Friday Report – October 12, 2018

The Friday Report

October 12, 2018

Students, Teachers Reconnect in the Classroom After Florence

Jenna Parker, a 2nd-grade teacher at Edwin A. Anderson Elementary School in Wilmington, talks with students on Oct. 4, 2018, about their experiences during Hurricane Florence. Photo Credit: Michael Cline Spencer, WUNC.

Since the day Hurricane Florence began battering the North Carolina coast, WUNC’s education reporters have been following staff and families in New Hanover County Schools as they first weathered the storm, and now work to put their classrooms and schools back together.

As second-grade teacher Jenna Parker greets her students this morning, it’s almost like they’ve been on winter break. She gives them hugs and reminds them of their morning routine.

“Remember where lunchboxes go, Annabelle?” she asks one student. “It’s been a while, I know!”

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Philip, L. “Students, Teachers Reconnect In the Classroom After Florence.” WUNC. 10/9/18.

Film, Speaker Say Charters, Traditional Public Schools in ‘Parasitic Relationship’

Photo Credit: Kyo Azuma, Unsplash.

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to clarify that two charter schools with Chapel Hill addresses are in Chatham County.

In Philadelphia, in the early 2010s, under the leadership of Tea Party Gov. Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania, the city schools faced a budget hole of more than $300 million.

As South Philadelphia High School struggled with no librarian, no music teacher, fewer assistant principals and counselors and one custodian for the entire school, the String Theory charter school in the same city had a motion capture studio.

That story is part of the documentary “Backpack Full of Cash,” which was shown Monday night at Durham Technical Community College. The event was sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Public Schools First, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the N.C. Council of Churches.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Goad, M. “Film, speaker say charters, traditional public schools in ‘parasitic relationship.’” The News & Observer. 10/9/18.

From NC Teacher of the Year to Member of NC State Board of Education

James Ford, 2014-15 NC Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: WBTV.

2014-2015 North Carolina Teacher of the Year James E. Ford was recently appointed to North Carolina State Board of Education. Governor Roy Cooper chose Ford to fill a vacancy that was on the board. Ford was a Charlotte Mecklenburg School (CMS) teacher at Garinger High School. He left the classroom to continue his work as an education advocate for the Public School Forum of North Carolina.

“I think it’s very rare that somebody gets the opportunity to go from being in the classroom,” NC State Board of Education Member James Ford said. “Working in education policy to then be in a position where you can impact policy.”

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Russell, D. “From NC Teacher of the Year to Member of NC State Board of Education.” WBTV. 10/9/18.

Secret Meeting, Late Changes: The Story Behind the CMS Counterpunch on Town Charters

State Rep. Bill Brawley (center) huddles with Republican school board members Rhonda Cheek and Sean Strain after a meeting between the CMS board and state lawmakers to discuss House Bill 514 in January 2018. Photo Credit: Ann Doss Helms, The Charlotte Observer.

When Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board members filed into the chamber for their Aug. 28 meeting, few outsiders knew a bombshell was coming. But the school board was about to face some surprises, too.

Eight of the nine board members had spent more than two months meeting privately to craft a resolution that would spell out consequences for four suburban towns if they opted to pursue their newly granted power to create town charter schools.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Doss Helms, A. “Secret meetings, late changes: The story behind the CMS counterpunch on town charters.” The Charlotte Observer. 10/11/18.

State Eyeing Takeover of Six Low-Performing Schools

Photo Credit: JJ Thompson, Unsplash.

A Rocky Mount elementary school is among six low-performing schools the state is considering for inclusion in its Innovative School District in the coming academic year.

Eric Hall, deputy state superintendent for innovation at the Department of Public Instruction, said during a meeting of the State Board of Education on Thursday that the recommendation for schools under consideration for state-run district would be made Oct. 15.

To continue reading the complete press release, click here.

Excerpt from:

Harper, A. “State eyeing takeover of six low-performing schools.” The Daily Reflector. 10/8/18.

ISD Considers Taking Over Carver Heights Elementary

Photo Credit: Pixabay, Pexels.

Could Carver Heights Elementary School in Goldsboro be transferred into the Innovative School District? The possibility has come up after the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction identified Carver Heights Elementary as a low-performing school.

Eric Hall, the Deputy State Superintendent of Innovation for the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, gave a presentation on how the ISD works to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners on Monday. Hall says the ISD will eventually make a recommendation regarding Carver Heights to the State Board of Education this month.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Conners, K. “ISD Considers Taking Over Carver Heights Elementary.” Goldsboro Daily News. 10/9/18.

DPI Wins Federal Grant for Pilot Program to Enhance Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded an $8.8 million grant to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in support of NC Project ACTIVATE, a five-year program that increases mental health awareness for students, provides training for staff in recognizing and accommodating students with mental health needs, continues research into early prevention plans for substance abuse, and more.

