February 2016 news bulletin final

NCAE

NEWS BULLETIN February

2016

NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS

Volume 46, No. 6

Members, Local Affiliates, Regions...Get in the Game for a Chance to Win CASH Prizes Recruitment

Make the

If you, your local affiliate or region could use funding for various activities and programs, then look no further! Through March 11, members, local affiliates, and regions that participate in the Membership Challenge/Switch Campaign will be entered into a drawing for cash prizes.

This is how the competitions work: ü Switch Competition -- Members who “switch” to eDues by March 11 will have their names entered into a drawing for cash prizes – first-place prize of $450 and two (2) second-place prizes of $200. Local affiliates that have switched all of their payroll deduction members will also be placed in a drawing for $500. ü Competition Between Local Affiliates -- The challenge is based on a local’s size. Small to medium locals (100-300 members) will need to sign up at least five new members before Convention; large locals (305+ members) will need to sign up at least 15 new members. Each additional five new members will put locals in the drawing again. The drawings for $500 in cash will take place at Convention, where the winning locals will be recognized. ü Competition Between Regions -- Regions with the highest percentage of new members and the highest percentage of switched members will be entered into a drawing for a cash prize to use for a regional event. In addition, that region will be the recipient of the NCAE 2.0 Engagement Banner for the year.

to e-Dues! The process is easy and simple. Click to hear from three colleagues on why signing up is so important.

February is “Show Your Love for NCAE” Month -- switch or sign up a new member!

2

NCAE

News Bulletin

February 2016

Let’s Give Standard 6 the Boot: Sever the Testing Strings from the Teacher Evaluation Apron!

With the passing of the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), more accountability will be placed on states with less interference from the federal government. Although not perfect, it’s a step in the right direction. One significant change Mark Jewell in ESSA is that testing will no Vice President longer be tied to the teacher evaluation. Now it’s time we move forward with that idea here in North Carolina.

There have been discussions by the State Board of Education to remove Standard 6 from the teacher evaluation, a plan that NCAE has been advocating for the past several years. NCAE members and leaders were instrumental in helping to write the standards as well as a more developmental, authentic evaluation process. But, after the standards were developed, along came Race to the Top, which tied student outcomes to money. Here in North Carolina, an authentic evaluation model was turned into a high-stakes testing instrument and Standard 6 was implemented.

Along with Standard 6 came a glaring focus on student growth using Value Added Measures. All of the authentic work that teachers were doing and the growth measures along the continuum of educational performance was disregarded.

Growth has its purpose but it should not be tied to the teacher

evaluation. It would be better served for diagnostic purposes.

If the State Board of Education makes the decision to remove Standard 6, it will be a huge victory for our students. It’s time for the pendulum to swing away from this testing craze, which does nothing to develop our children’s critical thinking skills and deep order understanding. Instead, it’s causing them to suffer from stress and anxiety, it’s killing their love of learning, and it’s affecting their overall performance in school.

As educators and members of NCAE, you need to be completely immersed in the conversation about the elimination of Standard 6. To date, parents have been the loudest critics in what many refer to as “toxic testing.” Raise your voices in concern; they, along with the voices of parents, have the most impact. Reach out to your local school boards and members of the State Board of Education, political appointees who represent you and the citizens in your community. Invite community leaders to your schools to see how nurturing and supportive they are.

Let’s continue to sound the alarm! High-stakes testing follows a corporate business model that focuses on numbers.

Anyone who works with children knows that they don’t learn this way; educators are not in the business of producing widgets that come off of a conveyor belt! The pressure of testing has gone overboard and we have to continue to push a system of open-ended, experiential and evidence-based learning where students can be creative – now that’s authentic!

Oral Arguments to Be Heard on NCAE’s Career Status Case

Witnessing Education History!

On December 10, NCAE member Sabrina Peacock (second from left on first row), a third-grade math teacher from Guilford County, witnessed history. She was at the White House to watch President Obama sign into law the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the new federal education law that is replacing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly referred to as No Child Left Behind. “This was a collective effort involving educators, parents, and entire communities – all coming together for our kids. With this legislation, what we are doing for one we are doing for all students. It’s great to see that our voice does make a difference.”

NCAE has fought successfully in the state courts against legislative attempts to eliminate due process protections for the state’s teachers who had career status as of 2013. The state has appealed to the N.C. Supreme Court, which will hear oral arguments from both sides on February 15 at 9:30 a.m. Click here to see NCAE’s brief in the case.

