Volume 43, No. 2NCAEN E W S B U L L E T I NN O R T H C A R O L I N A A S S O C I A T I O N O F E D U C A T O R SSeptember 2012

NCAE Does... And the question is…who advocates for teachers, education support professionals, students and schools? While educators are working in schools across North Carolina, who works for them? Who stands up for North Carolina public schools? NCAE does! Here are a few more reasons why membership in the Association is so important and why you should ask your colleagues to be a part of our movement.

You Make NCAE’s Voice Stronger – Whether it’s the State Employees’ Retirement System, the State Board of Education, a local school board, a legislative committee or an education coalition, when decisions about public education professionals and students are being made, NCAE is there to represent your views. Together, we unite our profession to make our voice heard.

Your Regional UniServ Director -- UniServ staff are positioned around the state to serve as resources for all members of NCAE. They are ready to help you organize around an issue, plan professional development sessions and address members at your local AR meetings.

We Help With Your Professional Growth – NCAE offers its members training sessions on all aspects of educational reform, classroom management, political action, communications and almost any other area of concern or interest.

Networking – Through Association events and conferences, and especially through the NCAE Web site, you will be connected to other educators from across the state and nation who are dealing with the same joys and challenges as you.

Beyond Legal Assistance – NCAE has more than a dozen attorneys statewide to handle serious employment issues, but the Association’s legal advice goes far beyond liability insurance and attorney advocates. At any time you have a question about your employment rights or benefits, simply e-mail the NCAE Advocacy Center at www.askncae.org. The Center is staffed with a UniServ advocacy specialist and three attorneys.

Peace of Mind – As soon as you sign your membership form, you have immediate professional liability insurance coverage of $1 million. Don’t be fooled by other liability offers that claim to protect you for FREE. NCAE attorneys are the most

experienced on education law.

We Reward You! – In addition to the professional support you deserve, NCAE offers members:๏ Thousands of local, state and national discounts๏ Opportunities to save money on a variety of insurance plans including auto, home and life insurance๏ Hassle-free shopping

๏ Incredible travel discounts on rental cars, hotels and vacation packages

We Work for You – NCAE employs skilled advocates who make sure that politicians and policy-makers in Raleigh and in Washington, D.C. represent your interests and the interests of your colleagues. We combine the best thinking of you and your colleagues to transform our schools and profession. We also are in the forefront of almost every education

policy debate in your community, in the state and across the country.

We Talk to You…We Listen – Through members-only publications, exclusive electronic legislative updates and a dynamic Web site, we talk to you to keep you in the

loop on the vital issues affecting North Carolina’s public school employees. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Our Thanks for Belonging…and Advocating for Public Schools – As a member, you already know the many advantages of belonging to the state’s largest education organization. You know that your dues dollars give you peace of mind and a blanket of professional and personal protection that lets you be the best at what you do – educating and helping North Carolina’s students. Thanks to you, your Association is stronger, your voice louder, your profession elevated and your classrooms smarter. It’s YOU who make NCAE a success and for that, we THANK YOU. Together, we do and we will…

2News Bulletin September 2012 NCAE

President Rodney Ellis!!!!!Junie Barrett says the staff at Burns High School, where she is the custodial supervisor, served as God’s stepping stones to help get one of its students, Dawn Loggins, on the path to Harvard University. Once homeless and abandoned, Loggins’ life could have taken a different turn if it weren’t for caring public school educators who saw potential in a young lady who believes that anyone with a dream can make it happen -- no excuses. Making sure that Loggins succeeded was the staff’s number one priority. As with other students they’ve assisted in the past, they ensured she had a safe place to live and proper clothing. They also provided her with a part-time job as a school custodian and helped keep her on schedule with coursework. “When you see someone suffering, as a human being, you should hold out your hand to lift them up,” said Barrett, who served as Loggins’ supervisor. “The impact she has made has been tremendous for everyone throughout the school. She has proven that bad times don’t mean bad choices.” Making bad choices was not an option for Loggins, who decided that she was not going to follow in her parent’s footsteps. During an interview with a local television station, she described completing homework by candlelight when there was no electricity, days without food and eventually having to stay with her grandmother after being abandoned for periods of time. But through it all, school was the one constant in her life and she made impressive grades even though she attended three different middle schools and four high schools before enrolling in Burns High. It was those good grades that caught the eye of Counselor Robyn Putnam. “Despite the number of schools attended and the missing credits, it was obvious that she was capable of doing the coursework; she just needed the opportunity to stay in school long enough to complete classes,” Putnam

