Source: https://dcecho.com/news-notes-3/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 00:43:40+00:00

Document:
*May 1 is now an Optional Teacher Workday. If you plan to take off, please submit your paperwork in addition to entering your absence into Smartfind. Thank you.
Instructional Assistants – may report to work, use annual/bonus leave, compe time if available, or take the day without pay. Assistants can also make the time up, with approval, during the week of April 29.
10 Month Secretary – Can report to work, use annual/bonus leave, comp time if available, or take a day without pay. This group may make the time up, with supervisory approval, during the week of April 29.
Other School-Based Non Exempt – (Campus security, BMT, etc.) – This employee group can report to work, use annual/bonus leave, comp time if available, or take a day without pay. This employee group may make the time up, with supervisory approval, during the week of April 29, 2019.
Non-Exempt 11/12-Month School–Based Support Staff and Central Office Staff –This employee group does not follow the school calendar. 05/1/2019 – This employee group can report to work, use annual/bonus leave, comp time if available, or take a day without pay. This employee group may make the time up, with supervisory approval, during the week of April 29, 2019.
10-Month Exempt Instructional Staff 05/1/2019 – This employee group can report to work, use annual/bonus leave, personal leave without a deduction, or use a flex certificate if available (may use up to two flex certificates per year). The employee may choose to take the day without pay.
11 and 12 Month Exempt Instructional Administrative Staff/Central Office Staff 05/1/2019 – Employees will report to work or choose to use annual leave or bonus leave. The employee may choose to take the day without pay.
Employees who choose not to come to work should report the day as either a Code 20 (annual leave, Code 06 or 26 (personal leave no deduction taken as students are not in attendance), Code 29 (bonus annual leave), or Code 99 (comp time, if applicable). For teachers who have already requested a personal day and have secured a sub, HR will be removing the sub from your record in SmartFind Express. In addition, you do not have to do anything if you still want to use a personal leave day, but for any other absence code you will need to update your absence. Schools must report the employee’s absence in SmartFind Express. Non-exempt personnel (excluding transportation) should record their absences in Lawson Time Entry. Transportation should use their regular method to enter absences.
Most non-exempt (hourly) employees will be working less than their regularly scheduled work week the week of April 29, 2019. If the employee works or chooses annual/bonus leave or comp time if available, please code the time appropriately. Employees also have the option to make up the time missed during this week, with supervisory approval.
Summative Evaluation Conferences are this week for staff members on the Full Cycle of Evaluations.
Basketball Club resumes April 9 -23 – after school on Tuesdays only.
*Volunteer Appreciation Week– Don’t forget the items your grade level agreed to bring.
The EC Department’s final Staff Round Table of the year will be on Tuesday, April 9th from 4:00PM-5:00PM at East Mecklenburg High School. The topic will be “Integrating Technology into Instruction”. The EC Department is looking forward to bringing EC staff and administrators together to collaborate and share strategies. Please consider joining them!
National Library Week falls from April 8-12 this year – the week before Spring Break!
In honor of National Library Week and in an effort to reinforce valuable tools for students immediately before Spring Break, we are doing a full-district ONE Access push. Through ONE Access, our partnership with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, every student has access to valuable resources such as 10 free tutoring sessions on Tutor.com every week, tons of freeebooks for all ages, and research platforms relevant to Kindergarten through AP classes. The library contact at your school has been receiving resources and coaching in preparation for ensuring your students are empowered to use these and many other tools. Our hope is thataccess to these tools will not only help our students to be more successful in their learning during the school year, but will also keep them going over spring break and summer in order to maximize reading and learning outside of formal school hours.
The switch over to AC in CMS begins around 4/15. Once we covert to A/C there will be no more heat because of the type of system we have in our school.
Tell them how much you appreciate all that they do to make our meals daily.
Bring in a card! Homemade cards are the best.
Generic voicemail boxes, such as school or department main lines, do not have this ability. If an employee is having trouble accessing any of these new features, please have them enter a Cherwell ticket.
*Next year we will all be accessing voicemail for use with our stakeholders. This is a great opportunity to set it up and retrieve messages easily.
The CMS Advanced Studies Department has partnered with Queen’s University and the University of North Carolina Charlotte to provide opportunities for cohorts of CMS teachers to earn their Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) License. On March 18, 2019, we are hosting an interest meeting for teachers who would like to find out more about earning their Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) License through one of our partner programs. As a part of the partnerships, teachers who are accepted into the AIG Licensure Cohort Programs will not be responsible for the tuition for their courses. Please share this information with teachers using the flyer linked below. Interested teachers should RSVP for the interest meeting using the link below.
March 29, 2019 – David Cox Family Dance – 6-8PM – David Cox Gym!
Get ready! The North East Learning Community is kicking off the 2019 5K R.A.C.E.
The race is a charity run/walk fundraiser designed to support students, teachers, and families of the Northwest and Northeast Learning Communities. The event includes a Kid’s Fun Run and a 5K. Registered adult participants will receive t-shirts while supplies last. Students are encouraged to show their spirit by wearing their school gear. The race will be officially timed and prizes will be awarded for top finishers in each category, 1) the best male and 2) female, and 3) registered participants 12 and under.
*Fee includes race registration, chip fee and t-shirts for adult participants only. Additional online service fee will apply.
70% of funds outside of operational cost will be used for school grants and 30% will be allocated to the NLC Critical Needs fund.
On Thursday, March 14 from 5-7:30pm, Jason’s Deli locations, at the addresses below, will donate 15% of their proceeds in support of the race. As part of the fundraising competition, schools will receive points for their number of attendees, which will go toward the overall competition.
Adherence to North Carolina law and Board policies ensures compliance with your legal duty to report cases of suspected child abuse, neglect, or dependency to the Department of Social Services (“DSS”). Here are steps to follow when you suspect that a child has been abused, neglected, or is dependent.
Review State Law and Board Policy.
N.C.G.S. § 7B-301. Duty to report abuse, neglect, dependency.
N.C.G.S. § 115C-400. School personnel to report child abuse.
Board Policy JLF. Reporting Child Abuse, Neglect and Dependency/Child Protection.
Board Regulation JLF-R. Reporting Child Abuse, Neglect and Dependency/Child Protection.
Report Cases to DSS and the School Principal.
Abuse. A child is abused if s/he is a victim of human trafficking; or if the child’s parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker2 inflicts or allows someone else to inflict serious physical injury on the child by other than accidental means; or the child’s parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker uses or allows someone else to use cruel procedures or devices to discipline the child; or the child’s parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker sexually or emotionally abuses or allows someone else to sexually or emotionally abuse the child; or if the parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker approves, encourages, or directs the child to participate in delinquent acts. N.C.G.S. § 7B-101(1).
