Are you interested in earning the Global Educator Digital 

The NCDPI Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) process gives NC educators a streamlined path to recognition for global education work. The updated GEDB process simplifies earning the badge while aligning it with 6 Professional Teaching Standards.

The Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) provides an opportunity for educators to focus their teaching and professional learning on a global context and understanding of how to integrate global education throughout curricula. It also provides the opportunity for educators to demonstrate how they build global competency in students.

The State Board of Education has approved the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) is available for the following educator categories:

• Teacher 
• Teacher Leadership Specialist 
• Library Media Coordinator 
• Instructional Technology Facilitator 
• School Counselor 
• Career Development Coordinator 
• School Social Worker, School Psychologist 
• Speech-Language Pathologist 
• Instructional Central Office Staff 
• Principal/Assistant Principal
• Superintendent 

To learn more, please access the following resources about earning the GEDB:

• Watch the InfoTrailer about the new GEDB!
• GEDB Guide with an overview and the step-by-step process
• GEDB Guide for Pre-Service Educators
• GEDB flyer to share in PDF format or as a PNG visual
• GEDB Canvas Site

NCDPI World Language Standards Implementation Regional Workshops

The NCDPI World Languages team has decided to combine this spring's regional offerings into an Eastern Workshop on Friday, March 13 and a Western Workshop on Friday, March 27. This will ensure that we have enough participants to hold the workshops and it will maximize our networking and collaboration sessions or “carousel” of small groups during the afternoon. We will also be shifting the start and end times by 30 minutes, so the morning session will be from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm and the afternoon session will be from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

Please see the updated announcement, session details, and registration form below.

NCDPI will be offering two free professional development workshops in March. Each regional workshop will introduce the newest support tools for the 2024 K-12 Standard Course of Study (SCoS) for World Languages, and include an opportunity to plan and network with other educators on implementation topics for classrooms, programs, schools, and districts. 

• March 13 - Eastern Regional Workshop at NCDPI in Raleigh
• March 27 - Western Regional Workshop at Iredell-Statesville Schools in Statesville

In the morning, participants will explore the most recently released support tools for the SCoS for World Languages, like the Navigators and Parent/Caregiver Guide, that are available for all programs and/or customized for the classical, heritage, and/or modern languages that they teach. They will also spend time on the updated World Language policy information with the Global Language Endorsement (GLE), North Carolina’s Seal of Biliteracy and the option to offer Levels I and II as standard or honors courses.

In the afternoon, participants will work together in small group sessions on various topics so that they can plan and/or network with colleagues in the region. The sessions or “carousel” of topics at each regional will be based on the registration form requests and/or needs such as:

• Building K-12 sequences for dual language/immersion (DL/I) programs
• Differentiating standards and honors courses for Levels I-II
• Guiding the CDM process for World Languages
• Writing standards-based local curriculum for specific programs, courses, or grade levels

The wrap-up will feature an overview of the upcoming professional development available for the SCoS for World Languages as we continue implementation.

Please click on the map above or the button below to go to the registration form at go.ncdpi.gov/WLworkshops26 to choose the regional workshop date and/or location that you would prefer. 

Notes:

1. This registration form will allow participants to indicate whether they are signing up for the 6-hour option with both sessions or one of the 3-hour sessions (morning or afternoon) depending on their needs.
2. There is ample space at each location for any World Language educators who want to participate, including teachers, instructional coaches, department heads, curriculum coordinators, or other administrators. Public School Units (PSUs), or districts and charter schools, are welcome to send one or more participants, but each individual must submit a registration form indicating which region and PSU they are from, regardless of the workshop location and date they choose.

Connect with NCDPI World Languages

Dr. Ann Marie Gunter, K-12 World Languages Consultant

Find a date and time to meet using the online scheduler: go.ncdpi.gov/ConnectWL

• Go to the World Languages Resources Hub: go.ncdpi.gov/WLresources
• Follow us on Facebook as NCDPI World Languages
• Find us on Instagram @NCDPI_WORLDLANG
• Check out our latest newsletters
  • February 6, 2026
  • February 17,  2026

#WLnews4NC     #NCWLstandards     #DLIinNC     #NCSoBLGLE

Global Education Teacher Spotlight

Discover how Jennifer Nichols, a Spanish teacher in Concord, NC, transformed her classroom into a vibrant hub of cultural exploration, hands-on learning, and student creativity, starting with a love for monarch butterflies. Through free resources from DNCR, her students connected language, history, and science in meaningful ways.

Curious about how she did it?

Read the full story from NCDNCR  and get inspired to bring new energy to your own classroom.

Spring Webinar Series: Implementing Standards-Based Instruction

Register for the Spring Webinar Series: Implementing Standards-Based Instruction hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. 

The series includes three one-hour webinars:

• Differentiating Standards-Based Instruction- March 10, 2026, 4:00–5:00 p.m.
  Guides participants through key components of differentiation and strategies to support the needs of all learners.
• Aligning Standards-Based Instruction- April 14, 2026, 4:00–5:00 p.m.
  Supports educators in creating standards-aligned performance tasks and understanding how standards are addressed, taught, and assessed.

SBI Registration Flyer.pdf

The UNC Carolina Asia Center Resources

The UNC Carolina Asia Center supports global learning in North Carolina classrooms by providing high-quality, standards-aligned instructional resources focused on Asia. The Center has recently released three new lesson plans, one designed for middle school and two for high school, that were developed specifically to meet the needs of North Carolina educators and align with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

In addition to lesson plans, the Carolina Asia Center offers a collection of free culture kits that help teachers introduce students to the people, traditions, and histories of Asia in engaging, age-appropriate ways. Culture kits on China, India, and Vietnam are available for grades 1-3, providing early learners with meaningful opportunities to build global awareness. A specialized culture kit on Taiwan is also available for use in grades 6–7, supporting deeper cultural understanding at the middle grades level.

