A Message to All North Dakota Teachers
I want to begin by thanking all North Dakota teachers for your commitment and dedication to the 120,000 students in our state. I recently had the opportunity to hear Juliana Urtubey, the 2021 National Teacher of the Year, speak. Her message to state education leaders urged us to communicate more with teachers, support innovation, and provide opportunities for teachers. She motivated all participants to take action, which led to the dissemination of this communication.
Today, I am announcing two new initiatives for North Dakota teachers. First, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) will be soliciting proposals from North Dakota teachers that encourage innovation in our classrooms. Over the next two and a half years of the ESSER funding period, the department will fund one innovative proposal each quarter that a North Dakota teacher submits.
Second, the NDDPI, in collaboration with North Dakota United, the North Dakota University System, and the Education Standards and Practices Board, will disseminate, monthly, an electronic news brief to all North Dakota teachers. This communication will share best practices, grant opportunities, professional development opportunities, and much more. Through this communication, we will also provide a forum for teachers to share ideas and strategies with their peers and ask questions of their state leaders.
We will disseminate our first teacher communication in early January 2022. This news brief will have additional details on how to submit an innovative grant proposal. We look forward to strengthening our partnerships with North Dakota's outstanding educators.
We wish all of you a blessed holiday season!
Sincerely,
Kirsten Baesler, State Superintendent
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