Aug. 28, 2015 Teachers' Biweekly Message
9/1/15 12:42 PM
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Aug. 28, 2015 Teachers' Biweekly Message
North Carolina Public Schools sent this bulletin at 08/28/2015 07:54 AM EDT
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
Aug. 28, 2015
Monday, many of our state’s traditional calendar schools began
the 2015-16 school year. For our students and their parents, this is
always an exciting day.
For you, it also is exciting to meet new students and to feel the
energy and anticipation of the learning and achievement ahead.
Thank you for all you do to prepare for each new year so that your
students feel welcome and supported as they begin a new school
year.
This year is especially challenging as we begin the year without a
state budget and are operating on a continuing resolution between
the NC House and Senate. While this has happened before, it does
make it more challenging for your superintendent, local school
board and principals as they make decisions about staffing and
other key activities. I know that education leaders in every district are making the best decisions
possible for their schools and community.
I look forward to having a finalized budget so that we will know where things stand in terms of staff
funding, salary increases and many other key elements that help make schools successful.
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Teachers’ Biweekly Message Helps Keep You Informed
If this is the first time you’ve received an email newsletter from State Superintendent June Atkinson –
welcome! If this is old hat – welcome back! Every August, we retrieve teacher email addresses from
PowerSchool to refresh our teachers’ email list so that we can communicate directly with teachers on
issues of importance to you and your profession.
You can expect to receive this message on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month throughout
the school year. You also may receive separate messages if timeliness is an issue.
If you ever have any questions regarding the items included in these messages (that don’t already
contain contact information), please reply to this email and we will ensure that you receive the answers
to your questions. Also, please don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any issues you would like
addressed in future messages.
One more thing…for those of you who have received our biweekly messages in the past, you will notice
that this message has a new look. We have changed our email delivery system to GovDelivery. See the
next item for more information on our new email delivery service. No matter the change in our email
delivery system, one thing will always remain the same: we hope that you will find this communication
beneficial and look forward to receiving it.
GovDelivery Provides Options in
Message Delivery
Do you like your newsletter’s new look? The Department is now using GovDelivery to send our
biweekly message to you along with a number of other department newsletters and events of interest.
GovDelivery also enables you to personalize your subscription so that you will receive the mailings you
want. More information regarding how to do this will be sent in the coming weeks.
Today’s biweekly message is the third communication to be sent through GovDelivery. Other divisions
currently using our old email delivery system will transition to this new service over the next three to six
months.
NC Global Education Initiatives
How prepared are you to foster global awareness in your students?
Do you know about the Global Educator Digital Badge for
Teachers where you have the opportunity to focus your
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professional development to develop your own global context and understanding of how to integrate
throughout your curriculum those chances to build global competency in your students?
The State Board of Education approved North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) for
Teachers is available now. Once teachers have completed their Global Education focused annual
Professional Development Plan, they can officially notify NCDPI and begin the process.
For more information on the GEDB (SBE Policy, FAQs, Process Poster, Implementation Guide and
archived webinars for teachers and principals), and information on the development of additional
criteria for other educators to earn the GEDB, please visit the Global Education website or contact
NCDPI Special Assistant for Global Education Helga Fasciano.
To discover more about digital badges check out What is a Badge? This short video will provide you
with an overview of the digital badge concept.
If you would like to receive regular updates on NC Global Education initiatives and professional
development, Global Education news you can use, Global Education resources and opportunities for
teachers, students and the classroom, then sign up for the Global Education Updates by filling out the
Google form.
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. Staff look forward
to seeing you there!
In the digital age, you can find almost anything online, and education is no exception. But what about
something like a gym class? Most would think the course name “physical education” implies it can’t be
offered virtually. But the North Carolina Virtual Public School, an online school funded by the N.C.
General Assembly, is pushing the boundaries of online education by offering a new virtual high school
PE course. Macon and New Hanover counties will pilot the program this fall, and the course could
potentially expand statewide in spring 2016. To read more, visit the NCDPI website and select the
appropriate link under “News.”
Action Research Provides “Real Time” Powerful Learning for
Teachers
Teachers Comment on Action Research Online Module. The NC Educator Evaluation process calls
for teachers to be reflective leaders who develop and implement strategies to improve personal
performance. The differentiation required to equip students with the 21st century skills necessary to be
college and career ready, demands targeted professional development and planning opportunities that
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are evermore complex. When teachers take the time to analyze their instructional practices, and collect
evidence of their students’ responses to their teaching, they develop a valid voice for what works in
classrooms, through job-embedded, evidence-based professional development. This process is Action
Research. Visit http://bit.ly/GTN_ParticipantComments to read comments about teacher experiences in
the Action Research online module facilitated course.
Action Research Projects Available to Teachers. In July, over 900 educators from across the state
participated in Teachers Leading from the Classroom with Action Research. The Governor’s Teacher
Network facilitated this networking opportunity. Classroom action research findings were presented as
teachers shared their problem of practice, intervention, findings, strategies utilized, and resources to
conduct an action research project in their classroom. A searchable index of all 218 action research
projects is available on the North Carolina Teacher Action Research Portal. More information about the
Governor’s Teacher Network can be found online.
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, 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. Registration is limited to 35
participants per course.
To self-register, follow the instructions below to log into Home Base.
· 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 if you have any
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questions.
Educator Effectiveness Offers New SelfPaced Online Modules
NCDPI Educator Effectiveness staff are excited to announce the
release of the following self-paced online professional
development module: Assessing Digital Tools, and mini modules:
Creating a Connected Culture Through Student Engagement and
Empowerment, Creating and Managing PD Through Home Base,
Google Apps for Educators, Twitter in Education, Using Adobe Connect and Exploring National Board
Certification. For a complete list of online courses, modules and mini modules, visit http://rt3nc.org/ or
look under the Professional Development tab in Home Base.
To self-register for these free courses, follow the instructions in the preceding item to log into Home
Base. For more information, please contact Geetanjali Soni.
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
Stay Connected with North Carolina Public Schools:
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