Number 10

Teacher Appreciation Week is Next Week, May 5-9

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week!

Join us May 5-9 in celebrating, honoring and showing appreciation for all of North Carolina's public school teachers.  

Number 9

EdNC: "One District Helps Community Leaders See What it is Like to be a School Leader: Principal for a Day"

"Curious what it’s like to walk in the shoes of a school principal?

Each year on May 1, we celebrate National School Principals Day. It’s an opportunity to lift up the important role principals play in the lives of their students and educators as well as in the communities they serve. It’s an opportunity for us to thank them for their leadership, dedication, commitment, and spirit.

Earlier this year, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in partnership with Greater Winston-Salem Inc. invited community leaders to take part in an immersive 'Principal for a Day' experience.

Leaders spent a day shadowing a principal in a local public school to gain firsthand insights into the challenges, responsibilities, and decisions of school leadership. This unique opportunity not only allowed participants to learn about the complexities of leading a school but also to share their own expertise and perspectives."

Read the full story here. 

Number 8

District Highlight: Guilford County Schools - WFMY: "High School Students Thrive in Hands-on Learning with Southern Guilford's Barnyard Classes"

"Chickens peck grain and goats paw at gate latches inside Southern Guilford High School’s barn, giving the campus the feel of a miniature farm.

'Hello, Fluffy. Hello, Polkee‑Dot,' greets Hailey Peeler to the twin baby goats . Peeler has been the animal‑science teacher and lead of the program since the barn opened in 2017.

'I'm in the barn seven days a week, these two were born on a Sunday so of course I was there,' explained Peeler in regard to the two recently born kids.

Southern’s animal‑science track has been part of campus life since nearly the beginning when the school opened in 1970, offering hands‑on lessons few Guilford County schools can match when it comes to husbandry.

'We always have barn time. Ms. Peeler shows us how to apply what we learned in class—on the goats or the chickens,' said senior Marwah Raja.

From restacking hay and bottle‑feeding newborn kids to tracking feed ratios, teens gain industry‑recognized skills in animal handling, biosecurity, and agribusiness. When students get to Southern Guilford they start with the introduction course which is AgriSciences Applications. The kids learn about animal science, horticulture, environmental science and agricultural engineering."

Read the full story and watch the accompanying news clip here.

Number 7

NCVPS Live, Certified Instruction Now Available for Middle Schools

North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) launched In-Real-Time (IRT) with tremendous success. This live, synchronous instruction program is designed specifically for middle school students. IRT brings certified NC teachers directly into your middle school classrooms—supporting schools that are facing vacancies, working with substitutes, or simply seeking stronger instructional options. With flexible scheduling and real-time lessons in core subjects, IRT is already helping districts deliver the teaching their students need—right when they need it.

👉 Learn more and register for upcoming informational webinars here. 

Number 6

North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA) Public School Messaging Campaign Workshops

To help public school champions build the skills they need to use the messaging, implement the toolkit and tell their story, Neimand Collaborative and NCASA will design and host three free regional half-day workshops across the state.

Participants will leave with an understanding of effective messaging; a basic outreach action plan that leverages the toolkit and identified who to reach and how; and new strategies for storytelling using the story template created for the previous phase of this work. 

The workshop sessions are: 

• Central NC: Monday, April 7, 2025, 1-4 p.m. at Southeast Alamance High School (Haw River, NC)
• Eastern NC: Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 1-4 p.m. at Hotel Ballast (Wilmington, NC)
• Western NC: Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at Appalachian State Hickory Campus (Hickory, NC)

Register here.

Number 5

Register for 2025 RISE Back to School Safety Summit

The 2025 RISE Back to School Safety Summit will be held from Monday, July 28 to Wednesday, July 30 at the Statesville Civic Center in Statesville, N.C.

The Center for Safer Schools is also accepting session proposals and sponsor applications.

Learn more about the RISE Back to School Safety Summit and register here.

Number 4

District Highlight: Henderson County Schools - WLOS: "'Healthcare Fellows Program' Gives Free Education, Certification for High School Seniors"

"The medical workforce in Henderson County is set for a boost, and it's happening through the Healthcare Fellows Program.

Ten Henderson County High School Seniors are going to be exposed to a new opportunity involving UNC Health Pardee, AdventHealth Hendersonville, and Blue Ridge Community College.

The organization has teamed up to give students a chance to go from graduation to working in the medical field in their community.

'The world of healthcare is a place where we're seeing drops in the number of people that are choosing it,' AdventHealth spokesperson Victoria Dunkle said.

Henderson County Schools Superintendent Mark Garrett saw that and knew he had interested seniors. So, he called Pardee and AdventHealth."

Read the full story here.

Number 3

Quarterly PIO Call Wednesday, May 7

Public Information Officers and Charter School Communications Leaders are invited to join the quarterly PIO call on Wednesday, May 7.

Please reach out to communications@dpi.nc.gov if you did not receive the meeting information and Zoom link.

Number 2

EdNC: "Stein, Hunt, and Green Urge Congress to Maintain Funding for Head Start"

"Gov. Josh Stein joined the Smart Start Conference in Greensboro on Wednesday to highlight his priorities for child care and early education, but he also urged North Carolina’s federal delegation to oppose efforts to eliminate the Head Start program, according to a press release.

Stein, Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, and Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green sent a letter this week to leaders in Congress, including North Carolina’s federal delegation.

The letter spells out the stark consequences of eliminating Head Start in North Carolina."

Read the full letter and learn more here.

Number 1

Results Show Rethink Education Professional Development Drives Student Success

"New data about educators who completed the Rethink Education Facilitator Badge professional development program reveals the program's transformative impact on their teaching and student learning outcomes across North Carolina.

Rethink Education is an initiative led by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) aimed at helping school districts mitigate the challenges of learning disruptions — like those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, inclement weather or other unexpected events that interrupt traditional classroom instruction. Funded by a $17.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Rethink Education works to strengthen instructional resilience by equipping educators with the skills to deliver high-quality blended learning.

Blended learning combines both in-person and online instruction with digital tools to create more flexible and personalized learning experiences. Rethink Education’s professional development equips teachers to serve as facilitators and trainers for their peers, strengthening instructional capacity within their local school communities."

Read the full press release here.