Other briefs in the case can be viewed here. NCAE will keep members updated on the progress of the case.

News Bulletin

February 2016

NCAE

3

Student-Run Food Pantry Helps Curb Hunger Among Their Own Students at Washington High School in Beaufort County are being fed more than knowledge. For those who need it, a student-run food pantry provides nourishment to ensure that classmates don’t go hungry.

What began as a spring project last year for the Student Government Association has turned into a resource where students can go and take what they need. “Approximately 60-70 percent of our 1,100 students receive free/reduced lunch and breakfast,” said NCAE member Laura Thompson, the food pantry supervisor and faculty advisor for the SGA. “To help eliminate any barriers for students using the service, news of this resource is only shared via word of mouth.”

In addition to food, students also have access to personal hygiene items, school supplies, and clothes.

Thompson said once the SGA received approval for the program, students held a school-wide food drive to stock the pantry. Also, a local church donated goods from a food drive that was held among the congregation. School clubs that hold fund raisers or food drives donate a portion to the food pantry to help keep it well stocked with “teen-friendly” items such as cereal, Pop Tarts, soups and ramen noodles, just to name a few.

“Studies have shown that students learn better when their basic needs are met. Students and their families who have been assisted by the food pantry learn that Washington High School and their peers care about them as people. It helps to reinforce to our students that education is about the whole person and not just test scores, etc.”

The program is still being beta tested, Thompson said. “The SGA officially launched the pantry at the beginning of the 2015 school year. Our goal is to test the efficacy and sustainability of

Washington High School guidance counselor Jennifer Beach (foreground) and Student Body President Madison Gerard check the food pantry’s inventory.

Teacher Laura Thompson (right) who serves as the food pantry project supervisor said part of educating students is nourishing their bodies as well as their minds.

the program to determine what our next steps will be.

“This program, which has provided an outlet for our students who are service-oriented, is working well. I think it speaks volumes about the type of students we have here at Washington High School.”

Ready to Read? Join Us On March 5 to Celebrate Read Across America Day

NCAE, American Asset Corp & Brier Creek Commons Team Up for Literacy Red-and-white stovepipe hats, green eggs and ham, Thing 1 and Thing 2, the infamous 7-foot tall Cat. What do these things remind you of? Read Across America Day – that wonderful day when readers young and old celebrate the joy of reading and the birthday of Dr. Seuss, an American author best known for bringing some of the most beloved characters to life in his children’s books.

This year to honor the importance of literacy, NCAE will join forces with American Asset Corporation to host an event at Brier Creek Commons in Raleigh on Saturday, March 5, from 10 a.m. – Noon. American Asset Corporation is the owner of Brier Creek as well as Brierdale Shopping Center.

A host of activities will be available for children – everything from special displays, to book readings by some very special guests, to a live appearance by that mischievous feline the Cat in the Hat! The event, sponsored by American Asset Corporation and Brier Creek Commons, will be held at the Brier Creek Commons Clock Tower, Brier Creek Parkway off of Highway 70. Check out the NCAE Facebook page for more information as the date draws near.

The official day for Read Across America is Wednesday, March 2. Now in its 18th year, this signature NEA program helps motivate children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources.

4

NCAE

News Bulletin

February 2016

SNCAE Member Adds His Name to the Roster of Black Males with a Desire to Teach Torrance Jones is a minority who falls visible to them,” Jones said. “It’s within a minority category. He’s African American, he’s young, and he’s studying important that they to become a teacher -- a field that is hard see adults who look pressed to attract males, especially those like them who are excelling in other of color, into the fold. fields. I believe But Jones, who wants to teach a selfhaving more contained emotional and behavioral African-American needs class at the elementary level, is males in the choosing a career in public education classroom will connect with students and because children inspire him to be a inspire them to achieve academically.” better person and to strive for and Jones realized his calling after working achieve new goals. as a teacher assistant for two years. Many For some of the students that Jones of the students he worked with were will teach after graduating from UNCWilmington, he may be the only African- African-American males who needed support from an African-American male.

