Number 10

Registration Open for 2026 RISE Back to School Safety Summit

Registration is now open for the 2026 RISE Back to School Safety Summit! RISE will be held from Tuesday, August 4, to Thursday, August 6, at the Greenville Convention Center in Greenville, N.C.

Join the Center for Safer Schools for sessions including bullying prevention, suicide prevention, critical incidents and threat assessment.

Find additional details and register here. Please reach out to CFSS@cfssnc.gov if you have questions.

Number 9

Perspective Piece from 2021 Wells Fargo Principal of the Year Elena Ashburn: "Hope is a Discipline: A Principal’s Guide to ‘Getting in the Reps’"

"My favorite time of year in school is between Thanksgiving and winter break. The weather has chilled, students are in a comfortable groove, and kids bring you all kinds of great homemade treats. And while I’m not sure if it’s that we’re appropriately stuffed from Thanksgiving or the thrill of the holiday season gives us a boost of endorphins, I always feel an extra hint of hope hanging in the air.

As Gov. Josh Stein’s education advisor, I am fortunate to attend the State Board of Education’s monthly meetings. The Board has a set of teacher and principal of the year advisors, and when 2023 NC Teacher of the Year Kimberly Jones recently ended her two years of service, she gave farewell comments.

Having served as a principal advisor to the Board myself, I have heard many of these farewell comments. My own certainly weren’t anything to write home about. As Ms. Jones headed to the podium to deliver her comments, my ego was initially obstructing my willingness to learn anything new. Thankfully, my intuition told me that writing one more email wasn’t going to change the world, so I closed the laptop and listened.

Ms. Jones’s comments opened up as expected — beautifully written and exceptionally delivered. She spoke about early lessons she learned from her mother, the beliefs that guide her classroom instruction, and the power of public schools as a public trust. About mid-speech, Ms. Jones said something that hit me like a ton of bricks."

Read the full article here.

Number 8

Register for NCED Connect Symposium - Feb. 2026

Registration is now open for the next NCED Connect Symposium, which will be held in Greensboro in February 2026! This event brings together digital teaching and learning leaders, technology directors, central office leadership, instructional coaches, NCSIS data managers and leads and other innovators for three days of powerful collaboration.

Learn more about the symposium, including the schedule, here.

Register for NCED Connect here.

Number 7

Reminder for Disaster Declared Counties: Hurricane Helene Capital Recovery Funds

Per North Carolina S.L. 2024‐53 and S.L. 2025-26, disaster recovery funding has been appropriated “for repair and renovation of facilities in counties with a federal disaster declaration due to Hurricane Helene for local school administrative units and lab schools. These funds are for unmet needs not covered by insurance or available federal aid.”

NCDPI’s Office of School Facilities administers the Hurricane Helene Capital Recovery Fund for the repair of storm-damaged Public School Facilities in accordance with legislation.

If you are an LEA leader located in a disaster-declared county and did not receive a message earlier this with more information, or if you have questions, please contact Nathan Maune (Nathan.Maune@dpi.nc.gov) or Dr. Derrick D. Jordan (derrick.jordan@dpi.nc.gov).

Number 6

Report Issued by Gov. Stein’s Advisory Council for Student Safety & Well-Being Highlights Positive Impacts of Cell Phone-Free Classrooms

"A report issued this week by Governor Stein’s Advisory Council for Student Safety & Well-Being formed in April 2025 relates early success stories from public school districts that have implemented policies to make classrooms cell phone-free.

'Getting rid of the distraction of cell phones in classrooms prioritizes our students’ well-being and academic achievement and improves their learning environments,' said Governor Stein. 'I am encouraged to hear that schools are seeing improved academic outcomes, increased social interactions and engagement, and fewer discipline concerns after implementing their local policy.'

The video report from the Governor's Advisory Council for Student Safety and Well-Being highlights the experiences shared by early adopters of local policies that restrict the use of wireless communication devices, including cell phones, during instructional time. The new law signed by Governor Stein goes into effect in January 2026 mandating public school units’ creation and implementation of policies to restrict the use of personal communication devices. With this law, North Carolina joins 31 other states in enacting legislation on wireless communication devices."

Read the full press release here. 

Number 5

EdNC: "'We are a Thriving Population’: Here’s How NC School Districts Honored American Indian Heritage Month"

"Each November is designated as American Indian Heritage Month (AIHM), a time to celebrate the histories, contributions, and traditions of Indigenous people across the nation. According to the 2020 Census data, more than 130,000 Native American and Alaska Natives call North Carolina home, though many come from nations and tribes who’ve called this land home for much longer.

