Aug. 20, 2015 Principals' Biweekly Message
8/24/15 12:24 PM
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Aug. 20, 2015 Principals' Biweekly Message
North Carolina Public Schools sent this bulletin at 08/21/2015 01:02 PM EDT
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Aug. 20, 2015
The NC Department of Public Instruction launched on Aug. 1 the
new online educator licensure system to save teachers time and to
make it more efficient for all involved.
Since the launch date, in just two full weeks of operation, we have
had 5,496 users establish an account in the system, and more than
1,050 applications have been submitted into the system. Our
licensure experts are pleased with how well the system is
performing and with the numbers we are seeing so far.
The new system automates the collection of the license
application, supporting documentation, and payment. This
eliminates the time-consuming, manual process of the past. We
estimate a significant improvement in processing time that will
continue to improve as the system matures. An added bonus is
that the new system allows an applicant to check the status of his/her application and monitor its
progress through the approval process. While licensure is a “behind the scenes” activity for the general
public, I know how critical it is to educators and to ensuring that quality professionals are working with
students.
http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCSBE/bulletins/1157cf7
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Aug. 20, 2015 Principals' Biweekly Message
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Are You Maximizing the Power of Data?
During Principal READY 2014-15, principals statewide examined key reports in EVAAS and discussed
how to frame productive conversations with both Professional Learning Communities and individual
teachers. Participants used guiding documents to organize their school data so it can be used to help
increase student achievement. Preview this EVAAS video and visit the READY Principals’ page for
instructional materials and contact information. The 2015-16 principal learning series schedule will be
released early next month by the Educator Effectiveness team. (If you have issues viewing the video,
copy and paste the links in either the Chrome, Firefox or the Internet Explorer browser.)
National School Lunch Program Meal
Eligibility Policy Announced
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recently
announced the 2015-16 United States Department of Agriculture
policy for free and reduced-price meals for children enrolled in
North Carolina public schools. The USDA’s school meals’ program
helps ensure all students have access to nutritious meals at school. For more information, including the
federal income eligibility guidelines for July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016, please visit the NCDPI
website and click on the appropriate link under “News.”
ELA LiveBinder Updated
The K-12 English/Language Arts LiveBinder has been updated. Please visit to find new resources and
professional development opportunities.
North Carolina Virtual Public School
News
Are you curious about how NCVPS courses work? Staff have a new animated video that shows how
the teaching and learning process works. The video is available on YouTube for viewing.
Did you know NCVPS offers professional learning for teachers? Its LEAD ED program currently offers
three six-week courses with Shattering the Myths of Online and Blended Learning set to begin Sept.
14. In this course, teachers will gain an in-depth perspective of the advantages and challenges to
online and blended learning by developing instructional and professional practices. We look forward to
seeing your teachers there!
http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCSBE/bulletins/1157cf7
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Aug. 20, 2015 Principals' Biweekly Message
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STEM News
Middle School STEM Resource: Future City. Future City offers FREE STEM curriculum/project
resources for your school, STEM after-school program, elective class, honors science or global studies
class. Future City focuses on how to make the world a better place through a citywide sustainability
issue. Students engage in engineering concepts where they identify problems, brainstorm ideas, design
solutions, test/test, build and then share the results.
This year’s topic is: waste management. Interested? If so, you’ll want to act fast as registration fee is
waived if you register by Oct. 15. When registering, make sure you say “bill me later” when it asks about
the $25 fee. Participating schools receive access to the free SimCity software and the winning team gets
a free trip to Washington DC to compete at nationals. Contact NC Regional Future City Coordinator
Nancy Shaw for more information.
Recognizing STEM Schools and Programs: Intent to Apply. Schools around the state are being
recognized and honored as STEM Schools of Distinction. Honored schools have demonstrated
distinguished and effective STEM strategies in teaching and learning that embed essential STEM
attributes, which are central to 21st century skills for our students to be globally engaged. In the
program’s first year, 12 schools from nine districts were identified as STEM Schools of Distinction. For
school year 2014-15, an additional 10 schools are anticipated.
Will your school be one of the next STEM recognized schools? If so, we need to hear from you. We are
requesting for schools planning to apply for potential STEM recognition for the 2015-16 school year to
fill out the following intent to apply to ensure you receive information about the application, time line,
and resources, which will provide assistance in this process. The deadline to submit the intent to apply
is Oct. 31. For more information on the application process and time line, please contact Tina Marcus
or 919/807-3423.
