Number 10

District Highlight: Guilford County Schools - WUNC: "This Greensboro Elementary Embraced Movement, Named Among Nation's Healthiest Schools"

"Third grader Miracle Turner's beaded braids jangle as she runs in place alongside Principal Paul Travers. All of her classmates at Washington Elementary in Greensboro are on their feet too - running, jumping or punching the air - as they move through interval training in their classroom.

Once he catches his breath, Travers stops to explain that every student in the school starts with these aerobics for 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of mindful stretching.

This isn't track and field day. It's every day at Washington Elementary.

This year, the school was named one of America's healthiest schools by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. The award recognizes the work the school has done over the past few years to embed health and wellness into its culture. That commitment is built into students' school day, starting with what they call 'morning movement.'"

Read the full story here. 

Number 9

NC AI Solve-a-Thon Statewide Challenge 🧑‍💻

NCDPI's Office of Digital Teaching and Learning is launching the NC AI Solve-a-Thon—a first-of-its-kind statewide challenge for students in grades 6–12! This initiative offers students an opportunity to build creativity, collaboration, problem-solving and responsible technology skills.

Teams will:
🔍 Identify a local issue
🧠 Create an AI-powered solution
🎤 Pitch ideas this November; finalists compete Feb. 11, 2026, at the NCED Connect Symposium.

Learn more and find additional details here.

Number 8

2025 UNC System Virtual Open House

October is NC Countdown to College month! To aid students in making a decision for college, the UNC System is hosting its sixth annual Virtual Open House for prospective students, families and high school counselors to learn more about the 16 UNC System universities.

During the weeks of October 6 and 13, a series of four virtual sessions will be hosted via Zoom. Admissions counselors from each institution will share helpful information about the admissions process and current students from each university will share about their college experience and answer your questions live.

This event is for rising high school juniors, seniors, and early or middle college (first-year) students!

Learn more about the Virtual Open House sessions here.

Number 7

Submit Proposals for the NCED Connect 2026 Symposium

There's still time to submit proposals for the NCED Connect 2026 Symposium! Join us Feb. 9–11 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro for a dynamic symposium designed to connect, inspire and elevate educators statewide. From AI in education and EdTech innovation to leadership tracks and a new AI Solve-a-Thon student showcase, this is your chance to share, learn and lead.

The submission deadline is Sept. 30. Learn more and submit your proposal here. 

Number 6

School Improvement Plan (SIP) Tip Tuesdays Are Back!

NCDPI is excited to announce the return of SIP (School Improvement Plan) Tip Tuesdays. Join the NCStar Comprehensive Support Specialists one Tuesday each month for a focused, practical session on using NCStar to strengthen school improvement work.

Topics will include setting up your team, addressing federal designation status and even exploring ways to use AI to enhance your plan. Don’t miss this opportunity to build skills and strategies that make a real impact!

Find additional details and register here.

Number 5

Register to Attend State Superintendent Green's Strategic Plan Regional Tour

Superintendent Mo Green is hitting the road! Join us as he kicks off the statewide tour to share NCDPI’s bold strategic plan, "Achieving Educational Excellence."

📍 Southeast Region Launch
📅 Sept. 26 | 5:30 p.m.
📌 Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center

📍 Sandhills Region Launch
📅 Sept. 29 | 6 p.m.
📌 Lumberton High School (Public Schools of Robeson County)

Parents, students, educators, community members and leaders - this is your chance to hear firsthand how we’re working to make NC’s schools the best in the nation.

🔗 Learn more and save your spot: go.ncdpi.gov/bestinnation

Number 4

U.S. Senate Youth Program Accepting Applications - Deadline to Apply Oct. 5

Applications are being accepted for the U.S. Senate Youth Program for high school juniors and seniors. Two student delegates and two alternates will be selected to represent North Carolina, meet high-ranking government officials and participate in education, leadership and public service activities during Washington Week, March 7-14, 2026. Each delegate will also receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship.

Learn more and apply at go.ncdpi.gov/USSenateYouth. The deadline to apply is October 5.

Number 3

District Highlight: Martin County Schools - 2nd and 7 Reading Program

Student athletes from Martin County High School, the only high school-level participant in the state, have kicked off the fifth season of 2nd & 7 in Martin County Schools!

Described as a Role Model Reading Program, 2nd & 7 brings high school athletes to second-grade classrooms in our district once a month. Thanks to the 2nd & 7 Foundation, books from the Hog Mollies series are provided free of charge and given to each second grade every time the athletes visit.

But it’s more than receiving a free book. The students are divided into small groups, and their new friends, the high school athletes, read the books and discuss the lessons learned from the adventures of the Hog Mollies.

Learn more about this program and see photos from Martin County Schools here.

Number 2

Register for the NCDPI AI Summit

Artificial intelligence is reshaping every corner of the world, including how we teach, learn and lead in education. At the NCDPI AI Summit, we will explore how AI can empower North Carolina’s public schools and ensure students are prepared for the future.

This free event is hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and sponsored by OpenAI. The Summit will bring together state leaders, district teams, and national partners to examine the opportunities and challenges of AI in K–12 education.

The AI Summit is Oct. 22 in Raleigh. Learn more and register here. 

Number 1

Celebrate the Good Blog: "NCDPI Marks Attendance Awareness Month with Plan to Help Schools Reduce Chronic Absenteeism"

"Governor Josh Stein recently declared September as Attendance Awareness Month in North Carolina, a timely and needed focus for the state. Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more days of school or ~18 days in typical school year, doubled nationally after the pandemic and North Carolina has followed a similar trend. Rising from 16% pre-pandemic to a peak of 32% in 2021–22, roughly 25% of students were chronically absent during the 2024–25 school year. Put simply, roughly one in four North Carolina students (~375,000), missed a month or more of school last year. To achieve North Carolina’s goal of reducing chronic absenteeism to 11% by 2030, schools will need collaborative, research-informed solutions to help students get to school and stay on track. A recent review of the research led by Sarah Montello, a doctoral candidate at North Carolina State University and graduate intern for the Office of Research and Promising Practices at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), highlights multiple, interacting forces that contribute to chronic absenteeism:

• Student and family factors: Challenges such as anxiety, school disengagement, housing instability and financial stress can all make regular attendance difficult.
• School conditions: Negative school climate and exclusionary discipline practices can unintentionally push students away from class.
• Community and policy barriers: Transportation gaps, limited healthcare access and community safety concerns often create obstacles that schools cannot solve alone."

Read the full blog post here.