This year, the North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina American Indian Commission hosted a virtual Cultural Education Day to celebrate. The celebration included a collection of storytelling, craft demonstrations, lessons, and music and dance performances from over the years.

Senora Lynch, a master potter from the Haliwa-Saponi tribe, showed students how to make a pinch pot. Chi Shipman, a Cherokee historian and educator, shared her own journey in learning Cherokee language as an adult. Shipman uses her own experiences to teach about Cherokee language, history, and culture. You can watch the full presentation here."

Read the full article here.

Number 4

Celebrate the Good Blog - "Hands-On Bike Safety Brings Enka High and Enka Intermediate Students Together"

"Enka Intermediate School recently wrapped up its annual bike safety unit with a hands-on learning event that combined physical activity, community service and student leadership. On a sunny fall day in Western North Carolina, fifth- and sixth-grade Enka Intermediate students took to the blacktop and school loop to practice essential bike safety skills alongside student volunteers from Enka High School.

The three-day unit finale provided students an experience that went far beyond a traditional classroom lesson, offering practical, real-world learning through obstacle courses, ramp practice and interactive games designed to build confidence, balance and safety awareness. For many students, this unit served as both a healthful living activity and a valuable life skill they can carry with them beyond the classroom.

Enka High civics literacy students volunteered as part of a community service project aligned with North Carolina s Portrait of a Graduate initiative. Guided by teacher and local mountain bike coach Rebecca McCord, the students returned to a school many of them once attended, reinforcing the importance of civic responsibility and community engagement."

Read the full blog post here.

Number 3

NCDPI, NCSBE General Counsel Allison Schafer to Retire

"The North Carolina State Board of Education (SBE) and North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green today announced the upcoming retirement of Allison Schafer, general counsel to both the Board and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). Schafer will conclude her distinguished service on January 31, 2026, after more than 40 years dedicated to North Carolina’s public schools and five years in the dual general counsel role.

'Allison Schafer has been a steady, trusted and wise legal voice for the State Board of Education, the Department of Public Instruction and the entire public school community,' State Board of Education Chair Eric Davis said. 'Her deep commitment to students, educators and lawful governance has strengthened North Carolina’s education system for decades. We are profoundly grateful for her service.'

Green echoed his appreciation for Schafer’s passion and dedication throughout her career.

'Allison brings extraordinary professionalism, integrity and clarity to every matter before her,” Green said. “Her expertise and passionate leadership have been invaluable as NCDPI and the State Board work toward our shared vision of achieving educational excellence. We thank her for her remarkable contributions to North Carolina’s public schools.'”

Read the full press release here. 

Number 2

Celebrate the Good Blog - "Future Jr. Chefs: Five High School Teams Set to Compete in 2026 Competition"

"Five teams of high school students from across the state will cultivate culinary creativity in the 2026 North Carolina Jr. Chef Competition. Based on applications and recipes submitted, teams from Clyde A. Erwin High (Buncombe County Schools), South Lenoir High (Lenoir County Schools), Martin County High (Martin County Schools), CHASE High (Rutherford County Schools) and Thomasville High (Thomasville City Schools) will compete as finalists in the statewide cook-off.

For the NC Jr. Chef Competition, teams of two to four students (grades 9-12) enrolled in North Carolina public schools are challenged to work with an adult team supervisor and a public school educator or School Nutrition administrator to develop a creative recipe for a school lunch entrée. The recipes must meet the National School Lunch Program nutrition standards, include at least two North Carolina-grown products and one USDA Foods item; be replicable by School Nutrition Programs and also appeal to student tastes.

For the recipe contest phase of the competition, teams submit applications with recipes, nutrient and cost analysis, and recipe photos. Based on a review of applications and recipes submitted, finalist teams are selected to advance to the cook-off phase of the competition."

Read the full blog post and see photos here.

Number 1

A Message of Gratitude from Superintendent Green

"As we enter this season of gratitude, I want to take a moment to celebrate the extraordinary people who make our public schools more than just places of learning—they make them places of belonging, growth and hope.

Every day, 1.5 million students across North Carolina are touched by countless acts of care that often go unnoticed. The bus driver who waits an extra minute for the child running late, knowing that missing the bus means missing breakfast. The crossing guard who knows every child's name and greets them with encouragement on difficult mornings. These moments matter more than we realize.

Walk through any of our schools and you will witness this level of commitment and care. The cafeteria worker who remembers that a student does not like green beans and offers carrots instead. The custodian who not only keeps our schools clean and safe but collects lost jackets, knowing exactly which third-grader left theirs on the playground. The media center director who saves that perfect book for a reluctant reader, knowing it might be the one that changes everything."

Read the full letter here.