Neglect. A child is neglected if s/he is a victim of human trafficking; or if the child’s parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker does not provide proper care, supervision, or discipline; or the child has been abandoned; or the child is not provided necessary medical care or remedial care; or the child lives in an environment injurious to his/her welfare; or the child’s custody has been unlawfully transferred; or the child has been placed for care or adoption in violation of law. N.C.G.S. § 7B-101(15).
Dependency. A child is dependent if s/he has no parent, guardian, or custodian responsible for his/her care or supervision; or the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian is unable to care for the child and lacks an appropriate child care arrangement. N.C.G.S. § 7B-101(9).
Board regulations also require employees to report “all acts alleged to have been committed by any adult against a child that would constitute abuse, neglect or dependency if they were perpetrated by a child’s parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker.” Board Regulations JLF-R and KLG-R.
Cases must be reported when you have “cause to suspect” that a child has been abused, neglected, or dependent.
A good faith belief that the child is being abused, neglected, or is dependent.
State law requires cases of abuse, neglect or dependency to be reported to the director of the department of social services in the county where the juvenile resides or is found. N.C.G.S. 7B-301(a).
Board regulation requires employees to make the reports to the director of the department of social services and to the school principal within twenty-four (24) hours of the time the employee becomes aware of or suspects that a child has been abused or neglected or is dependent. Board Regulation JLF-R.
The report may be made in person, by telephone, or in writing.
Cooperate with the DSS investigation.
As part of the investigation, DSS is entitled to any information or reports that may be relevant to the case, even if the information is confidential. N.C.G.S. § 7B-302(e).
If you receive a written demand from DSS for information, you must cooperate and provide access to and copies of any requested information and records.
If you report a case of suspected child abuse, neglect, or dependency; or cooperate with a DSS investigation; or testify in any judicial proceeding resulting from a DSS investigation, you are immune from civil or criminal liability, as long you were acting in good faith. N.C.G.S. § 7B-309.
Information regarding suspected cases of abuse, neglect, or dependency is confidential.
Board regulation limits disclosure to other CMS employees only when necessary for the best interest of the student. Board Regulation JLF-R.
Board regulation prohibits discussion with non-CMS personnel, except as required by law. Board Regulation JLF-R.
Improper disclosures may not be protected by immunity.
be offered to participants with a passing score.
When we return from Winter Break, we will begin starting TRC testing. Our schedule for testing only works when everyone involved is in attendance. For this reason, I am offering the following incentive that only works if we ALL participate.
If we have 100% staff attendance on January 8, 11, 16, 17, 18, we will have NO staff meetings during the month of February and will wear spirit wear and blue jeans during the week of January 28-February 1. NO exceptions. We must have 100% attendance on all of the testing days identified in order to meet the challenge. Get rested over Winter Break and get ready to be on our best when we return!
*It is very important that the office know where your classes are at all times. If you are off schedule for any reason, please notify the office. It is a scary feeling when a parent comes to pick up their child and we cannot find you.
*It is also important that radios be taken to the playground at recess when classes are outside.
The Kenan fellowship begins with a summer internship in a higher education laboratory or local industry setting and is supported by 80 hours of professional development that focuses on instructional leadership, elevating teacher voice, strengthening ties between the school and the local community, peer coaching and mentoring, and growing professional learning networks that extend beyond the school and local district.
Each Fellow is awarded at least a $5,000 stipend and must develop and implement relevant educational materials and/or programs based on their internship experience. Fellows remain in the classroom while completing the year-long fellowship.
Want to learn more? Join us for a 2019-20 application information session from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. To join the session, follow this link and download Zoom.
Please feel free to contact us at kenanfellows@ncsu.edu should you have questions.
David Cox recently held it’s 2018 Spelling Bee. The winner for David Cox is Anton Smith! (5th Grade) The runner up was Journie Ardrey (4th Grade) Congratulations to these two amazing students!
PLEASE DO NOT accept medication from families if the nurse is not here. The nurse is the only person authorized to accept medication and determine if all requirements are met for Medication Administration at school. Please be sure to tell your parents this if they try to give medication to you for passing on to the nurse. Thank you.
Heat will be turned on the week of November 15. It is a 5 hour process and many schools have to be switched over. We know it will be that week. If your team would like to have it sooner, I need to know by Friday 11/19/2018 at close of business. I would need to hear from every grade chair by Friday to determine whether or not to attempt an early request. Thank you.
FYI: EVAAS Data Release – November 16, 2018 at 12:01 A.M.
As you are aware, Teacher-level Educator Value Added Assessment System (EVAAS) ratings have been delayed.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) extended their apology for the delay and have decided to forego the usual “phased” release of the EVAAS data. The state’s EVAAS portal will be fully updated on November 16, at 12:01 a.m. and access will be granted to district and school administrators and teachers at this time.
I wanted to take a moment and thank each of you for your feedback and support of our SIP. We have unanimous approval with our school stakeholders and zone. We have not submitted our draft to the Board of Education for approval. We will be notified when the Board has voted and the plan made final. Thanks again and I look forward to our work together.
**Please share these dates with your families for attendance throughout the school year.
As a reminder, the members of the School Leadership Team are listed below.
Thanks for all you do and I look forward to a great year working through our SIP.
Open enrollment for 2019 benefits is scheduled for Sept. 29 through Oct. 31, 2018. This is the period each year where you can make changes to your benefits, including changing plans and adding or dropping coverage. It is important that you participate in open enrollment this year.
The State Health Plan is moving all enrolled employees, including newly hired employees, to the 70/30 plan effective Jan. 1, 2019. You must take action to enroll in the 80/20 plan.
Members must complete the tobacco attestation to receive a premium credit and reduce the cost of coverage for both plans.
Members enrolling in the 70/30 plan or the 80/20 plan will have a higher premium cost unless the tobacco attestation is completed.
Primary care provider (PCP) premium credit is no longer available for you and for your dependents for the 80/20 plan.
Office visit copayments will still be less at the time of service by naming your PCP.
Wellness premium credit cannot be awarded after the open enrollment period.
Annual maximum is increasing to $2,650.
Account must be re-elected during open enrollment for 2019 coverage.
As you prepare to select your 2019 benefits, consider the needs of you and your family for the entire year. To assist you with your decisions, refer to the 2019 CMS Employee Benefit Guide which summarizes all of the benefit plans offered to you as a CMS employee, including supplemental benefits and changes for 2019. You may also visit our benefit website at: www.mybensite.com/cmsk12.
To schedule an appointment with a benefits counselor, please call 866-998-2915 or go to www.myenrollmentschedule.com/CMS.
Please be sure to maintain a copy of your enrollment confirmation for your records. If you have any questions, please contact benefits at 980-343-1754.
All students must receive instruction on the above topics, unless a parent/guardian completes an opt-out form, with documentation provided to OCR via retention of opt-out forms at the school level. A training for staff on the mandate and lesson content is available in Canvas. All licensed staff are required to access and complete the Canvas module, which should take about 10 – 15 minutes.
