January 15, 2014
NEW THIS WEEK
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Exploring the 4 Cs of 21st Century Learning on the Web
Reminder: Teacher Evaluation Dashboards Released
Assessment for Learning and Development in K-3
Professional Development for TALAS Schools
Leadership Academy Cohorts Share Good News
What’s Coming in Schoolnet in 2014
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
● First Semester Roster Verification Window Opens
● Release of Educator Evaluation Dashboards
● Online Assessment Best Practices Guide - UPDATED
NEW THIS WEEK
Exploring the 4 Cs of 21st Century Learning on the Web
Exploring the 4 Cs of Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Creativity on
the web will provide educators with the opportunity to maximize the interactivity of the
internet to enhance teaching and learning. The next 4 Cs webinar will be held on Friday,
Jan. 24 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Each 4 Cs webinar examines a variety of resources with potential for fostering relevant
learning skills in students by focusing on a specific category. Participants will
collaboratively explore resources and be given the opportunity to share experiences and
additional activities related to the 4 Cs.
Target audience for this webinar is classroom teachers K-12.
Registration Web Link: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/692544889
MORE INFO: Donna Albaugh, Professional Development Consultant,
donna.albaugh@dpi.nc.gov.
Reminder: Teacher Evaluation Dashboards Released
The NCDPI and SAS Institute have released teacher evaluation dashboards from the
2012-13 school year. These dashboards provide teachers with access to their ratings on
Standards 1 through 6, all integrated into one report. Teachers can access their teacher
evaluation dashboards by logging in to EVAAS. More resources about how to access
and interpret the dashboard can be found here.
MORE INFO: For questions, please email educatoreffectiveness@dpi.nc.gov
Assessment for Learning and Development in K-3
In response to a mandate by the North Carolina State Legislature and the requirements
of the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Grant, NC Superintendent June Atkinson
convened the K-3 Assessment Think Tank last year. It included NC school teachers,
parents, scholars representing seven NC universities and additional stakeholders. The
group was charged with proposing a plan to improve early elementary school learning
and instruction through more efficient and effective use of student-centered
assessments.
Over a nine-month period, the Think Tank reviewed scientific findings and best practices
and solicited input from a wide array of stakeholders, including a survey of more than
2,500 NC teachers and consultation from more than 60 state and national scholars and
education leaders. This report summarizes the Think Tank's findings, its proposal for an
innovative process to improve learning and its recommendations for next steps.
The
report can be accessed at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/earlylearning/k3-assessment.pdf.
MORE INFO: Erika Beattie, Office of Early Learning, erika.beattie@dpi.nc.gov
Professional Development for TALAS Schools
The District and School Transformation Division will provide Professional Development
to approximately 300 leaders of TALAS schools and SIG schools on Wednesday, Feb.
12. This session, 14th in the on-going series of Professional Development for school
leaders, will focus on understanding the needs of diverse learners, including the
following: children of poverty, English Language Learners, African-American males, and
Exceptional Children. The PD is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hilton North
Raleigh/Midtown on Wake Forest Road in Raleigh. Detailed registration information is
available on the NCDPI DST wiki site, http://dst.ncdpi.wikispaces.net.
MORE INFO: Donna Miller, District and School Transformation, donna.miller@dpi.nc.gov
Leadership Academy Cohorts Share Good News
State Superintendent June Atkinson recognized Wiley Elementary School in Guilford County
Schools at the State Board of Education’s January board meeting. Piedmont Triad Leadership
Academy Cohort 2 graduate Chelsea Smith is the assistant principal at the school, which was
recently named a 2013-14 Title I Distinguished School. Smith and her principal Tavy Fields were
recognized, and they presented highlights of their school’s successes.
Cohort 1 graduate Shadonna Gunn, principal of Grove Park Elementary School in
Alamance-Burlington Schools, was be a guest panelist for the Governor Jim Holshouser
Legislators Retreat in Greensboro on Jan. 14. She spoke to legislators about her role in
education. Gunn was one of only a handful of principals who provided legislators “with first- hand
accounts of the successes and challenges of new educator effectiveness initiatives and student
assessments.”
MORE INFO: Freda Lee, Teacher and Leader Preparation, freda.lee@dpi.nc.gov
What’s Coming in Schoolnet in 2014
There are many things to look forward to in the new year, and Schoolnet’s increasing resources
are among them.
The NCDPI is continually seeking and vetting great resources and assessment items and
expanding the set of tools available to teachers in the platform. We are especially excited about
the potential Schoolnet offers in gathering and sharing great work from and among North
Carolina’s teachers. Excellent lesson plans, units and assessments all are coming forth from
teachers across the state, and Schoolnet offers educators an opportunity to highlight and share
that great work. You can find a chart outlining what’s to come this year, at
http://goo.gl/MWbszP.
MORE INFO: Mike Martin, Policy and Planning, mike.martin@dpi.nc.gov.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
First Semester Roster Verification Window Opens
In response to feedback from teachers, principals and central office leaders, the North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction will offer an additional roster verification
window for teachers who teach on a semester schedule. You can find the new schedule
at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/effectiveness-model/roster/. Please continue to
check the website for new and updated resources.
MORE INFO: Please contact your Regional Accountability Coordinator.
Release of Educator Evaluation Dashboards
The NCDPI and SAS Institute have released the teacher and administrator evaluation
dashboards. An evaluation dashboard allows a teacher to see his or her ratings on
Standards 1 – 5 integrated with Standard 6 of the NC Educator Evaluation System. An
administrator can see his or her ratings on Standards 1 – 7 integrated with Standard 8.
Both teachers and administrators can track their individual progress toward an overall
effectiveness status. You can find updated resources on the evaluation dashboards at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/effectiveness-model/evaas/resources/. You can access
recorded web trainings on the evaluation dashboards at https://ncdpi.sas.com, as well as
a schedule for live web training sessions in which educators can have their questions
answered by the NCDPI and SAS Institute.
MORE INFO: Please email educatoreeffectiveness@dpi.nc.gov
Online Assessment Best Practices Guide - UPDATED
As you continue preparing for online assessments, the Best Practices Guide has been
updated and is available on the website at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/assessment/guide/. The key updates are in
Appendix A related to best practices from a technology perspective (including links to
tools to help with testing bandwidth and determining readiness). There are also updates
to the section for Testing Personnel based on changes in administering online
assessments in NCTest for 2013-14.
MORE INFO: Kayla Siler, Policy and Planning, kayla.siler@dpi.nc.gov
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