Number 10

Get Ready for FAFSA February

FAFSA February is around the corner, and it’s up to all of us to make sure students have the opportunity to see what financial aid they qualify for. Start lining up partners now to reach students and provide support completing a FAFSA, which is now easier than ever due to a streamlined form and other new improvements:

• Students now have the ability to set up their studentaid.gov account and fill out their FAFSA on the same day
• All a student needs for the contributor process is their contributor’s email address

Start getting prepared for FAFSA February now by accessing CFNC's toolkit, which provides resources and graphics you can use to spread the word and help students.

Find the toolkit here.

CFNC will also host one-day learning experiences designed to equip education professionals with the tools, insights and confidence to better support students on their path to FAFSA completion and higher education attainment. Spring regional trainings are coming up in January and February and is also your opportunity to pick up FREE CFNC materials to use with your activities for FAFSA February and beyond, including Decision Day events. Sign up for one of the eight trainings: Professional Development Opportunities | CFNC

Number 9

TWC Survey Educator Counts - TWC Coordinators Submit by Jan. 26

As a reminder, educator counts for the 2026 Teacher Working Conditions (TWC) Survey are to be entered by Jan. 26. 

TWC Coordinators and principals received a communication with instructions for this process on Jan. 12. 

Please note that we are still in the process of making updates to the TWC Coordinator email list as we receive them. If your school's TWC Coordinator has been updated on the spreadsheet but did not receive the Jan. 12 email, this update will be reflected before the next communication is shared with this audience. Thank you for your patience.

Number 8

World Languages Power of Proficiency Webinar Series

Level up your world language instruction with the 2025–26 World Languages Power of Proficiency Webinar Series!

Explore North Carolina’s updated, proficiency-based standards and gain practical classroom strategies. Educators who attend live will receive a Certificate of Attendance. Recordings are available for anyone who wants to participate asynchronously and still earn credit.

There are two sessions left in the webinar series. Sessions run from 3:45-5:15 pm:

• Feb. 11 - Power of Proficiency in Interpersonal Communication
• April 15 - Power of Proficiency in Presentational Communication

Learn more about the Power of Proficiency Webinar Series.

Number 7

EdNC Perspective Piece from Davie County Schools Chief Communication Officer Karen Jarvis: "Empowering Student Entrepreneurs at Central Davie Academy"

"Hints of cinnamon, cedar, and vanilla drift down the hallway, greeting visitors with a warm welcome and curiosity.

It’s not the typical smell in a 100-plus-year old-school building, which is fitting, as it now houses not your typical school. Central Davie Academy (CDA), is an alternative educational setting for a small number of students in Davie County Schools. Currently, 15 students — who for various reasons have struggled in conventional school environments — are now immersed in small classes, intentional mentoring, counseling, and targeted support designed to help them reengage academically, socially, and emotionally.

One of the most exciting additions this school year is a new hands-on, immersive entrepreneurial class. In it, students are gaining invaluable, real-world experience by launching and running their own business: Central Davie Academy Roadrunners Candle and Soap Makers, a student-created line of handcrafted soaps and scented candles."

Read the full article here. 

Number 6

NCVPS Spring Classes - Registration Still Open!

NCVPS Standard Start spring courses kick off January 20. Registration is still open, and it's the perfect time to secure student seats. The following courses have been added to the Spring Standard Start calendar and are currently available in the NCVPS registration system:

• Arabic I & II
• Japanese IV Honors
• Korean I
• Blended Earth Environmental Science
• African American Studies
• African American Studies Honors
• AP Precalculus
• AP Computer Science A

Learn more about registration here.

NCVPS is also offering professional learning opportunities for educators this spring, ideal for sharpening skills and expanding virtual teaching strategies.

Explore important dates, course offerings and educator development opportunities here. 

Number 5

Applications Open for 2025-26 Purple Star Award - Deadline Feb. 1

In 2019, The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction launched the Purple Star Award Designation initiative to recognize the state’s strong military presence and its support for military families. The Purple Star designation is awarded to schools that demonstrate military-friendly practices and a commitment to military students and families.

Applications for the 2025-25 Purple Star Awards are due on February 1, 2026.

To learn more about the Purple Star Award Designation, email Howard.Lattimore@dpi.nc.gov or visit the Purple Star Award webpage.

Number 4

Teacher Working Conditions Survey Webinar for Educators

Classroom teachers and certified staff, register for the upcoming NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey webinar, Jan. 22, beginning at 4 p.m.

The session will address questions about survey administration, provide program updates and review next steps as we move closer to the March 2 release date.

Learn more and register here. 

Number 3

District Highlight - Dare County Schools: "First Flight Students Reveal Airplane at Wright Brothers Anniversary of Flight Celebration"

On Dec. 17, First Flight High (Dare County Schools) aviation students unveiled the school’s first student-built airplane during the Wright Brothers' Anniversary of Flight Celebration—the second plane ever built at the legendary site since the Wright Brothers' historic flight in 1903.

Watch the video here. 

Number 2

Celebrate the Good Blog - "From Classroom to Community: A National History Teacher’s Journey"

"In this reflective essay, Valencia Abbott, the North Carolina and National History Teacher of the Year for 2025, explores how place-based, inquiry-driven history instruction empowers students to see themselves as historians. Centered on local civil rights history, her work demonstrates how community-rooted learning builds critical thinking, empathy and civic readiness.

Abbott has over two decades of experience in education and currently serves as the social studies department chair and a civics teacher at Rockingham Early College High School (Rockingham County Schools). She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science, a master’s degree in liberal studies, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in African American studies from UNC Greensboro, along with add-on licensure in academically/intellectually gifted education from Duke University."

Read Ms. Abbott's essay here. 

Number 1

"Ten Districts Awarded Nearly $200,000 to Expand Homebuilding Career Programs"

"The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) today announced $197,929 in grants to 10 public school districts to expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in homebuilding and residential construction.

The grants, authorized by the General Assembly, support program costs for CTE pathways that prepare students for careers in the construction trades.

'These grants put hammers, tools and real-world skills into the hands of students across North Carolina,' North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice 'Mo' Green said. 'When students build homes, sheds and structures alongside industry professionals, they're not just learning a trade — they're building a pathway to a career and strengthening their communities.'"

Read the full press release and see awarded districts here.