 K-8 families have 5 days from receipt to return completed opt-out form.
 9-12 families have 3 days from receipt to return completed opt-out form.
• Parent Link for Lessons: Parents may review lessons at http://bit.ly/2vXhMta. Please feel free to add this link to your school website as well.
• Five Days from Sending Out: Completed opt-out forms due back to school.
• By Sept. 28, 2018: All students must receive instruction on the above topics unless a parent/guardian returns the completed opt-out form.
As mandated by the North Carolina School Violence Prevention Act, CMS has adopted and rolled out a district- wide anonymous bullying reporting platform. To access the platform users can click on the logo (see below) which is located on the main CMS landing webpage and each individual school’s webpage. Any community member, family, school employee, or student can report a bullying concern and have the option of doing so anonymously. The platform has the ability to be converted into over 25 native languages and convert languages back-and-forth based on the user preference.
All concerns will be triaged in Student Services where supports and resources will be assembled before distributing to the school’s contact. Each school’s bullying prevention administrator will be trained on the platform by early October. Prior to training, John Concelman the districts Bullying Prevention Specialist, will assist any school through the platform’s unique case management system. The simplistic step-by-step process guides the schools each step of the way providing consistency in CMS handling of bullying incidents.
We have a few final updates and reminders to help you prepare for summer and the next school year. Please forward this email to all K-5 teachers.
There are six (6) new self-paced courses which introduce you to the revised math standards at each grade level. Courses go live in MyTalent on June 13.
NCDPI has posted revised Unpacking Documents to its wiki site to support the new 2017 Math NCSCOS. Click here to access the K-5 Unpacking Documents then scroll to the bottom of the page. Note– Content on the state math wiki site will be moving soon. See K-12 math updates from NCDPI below.
Click here for drafts of the 2018-19 elementary math pacing calendars (enVision scope and sequence). Quarter 1 curriculum planning guides and assessments will be posted in the Math Rocks Canvas course on June 30.
Click here for the latest K-12 math updates from NCDPI.
Click here for an upcoming webinar regarding a STEM-eriffic way to prevent summer learning loss as well as webinars on coding and robotics. *CE certificates will be provided. Webinars are hosted by edWeb.net.
August Learning Symposium (Curriculum Days)- For more information, copy and paste the bit.ly link below in your URL browser.
Our sincere gratitude to CMS teachers for your time, dedication, and support for our students. It is an honor to assist you throughout the year. Enjoy your break and build in time for rest and relaxation. Have fun and a GREAT summer!
Visit www.cmshpe.com to access numerous physical activity, physical education, and health education resources. Additionally, check the website homepage for summer learning opportunities and 2018-2019 back to school training information.
Follow us on Facebook at CMSHPE and Twitter @CMSHPE or #CMSHPE.
We would like to call out one large point for consideration, we are in dire need of K-5 teacher presenters for our August symposium on August 20-22d (this is replacing the former Curriculum Day). Please use the following link below to sign up. We will provide a framework and training day in July/August for all to attend this summer and prepare.
Thanks all! Have a safe summer and please let us know if you are in need of ANY support. Remember to visit our website at www.k12sscms.weebly.com for additional help!
This year the NC Regional Science Fair at UNC Charlotte will be February 1-2, 2019, this is earlier than usual. This is important for your school if you participate in the regional fair because the DEADLINE for paperwork to be submitted is JANUARY 15, 2019. For many of you this will impact your timeline for Science Fair so please be aware of these changes.
The Elementary Science wiki page will be removed in September. If there are documents and activities that you loved, you will need to be sure to go and download those so you have them. I am in the process of adding them to the Elementary Science Canvas page but it never hurts to have a backup.
NSTA Regional Conference will be held in our very own queen city this November 29th-Dec. 1, 2018 at the Charlotte Convention Center. Talk to your principals now about setting aside money to send you to this conference. It is an incredible experience and you will leave with awesome resources and contacts. Visit the NSTA website for more information.
Enroll in the Canvas course to access pacing guides, curriculum, standards, field trip information, and more.
Join the Elementary Science Listserv. You can choose the grade band that you are interested in learning more about.
Get to know your new math standards over the summer! Register for a self-paced 2017 NCSCOS Mathematics course by grade level in MyTalent. Courses will be available on June 13. See course registration numbers below.
Join the Math Rocks Canvas course to access K-5 math resources at https://cms.instructure.com/enroll/GPBJ3Y.
· Quarter 1 Elementary Literacy Instructional Guides are available here!
· Join All Things Literacy Canvas site to access all elementary literacy resources!
· Find elementary literacy PD offerings here.
Help your students avoid the summer slide!
Share the summer reading information with your students, staff, and parents. In addition to growing as readers, participants have the opportunity to win Carowinds tickets, Kindles, gift cards and more!
RECESS: Outdoor recess will not be permitted until after “End of Testing” all-call is made. Indoor recess is permitted with respect to hallway noise.
AM NEWS SHOW: News show will be done over PA system on listed testing days..
SILENT HALLWAY: Silent hallways are required until “End of Testing” all-call is made over PA system.
Please maintain hallways (student work) through the last day of school.
Please be extra cautious during recess with increased supervision.
Please pay careful attention to daily emails about lunch/connect expectations.
*Here is the LINK to all schedule changes through the EOY.
July has many Professional Learning sessions, face-to-face and virtual, for CMS educators.
Check out Summer Learning Series.
Also, this flyer provides a wealth of resources for educators to meet Digital Learning Competencies through virtual courses sponsored by CMS, DPI or Friday Institute.
We look forward to seeing you at Summer Leadership Conference on June 19-20!
What are Digital Learning Competencies?
A set of competencies approved by the State Board of Education to provide a framework for schools, administrators, and classroom teachers on the needed skills to provide high-quality, integrated digital teaching and learning. These competencies outline the types of skills teachers and leaders should integrate into their practice in order to create digital learning environments.
Read more about the DLs on the DPI website.
All instructional and administrative staff renewing their license in 2019 or later will be required to earn at least 2.0 CEU’s in the Digital Learning Competencies (CEU designation DL) per renewal cycle. TEC credits earned prior to — are not eligible for this renewal process.
How do I get the CEU’s?
CMS is preparing a variety of ways for employees to get their 2.0 DL CEUs. Individuals can also seek DL credits for DPI sponsored professional development and conferences.
An easy way to earn these CEU’s is by completing four virtual courses in Hoonuit, formerly known as AtomicLearning.
Log into the NC Educator Effectiveness System using your NCEdCloud Credentials. Find a course (1.0 credit each) you want to participate in that has the type code of DL and submit your credit request in MyTalent.