American male teacher they see during After the first year he told himself, “This their pre-K through 12 years. According is it! This is what I love. This is what our to a 2014 report by the NEA Center for kids need. This is how I play my part in Great Public Schools, “Time for a helping our children Change: Diversity in be productive Teaching Revisited,” a North Carolina Stats citizens.” mere 18 percent of the Seeing the joy on pre-K through 12 Of the 94,566 teachers in North a child’s face when teaching corps are Carolina, 13,246 or 14 percent are he conquers a math people of color, given African American 191,529 or 13.2 percent of the problem, a student the significant increase 1,446,936 public school students are tying her shoe for in pre-K through 12 African-American males the first time, or students of color. The going on a field trip report also included (2014-15 reports from the Department to a place a child information from the of Public Instruction on full-time public never thought was U.S. Department of school personnel and pupils by race) possible is what Education (Office of excites Jones about Postsecondary being an educator. He knows that he will Education) sighting that in 2009-10, the never get rich doing this work; he just number of African Americans who enrolled in teacher preparation programs hopes the kids he works with will appreciate him enough that he can be was 62,358 or 8.6 percent, compared to around for years to come.

495,981 whites or 68.1 percent.

“There is no greater accomplishment in Although not the most important factor in the teacher/student relationship, Jones life than helping someone else be successful, especially children,” said feels that it’s important for students to Jones, who if he had an opportunity to see and form relationships with speak to a group of young men about his educators who look like them. And from career choice would add, “Through what the statistics show, Africaneducation we build a better society for American male students don’t have many African-American male teachers to all. Being an educator is much more than teaching academics; it’s about bringing to which they can relate. “Africanlife a child who may have nothing. It’s American male students often only being that ray of hope for someone else.” associate idols as athletes or entertainers because those are people that are most

EDUCATORS I’ve Got Your

6

Not too long ago, I saw a post on Social Media where a mom and her young son made cards for police officers thanking them for all they do and letting them know “We’ve Got Your Six.” That really touched me. More often than not, we do not notice the sacrifices others make to be of service to us. As a mother of two beautiful girls, it is important that I protect and educate them in the best way possible. But I have to admit, I have sometimes neglected( to recognize the sacrifices and struggles the people in my children’s life must face. That stops now.

To my child’s kindergarten teacher and to teachers everywhere: I know my daughter is the most loving, caring little person there is. I also know my daughter is 5 years old and has the tendency to be dramatic, challenging, demanding, and emotional. I see the hard work you have put into my child and I thank you. As a mother, it is important to me to have someone in my children’s life that will invest in them as I would. I know you have long nights planning lessons, and often give up the fun things you would like to do because teachers work 24/7.

I thank you. I thank you for guiding my child to appropriate behavior when she was totally and completely wrong, and showing her a better way of responding to that little boy who told her she was ugly. I thank you for working tirelessly with my child when she acts like she doesn’t know how to read her sight words because she wants to play. I thank you for handling her emotional (See Parent on page 5)

News Bulletin

February 2016

NCAE

5

Gearing Up for the 2016 Election...Things to Know Moving Forward Voting in 2016 is going to be more important than ever! A lot is at stake, especially as it relates to public education, our students, and our public schools. March 15 marks the date for the Primary Election here in North Carolina. As you begin thinking about this democratic process, here are a few tips to help you fully participate as a public employee.

1. Use Your Personal Time – You can be politically active on personal time.

2. It’s Your Choice – You’re free to get involved in political campaigns, but you cannot be compelled to be involved.

3. Don’t Use Public Resources – You should never use public resources for political activity. You should only use your personal computer, personal e-mail address or home/cell phone.

4. Be An Informed Citizen – When you become active with a political committee, candidate or ballot issue, you should make it clear that your activity is being performed because you’re an informed and interested citizen and not in any official capacity.

5. Be Heard (or Read) – You can send a letter to the editor, write a guest editorial or post in social media forums discussing personal opinions on a political issue.

6. Meet With Elected Officials – You are free to attend meetings, coffees, social events, etc. with your elected representatives to express your personal opinions on various issues.

7. Your Opinion is Your Opinion – Any time you are engaged in any type of political activity, you need to make it clear that

any opinions expressed are personal and you are not speaking on behalf of a local education association, school, school district or any other organization.

If you have any questions, please contact the NCAE Advocacy Center at 855-275-6223.

Important Upcoming Election Dates February 19 -- Voter registration ends for Primary Election March 3 -- Early Voting begins for Primary Election March 12 -- Early Voting ends for Primary Election March 15 -- Primary Election Day September 9 -- Absentee Voting begins for General Election October 14 -- Voter registration ends for General Election October 27 -- Early Voting begins for General Election November 5 -- Early Voting ends for General Election November 8 -- General Election Day For more information, visit http://elections.mytimetovote.com/ dates/north_carolina.html.

REMINDER: In order to vote in the 2016 Primary and General Elections, most voters will need to show a proper form of identification. Visit the North Carolina Board of Elections Web site to ensure that what you have is acceptable.

