Wednesday, February 15, 2012
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***PLEASE NOTE: Each entry in this Weekly Update features the email address of at least one contact
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appropriate contact(s) directly. Thanks!
Archived Race to the Top Weekly Updates are available here:
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/rttt/updates/
NEW THIS WEEK
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Next-Generation Assessments: Technology Readiness Tool
Planning for 2012 Summer Institutes (SAVE THE DATE)
Professional Development Dates for Remainder of February, March
Race to the Top Teacher and Principal Survey through March 30
Regional Wikispaces
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
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Assistance with the NC Educator Evaluation System (NCEES)
LiveBinders Provide Self-Study Opportunities, Resources
Recommended High School Sequencing for English/Language Arts Available
NEW THIS WEEK
Next-Generation Assessments: Technology Readiness Tool
The SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for
College and Careers (PARCC) are working together to launch a Technology Readiness Tool to support
states in the transition to next-generation, online assessments. The tool will allow districts and schools
to capture readiness indicators, including: number and types of computers, network and bandwidth
infrastructure, local staff resources, and other information related to the digital delivery of assessments.
The consortia are planning for communication and training on the tool to begin in February 2012, with
the first collection window opening in March 2012. The technology readiness data will be collected
twice annually through 2014. For more information about the announcement from SMARTER Balanced
and PARCC, you can find the official press release at
http://www.k12.wa.us/SMARTER/PressReleases/TechReadinessTool.aspx.
MORE INFO: Kayla Siler, kayla.siler@dpi.nc.gov
Planning for 2012 Summer Institutes (SAVE THE DATE)
Hard to believe it’s already time to start gearing up for Summer Institutes 2012! The Summer Institutes
website soon will provide detailed information about how educators can prepare for their professional
development experience. There you will find information about the purpose of the two-day training
session, local hotel options, team composition and a link to the new registration site. This detailed
information will be available in early March. The 2012 Summer Institute locations are now posted on
both the Professional Development and ACRE websites at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/conferences/summerinstitutes/ and
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/conferences/summerinstitutes/.
MORE INFO: Yvette Stewart, yvette.stewart@dpi.nc.gov, 919-807-3278
Professional Development Dates for Remainder of February, March
February
17 – Teacher Effectiveness Vetting/New Accountability Model Meetings, PTEC (Room 1, Special Events
Center, Greensboro Coliseum)
27 - Teacher Effectiveness Vetting/New Accountability Model Meetings, CCRESA
28 – Teacher Effectiveness Vetting/New Accountability Model Meetings, WRESA
29 – Teacher Effectiveness Vetting/New Accountability Model Meetings, NWRESA
March
6 - Teacher Effectiveness Vetting/New Accountability Model Meetings, NERESA (Vernon James Research
Center)
8 – K-12 Programs Arts Education (Dance, Music Theatre Arts, ESL, Healthful Living [Physical Education,
Health Education] and World Languages) Essential Standards PD for LEA/Charter Leadership Teams,
PTEC (Room 1, Special Events Center, Greensboro Coliseum)
8 and 9 – K-12 Programs Arts Education (Dance, Music Theatre Arts, ESL, Healthful Living [Physical
Education, Health Education] and World Languages) Essential Standards PD for LEA/Charter Leadership
Teams (Day 1) and Process Support Session (Day 2), NWRESA
12 – K‐12 Programs Arts Education (Dance, Music Theatre Arts, ESL, Healthful Living [Physical Education,
Health Education] and World Languages) Essential Standards PD for LEA/Charter Leadership Teams,
SWRESA (UNCC Campus, Cone Building)
26 – K‐12 Programs Arts Education (Dance, Music Theatre Arts, ESL, Healthful Living [Physical Education,
Health Education] and World Languages) Essential Standards PD for LEA/Charter Leadership Teams ,
WRESA
14 – Fidelity Support Session for LEA/Charter Leadership Teams, NWRESA
14 and 15 – K-12 Programs Arts Education (Dance, Music Theatre Arts, ESL, Healthful Living [Physical
Education, Health Education] and World Languages) Essential Standards PD for LEA/Charter Leadership
Teams (Day 1), and Process Support Session (Day 2), CCRESA (NCSBA Building, Assembly Room)
19 – K--‐12 Programs Arts Education (Dance, Music Theatre Arts, ESL, Healthful Living [Physical
Education, Health Education] and World Languages) Essential Standards PD for LEA/Charter Leadership
Teams, SERESA, [WL and ESL: Celtic Court/Mad Boar Restaurant, HL and Arts: River Landing Clubhouse]
20 – K-12 Programs Arts Education (Dance, Music Theatre Arts, ESL, Healthful Living [Physical Education,
Health Education] and World Languages) Essential Standards PD for LEA/Charter Leadership Teams (Day
1), NERESA, Vernon James Research Center
21 – Teacher Effectiveness Vetting/New Accountability Model Meetings, NWRESA
22 – Fidelity Support Session, Sandhills RESA, Robeson County Dept. of Social Services, Lumberton
22 – Common Core ELA and Math PD for LEA/Charter Leadership Teams, PTEC (Room 1, Special Events
Center, Greensboro Coliseum)
26 – K-12 Programs Arts Education (Dance, Music Theatre Arts, ESL, Healthful Living [Physical Education,
Health Education] and World Languages) Essential Standards PD for LEA/Charter Leadership Teams,
WRESA
MORE INFO: Yvette Stewart, yvette.stewart@dpi.nc.gov
Race to the Top Teacher and Principal Survey through March 30
On Feb. 6, principals and teachers at selected schools around the state were emailed a link to the annual
Race to the Top Teacher and Principal Survey. The survey takes 15 to 30 minutes to complete, and
respondents only need their district-provided email address to log in. The survey will be open through
March 30th.