CMS will accept the 2018 NCTIES Conference for DL CEUs.
CMS is developing a process to consider approval of additional external and CMS summer learning events for DL credits.
Please note: all outside credit will show on your CMS transcript after it has been reviewed and approved.
For more information, visit the DL FAQ.
*Personal items belonging to students shall NOT be brought to the office for pick up by parents. We will not be responsible to hold items in the office for parent pick up. If personal items of students are left and you intend to reunite those items with the child, it is the teacher responsibility to make that exchange with the family. The office assumes no responsibility for personal items left at school and no items are to be left in the office.
PCG-UI has been recruiting teachers, teacher assistants, and testing coordinators. PCG-UI’s classroom ratio is 20:1. Summer school staff required training will be June 20-22, 2018.
CMS employees may apply online: https://bit.ly/2JMfNOm. If staff members have questions, they can contact Chad Gilbert, head of the PCG-UI Recruitment Team: cgilbert@pcgus.com or 1-888-826-1250 ext. 106.
May 16 is now an Optional Teacher WORKDAY! Wear RED for Education! Your voices are being heard!
Wikispaces is a website hosting service that many teachers and staff members have utilized since its inception in 2005. Teachers utilized this service to easily create teacher websites for sharing of information with students and parents.
Due to the decision that Wikispaces has made to end their service for all users, CMS is adopting Google Sites and/or Canvas as approved website platforms for CMS educators and departments. Please note schools and departments are required to utilize the SharePoint platform for the CMS Intranet (my.cms.k12.nc.us), and Extranet (www.cms.k12.nc.us) for district-wide and community information distribution.
We encourage all users with content hosted in Wikispaces to transfer it to either a CMS Google Site or CMS Canvas course by September 1st, 2018. Wikispaces content cannot be accessed once the service ends.
There will be multiple training opportunities for Google Sites and Canvas throughout the district in the coming months.
 Approved platforms require the use of your CMS Google or CMS Canvas account. Google Sites and Canvas Courses owned by a non-CMS user account are not approved.
Congratulations to David Cox for submitting all documentation needed to earn Common Sense Digital Citizenship Recognition AND CMS Digital Citizenship Certification! Thanks for all your hard work ensuring your students make good choices online!
Here is your school’s DC in CMS badge! We will submit your application to Common Sense Media later this Spring.
In only 5 days, David Cox raised $1963.32 during our Pasta for Pennies fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!
Resources to support you in accurately completing the teacher verification phaseare available at https://tinyurl.com/EVAASRV.
A PowerPoint presentation providing an overview of the process and tools for calculating instructional responsibility are included. Additionally, once you log on to EVAAS, you can access the online help, which provides documentation on getting started with the process and FAQ.
Internal Hiring begins on April 19-June 10: Instructional and Non-Instructional positions will be available through the transfer period. Transfers will be allowed into non-Title I and Title I Funded Schools. If you intended to participate in the Transfer Fair or if you plan to re-locate for the 18-19 school year, please use the Google Form, email or see Celeste or Kiesha to share your plans. Thanks to those of you who have already made your intentions known. We will not be distributing intent forms. We’re saving trees and will be doing a Google Form for you to let us know what your plans are! The transfer period will be extended for Title I schools this year.
LET’S DO A 5K TOGETHER !
Get ready David Cox Staff and Families! The NLC is officially kicking off the R.A.C.E for the North! The RACE for the North is a 5K scheduled for Saturday, April 21, 2018! Let’s join in as a school team! Every school will be represented by Staff , Students and families from their school!
The race is a charity run/walk fundraiser designed to support students, teachers, and families of the North Learning Community. The event will be hosted by CMS, Lake Norman EDC, Lake Norman Chamber and the Lake Norman Education Collaborative. The event includes a Kid’s Fun Run and a 5K. Adult participants will receive a performance t-shirt while supplies last. Students are encouraged to show their spirit by wearing their school gear. The race will be officially timed and prizes will be awarded for top finishers in each category, 1) the best male and 2) female, and 3) registered participants 12 and under.
I hope you’re in! I’m in!
There’s still time to apply for 2018 CTI Seminars! Applications are due this Sunday, March 18, at midnight.
Apply to more than 1 seminar (preferably 3) to increase the likelihood of being accepted as a CTI Fellow. CTI seminars are interdisciplinary and there are many great options for teachers of all subjects and grade levels.
Your principal needs to approve your application, but that approval may occur after the due date following your submission.
Please let us know if you have questions or need assistance. We’re available this weekend at info@charlotteteachers.org.
Professional Educators of North Carolina (PENC) has several upcoming opportunities for educators across the state. Please visit www.pencweb.org for more information.
Workshop details and registration can be found at www.pencweb.org/workshops.
PENC is currently accepting electronic entries for its annual Young Artists Competition. The goal of this project is to highlight the hard work of North Carolina’s teachers and their students.
Six works of art will be selected as the winning entries by a PENC panel of judges. The pieces will be duplicated for display in our Raleigh office, on the PENC website and may be used in future publications. The six winning entrants will receive an award of $50.00 and a certificate of achievement from PENC. The teachers will be presented with a certificate and gift bag with gift certificate at the fall 2018 Executive Board Meeting. PENC is looking forward to the wonderful work from all around our great state.
The Young Artists Competition is open to all North Carolina Educators and from all disciplines. More information and competition guidelines can be found at www.pencweb.org/Young-Artists-Competition.
As we now move into warmer weather and the possibility for severe weather has diminished, I am waiving the make-up day scheduled for Thursday, March 29. This day (Thursday, March 29) will be a teacher workday and students will not report to school. Because teacher assistants would have worked on the student make-up day, they may report to work, take annual leave, use comp time if available or take leave without pay on Thursday, March 29.
The North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey is a biennial survey administered by the state to assess teacher perceptions. Comparable to the TNTP Insight Survey, schools must have at least a 40% teacher response rate (and a minimum of 5 respondents) to receive a survey report.
I am passing along some information that I have acquired about workshops. When an employee is going to a workshop that is not initiated by the school, the point person coordinating the workshop at the school needs to acquire the budget code for the workshop. The process is to send the approved Request for Absences once signed by Ms. Ellis, to the department in charge of the workshop and they will assign the budget code and sign off on the RFA. The department will then send these forms back to the school. This all needs to be done well in advance of the workshop and definitely must be done before the week of the workshop. Below are some steps that will help to process the paperwork in a timely fashion.
When you first find out you are going to a workshop, complete your RFA form.
Put the RFA in my box and I will have Ms. Ellis review and approve.
Once they are approved, I will return to you to put in SmartFind and send to the proper department for budget code and signature. (If there is more than one person going and you give me the contact information, I will forward all the forms together to the department hosting the workshop for signature and budget code). This will eliminate multiple forms going to the department at separate times.
The hosting department will then return the completed form with budget code and signature to the school.
