Number 10

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."

📍 Piedmont-Triad Region Launch
📅 Oct. 16 | 6 p.m.
📌 Eastern Guilford High School (Guilford County Schools)

📍 Southwest Region Launch
📅 Oct. 20 | 6 p.m.
📌 West Charlotte High School (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)

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 9

2026-27 FAFSA Now Open

The 2026–27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open. Students should complete the form as soon as possible since many colleges and states award aid on a first-come, first-served basis.

Priority deadlines are June 1, 2026 for UNC System schools and Aug. 15, 2026 for NC community colleges, and earlier for private institutions.

Completing the FAFSA unlocks access to Pell Grants, work-study, loans and state and institutional aid. Learn more and find resources related to the FAFSA form here. 

Number 8

NCVPS Enrollment Options for October 2025 🖥️

The fall open-enrollment window is closed, but North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) still has flexible options for schools! From transfer enrollments and emergency requests to co-teaching, PE/Health and partnership courses, NCVPS has got solutions for all students! 

Find all the details here. 

Number 7

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 AI Summit, a free event hosted by NCDPI and sponsored by OpenAI, we will explore how AI can empower North Carolina’s public schools and ensure students are prepared for the future.

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 6

Register for the 74th Conference on Exceptional Children

Join the NCDPI Office of Exceptional Children for its 74th Conference on Exceptional Children at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, November 19-21. Conference and hotel registration closes October 20, or earlier if capacity is reached.

Learn more and register here. 

Number 5

NCDPI’s Global Languages Endorsement (GLE) Team Seeking Student Spotlight Submissions 🌎

NCDPI’s GLE team is seeking Student Spotlight submissions from all public school units to recognize students who have satisfied the requirements of the GLE, North Carolina’s Seal of Biliteracy!
Help us celebrate and elevate student language achievements!

Submit a student spotlight here.

Number 4

EdNC: "Strengthening Early Literacy: How One Principal gets Books into the Hands of Young Readers" 📖

"Woodland Elementary School Principal Dwayne Johnson — not to be confused with wrestler and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — was attending an education summit when a vendor table caught his eye.

'Nobody was really around them, but the sign said, like, ‘Put free books in your kids’ hands for the summer,”' Mr. Johnson said.

This was his introduction to the Durham-based nonprofit Book Harvest and their Books on Break program, which enables pre-K and elementary school students to select 10 new books — with options in English and Spanish — to add to their home libraries before or during summer break."

Read the full story here. 

Number 3

District Highlight: Gaston County Schools - "School People: New Hope Teacher Emma King" 🏫👩‍🏫

Take a look at the latest episode in Gaston County Schools' School People Series. In this video they head to New Hope Elementary to meet Emma King, who now teaches in the same classroom she once attended as a first grader!

Watch the video here. 

Number 2

Register for the 2025 Leading With Character Summit

Join us for the 2025 Leading With Character Summit on November 3 at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation in Raleigh! 

At this inaugural Character Education Summit, participants will:

• Gain insight into the 11 Principles of Character Education and practical ways to apply them in your school.
• Be inspired by success stories from State and National Schools of Character and learn how they revitalized their school communities.
• Connect with experts and fellow school leaders to deepen your understanding of Character Education.

Find additional details and register here. 

Number 1

Celebrate the Good Blog Post: "Meet North Carolina’s Principal of the Year" 🌟

In our latest "Celebrate the Good" blog post, we feature Wells Fargo 2025 NC Principal of the Year Jason Johnson.

Check out our Q&A session with Jason as he reflects on his first few months in the role, connecting with educators statewide and shining a spotlight on the success of NC’s public schools.