The federal 2018 Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education) grants are awarded to state education agencies with the goal to build or expand their capacity to oversee school-aged youth and local education agencies. North Carolina’s demonstration project will receive a total of $8.8 million over five years.

To continue reading the complete press release, click here.

Excerpt from:

“Department of Public Instruction wins federal grant for pilot program to enhance substance abuse and mental health services.” NC Department of Public Instruction. 10/9/18.

NC Aims to Get Bright Students into Advanced Classes. But Wake Says Law Falls Short.

Lowe’s Grove Middle School teacher Jenny Duvall works with eighth-grader Julius Borunda as part of a Durham program to provide more challenging classes to low-income students with high potential.

Photo Credit: Harry Lynch, The News & Observer.

A new state law designed to ensure that high-scoring students aren’t skipped over for advanced classes is drawing complaints from North Carolina’s largest school system that the legislation is difficult to carry out.

In June, state lawmakers overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation to require schools to place in advanced math classes any students who scored a Level 5 — the highest level on state math exams. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have credited the law to the 2017 News & Observer and Charlotte Observer “Counted Out” series that showed that thousands of bright, low-income students were being excluded from advanced classes.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Hui, K. “NC aims to get bright students into advanced classes. But Wake says law falls short.” The News & Observer. 10/9/18.

CMS Braced for a Small Enrollment Slump This Year. The Head Count Brought a Surprise.

Hough High students pack a recent football game. Photo Credit: Diedra Laird, The Charlotte Observer.

Despite increasing competition and talk of a national baby bust, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ forecast of seeing its first-ever enrollment decline proved wrong this year.

The tally for the 20th day of school is 147,719, an increase of 360 students over last year. During budget planning, the district projected it would lose about 200 students, while roughly 1,800 additional Mecklenburg students would sign up for charter schools.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Doss Helms, A. “CMS braced for a small enrollment slump this year. The head count brought a surprise.” The Charlotte Observer. 10/11/18.

Pender County School Out Until at Least Oct.18

Pender County Schools staff meet with county staff to review Hurricane Florence damage Sept. 28. The district announced late Monday that school will be closed until at least Oct. 18. Photo Credit: Contributed Photo, StarNews.

Pender County Schools announced Monday night that students will not return to class until Oct. 18 at the earliest amid ongoing issues with school repairs.

Schools spokeswoman Miranda Ferguson sent the alert at 9:35 p.m. Monday. Superintendent Steven Hill wrote that the reopening date for schools, which officials hope would come Wednesday, has been pushed back to Oct. 18, “with a window extending to Oct. 22nd, based on environmental hygienist and contractor reports.”

Hill wrote that the district’s fund balance has been exhausted by emergency repairs to schools after Hurricane Florence, as has $4 million allotted by county commissioners for additional repairs.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Bellamy, C. “Pender County Schools out until at least Oct. 18.” StarNews. 10/8/18.

National News

Secondary Traumatic Stress for Educators: Understanding and Mitigating the Effects

Image Credit: Mary Jirovaya, iStock.

Roughly half of American school children have experienced at least some form of trauma — from neglect, to abuse, to violence. In response, educators often find themselves having to take on the role of counselors, supporting the emotional healing of their students, not just their academic growth.

With this evolving role comes an increasing need to understand and address the ways in which student trauma affects our education professionals.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Lander, J. “Secondary Traumatic Stress for Educators: Understanding and Mitigating the Effects.” KQED News. 10/7/18.

The Teen Brain: How Schools Can Help Students Manage Emotions and Make Better Decisions

In this series of brain scans taken from age 5 through age 20, blue areas indicate more mature and efficient networks within the brain. Image Credit: “Dynamic Mapping of Human Cortical Development During Childhood Through Early Adulthood,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Adolescence tends to be seen by parents—and many teachers—with dread. Teenagers are likelier to engage in risky behaviors and disengage from school. But emerging cognitive and neuroscience research suggests ways schools can help leverage teens’ strengths in this unique developmental period.

In symposia at International Mind, Brain, and Education Society research conference here last week, and a consensus report funded by the Alliance for Excellent Education released here, cognitive and neuroscientists called for educators to foster school cultures that better support adolescent development.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Sparks, S. “The Teen Brain: How Schools Can Help Students Manage Emotions and Make Better Decisions.” Education Week. 10/9/18.

Opportunities

FAST NC Fundraising Drive to Aid Public Schools

A historic storm has devastated parts of North Carolina. In response, a historic, bipartisan coalition of current and former state education leaders presented their effort to aid schools to the State Board of Education, promoting Florence Aid to Students and Teachers (FAST NC) as a drive to help North Carolina’s public schools as students and educators struggle to return to normal.