Once received, I will then enter the budget code into SmartFind so that your payroll time is correct. Please note that the budget code needs to be entered into SmartFind no later than the end of the week that you went to the workshop in order for your time to be recorded correctly. We cannot have RFA forms for workshops coming in the day before the workshop!
Thank you for helping to make this a smoother process.
PLEASE NOTE: All RFA’s unless you are sick or not planning to be out, should be written up in advance and approved before the day you will be out. Please do not just put it in SmartFind and forget to complete the RFA. There are way too many RFA forms missing and many hours are spent tracking them down. I would rather be working on other things that are needed to be done for you and the school. The more time spent on chasing RFA forms the less time to complete other tasks.
Congratulations to Mrs. Alison Pierce – Instructional Assistant of the year 2017-2018!
Read more about the DLCs on the DPI website.
All instructional and administrative staff renewing their license in 2019 or later will be required to earn at least 2.0 CEU’s in the Digital Learning Competencies (DLC) per renewal cycle. TEC credits earned prior to — are not eligible for this renewal process.
CMS is preparing a variety of ways for employees to get their 2.0 DLC CEUs. Individuals can also seek DLC credits for DPI sponsored professional development and conferences.
● Log into the NC Educator Effectiveness System using your NCEdCloud Credentials. Find a course (1.0 credit each) you want to participate in that has the type code of DL and submit your credit request in MyTalent.
CMS will accept the 2018 NCTIES Conference for DLC CEUs.
CMS is developing a process to consider approval of additional external and CMS summer learning events for DLC credits.
As you know, CMS was closed January 17 and January 18 for severe weather. Make-up days for staff and students will be January 22 and February 19. Make-up days for students and staff are included in the annual academic calendar, which is approved by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. There will not be a make-up option for the Code A day, January 19, 2018.
Assistant Group – Non-exempt instructional support scheduled to work 197 days in the 2017-2018 school year.
1/17/2018 and 1/18/2018 – This employee group is not eligible to use annual leave, bonus leave or comp time.
Assistants will not be paid for January 17 and January 18; however, will now be paid for January 22 and February 19 severe weather make-up days. Originally, January 22 and February 19 were teacher workdays where assistants were not scheduled to work and would not have been paid.
1/17/2018 and 1/18/2018 – Employees will choose to take annual leave, bonus leave or use comp time, if available. The employee may choose to take the day without pay or can make the day up, with supervisory approval, during the week of March 26, the week of May 28, or, at the end of the school year on June 13 and/or June 14.
Other School-Based Non-Exempt – This employee group follows the school calendar (i.e. campus security associate, BMTs, associates, etc.), and is scheduled to work 215 days in the 2017-2018 school year.
can make the day up, with supervisory approval, during the week of March 26, the week of May 28, or, at the end of the school year on June 13 and/or June 14.
1/17/2018 and 1/18/2018 – Employees will choose to take annual leave, bonus leave or use comp time, if available. The employee may also choose to take the day without pay.
Non-Exempt 11 and 12-Month School-Based Support Staff and Central Office Staff – This employee group does not follow the school calendar.
1/17/2018 and 1/18/2018 – The employee will choose to take annual leave, bonus leave or use comp time, if available. The employee may choose to take the day without pay or can make the day up, with supervisory approval, during the week of March 26 or the week of May 28.
Non-Exempt 10-Month School-Based Support Staff and Central Office Staff – This employee group does not follow the school calendar.
1/17/2018 and 1/18/2018 – The employee will choose to take annual/bonus leave or use comp time if available. The employee may choose to take the day without pay or can make the day up, with supervisory approval, during the week of March 26, the week of May 28, or, at the end of the school year on June 13 and/or June 14.
1/17/2018 and 1/18/2018 – These employees may take annual leave, bonus leave, special annual leave, use a flex certificate if available (may use up to two flex certificates per year), take the day without pay, or, can make the day up at the end of the school year on June 13 and/or June 14.
1/17/2018 and 1/18/2018 – These employees may take annual leave, bonus leave, or special annual leave. The employee may also choose to take the day without pay.
Teachers who are employed the first day of the school year and work the entire year earn 11.7 days of annual leave during that year. Ten days are designated mandatory annual leave days on the academic calendar. New 10-month employees who begin work after the first day of the school year should work on all optional workdays; however, these employees may have a pay deduction at the end of the year if they do not earn enough leave to cover the annual leave days they use within a calendar year.
All employees who are unable to come to work on a severe-weather day and selected a make-up option should report the severe-weather day as “code 19 – Severe Weather Make-Up Day.” Schools must report the employee’s absences in SmartFind Express and the MyTime Kronos system.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will resume normal schedule on Monday, Jan. 22. The district has set three make-up days for the school closings due to weather on Jan. 17-19. They will be held on Monday, Jan. 22; Monday, Feb. 19; and Thursday, March 29.
Wednesday and Thursday were all coded Code C.
The Learning and Teaching, Exceptional Children, English Learner, and Student Services Teams are pleased to offer a wide range of both face-to-face and virtual learning professional development opportunities to Pre-K-12 classroom teachers, ESL teachers, EC teachers, counselors, social workers, psychologists, and K-12 Arts and World Language teachers. Our specialists have worked diligently with their directors to analyze formative data, solicit input from facilitators and teachers, and design professional development that is relevant, timely, and aligned to the curriculum.
The Google link below lists the course offerings, times, locations, and registration information, if applicable.
The Learning and Teaching, Exceptional Children, English Learner, and Student Services Departments are proud to partner with schools to support the instructional needs of all educators ensuring they have access to digital tools, resources and best practices necessary to challenge and engage all students. Please review the offerings at the link. The CMS expectation is that ALL staff members have the opportunity to partake in PD on this day. I will follow up with each team to determine your selections for January 22. You may attend the PD of your choice either physically or virtually. Thank you and have a wonderful day. (I too will be attending Professional Development on this day).
ONE Access is a collaboration between Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools that enables CMS students to use their student ID number to access and check out CML resources. It is important for students to review access procedures prior to the winter break so they can use resources while not at school.
The CMS student portal and the CMS homepage each have a ONE Access button. Additionally, students can visit www.cmlibrary.org directly. When you access the library site, click on the account button in upper right hand corner. This will take you to the login page. The login is the student ID number and the pin is the student’s 4 digit birth year.
No. Please take 5 minutes during AM or PM announcements to ask the entire school to log-in together.
How do I know if my students have already logged in?
It is recommended that the school have everyone who is present that day log-in, whether they have previously logged in before or not. This will give students a reminder of the resources available as well as ensure that we are closer to the district goal of 100% students with access.
The Library sends a report to VLMS each week showing the individual students and is available by contacting Christine Clark (christinek.clark@cms.k12.nc.us).
