodically updated.
The date in the footer will indicate the latest update.
https://go.ncdpi.gov/OAS2425Supports
Cultivating Excellence Webinar Series
The Office of Virtual Instruction Services (OVIS) is thrilled to announce the 2024-25 Cultivating Excellence Webinar Series! Registration Links are on the linked flyer.
Are you an educator or administrator aiming to enhance your teaching practices, whether online or in hybrid settings? Join us for this six-part series, which covers key topics identified by North Carolina educators.
Important MEMOs:
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