October  9,  2013
NEW  THIS  WEEK
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Share  Resources,  Ideas,  Questions  and  Insights  -­‐-­‐  Join  #NCed  Chat!
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Online  Assessments:  Using  Home  Base  for  Classroom  and  Benchmark
Assessments
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READY  Principals  Meetings  Provide  Educator  Evaluation  Training
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Northeast  Leadership  Academy  Receives  USED  Grant
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READY  Animation  Sets  Tone  for  Discussions  around  Changes
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We  Want  You  to  Like  Us  –  Really,  Like  Us!
IN  CASE  YOU  MISSED  IT
• Educator  Effectiveness  Webinars
NEW  THIS  WEEK
Share  Resources,  Ideas,  Questions  and  Insights  -­‐-­‐  Join  #NCed  Chat!
#NCed  Chat  serves  as  a  forum  for  NC  educators  to  meet  virtually  once  a  week  in  a   public  Twitter  conversation  around  specific,  current  topics  such  as  literacy  at  all   levels,  inquiry-­‐based  learning  and  blended  learning.  Participants  also  include   educators  from  other  states,  New  Zealand  and  Canada.  NCDPI  staff,  LEA  staff  and
members  of  our  Institutes  of  Higher  Learning  (IHEs)  serve  as  current  moderators.
This  blog  will  archive  resources  and  chats  for  future  reference  if  you  cannot  attend   weekly.    You  may  also  use  the  #NCed  app  to  view  schedules,  topics  and  provide
feedback.  Download  the  app  by  visiting  myapp.is/NCed   on  your  mobile  device.  Also   reference  the  attachments  for  upcoming  dates  and  session  topics.  Join  this
Professional  Learning  Network  (PLN)  today!
MORE  INFO:  Dr.  Lynne  C.  Johnson,  Educator  Effectiveness,   lynne.johnson@dpi.nc.gov.

Online  Assessments:  Using  Home  Base  for  Classroom  and  Benchmark  Assessments
Want  to  know  about  online  assessment  tools  available  in  Home  Base?    You  can  this
Thursday,  Oct.  10,  during  a  3:30  p.m.  webinar,  Using  Home  Base  for  Classroom  and
Benchmark  Assessments.  The  focus  of  this  one-­‐hour  webinar  will  be  on  creating   classroom  and  benchmark  assessments,  and  the  following  content  will  be  covered:
-­‐  Manual  Test  Creation;
-­‐  Naming  Conventions;
-­‐  Working  Collaboratively  on  Benchmark  Assessments;
-­‐  Finding  items  from  the  ClassScape  System  in  Home  Base;  and
-­‐  Scheduling  Assessments.
To  register  for  this  webinar,  please  go  to   https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/111263889 .
The  webinar  will  be  recorded  and  posted  on  the  website  at   http://www.ncpublicschools.org/homebase/resources/videos/webinars/ .
MORE  INFO:   Visit   http://www.ncpublicschools.org/homebase/training/schedule/iis/ .
READY  Principals  Meetings  Provide  Educator  Evaluation  Training
Over  the  past  five  years,  the  NC  Department  of  Public  Instruction  has  partnered  with   school  districts  and  professional  organizations  to  train  principals  on  the  new  NC
Teacher  Evaluation  Process.  Over  the  last  three  years,  much  of  the  training  has   focused  on  how  to  navigate  the  online  platform  and  the  process.
In  its  Race  to  the  Top  proposal,  North  Carolina  pledged  to  continue  this  support   for  principals  while  also  turning  to  deeper  and  more  specific  professional   development  around  the  meaning  of  the  NC  Professional  Teaching  Standards  and   the  NC  Teacher  Evaluation  Rubric.  With  the  support  of  a  grant  from  the  national
Cross-­‐State  Learning  Collaborative,  the  NCDPI  is  excited  to  launch  a  new  READY
Principals  Initiative  that  will  specifically  develop  the  skills  of  school  administrators  in   using  the  NC  Teacher  Evaluation  Process  to  provide  specific  and  constructive
feedback  to  teachers.
This  initiative  will  include  two  rounds  of  regional  meetings  for  principals;  the  first   will  take  place  this  fall  (October-­‐November),  and  the  second  will  be  held  in  the   spring.  While  these  meetings  and  supporting  resources  are  part  of  the  State’s  READY   work,  the  meetings  will  represent  an  opportunity  for  principals  to  work  in  groups   and  dive  into  new  resources  available  to  support  their  understanding  of  the  NC
Teacher  Evaluation  Process  and  NC  Teacher  Evaluation  Rubric.  The  structure  of  the
meetings  will  be  highly  interactive.