What are some suggestions for ensuring log-in day goes smoothly?
Make sure students have their CMS ID number prior to log-in day.
K-2 students may need additional support as they may not have mobile devices; we’ll work with Bynoe to get through this.
As we have just completed the district-wide implementation of the new Mastery Grading K-2 Report Card for the First Quarter Marking Period, we would like to take time to collect feedback and suggestions for revisions. As with last year’s pilot, all suggestions are carefully reviewed and considered for improvement in order to best support teachers and inform parents of their child’s mastery of grade level skills. We appreciate the input and creative solutions for streamlining the data entry process of the report cards that have already been submitted both through K2Comments@cms.k12.nc.us and FAC representatives.
Thank you for your commitment to supporting mastery grading and for your creative solutions for continuous improvement of our communication tool for parents.
As of October 30, all teachers in grades PreK through 12 have received a new HP430 touchscreen laptop. For the first time at CMS, these devices are assigned to the individual rather than the school, and the device assignments are recorded in the new inventory system. Each recipient has completed an online staff loan agreement form, accepting responsibility for the use and care of the device.
Staff member transfers to another school: Since the laptop is assigned to the individual (and not the school), the staff member takes the device with him/her to the new school. When at the school, he/she should enter a Cherwell ticket so the systems engineer can rename the device for the new location (it will continue to function properly).
Staff member transfers to a non school-based department: The staff member returns the laptop to the school. The school enters a Cherwell ticket; Technology Services retrieves the laptop, ensures it is unassigned from the user in the new inventory system, and refurbishes the device for future use. It is important that the ticket be entered so that the district has a record of the staff member returning the laptop. Please do not give the device to another staff member; until the return, the initial staff member will be on record in the inventory system as the “owner” of the device.
Staff member separates from CMS: The staff member returns the laptop to the school. The school enters a Cherwell ticket; Technology Services retrieves the laptop, ensures it is unassigned from the user in the new inventory system, and refurbishes the device for future use. It is important that the ticket be entered so that the district has a record of the staff member returning the laptop. Please do not give the device to another staff member; until the return, the initial staff member will be on record in the inventory system as the “owner” of the device. We are reconciling termination records with laptop returns, so it is important for the device to be returned to Technology Services.
If, during the school year, an employee new to CMS is hired by the school, the school can enter a Cherwell ticket requesting a device. We process these requests as quickly as possible and will deliver a laptop to the new employee, completing the online loan agreement form and recording the assigned device information in the new inventory system.
We have already confirmed December the 18th for Holiday Parties in 4th and 1st grade. Please email your grade level administrator after collaborating with your teams about your Holiday party time. Communicate this information with parents only after you have confirmed the date and time with an administrator. Dates left for parties are the 15th and 19th. First come first serve.
The application to present at the next Teacher Talks live event is open through December 1, 2017. All CMS educators are eligible to apply. The application and additional program information is available at http://www.cms-foundation.org/our-work/teacher-talks. Please encourage staff members to apply.
Based on the idea of former CMS and NC Teacher of the Year James Ford and inspired by the world-renowned TED Talks, Teacher Talks provides educators with a platform share ideas and experiences and inspire each other as they nurture talent and cultivate the minds of tomorrow. This past March, six CMS teachers took the stage in Uptown Charlotte to deliver powerful talks that are still being shared throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond. Previous talks are available on the CMS Foundation website (see link above).
The next live Teacher Talks event will be March 8 at the McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square. This event will be free and open to all CMS teachers; however, registration will be required as theater seating is limited. Event registration details will be available in January.
For questions or more information, email talks@cms-foundation.org.
Click HERE for recent changes. Very Important, please review.
*At this time, we have a nurse available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Please be mindful of the non-urgent/not really sick (just needs TLC) students that are sent to the office on non-nurse days (Monday and Thursday). Thank you so very much for your support!
*Please be sure all attendance is completed in PowerSchool no later than 9:15AM each day. Thank you.
DC Staff Apparel Order Due to Forbes 10/31/2017… show your DC Pride!!
NC School Board of Education requires that ALL students are taught how to evacuate a school bus in the event of an emergency.
To assist in ensuring that every child has an opportunity to learn how to evacuate a school bus; the Transportation Department has posted a short 13 minute video, “Bus Evacuation Drills for Students” through a link on YouTube.
Grade levels, please work together to determine when your grade level will show the video to your students. (Please do not choose the Literacy or Math Block) Please determine a date and time. Once you have determined the date and time, communication leads, please notify Ms. Cote when you have scheduled to do so. I must verify that every teacher has shown the video to students. Thank you so much for your support. Please make sure you schedule the video to be shown by November 9, 2017. Thank you.
WHAT: Stand Up Speak Out is dedicated to supporting a culture of respect and safety for EVERY CMS student, family, and staff. Each signed pledge means YOU are prepared to advocate and engage others to ensure our schools and communities are safe, welcoming, and bully free. Take the PLEDGE today and Stand Up Speak Out against Bullying.
Dr. Wilcox took the lead in signing the pledge. Now it’s your turn to lead and encourage everyone in your school family to join the movement to stop bullying.
Will your school take action?
To address a recurring question: What do we do when no IA is present to support in the cafeteria during my lunch time? This is an issue that came up repeatedly last year, because of a variety of needs around the school. We have provided additional staff to the cafeteria to support when we do have emergencies, as well as to ensure proper student/adult ratios when IA’s are absent or covering. IA’s do report consistently when available. The Morning Email will let you know if they are being used elsewhere during cafeteria time. When the assigned Instructional Assistants are not available, we will need the teachers assigned to the table of the absent IA(s) to support that area.
Interim 1 Assessment & Data Day Schedules and Materials have been posted to the Echo. CLICK Here to view them directly.
For more than 20 years, Charlotte-Mecklenburg students have participated in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Art & Writing Contest, celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. King. Given the many tragedies that have struck our nation, eyes have turned to the words of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His work has left a legacy for every generation. We want to provide an opportunity for our students to express their thoughts and ideas on how to build and sustain a community of equity and justice.
The prompt for this year’s contest is: On March 8, 1965 in Selma, Alabama, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke from the pulpit. He spoke these words: “A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.” How do you interpret these words to show courage? Make your answer heard through your art, digital media, or writing.
Please review the contents of the folder. All entries are due November 30, 2017 by 5:00pm.
Please share this opportunity with your staff, students, and parents.
Thank you for your participation. We look forward to another wonderful contest year!
Due to budget constraints, all students in grades K-2 will have access to Dreambox for 12 months. This means, students in grades 3-5 no longer have access to Dreambox. K-2 students will still access the Dreambox program through Clever or the app.
enVision math: The new math curriculum adoption, enVision math, has a number of online components that are for daily use within the lesson and for small group differentiated instruction. Each day teachers should use the online solve and share, Visual Learning animation video, and lesson projectables.
