RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - The new edition of web highlights from the Department of Public Instruction includes a slate from Superintendent June Atkinson, a look at the state equity plan, and research summaries for achievement gap.

Details:
 
1. Dr. Atkinson Salutes Support Staff in her Latest Blog Post
In her most recent blog post, State Superintendent June Atkinson salutes school support staff including bus drivers, janitors, school counselors, school nurses and front office staff, to name a few, who positively impact students outside the classroom. To read more about these caring professionals, as well as earlier blog posts from Dr. Atkinson, please visit  http://www.ncpublicschools.org/statesuperintendent/blog/.

 
2. Chocowinity Primary, North Elementary selected as Title 1 Distinguished Schools
Chocowinity Primary School and North Elementary School have been selected as Title I Distinguished Schools for 2014-15. To learn more about both schools and the Title I Distinguished Schools Recognition Program, please visit  http://www.ncpublicschools.org/program-monitoring/distinguished/.

 
3. Rosslyn Waddell Highlighted in Home Base Teacher Feature
Check out our teacher feature in the Home Base Toolbox – short videos that highlight how teachers are using Home Base’s Instructional Improvement System, SchoolNet, in their daily instruction. To view our video from Wilson County’s Rosslyn Waddell, please visit  http://www.ncpublicschools.org/homebase/. If you’re a classroom teacher with an innovative SchoolNet instructional strategy that you would like to share, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 
4. Publishers’ Questions for Textbook Adoption on the Web
Publishers’ questions regarding the 2015 Invitation to Submit Textbooks for Evaluation and Adoption in North Carolina have posted to the Textbook Adoption website at  http://www.ncpublicschools.org/textbook/publishers/invitation/.

5. State Equity Plan Ensures Teaching Experience Balanced for All Students
A new page has been added to Federal Program Monitoring that provides materials related to the new State Educator Equity Plan at  http://www.ncpublicschools.org/program-monitoring/titleIA/equity-plan/. The U.S. Department of Education requires all state educational agencies to submit a new plan as determined by Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.  The plan must, among other things, describe the steps state educational agencies will take to ensure that “poor and minority children are not taught at higher rates than other children by inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field teachers.”

 6. After School Quality Improvement Grant Recipients on the Web
A list of After-School Quality Improvement Grant Program recipients for 2014-15 is available on the Federal Program Monitoring website at  http://www.ncpublicschools.org/program-monitoring/after-school/. The list includes the name of the organization, or school district, the amount awarded, and more.  

 7. Research Summaries for Achievement Gap in North Carolina Now Online
Summaries of research in the NCDPI online documents for the Achievement Gap in North Carolina have been updated as of Jan. 15.  A statement by State Superintendent June Atkinson and these 400-plus research texts and articles are listed alphabetically, with and without annotated summaries, and are available at  http://www.ncpublicschools.org/aer/achievement-nc/.