Parent Expresses Her Thanks, Support to Teachers for Educating Her Daughters (Continued from page 4)

breakdown when her favorite folder broke and the diligence you practiced meticulously putting it back together, because of course, it is her favorite. Most importantly, I thank you for teaching her. For helping reinforce using her imagination to see all the possibilities around her.

As a working mother, I have a harsh realization that you have my child more than I do. It is for that reason I support you. I support and stand with you through the long hours of lesson planning, through the winters when you have to play both teacher and nurse because EVERY child in your class has some weird cold/flu/stomach bug that is continuously being passed along. I support and stand with you through all of the professional development courses you need to take each year, and through the ridiculous standards placed on you by our state. I stand with you because I know how much you get paid, and I know that it’s not nearly enough to make ends meet, yet you come every day with a smile on your face. I stand with you because you are the first line of defense at my child’s school, whether good, bad or indifferent.

Please know that I thank you for everything and I’ve got your six!

NOTE: “I’ve Got Your Six” basically means “I’ve Got Your Back.” It comes from the old pilot system in which directions correspond to hours on the clock, where 12 o’clock is forward and 6 o’clock is behind. Thus anyone behind you is “at your six.”

Submitted by a parent with two daughters who attend Johnston County Public Schools.

6

NCAE

News Bulletin

February 2016

PROUD MOMENTS Hoke Co. Member Nets 2016 Superintendent of the Year Award Dr. Freddie Williamson, superintendent of Hoke County Schools, has been named the state’s 2016 A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year. He will compete at the national level for superintendent of the year at the American Association of Schools Administrators’ National Conference on Education this month in Phoenix, Arizona.

“This represents the work and service of the Hoke County Schools family,” Williamson said. “I am proud of the work we are doing to have our students college and career ready. I will continue to champion the cause of public education as the great equalizer for all students as I believe it to be.”

An educator for more than 30 years, Williamson received $5,000, which he will award to Hoke County seniors this spring in the form of five $1,000 scholarships in memory of his grandparents and his parents. He has served as the county’s superintendent for the past nine years.

4 Members Recognized for Math, Science Teaching Excellence Congratulations to Lauren Baucom (Union County), Ronda Champion (Cleveland County), Amanda Clapp (Jackson County), and Sara Vaughn (Guilford County) for being selected 2015 winners of Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Baucom and Vaughn received awards for excellence in mathematics and Champion and Clapp received awards for excellence in science.

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for K-12 mathematics and Lauren Baucom Ronda Champion Amanda Clapp Sara Vaughn science. These awards recognize those teachers who develop and implement a high-quality instructional program that is informed by content knowledge and enhances student learning.

Each of the recipients received a certificate signed by President Barack Obama, a paid trip for two to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities, a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation, and an opportunity to build lasting partnerships with colleagues across the nation.

NEA Foundation Funds Teachers’ Home Visit Project Erin Simons and Lauren Konicki, members at Vaughan Elementary School in Warren County, are the recipients of a $5,000 Student Achievement Grant from the NEA Foundation for their Parent Teacher Home Visit Project. The project serves as a model of family engagement that strives to increase trust and support among staff, students, and families.

“We both firmly believe in the power of positive relationships,” said Simons. “Our teaching responsibilities extend further than our classroom walls; in order to help our children reach their fullest potential, we believe it is imperative to foster strong personal connections with them and their families. We find our students more invested in the classroom if they know teachers are willing to take the time to know them outside of school.”

Funds helped pay for the training and reimburse teachers for their home visits.

News Bulletin

February 2016

NCAE

16 Books Educators Should Consider Reading in 2016

BLACK

7 HISTORY

MONTH

If you have time in your busy days ahead in 2016, consider reading some of the following books because according to Peter Dewitt, a blogger for Education Week, they are worth the time it takes to read them. DeWitt promises that information contained in the pages of these bound pieces will inspire educators to think differently!

