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The Department of Public Instruction and all agency staff have new phone numbers, and starting today, previous phone numbers for individual staff members are being deactivated.
North Carolina students and their families should be recognized for their remarkable resilience and perseverance throughout this pandemic, and the UNC System and NCDPI understand the unique challenges ahead.
Tuesday May 5, 2020 is Teacher and School Staff Appreciation Day, and NC Public Schools are asking people to show their appreciation statewide in a special way. Among many other options, families can display lights in windows, on porches or in their yards to acknowledge their appreciation for teachers and staff. Beginning at 8:20 pm on Tuesday, families are asked to shine the light for 20 minutes.
Some North Carolina high school seniors are going to have an unforgettable graduation this spring. State and Cabarrus County school officials, along with the Charlotte Motor Speedway, have announced plans to hold several graduation ceremonies for the Cabarrus County Class of 2020 at the speedway. The events will allow students to participate in an in-car graduation ceremony. Students will receive their diplomas at the start /finish line on the track. State Superintendent Mark Johnson made the announcement today.
North Carolina is home to a large population of active duty, guard, reserve, and veteran armed services members, and the state’s public schools reflect that. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has launched the Purple Star Award Designation initiative this school year to recognize the state’s strong military presence and its support for military families. The Purple Star designation is awarded to schools that demonstrate military-friendly practices and a commitment to military students and families.
The N.C. State Board of Education took additional steps today in response to the state’s continuing efforts to stem the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 has necessitated innovation. Educators throughout North Carolina, without hesitation, are answering this call. It is with great admiration that we express appreciation for district and school leaders for providing vision and direction, teachers for serving as education’s first responders by maintaining critical connections while nurturing students’ social and emotional well-being. Countless child nutrition, transportation, and other support staff are ensuring our most vulnerable students continue to receive nutrition meals.
Responding to continuing challenges caused by the COVID-19 school closure, the State Board of Education today approved measures addressing student grading for the remainder of the school year, incomplete teacher evaluations and $380 million in additional emergency funding from the state.
Schools in the Wake and Cumberland county public school districts are among 39 schools nationwide named today as U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools for their efforts to reduce environmental impact, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education.
The North Carolina State Board of Education voted today to ask the N.C. General Assembly to waive certain state accountability requirements for the current academic year because of statewide school closures ordered last month to slow the spread of COVID-19.