This survey is extremely important as it will provide information to the larger RttT Evaluation regarding
the impacts of RttT on educational outcomes as well as teachers’ and principals’ attitudes and behaviors
related to the central reforms of the RttT initiatives – it will not be used to evaluate individual schools or
educators.
MORE INFO: Race to the Top Evaluation, Omnibus Survey Team, SERVE Center at UNC-Greensboro,
RttTSurvey@serve.org.
Regional Wikispaces
Below are links to each regional resource page created by the NCDPI RttT PD Leads designed to share
information and support the work of the district/charter PD teams. This information is shared and
compiled as a result of the training sessions, individual virtual conferences, district/charter team
meetings and more that are held in each region. Please take advantage of these resources and feel free
to contact the RttT PD Leads for additional information.
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Region 1: http://region1rttt.ncdpi.wikispaces.net
Region 2: http://NCRegion2.ncdpi.wikispaces.net
Region 3: http://region3pd.ncdpi.wikispaces.net
Region 4: http://rt3region4.ncdpi.wikispaces.net
Region 5: http://ncregion5rttt.ncdpi.wikispaces.net
Region 6: http://region6pd.ncdpi.wikispaces.net
Region 7: http://rt3region7.ncdpi.wikispaces.net
Region 8: http://region8wnc.ncdpi.wikispaces.net
MORE INFO: Yvette Stewart, yvette.stewart@dpi.nc.gov
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Assistance with the NC Educator Evaluation System (NCEES)
Does your district/school need assistance with the NC Teacher or Principal/Assistant Principal Evaluation
Systems? The Race to the Top Professional Development leaders are available (at no cost) to help your
district/school build capacity and to provide trainings in your region. These professionals have the most
up-to-date information on the evaluation systems, including the online tool. Their contact information
is available at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/directory/.
MORE INFO:: Eliz Colbert, eliz.colbert@dpi.nc.gov; Robert Sox, robert.sox@dpi.nc.gov
LiveBinders Provide Self-Study Opportunities, Resources
The Self Study LiveBinder is designed for those who are interested in learning about the English
Language Arts Common Core State Standards. The binder provides an overview of the new standards,
as well as an in-depth description.
The range of tasks offers users an opportunity to determine their own specific needs. Each tab contains
one lesson in which participants may engage in activities, review informative slides, read articles and
view videos. Each lesson features a skills checklist and learning objectives.
The lessons and resources have been taken from the professional development opportunities that have
been offered across the state. More materials will be added to the binder soon, and links will be
continually updated. This tool is best used within a PLC (Professional Learning Community) to enhance
discussion and interaction. The Self-Study LiveBinder can be accessed at
http://www.livebinders.com/edit?id=262077.
The Resources LiveBinder offers an organized collection of resources for the ELA Common Core State
Standards. The goal for the provision of this binder is to inform your district’s professional development
and to add clarity to current initiatives. Resources that will assist educators in implementing the new
standards will be continually added. The Resources LiveBinder can be accessed at
http://www.livebinders.com/edit?id=297779.
MORE INFO: ncdpi.ela@gmail.com
Recommended High School Sequencing for English/Language Arts Available
The scope and sequence of literature for North Carolina high school students allows for a literary
experience that carries not only a global perspective but also an opportunity to view U.S. literature and
literary nonfiction within that global lens. To view this document, go to
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/hs-sequencing/.
This document could be used as an accompaniment to the Text Complexity document located at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/common-core-tools/ .
MORE INFO: Julie Joslin, julie.joslin@dpi.nc.gov