 We are pleased to announce that the Weekly Blast is now available on our website. The webpage will include publications from the past three months. We encourage all subscribers to reference this resource for valuable insights and updates.
The Dignity Index, is a tool designed to encourage reflection on assumptions and biases, particularly in heated situations such as during a political season. The goal is to strive for higher levels of dignity and understanding, acknowledging that while perfection isn't always achieved, the effort to treat everyone with dignity should be a continuous priority. To learn more, click here.
New Resource on State Accountability Systems
EdTrust released 50-state accountability system scan to understand how states’ systems align with this vision for accountability. This resource, among other things, highlights promising practices in states that can serve as models.
It states the following about North Dakota's accountability system:
"North Dakota public education is rooted firmly in the belief that all schools should be engaged in a cycle of continuous improvement. While no one report can tell the full story of North Dakota schools, the dashboard features information on important measures that inform stakeholders how to better support students." Such contextual information helps build trust and understanding about the use and importance of school accountability data.
|
 The North Dakota Teacher Retention and Recruitment Task Force released a report this week outlining their recommendations for addressing educator recruitment and retention. Governor Doug Burgum established the task force by executive order in September 2023 to address the state's chronic teacher shortage. Over the past year, the 15-member task force held a series of meetings and roundtable discussions to identify key workforce issues and takeaways. Their final report, meeting agendas, and meeting minutes are posted on the governor's website. See the full report here.
K-12 Data Modernization Update
The data modernization project will streamline and simplify North Dakota’s K-12 data systems by moving away from the separate systems we’ve been using, including STARS for reporting and PowerSchool as the student information system. It has often been challenging to get these systems to communicate effectively. With Infinite Campus, we are transitioning to a single enterprise system that replaces PowerSchool and large portions of STARS. This unified solution will provide better integration, making data management more efficient and seamless for districts by:
- Automating state and federal reporting for school buildings, districts, and the state.
- Leveraging modern technology, including machine learning and predictive analytics.
- Reducing the human time and effort needed to manage data and reports.
The question we commonly get from the field is, “How?”
Infinite Campus is hosting a welcome webinar at 10:00 AM CT on Friday, November 22, to provide attendees with a North Dakota-specific live demonstration of their services, the products purchased by NDDPI for districts, and an overview of their company.
Additional webinars are scheduled for December 10, January 15, and February 20. Webinar recordings will be sent to registrants and posted to the Infinite Campus North Dakota dashboard. Visit the dashboard to register and learn more about our data modernization partner!
|
AI Innovators in Education
EduTech is partnering with Microsoft, Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE) and the ND Department of Commerce to bring this opportunity at no cost. These hands-on learning opportunities are designed for educators who seek to advance knowledge of AI. To register or learn more, click here.
|
Application Release and Webinar Date Announced
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) anticipates releasing the application for the ND Comprehensive Literacy Improvement through Measure Building Systems (ND CLIMBS) grant on November 18, 2024. The application will be published on the ND CLIMBS webpage which currently provides information on the federal award to North Dakota for birth through grade 12 literacy improvement. An application webinar will be held virtually on Tuesday, November 19 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM CT. Click here to join. The webinar will be recorded and published on the website. Please contact Brenda Ehrmantraut with questions.
|
Why Teach Learning Module
The University of North Dakota College of Education and Human Development’s Outreach for Teacher Recruitment and Retention team is excited to announce the official rollout for the “Why Teach” North Dakota learning module. This free, online, and fully autonomous learning module is designed to promote teaching professions to students thinking about future careers in education. The learning module is comprised of eight topics that take about 20-25 minutes to complete and incorporate interactive multimedia to bring the content to life. This module is designed to be very engaging. We hope that it sparks important conversations and interest in the teaching profession! To learn more, click here.
|
ND Family Engagement Day Proclamation
Governor Burgum has proclaimed November 21, 2024, as Family Engagement Day in North Dakota. Please help the NDDPI in sharing this great news with your families. You can see the official proclamation here.
National Family Engagement Day is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Click here to read more.
|
PowerSchool Workshops
PowerSchool Users’ Group (PSUG)
This event is fast approaching. It will be held November 6 and 7 at the Radisson in Bismarck.
November 6 - Day 1: Registration, general session and announcements in the morning followed by a variety of concurrent sessions. You only need to register once for the entire day at the following link. To register for Day 1, click here.
November 7 – Day 2: Registration, announcements during breakfast followed by a 3-hour session of your choice. You need to register once for the entire day here AND for the 3-hour session you plan to attend below. Day 2 will end at 11:30 AM CT.
Day 2 (3-hour sessions), click the link below to register for the 3-hour session of your choice:
|
Schoolhouse Program Updates
Registration is officially open for Schoolhouse’s next round of SAT Bootcamp and College Admissions Workshops. There is also an opportunity to join Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus Math Learning Labs this month. These programs are all virtual and completely free. All programs start on November 8, so please make sure your students sign up right away.
Here are two resources that will make it easy for you to share with your students:
-
Share Schoolhouse Toolkit: includes program links, PDF flyers, graphics, and blurbs
-
Program Calendar: includes all Fall program dates
If you have any questions, please contact the program manager, Cassy McKee.
Handle With Care Expands in ND
Families Flourish ND (FFND) welcomed Killdeer into the Handle With Care (HWC) program, with expectations to add three more communities by 2025. The HWC currently operates within six counties, serving over 100 schools. ND counties sent out a total of 231 HWC notices in the last quarter. That’s 231 instances of youth receiving additional school support amidst traumatic situations. To learn more about FFND and HWC, click here.
Board Member Positions Open
We lead statewide efforts in child abuse prevention, early childhood support, and community training to protect children and empower families. Our programs raise awareness, strengthen parenting, and provide essential skills for caregivers. Joining our board means shaping impactful initiatives alongside North Dakota leaders to create lasting community change. If interested, click here.
|
ND PL Network Site Visit
November 7, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM CT
The Oakes Public School District is excited to have you join them for a day of learning! This will be a district-wide site visit open to all levels and roles. Participants will engage with leaders, staff, and learners through classroom observations and collaborative roundtables.
|
Title I Schoolwide Reporting Training Dates Forthcoming
Please review the dates below and mark your calendars!!! We would love to see you there!
Reminder: Schools that are in a schoolwide planning year are required to attend the following trainings.
Links for these upcoming meetings will be sent closer to the event.
-
Thursday, November 21, 2024 – SW Comprehensive Needs Assessment and What Comes Next.
-
Tuesday, November 26, 2024 – TA/SW Record-Keeping/Monitoring webinar
-
Thursday, January 23, 2025 – Midyear Schoolwide Title I Reporting Review
-
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 – Requirements for Annual Schoolwide Title I Reporting
If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Siegfried at (701) 328-3544.
|
NDCA Arts in Education Opportunities
NDCA is excited to announce the 2024-25 ND Poetry Out Loud (POL) program is now open and accepting applications! Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, POL is a national recitation program where educational institutions incorporate memorization and performance in the classroom. POL sets the stage for students to deepen their understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and the nuances within word meanings. NDCA also offers funding up to $2,000 to support poet visits to schools registered in the POL Program. These funds will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.
|
The North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) Artist in Residence program provides noncompetitive reimbursement grants up to $2,500. This initiative connects North Dakota Pre-K-12 students and teachers with professional artists, both in traditional and after-school programs, enriching learning experiences through the power of creativity.
|
|