Compass Learning, now Edgenuity: All K-8 students have access to Compass Learning/Edgenuity math AND ELA through their Clever dashboard inside NCED Cloud. Students can also access Edgenuity via iPads. The content has been converted for grades 1 and 2 on the iPads. The Kindergarten content will be converted by the end of 2017. If using an iPad, students in grades 1 and 2 should access Edgenuity by opening the Safari browser, logging into NCEd Cloud, and selecting Clever, instead of using Puffin Academy. iPads will need to have iOS 10 or higher. Please note, in the NWEA learning paths, students are assigned content based on the student’s academic level not grade level. So, if a student in grades 1 or 2 scores in a kindergarten range, the Compass/Edgenuity activities will not load and just display a white screen. Students can choose another activity within their learning path that will be on grade level or can work on teacher assigned content that would be pulled from grade levels 1 or 2.
For additional questions, concerns, or assistance regarding Compass Learning/Edgenuity, please contact Tom Lamb at tom.lamb@edgenuity.com or Valerie Davis at valeriel.davis@cms.k12.nc.us.
David Cox does not utilize Instructional Assistants for Field Trips. Parent Chaperones are to be secured at the appropriate ratio for each class. Two weeks prior to the field trip, classroom teachers are to check with Mrs. Estevez for proper volunteer clearance and submit the names of their chaperones for the trip to the grade level administrator. Classes having difficulty securing chaperones, must notify the grade level administrator 30 days prior to the field trip for support in securing additional volunteers.
The goal of the CMS English Learner (EL) Services Language Assistance team is to provide timely high-quality interpretation services to families and schools, minimizing cultural and linguistic barriers, promoting parent involvement, and building a foundation for students’ academic success.
The EL Services Language Assistance Team works with professional full-time district staff and contract interpreters to provide real-time, face-to-face communication with individual families, and groups of parents to facilitate communication with those who communicate best in a language other than English.
The EL Services Language Assistance Team can provide interpreters for individual meetings with families including parent-teacher conferences, Individualized Education Program (IEP), Positive Behavioral Intervention System, disciplinary meetings, school-wide and district events. We provide headset interpretation equipment for large events, which can be requested on the Interpreter Request Form.
Due to the high volume of interpretation requests received during the period of Parent Conferences and Kindergarten Orientation, we will provide a maximum of two (2) hours, for this event, of interpretation services per language.
Interpretation requests are submitted through the CMS Intranet (my.cms.k12.nc.us).
Please allow 5 business days for the request to be processed.
Emergency Language Line is a fee-for-service resource available for interpretation needs. EL Services manages and monitors this service. The Emergency Language Line is only authorized for emergency telephone interpretation services when other resources have been exhausted OR for short encounters (5 minutes or less). Contact Stephanie Perry at 980-343-1359 or stephanie.perry@cms.k12.nc.us, EL Services Senior Administrative Secretary, for more information.
The EL Services Language Assistance team will begin offering telephone support to parents who do not speak English as their first language. Our Spanish Language Assistance Team will manage the line from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm Monday-Friday. The interpreter will provide parents with requested information, arrange for the parent to speak with the appropriate school staff, or connect the parent with a needed resource.
Please register for TransAct at http://www.transact.com to access forms and notices such as health and medical, attendance, permission slips, school signs, safety, parent involvement, and Section 504.
How to register, login to an account and personalize documents. First Time User? Register for Access: 1) Go to http:// www.transact.com. 2) Click on the Register link at the top of the page (Next to “Login To TransACT”) 3) Select your State, County and School District 4 Enter district email and click Next 5) Enter your user information and click Next. You will receive an automated email with your password.
Change languages on a document: 1) Open the document you want 2) Find the orange drop down menu on the upper right that says “English” 3) Hover over the menu and select the language you need 4) Click Open PDF in the toolbar on the right side of the page.
Fill-In and Save a Document: 1) Open the document you want 2) Click on the Fill-in and Save button in the toolbar on the right side of the page 3) Fill in the text in the highlighted fields 4) Click Select Languages & Save 5) Check the box next to the languages you wish to save 6) Open the document in Adobe Reader or Preview 7) Go to File>Print or File>Save As.
When turning in money for field trips, please be sure to put where you are going on the form and fill out the turn-in form completely.
Number of students, how much per student and total per student. Then put the total at the bottom in requested places. Please put a zero in any field that you are not using. EX: coins – if you did not collect any put a zero.
I (Mrs. Cote) will also need for each field trip a copy of all paperwork received from the vendor. Ex: letters, proposals, confirmations, invoices etc. I need this information for auditing purposes.
Sometime in the future I will be updating the turn-in form. Once complete I will send everyone a new copy.
Teachers: Picture order forms were placed in your box. Please send one home with each student, they are dual sided English/Spanish.
Collection forms were also placed in your box. Pictures may be ordered on line or by completing the order form.
Inform parents with late orders that they will be accepted online only up to 48 hours after Picture Day.
Extra copies: If you have extra’s you may keep some if you would like, but then please send the balance back to the office so we will have them here if parents ask for them.
Don’t forget that Got Skills night will be October 26, 2017 @ 6PM. Please work to personally invite or determine other means to help support great participation! Remember, the team with 50% or more of their parents participating will get 1 hour of paid lunch off campus together. Let’s see how creative you can be in getting your parents out for this first Parent/Family engagement event of the year!
*Grade Level Admnistrative Support – Mrs. Pride and I have divided the school such that parents and staff know who to go to for grade level issues. Mrs. Pride will serve as administrative contact for PK, K, 2, 4 and the Connect Team. I will be the administrative contact for 1st, 3rd, 5th, EC and IA’s. For IA’s, Ms. Hinton will be your direct contact person.
*Final Committee Designations – if your team is missing a grade level representative, please email Celeste by the close of business on October 2, 2017 to indicate who on your team will fill that committee seat. Thank you.
1 – Was Willis – needs new rep.
I received this from our legal team and wanted to share with you in the event that there are questions about the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Anthem, etc.
The legal department has consistently advised on this issue, including a telephone conference call with all high school principals last school year. It is unconstitutional for schools to: (1) require students to observe patriotic rituals or (2) discipline students for silent acts of political protest [like kneeling/sitting for the national anthem or refusing to say the pledge of allegiance] that do not interfere with another person’s ability to engage in such rituals or do not disrupt the operations of a school.
*Charlotte Teachers Institute is partnering with Discovery Place Education Studio to host Evening for Educators on Tuesday, 17 October, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. This event will showcase CTI Fellows’ original curricula created out of CTI seminars. The format will be poster presentation-style where guests can walk around to different teachers’ projects to learn more about their curricular focus. We’ll have refreshments too. This event is free and open to the public.
Interested in being a Principal?
