April 21, 2016 Principals' Biweekly Message
North Carolina Public Schools <NCPublicSchools@public.govdelivery.com>
Thu 4/21/2016 3:08 PM
To: Lynda
Fuller <Lynda.Fuller@dpi.nc.gov>;
Biweekly message to North Carolina public school principals from State Superintendent June Atkinson
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April 21, 2016
As you are aware, a goal of the State Board of Education is for
every student in North Carolina to have a personalized education.
The Department’s NC Digital Learning Plan addresses this goal; and
the State Board of Education’s 2016-17 supplemental budget
recommendation includes substantial support for digital learning.
Some highlights of staff accomplishments to date include the
recent release of the new Digital Learning and Media Inventory, the
development of an RFP to establish contracts that districts may use
to procure devices such as Chromebooks, and the development of
Digital Learning Competencies for School Administrators and
Classroom Teachers. Where the competencies are concerned, staff
would appreciate your review and feedback.
• Draft Digital Learning Competencies for School
Administrators; Feedback Form
• Draft Digital Learning Competencies for Classroom Teachers; Feedback Form
If you have specific questions about moving digital learning forward in your school, please feel free to
reach out to the Department’s Director for Digital Teaching and Learning Verna Lalbeharie. Verna and
her staff are available to provide guidance and support.
Implementation Science:
The Formula for Success
The formula for success, illustrated below, highlights the components
necessary to create positive outcomes for students.
* Effective innovation/intervention helps us to know “what it is” we are
implementing.
* Effective implementation methods are the infrastructure and
the “how” of the equation for success.
* Enabling contexts within the organization includes ensuring a
“hospitable environment” through building competency, organizing the system, and supportive
leadership.
Opportunities to deepen your understanding about the implementation drivers needed for this Formula
for Success can be found in this online module.
Farewell Message from 2015
NC Principal of the Year
It has been an honor to serve as the Wells Fargo North Carolina
Principal of the Year in our great state! Last year, I invited all of you
to take this journey with me, and what a phenomenal journey it has
been.
The opportunity to visit schools, advise during State Board of
Education meetings, conduct professional development, share best practices, learn while leading and
meet with elected officials to discuss how we can improve communication between educators and
legislators has been tremendous. As school leaders we must continue to advocate for our students,
teachers and communities. Public education in North Carolina is strong and vibrant and we must remain
committed to the work we do daily – educating our children.
As I reflect on my experience, I recall visiting a school out west whose students faced many challenges
academically and socially. Yet, the school’s principal was determined to ensure their success by hiring
excellent teachers and giving students the best education possible. Despite many challenges, this
principal saw them as opportunities to work even harder to ensure her students’ success. She
celebrated small accomplishments, recognized her teachers for their hard work and always held
students at the forefront of her decision-making. It was simple for this school leader, she wanted her
students to be successful in life, and knew it would be a collective responsibility of teachers, teacher
assistants, office staff, bus drivers, child nutritionist, parents and the community. No one person could
be the single driving factor behind student success.
Great principals resemble this school leader. They keep their school’s mission, vision and goals at the
center of all they do. They identify key leaders who are invested in the work it takes to give children a
high quality education. Great leaders involve all stakeholders in the process of continuous improvement.
And just like this principal, they lead their schools to high levels of achievement despite the odds they
may face.
As I’ve traveled across the state of North Carolina, my hope is that I have represented you, my
colleagues, well. I hope that I have made a positive impact. I hope I have inspired those around me to
lead with passion and serve others to the best of their ability every day. An author one said that,
“Leadership is a personal quest you undertake, based on a mission from the heart.”
Lead from your heart. Remind your teachers daily how much you appreciate their hard work and
dedication. Thank your support staff for their patience and unwavering commitment, as they are unsung
heroes in our public schools. Thank your parents and community for trusting you with educating their
most precious gifts.
Finally, thank you for allowing me to represent you across many platforms this year. This is just the
beginning of the great work we will continue to do together. I’m honored to have met so many amazing
principals. Each of you have inspired me because you’ve set the most amazing conditions for learning
in your schools. You are educational champions; and I applaud each of you.
Many days we laugh, some days we cry, most days we go home tired but everyday we make a positive
difference in the life of a child! I wish you much success and best wishes to you as we conclude the
school year!
Steve Lassiter, principal, Pactolus School, and 2015 Wells Fargo NC Principal of the Year
Spring 2016 Principal Ready:
One More Chance
You still have time to register for the last Spring Principal Ready session
scheduled on April 27 in the southwest region.
Principals across the state have had the opportunity to learn about the changes
concerning Standard 6, licensure and ASW. In addition, the Statewide System of Support has created
custom sessions based on the feedback received from the districts they serve.