Hurricane Florence caused at least 1.2 million, or about 80 percent, of North Carolina’s public school students to miss some school. Many school buildings are damaged, and several school districts are still closed due to displacement, flooding and storm-related disruptions. Now, FAST NC has brought together an illustrious steering committee for the effort to help schools recover.

To learn more about FAST NC and how to donate, click here.

Synergy Conference 2019

Hope Street Group Annual Survey

Are students tracked to certain careers based on socioeconomics or the reputation of a job? How can we better connect students to businesses and ensure all students are aware of their career potential?

Hope Street Group, in concert with the North Carolina Business Committee of Education, needs your perspective to improve work-based learning for K-12 students in North Carolina. Visit ednc.org/hopestreet for a 15-minute survey that will be used by local and state decision-makers to discuss how we best support students in career awareness and exploration.

All teachers, school staff, administrators, parents, business leaders, district staff, and community members can participate—so please share. Perspectives from everyone are needed: elementary educators, small business owners, principals, literacy coaches, school counselors, community college staff and educators, parents of students across K-12. If you have an interest in education, please take this survey by 10/31/18 and encourage others to do the same at ednc.org/hopestreet.

Your colleagues in the Hope Street Group North Carolina Teacher Voice Network are counting on you to help them amplify your voice and opinions.

The William Friday Teachers Retreat

Sunday, Nov. 11 – Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018 | UNC-Chapel Hill’s Wilson Library

Designed to equally educate and appreciate our state’s incredibly teachers, UNC-Chapel Hill’s Carolina K-12, in partnership with the North Caroliniana Society and Wilson Library’s North Carolina Collection, invite 4-12 grade teachers from around the state to join us for an engaging (and FREE!) two and a half day academic retreat in beautiful Chapel Hill, NC, with a special “field-trip” to Historic Hillsborough. Throughout these engaging three days, teachers will enjoy a snapshot of some of North Carolina’s most captivating history, events and people, all the while celebrating each participating teacher and the important work you do!

Check out the agenda here. For additional information and to apply, click here.

Public Education Voter Engagement Community Forum Series 

Join members of the North Carolina Justice Center’s Education and Law project for a series of local community forums on public education. We will join parents, educators, and community leaders to address the decline in funding support and what advocates can do to push back against harmful policies hurting our state. For more information or to schedule an event in your region, contact Sarah Montgomery: [email protected] or 919-856-3194.

• WINSTON-SALEM: OCTOBER 17 @ 6:00-8:00 PM, Wake Forest University, ZSR Library Auditorium, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem (policy presentation & paneldiscussion)
• WINTERVILLE: OCTOBER 17 @ 6:00-8:00 PM, Pitt County, South Central HS (policy presentation & panel discussion)
• CARY: OCTOBER 18 @ 6:00-8:00 PM, Davis Drive Elementary School (policy presentation & panel discussion)
• FAYETTEVILLE: OCTOBER 18 @ 6:00-8:00 PM, FAST Transit Center (policy presentation & panel discussion)
• ROCKY MOUNT: OCTOBER 23 @ 6:00-8:00 PM, OIC 402 E. Virginia Street in Rocky Mount (community forum, policy presentation)

UNC World View: K-12 Global Education Symposium

Location: The Friday Conference Center, Chapel Hill, NC

Dates: October 17-18, 2018
Cost: $175 per person, $600 for a team of four
CEU: 1.5 CEUs will be awarded upon completion of program study guide

(NEW! Earn Digital Learning Competencies CEUs!)

Join us on October 17-18 to explore global issues, learn best practices and collect resources to implement global education activities in your classroom, school and district! With six keynotes, 20 dynamic break-out sessions, action plan team meetings, CEUs and DCL renewal credits offered, exhibitors and peers to network with from across the state, the symposium offers something for everyone.

Agenda, session descriptions and registration link available at:

https://worldview.unc.edu/programs/2018-k12-symposium/.

Upcoming Professional Development at NCCAT 

North Carolina educators have plenty of opportunities throughout the fall to attend the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT), a recognized national leader in professional development programming for teachers. Applicants are encouraged to register as soon as possible to ensure a spot. Programs are available to North Carolina educators at the Cullowhee and Ocracoke campuses, online and with NCCAT faculty visiting school districts. NCCAT provides food, lodging and programming. Teachers and or their districts are responsible for travel to and from the center and the cost of the substitute teacher.

For a complete list of upcoming NCCAT programs, click here.

For more information on how to apply for NCCAT programs, click here.

The Friday Report is published weekly by the Public School Forum of NC and is distributed to Forum members, policymakers, donors, media, and Forum subscribers. Archived editions can be found at www.ncforum.org.

©2018 Public School Forum of North Carolina. All Rights Reserved.

Public School Forum of North Carolina

919-781-6833

Follow us at @theNCForum

ncforum.local

Donate to the Forum!