Number 10

NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year Finalists Named

"Twenty-seven teachers from across North Carolina have been selected as finalists for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) 2022 Prudential NC Beginning Teacher of the Year Award in honor of their dedication, innovation and ability to inspire students to achieve.

One of the finalists will be named the NCCAT 2022 Prudential NC Beginning Teacher of the Year. The award is scheduled to be presented Feb. 17, 2022, at the Bardo Center on Western Carolina University campus."

Read the full release here.

Number 9

NCSD Awarded 2021 Inclusive Community Legacy Leadership Award

This past December the North Carolina School for the Deaf was awarded the 2021 Inclusive Community Legacy Leadership Award from Majestic Mountain Ministries for their service to the community. 

Congratulations to our NCSD team, and thank you for all that you do! Read more here.

Number 8

NCStar Virtual PD Series Winter 2022

DPI's District and Regional Support Team is excited to announce their Winter 2022 School Improvement Planning & NCStar Professional Development virtual series! There will be four virtual sessions offered between the months of January and February 2022 on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month from 1-4 pm. Depending on your knowledge of NCStar, you may register for an individual session or attend all four sessions. These virtual opportunities will cover all the new resources shared during the Fall 2021 sessions.

To learn more about and register for individual sessions, click here.

Number 7

NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program Grant

The North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program (NCGHSP) is accepting grant applications for communities planning traffic safety programs. The grants will be for federal FY 2023, which is from Oct. 1, 2022-Sept. 30, 2023.

Successful grant applications create programs to address impaired driving, seat belt use, police traffic services, traffic records and safety outreach for young drivers. NCGHSP also has limited funding for safety initiatives involving older drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, distracted drivers, commercial motor vehicles and school buses.

The application will close on January 31. To apply, please first register in the N.C. Department of Transportation Enterprise Business Services Portal and then complete the application in the NCGHSP Grants Portal.

Learn more and find registration links here.

Number 6

Statewide Curriculum Leaders Quarterly Meeting

The next Statewide Curriculum Leaders Quarterly Meeting will be February 3 from 3:45-5:00pm at the NCASCD Conference in Pinehurst. This is open to one curriculum leader per PSU (charters included). There is no cost for this meeting.

If participants would like to participate in the rest of the NCASCD conference, they will need to register for the conference separately. Learn more about the conference here.

Number 5

First Student P-EBT Issuance Scheduled for Next Week, Child Care P-EBT Still Pending Federal Approval

"The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced it will issue the first round of Student Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer benefits next week for students eligible between the months of September and November 2021.

North Carolina is still awaiting federal approval for Child Care P-EBT (formerly “Children Under 6”) and cannot issue benefits to this group until U.S. Department of Agriculture approval is received."

Read the full release here and learn about P-EBT eligibility and issuance. 

Number 4

TeachNC Initiative Attracts More than 2,000 Aspiring Teachers

"Two years after its launch, the teacher recruitment initiative TeachNC reports that it has significantly exceeded its second-year goals, with more than 1,400 aspiring teachers applying to an educator preparation program in 2021, following over 600 applying during its first year."

Read the full release here.

Number 3

NCCAT Upcoming Free Professional Development Opportunities

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) provides free professional development to NC educators in residential, online, virtual, school, and regional settings. NCCAT's professional learning is designed to help participants gain knowledge and skills to support student learning. Make plans today to join for timely, research-based professional development!

Spring registration is open now. Click here for more information.

Number 2

2022 NC Jr. Chef Competition Applications Now Open

NCDPI is excited to host the 5th NC Jr. Chef Competition with NCDA&CS, the Farm to School Coalition of NC and NC FCCLA! Over the years 28 recipes were created, 80 Jr. Chefs have competed, 32 educators have coached, 14 school districts have participated and $691,000 in scholarships have been offered.

Teams of 2-4 high school students are encouraged to work with their Family and Consumer Sciences teachers and local School Nutrition Program to create a school lunch entrée recipe featuring North Carolina grown ingredients for the 2022 NC Jr. Chef Competition.

Student members of the top three teams win scholarships to attend Sullivan University. The first-place team advances to the Southeast Jr. Chef Competition.

Team applications with recipes are due January 26. Learn more here.

Number 1

Happy New Year from Superintendent Truitt

"I’m not sure anyone anticipates beginning their journey as state superintendent of K-12 public schools in the midst of a pandemic (and at a point in time when there are no students physically in schools!) but this was the starting point for us one year ago. In January 2021, there were many hurdles to overcome and unexpected bridges to cross, but I think about how far we have come since then, and I am filled with gratitude and hope."

Read the full letter here, and watch Superintendent Truitt's New Years message here.