All  meetings  will  take  place  from  9  a.m.  to  3  p.m.    Following  is  a  list  of  meeting  dates   and  locations,  by  region:
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Region  1:  Wednesday,  Oct.  30,  Bob  Martin  Center,  NC  Department  of  Agriculture   and  Consumer  Services,  2900  NC  Highway  125  South,  Williamston;
• Region  2:  Thursday,  Oct.  31,  Hilton  Riverside  301  North  Water  St.,  Wilmington;
• Region  3:  Monday,  Nov.  18,  Sheraton  Imperial,  4700  Emperor  Blvd.,  Durham;
• Region  4:  Wednesday,  Oct.  16,  Crown  Center,  1960  Coliseum  Dr.,  Fayetteville;
• Region  5:  Tuesday,  Oct.  15,  Sheraton  Four  Seasons,  3121  High  Point  Road,  Greensboro;
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Region  6:  Wednesday,  Nov.  20,  Speedway  Club,  5555  Concord  Parkway  South,  Concord;
• Region  7:  Friday,  Nov.  15,  Stone  Center,  Wilkes  County  Schools,  603  Cherry  St.,
North  Wilkesboro;
• Region  8:  Thursday,  Nov.  14,  Crowne  Plaza,  One  Resort  Drive,  Asheville.
The  NCDPI  is  sending  a  registration  email  to  principals  and  human  resources  directors.
MORE  INFO:  Kim  Simmons,  NC  Educator  Evaluation  System  Consultant,
kimberly.simmons@dpi.nc.gov
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Northeast  Leadership  Academy  Receives  USED  Grant
Strong  professional  development  for  principals  will  continue  in  the  northeastern   part  of  the  state  thanks  to  a  grant  awarded  to  North  Carolina  State  University.    The
U.S.  Department  of  Education  has  awarded  NCSU  a  five-­‐year,  $4.7  million  grant  to   fund  the  Northeast  Leadership  Academy  (NELA).
This  grant  builds  on  the  important  work  begun  by  NELA  in  2010,  largely  funded  by
Race  to  the  Top.  It  will  support  two  more  cohorts  of  principals-­‐in-­‐training,  assisting   with  advanced  degrees  and  licensing.    The  grant  also  will  fund  a  weeklong  summer   intensive  professional  development  academy  for  current  principals  (20  principals   each  summer)  to  help  them  build  instructional  leadership  skills  for  digital  learning   environments.  The  principal  program  also  includes  individual  coaching  across  the   next  academic  year  to  help  principals  apply  their  learning  at  their  school  site.
MORE  INFO:  Freda  Lee,  Teacher  and  Leader  Preparation,   freda.lee@dpi.nc.gov

READY  Animation  Sets  Tone  for  Discussions  around  Changes
The  NC  Department  of  Public  Instruction  has  developed  an  animation  for  our   colleagues  across  the  state  to  use  as  they  plan  meetings,  work  sessions  or   conferences  involving  the  READY  initiative.
The  video  works  well  as  a  "tone  setter"  for  discussions  around  the  new  Common
Core  State  Standards  and  Essential  Standards,  new  assessments,  educator   effectiveness,  school/district  turnaround  and  more.    It  serves  as  an  inspirational   reminder  about  the  work  we  do  and  the  ultimate  beneficiaries  of  that  work  —  the
1.5  million  students  of  North  Carolina.  It  could  also  serve  as  a  way  to  remind  parents   and  the  broader  community  about  our  accomplishments  and  goals  and  how  they   could  help  support  our  efforts.
Reaction  to  the  READY  animation  has  been  highly  favorable.    We  encourage  you  to   incorporate  it  into  your  presentations  as  you  plan  your  meetings  over  the  coming   months.    Also,  feel  free  to  share  it  with  your  colleagues  for  use  in  school-­‐based   meetings  and  activities.
The  video  is  accessible  via  youtube  at  this  address:   http://youtu.be/HCNYt5_K6CU .
MORE  INFO:   Michael  Yarbrough,  Communication  and  Information  Services,
michael.yarbrough@dpi.nc.gov
We  Want  You  to  Like  Us  –  Really,  Like  Us!
The  READY  Facebook  page  offers  information  and  points  of  note  that  we  post  on  a   nearly  everyday  basis,  and  that  often  don’t  make  the  Race  to  the  Top  Weekly
Update.  For  example,  if  you  haven’t  liked  us,  you  haven’t  seen  some  really  cool   artwork  from  NC  students  posted  this  week.    So,  come  on  –  like  us,  at   https://www.facebook.com/NCReadyInitiative .    We  tweet,  too,  so  follow  us  at   https://twitter.com/ncpublicschools .
MORE  INFO:     Michael  Yarbrough,  Communication  and  Information  Services,
michael.yarbrough@dpi.nc.gov

IN  CASE  YOU  MISSED  IT
Educator  Effectiveness  Webinars
Do  you  have  questions  about  Home  Base?  Can  you  carve  a  few  hours  from  your   week  for  professional  development?  If  so,  we  bring  the  PD  to  you.  Join  us  every
Tuesday  for  a  tutorial  on  the  Educator  Effectiveness  online  tool.
For  a  complete  list  of  our  Tuesday  webinars  visit:   http://ncees.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/Upcoming+Webinars
The  Instructional  Improvement  webinars  are  every  Thursday  from  3:30  to  4:30  p.m.
To  register  for  this  webinar  go  to:   https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/163326432
For  a  complete  list  of  Thursday  webinars  please  visit:
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/homebase/training/schedule/iis/
MORE  INFO:  Cynthia  Martin,  Educator  Effectiveness,   cynthia.martin@dpi.nc.gov
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RACE  TO  THE  TOP  WEEKLY  UPDATE  INFO
If  you  know  someone  who  would  like  to  be  on  this  list,  please  send  their  email   address(es)  to  Michael.Yarbrough@dpi.nc.gov.
***LINKS:  PC  users  might  need  to  press  the  CTRL  button  when  clicking  on  a   hyperlink  in  this  document.
Archived  Race  to  the  Top  Weekly  Updates  are  available  online  at:   http://www.ncpublicschools.org/rttt/reports/weekly