If you are interested in learning more about self-directed evaluations, strategies for principals serving
low-performing schools, improving teacher retention, etc., please go to the NCEES wiki to register for
this last session.
Global Languages Endorsement
Please remember that the Global Languages Endorsement (GLE) is one of five high school diploma
endorsements that a student may earn as outlined in SBE Policy
GCS-L-007.
The purpose of this endorsement is to provide a way for students
to show their multi-literacy in English and at least one World
Language. Students may add as many World Languages for which
they qualify to a GLE.
For additional information and resources click here or contact Special Assistant for Global Education
Helga Fasciano.
Give Five – Read Five Free
Online Literacy Tool
As you are aware, the book drive portion of the annual Give Five – Read
Five campaign winds down in late May. This year as part of a partnership
with myON, a division of Capstone, DPI is offering every student in the
state access to the personalized literacy tool myON Reader.
To ensure that your school can offer students free access to myON
Reader this summer and for instructions on using the tool, please
contact the English language arts and/or literacy specialist in your district’s central office.
Many schools also have participated in Give Five – Read Five with book drives and distribution of books
to students. Please don’t forget to report your school’s final book collection total by June 17 to Diane
Dulaney. Make sure to include the name of your school, school district, and total number of students at
your school when you send in your final collection totals. The school with the overall highest total of
books collected and schools that collect the most books in three size categories will receive a free oneyear, school-wide license to one of three outstanding online literacy tools.
Visit the NCDPI Give Five – Read Five website to see if your school is included on our final book
collection total list!
Information on Academic Achievement
Gap Online
Are you interested in the latest (and not so latest) research and nonresearch texts about the academic achievement gap and its
attending issues (such as poverty) in North Carolina and elsewhere?
If so, then NCDPI's Division of Data, Research and Federal Policy
can help. Just scroll through the summaries located in the Academic Education Research web page for
relevant, interesting scholarly texts and articles.
Professional Development News
New Literacy Modules
NCDPI Educator Effectiveness staff have heard your requests for more courses that carry literacy credit.
After careful review, two additional courses within the Home Base
Professional Development System catalog have been added that meet
the statutory description (115c-296(b)(1)b) of a literacy credit:
* Supporting English Language Learners (ELLs) in the Classroom:
Action Research from the GTN; and
* The Reading and Writing Connection: Action Research from the GTN
Project.
These literacy modules were produced by the Governor’s Teacher
Network action research project.
For a detailed description of the course, please visit http://www.rt3nc.org/. For support on issues
related to online professional development, please contact Geetanjali Soni.
Governor’s Teacher Network Action Research Projects
Available
Have you ever wondered how professional development is done in
districts other than yours? Are you looking for ideas that have been
tested in North Carolina classrooms? Look no further. Over 200
action research projects created by members of the Governor’s
Teacher Network Action are available for review. Many of these
projects examined different types of professional development activities.
Brittany Guy, an action researcher in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, investigated a year-long
personalized, blended professional development model for implementing technology in the classroom.
If you are interested in learning more about this model or finding Ms. Guy’s action research results,
please visit the Online Professional Development Catalog and click on the Action Research tab.
Champions for Excellence Named
The NC Department of Public of Instruction (NCDPI) Champion for
the Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award was presented
to the following six outstanding educators during the Collaborative
Conference for Student Achievement held in Greensboro on March
23.
* Kiera Stricklen, Instructional Support, Media/Technology
Assistant, Wellcome Middle School, Pitt County Schools
* James Johnson, Principal, Randleman Elementary School, Randolph County Schools
* Susan Brigman, Principal, Ashley Chapel Education Center, Richmond County Schools
* Janet Delery, Math Teacher, Piedmont Middle School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
* Ashley White, Kindergarten Teacher, Aberdeen Primary School, Moore County Schools
* Jennifer James, Business Education Teacher, Northeastern High School, Elizabeth City-Pasquotank
Schools
The purpose of the Champion Award is to celebrate the power of public education and the educators
who advocate for excellence.
Student Leadership Institute
Scheduled for June
Principals are asked to share the following information with
school counselors who may know of students who would be
interested in attending.
NCDPI staff will host its fifth annual Student Leadership
Institute (SLI) June 13-16 at Pfeiffer University. The four-day
Institute is for rising fourth through twelfth graders, and is
designed to prepare students to take active roles in their schools and communities through service
learning.
Institute facilitators will engage participants in active, minds-on, hands-on learning that will assist
students and their adult mentors with developing the skills needed to engage in service experiences
that are aligned to the curriculum.
For eligibility requirements and an application, visit the Character Matters website. The deadline to
apply is 5 p.m., Friday, April 29. Questions may be directed to Bernadette Cole, Fay Gore or Nakisha
Floyd.
Latest Teachers’ Message Online
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