Open House will be held on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 from 4:30 pm-6:30 pm @ Spaugh Auditorium , it is open to all CMS Employees interested in school leadership.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ annual Benefits Open Enrollment is Sept. 30 through Oct. 31, 2017.
A member of the Worksite Communications advance team will be visiting all work locations between Monday, Sept. 18 and Friday, Sept. 29, to distribute communication materials to all employees.
It is not necessary for our employees to meet with a benefits counselor as they are able to use the Employee Self-Service function of the enrollment platform if they are not enrolling in voluntary benefits (i.e. Accident, Critical Illness, etc.).
Would you like to learn how to create a website for your class to keep your parents informed? Ms. Bynoe would like to help you create a Weebly!
Please email Ms. Bynoe directly to let her know of your interest. Her email is so.success-bynoe@cms.k12.nc.us Thank you!
Our laminator is finally up and running again. This year, due to large repair costs not in the budget this year, we are limiting use of the Laminator to Ms. Bonar. She will be our school laminator. She will not be cutting out materials, but laminating for you. We will begin a lamination schedule next week.
She will only be laminating instructional materials this year. We are not able to use laminating film for parent gifts, or for preservation of non-instructional materials. Laminating film is very expensive and we just don’t have the budget to laminate non-instructional items.
*We will be placing a lamination basket in the teacher workroom for you to place your items in. Please be sure your name is on it. Ms. Bonar will not laminate items without a name.
As outlined in our school handbook and read by each of you, there is no longer a paper Early Dismissal/Later Arrival Form. Everything is now electronic and the link is found in your handbook. For your convenience, I have added it here.
Our first early release date is quickly approaching. The first early release date is October 16, 2017. Students will be dismissed at 12PM. ASEP will be in full operation. Parents needing to utilize ASEP should be registered two weeks prior to the early release date in order to ensure sufficient staffing.
Policy Code Regulation: JLCG-R Students with Food Allergies outlines plans for supporting students with severe allergies to foods. CMC recognized that it is not possible for the district to totally eliminate the risk of exposure of students with severe allergies (identified students) to foods that trigger allergic reactions. However, the district takes seriously its responsibility to take reasonable steps to protect the safety of all students. This policy does not allow for eliminating an allergen from a school building or classroom but provides guidance for ensuring safety and strategies to reduce exposure.
Policy Code Regulations: JL-R Student Wellness outlines guidance related to requirements for each school to have a School Health Team, requirements related to Physical Education, Physical Activity and Health Education as well as guidelines followed by Child Nutrition related to food sale.
Policy Code and Regulations: IMG Service Animals outlines updated requirements and guidelines to follow in case of the need for a service animal to be in schools.
Children entering school in North Carolina are required to present a completed immunization record on the first day of school (G.S. 130A-155). Students must be up to date on required immunizations. Any student new to NC public schools is also required to submit a Health Assessment (Physical Exam) completed within 12 months prior to the first day of school entry.
Students have 30 calendar days from their first day of school to submit proof of the required immunizations and/or health assessment. Without proof, students will not be able to be in school after September 26th. On September 27th, students without prrof are to be excluded from school. Use absence code 2B; do not code as a suspension.
This year, Big Shots Saturdays will include opportunities for students to receive immunizations and health assessments. Please share the information on the attached flyer. Payments may be required for immunizations with some insurance plans. Health assessments will be offered free of charge. To make an appointment, see the attached flyer and link. Walk-ins also welcome.
*Please share this information via email with your families. It will also be shared via Parent Square and ConnectEd. Thank you.
Title I, in collaboration with Community Partnerships and Family Engagement, will host the third annual CMS Title I Family Engagement and Academic Fair on Saturday, September 23rd at East Mecklenburg High School from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. This year’s theme is Gearing Up for Greatness and will celebrate the importance of our students and families while providing attendees with the tools they need in order to have a successful school year.
Speak with representatives from various CMS departments as well as community organizations, and so much more!
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools wants to help Texas students and families affected by Hurricane Harvey. Our Help for Houston effort starts Wednesday, Aug. 30, and lasts through Tuesday, Sept. 5. We are asking families to contribute new children’s clothing and toiletries. The timeframe is brief in order to get these items to children and families as soon as possible.
Authorized law enforcement or DSS officials.
Kudos to Kindergarten, 4th and 5th grades for indicating who will be trained to give medication on field trips: K (Atty and Webber); 4th (White and Powell) and 5th (Wheeler and Tampa). All other teams should email Ms. Ellis with the names of who will be trained. We are awaiting this information before we schedule a training date and time. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Great News! In addition to all students grades 3-12 being provisioned with a device, all teachers including those who attended New Teacher Orientation have been provisioned with a laptop. Teachers are ready! Over 3,000 teachers participated in training this summer on digital literacy and use of digital tools, including Canvas.
The Technology Services team has worked diligently to streamline student access to digital tools.
Student logins have been updated to a more consistent format using the student’s state ID and unique password. Students will be able to access more of the digital tools available in the NCEdCloud portal. This change is a big step in making digital learning and access to digital tools, easier for students from any computer with Internet. Please review the table below for updated login information.
A training for staff on the mandate and lesson content is contained within the Canvas platform. All licensed staff are required to access and complete the Canvas module, which should take no more than 10 – 15 minutes. Title IX – Professional Development. Training must be completed by September 12, 2017. Teams should notify Ms. Ellis as the date and time you will be teaching the lessons in your classroom. Please notify Ms. Ellis by September 12, 2017 as to when your team will be teaching the lessons. All lessons must be taught by September 26, 2017.
Students who have moved, had their new address recorded in PowerSchool between August 2nd and August 25th, and are eligible for transportation should have their stop in place for the afternoon bus ride Tuesday, August 29th. This includes new students enrolled within the dates above. (Priority is given to eligible students requesting service to and from home to school; it may take several weeks to process alternate stops/daycare stops at the beginning of the school year).
Students who have moved, had their new address recorded in PowerSchool between August 26th and August 29th, and are eligible for transportation should have their stop in place for the afternoon bus ride on Thursday, August 31st. This includes new students enrolled within the dates above. (Priority is given to eligible students requesting service to and from home to school; it may take several weeks to process alternate stops/daycare stops at the beginning of the school year).
Students who have moved, had their new address recorded in PowerSchool between August 30th and August 31st, and are eligible for transportation should have their stop in place for the afternoon bus ride on Tuesday, September 5th. This includes new students enrolled within the dates above. (Priority is given to eligible students requesting service to and from home to school; it may take several weeks to process alternate stops/daycare stops at the beginning of the school year).
Students who have moved, had their new address recorded in PowerSchool on September 1st or later, and are eligible for transportation will have their bus stop set by the Transportation Area office through the EveryInfo program. Schools, transportation offices, and call center staff can access the start dates using the EveryInfo program.

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