Free Resources from NCWiseOwl
Most of you are aware that there is a password available to students and teachers to use with
NCWiseOwl when off campus. Effective Aug. 5, this password changed to wiseowl15. Please be sure
to share this with others in your school and district to ensure the continued use of NCWiseOwl
resources. While the password cannot be shared on public facing websites, please feel free to share
with parents and students on paper flyers, bookmarks, etc.
Also, a new resource from EBSCO has been added to the NCWiseOwl site. You will now see a link for
Explora in each of the school zones. Explora will be replacing Searchasaurus, Kids Search, and
Student Research Center. Over the next few weeks, staff will be removing the links to those three
resources that are being discontinued by EBSCO. Teachers and students should be able to use
Explora to access content that they are accustomed to receiving from those three resources.
Be sure to check out the NCWiseOwl Toolkit that provides links to promotional materials and tutorials.
Staff also are excited about Wiseowl Wednesdays. Webinars are planned for Wednesdays throughout
http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCSBE/bulletins/1157cf7
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Aug. 20, 2015 Principals' Biweekly Message
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the school year. Also the @ncdpiDTL twitter account will have special NCWiseOwl related tweets on
Wednesdays.
Just as a reminder, Jennifer Northrup now serves as the NCWiseOwl support person for the state. If
you have professional development needs, please first try contacting your regional consultant.
Educator Effectiveness Evaluation l Professional Development
System Webinars: 2015 -16 Schedule
Three versions of the year-long professional development webinar schedule is available for your
convenience. Please review and post.
* Yearlong Table of Webinars: NC Educator Evaluation System Webinar Series
* Yearlong Smore version: https://www.smore.com/y5pzr
* Monthly Smore versions:
August 2015 Webinars – https://www.smore.com/d98sx
September 2015 Webinars – https://www.smore.com/u3r06
October 2015 Webinars – https://www.smore.com/e9t73
November 2015 Webinars – https://www.smore.com/2mspm
December 2015 Webinars – https://www.smore.com/0t4eq
Fall Professional Development
Opportunities
Below is a list of facilitated online courses offered this fall and open for registration. Courses start Sept.
7. For a full description of the courses and associated CEUs visit https://rt3nc.org/.
- Digital Literacies in the K-12 Classroom (seven weeks) 1.5 CEUs
- Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects: Part 1 (five weeks) 0.5 CEU
- Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects: Part 2 (seven weeks) 1.5 CEUs
- Building and Sustaining Professional Development (six weeks) 1 CEU
- Connecting with our 21st Century Learners (five weeks) 1 CEU
- Digital Literacies in the K-12 Classroom (six weeks) 1.5 CEUs
- Introduction to Data Literacy (five weeks) 1 CEU
- Data Literacy in Action (six weeks) 1 CEU
- Seize the Data: Empowering Teachers to Create and Use Assessment and Measurement (18 weeks)
4 CEUs
- North Carolina Teacher Standards and Evaluation Process (six weeks) 2 CEUs
- Responsibilities of the 21st Century Educator (eight weeks) 1.5 CEUs
- Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects, Part 1 (five weeks) .5 CEU
- Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects, Part 2 (seven weeks) 1.5 CEUs
These courses are available at no cost to North Carolina educators and will be facilitated by DPI
professionals. The courses are completed entirely online. Participants are expected to meet all weekly
deadlines in order to receive CEUs. Partial credit will not be given.
http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCSBE/bulletins/1157cf7
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Aug. 20, 2015 Principals' Biweekly Message
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Registration is limited to 35 participants per course. To register, follow the instructions below to log
into Home Base to self-register for a course.
· Log in to the NCEES system using your usual PowerSchool log in or the alternate log in
https://ncees.homebase.ncpublicschools.gov/alternateLogin.html
· Click the Professional Development tab.
· You can search for the course, or list all opportunities to find the course for which you wish to
register.
· Click on the course title, you are then presented with the course screen. Click on the section.
· Click on the register button.
Directions on how to register also are available online.
Contact Geetanjali Soni at geetanjali.soni@dpi.nc.gov if you have any questions.
Stay Connected with North Carolina Public Schools:
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