Educators interested in accessing lesson plans or reserving a culture kit are encouraged to visit the Carolina Asia Center to learn more about these resources and how they can support globally focused instruction in North Carolina schools.

NCCSS 2026 Annual NC Social Studies Conference

February 26-27, 2026

Join NC social studies educators in Winston-Salem on February 26–27, 2026, for the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference: Remembering the Past and Inspiring the Future of Social Studies.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate with fellow educators from across the state.

Early Bird Registration: $140 (plus $3.65 fee, total $143.65). This special rate is available only through January 31, 2026—register early to lock in the savings!

Click this link to download and share the flyer.

More details available at nccss26.sched.com

February Character Challenge: #KindnessMattersNC

• Embrace the spirit of kindness throughout February with our #KindnessMattersNC Challenge! Inspired by the heartwarming stories shared by Steve Hartman, this month-long initiative encourages teachers, leaders, students, and families to engage in daily acts of kindness. Whether integrated into morning meetings and content area classes, each day presents an opportunity for reflection, writing, and fostering a culture of compassion.
  
  
• Access daily videos and journal prompts to guide your reflections. 
  
  
• Share your experiences on social media using the hashtag #KindnessMattersNC!  Teachers and leaders are encouraged to spread positivity by showing how kindness has impacted the school or encouraging students to create their own kindness videos—just like Steve Hartman! Educators can submit evidence of school initiatives or student work to NCDPI. Your submissions may be featured on our NCDPI social media, newsletters, and website. Also, be sure to share your experiences on your social media using the hashtag #CharacterMattersNC!  

Let's celebrate February with kindness, compassion, and uplifting stories. Together, we can create a ripple effect of positivity that extends far beyond our classrooms.

#CharacterMattersNC #KindnessMattersNC

World History Webinar Series

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) will once again offer its World History Webinar Series this spring, continuing a tradition of providing high-quality professional learning for social studies educators across the state.

This series is designed to strengthen content knowledge for teachers of the high school World History course and is also well-suited for educators teaching 6th-grade and 7th-grade social studies.

Held on Tuesday afternoons throughout the spring, each session offers in-depth exploration of major global themes and historical developments, along with classroom connections and instructional resources to support effective teaching.

Spring Session Topics

• March 24 - Same Goal, Different Paths: Independence in the Americas
• April 14 - War in Sudan: Historical Contexts and Resources
• May 5 - Spice Islands in the Age of Exploration

All sessions take place from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Educators are encouraged to register for any or all sessions and join colleagues from across North Carolina for this engaging series that supports strong content knowledge and globally informed instruction.

2026 World History Webinar Series Registration Flyer.pdf

Regional Professional Learning Opportunity: Jewish Identity & Antisemitism Today

Acts of antisemitism are rising across the nation, and schools play a critical role in ensuring every student feels safe, respected, and included. This February, NCDPI, in partnership with leading experts, is offering a full-day professional learning experience designed to help K–12 educators better understand Jewish identity, recognize antisemitism in its modern forms, and strengthen schoolwide practices that promote belonging.

During this immersive session, participants will:

• Explore the rich diversity of Jewish identity and culture
• Examine how antisemitism has evolved over time
• Consider how misinformation and current global conflicts shape student experiences and school climates today
• Learn strategies to foster empathy, dialogue, and inclusivity among students of all backgrounds
• Engage in guided discussions and practical activities to support safe, culturally responsive learning environments

This opportunity is ideal for administrators, counselors, district/school leaders, instructional staff, and classroom teachers committed to creating safe and supportive school communities.

Regional Session Dates & Locations 

• Piedmont-Triad: Feb 23 – Asheboro City Schools Global Innovation Center, Asheboro
• Southwest: Feb 24 – Wallace Education Forum, Salisbury

Seats are limited.

For questions, please contact Tom Daugherty, NCDPI K-12 Social Studies Consultant.

Flyer: Regional Trainings 2026 Antisemitism and Jewish Identity.pdf

Save the Dates: Growing Success for MLs and the Standards Academy 2026

NCDPI's 2026 Growing Success for Multilingual Learners Summer Conference theme is Leading Together for MLs: Collaboration, Commitment, and Community. The NCDPI Multilingual Learner (ML)/Title III Team is seeking proposals from educators who are enthusiastic about sharing effective, research-based instructional and administrative practices that support multilingual learners across North Carolina.

• The call for proposals is open to all K – 20 educators, regardless of content area. We welcome submissions from classroom teachers, administrators, instructional coaches, specialists, and community partners. Proposals may include, but are not limited to, the following strands:

  • Achieving Educational Excellence: Connections to the North Carolina Strategic Plan
  • Advocacy for MLs within the School System
  • Assessment and Data
  • Dual Language/Immersion
  • Family and Community Engagement
  • Harnessing AI to Support Language Acquisition
  • Improving Language and Literacy Instruction for MLs
  • Instructional Collaboration
  • ML Leadership
  • Newcomers and Specialized Populations

  Anyone interested in presenting at the conference, please submit the call for proposals form by March 1, 2026, which can also be accessed by clicking on the Save the Date flyer in this article.

  Questions can be sent to susan.walz@dpi.nc.gov. We truly appreciate your willingness to share your expertise with colleagues across the state and look forward to your participation!