• Visible Learning Into Action (John Hattie, Deb Masters & Kate Birch) • Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education (Sir Ken Robinson & Lou Aronica) • Better Conversations: Coaching Ourselves and Each Other to Be More Credible, Caring, and Connected (Jim Knight) • Uncommon Learning: Creating Schools That Work for Kids (Eric Sheninger) • Engage Every Family: 5 Simple Principles (Steve Constantino) • The Tech-Savy Administrator: How Do I Use Technology to Be a Better School Leader (Steven Anderson) • Coherence: The Right Drivers in Action for Schools, Districts, and Systems (Michael Fullan & JoAnne Quinn) • The Power of Questioning: Opening Up the World of Student Inquiry (Starr Sackstein) • The Innovator’s Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity (George Couros) • Evaluating Instructional Leadership: Recognized Practices for Success (Ray Smith and Julie Smith) • What Connected Educators Do Differently (Todd Whitaker, Jeffrey Zoul, and Jimmy Casas) • Hard Conversations Unpacked: The Whos, the Whens, and the What-Ifs (Jennifer Abrams) • Leading Collaborative Learning: Empowering Excellence (Lyn Sharratt and Beate Planche) • Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era (Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith) • Rethinking Multicultural Education (Edited by Wayne Au) • The STEM Shift: A Guide for School Leaders (Ann Myers and Jill Berkowicz) Click here for more information.

Healthy School Resources • Healthy Schools http://www.nchealthyschools.org/ • School Health Advisory Council tips http:// www.nchealthyschools.org/advisorycouncil/ • Center for Disease Control and Prevention http:// www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm

Integrating African-American Culture and History Into Your Curriculum February. Not only is it the month to recognize our affection for others, but it’s also the month that we celebrate and honor the contributions of African Americans who helped, and still help, shape the world we live in. If you’re looking to integrate Black History Month into your classroom, a selection of resources covering a variety of subjects and topics can be found on the NEA Web site.

Lesson plans, activities, and resources on topics such as African-American scientists, inventors, musicians, poets, athletes, etc., are available for grades K-12. There are also printable resources, as well as audio clips and videos.

To take advantage of these resources, visit http:// www.nea.org/tools/lessons/black-history-month.htm.

What happens if you miss a day or so this winter because of inclement weather? Do teachers and other certified staff have to make up lost work hours due to snow or ice? How about classified workers? Questions about weather days, and other issues, can be answered by members of the NCAE Advocacy Center team. Visit www.askncae.org or call 1-855-ASK-NCAE.

NCAE

8

News Bulletin

DEALS

2016

for NEA Members Click and Save “Buy Lights” for February Remember your loved ones this Valentine’s Day! NEA Click & Save, the online discount buying service for NEA members, highlights select retailers and merchants each month.

Check out these featured “BuyLights” for February.

• Luggage.com – Save on incredible designer luggage pieces from Samsonite, Liz Claiborne, Kenneth Cole, TravelGear, and others.

• Canon – Receive discounts on featured products including cameras, printers and all-in-ones, camcorders, binoculars, copiers, and accessories.

• Charm & Chain – Unparalleled access to the very best and latest trends in fashion jewelry.

• WorldofWatches.com – One of the largest selections of men’s and women’s watches on the Internet, all at guaranteed low prices; plus free shipping on all orders.

• Perfume Worldwide.com – Offers unbeatable prices on fragrances – up to 90 percent lower than other online stores.

• Spa & Wellness Gift Cards – Gift cards accepted at over 8,000 spa and wellness facilities across the U.S.; cards can also be redeemed on www.SpaWeek.com and www.WaySpa.com.

Save $20 on Tax Preparation with H&R Block NEA members get $20 off tax preparation until March 31, 2016, special pricing on software and online programs, and a free Second Look Review. Visit www.hrblock.com/Partner/nea for details (discount coupon contains terms and conditions).

N C A E

N E W S

Dates to Remember February 4th-6th NBC Boot Camp, NCAE Center 6th Take Your Child to the Library Day 12th NEA Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala, Washington, D.C. Lincoln’s Birthday 13th HKonJ People’s Assembly, downtown Raleigh, www.hkoj.com 14th International Book Giving Day Library Lover’s Day League of Women Voters Day National Women’s Heart Day 20th World Day for Social Justice 22nd George Washington’s Birthday National African-American History Month Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month Library Lovers Month

NEA Academy...find what you need, save money, and learn online anytime/ anywhere. For more information, visit www.neaacademy.org.

B U L L E T I N

Follow NCAE events and activities on:

Positions stated in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official position of NCAE unless so identified. The NCAE News Bulletin, a journal of the Association, is published by the North Carolina Association of Educators, 700 S.Salisbury St., Post Office Box Box 27347, Raleigh, NC 27611, 1-800-662-7924. www.ncae.org

Linda Powell-Jones, Editor/Designer

February 2016

iiiiiiiiiiiiii

kkkkkkkkkkkkk kkkkkkkkkkkkk

LLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLL

kkkkkkkkkkkkk kkkkkkkkkkkkk