said. “Because she enrolled in the middle of the second semester, she had to take a lot of online courses. This helped build her credits and enabled her to take Honors and AP classes last year.” Putnam said getting Loggins’ coursework on track brought forth a wonderful opportunity; she was one of two Cleveland County students selected to participate in a prestigious summer program through the Governor’s School of North Carolina. “I helped her through the process, took her to the interview and made sure that there was nothing standing in her way of being able to attend. We traveled to Raleigh, I helped her get settled in and a month later, I showed my support by returning to participate in Parent’s Weekend. “As an educator, one of my main goals is to help all students I work with find where they fit in the world and to reach their full potential. This

means setting goals and taking advantage of the educational opportunities that come their way. Some students need help with setting these goals, or recognizing the opportunities, and some like Dawn who have accomplished these things, just need a helping hand, or a ride, on their way to their destination.” That destination for Loggins is Harvard University, where she is getting acclimated to her freshman year. The soft-spoken 18-year-old who wants to study biology and become a researcher, said she’s grateful for all of the help she received. “Dawn saw enough of the bad and misfortune in the world to know that she did not want to continue that way of life,” Putnam said. “She recognized that an education was the way out. And when I learned that she had been accepted to Harvard, I screamed and jumped for joy because I knew she could do it!” Barrett, who described her relationship with Loggins as a cross between supervisor, adoptive mother and confidante, said her wish for Dawn as she embarks on this new chapter of her life is a simple one: “My hope is that she gains insight, is happy, has peace and knows that it’s okay to have a shoulder to lean on,” Barrett said. “May her life be filled with happiness and sadness, light and darkness, and laughter and tears because they all combine to give us strength.”

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NCAE members Robyn Putnam, left, and Junie Barrett, right, prove once again that being an educator is more about helping students than collecting a paycheck. Photo: Jason Miczek

Message From the Vice President

After almost two months as NCAE vice president, Mark Jewell says he’s enthusiastic, proud and optimistic about the direction in which the Association is going. He encourages members to remain engaged and involved, and to continue to ask others to join our movement to save public education. Click here to read more.

3News Bulletin September 2012 NCAEPush-ups, Energizers, JoggingSet the Stage for Wellness During National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Gaye Spears, a teacher at Ireland Drive Middle School in Cumberland County, gets her sixth-grade students up and moving using the energizer “Bones Breaks” as often as she can during the day. Students stretch their arms and jump in place beside their desks while counting to 15. “It kills two birds with one stone; the movement helps them release energy while strengthening their bones. I read that children’s bones are taking a hit because many of them aren’t eating and drinking enough calcium-enriched food and beverages. At first they didn’t buy into the exercise because they didn’t think it was cool. But now they realize the benefits of strengthening their bones.” At Pinehurst Elementary School in Moore County, everything from energizers, to jogging, to the school’s closed-circuit

television program helps students stay in shape. “We frequently use the energizer ‘Silly Sports and Goofy Games’ and ones suggested by DPI,” said physical education teacher Marsha Harms. “Also, I videotape students demonstrating stretches and exercise moves, which are aired on our school’s television program, ‘The Dolphin Show.’ Students in all of the classrooms can follow along simultaneously and teachers have access to the segments whenever they need them.” Harms added that the cafeteria is also helping by limiting empty calorie snacks and providing healthier options.” It’s not too late for children at your school to become healthier and more physically fit. There are many resources available to help you get started. The Childhood Obesity Awareness Month Web site, http://www.healthierkidsbrighterfutures.org , offers a free toolkit with quick, easy ways you can get involved.

!!!!!The race to wellness has not only become a competition for students at Central Elementary School in Stanly County, but a way of life. During recess, students walk, run or do a combination of both around the football field in an effort to stay healthy and win the fight against childhood obesity. Fitness programs and classroom energizers are just a few of the ways that NCAE members are helping their students combat this escalating problem during the month of September -- National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. In the past four decades, obesity rates in the United States have soared among all age groups. Childhood obesity has increased at an alarming rate among those ages 6 to 11. More than 23 million children and teenagers between the ages of 2 and 9 are obese or overweight, putting nearly one-third of them at risk for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even stroke! “During recess, the first 10 minutes are spent doing laps around the football field, and the laps are tallied,” said Melissa Belk, a third-grade teacher at Central Elementary. “It has turned into a competition. Students earn charms at the end of each grading period that they place on a special necklace. The transformation has been amazing, seeing some of them go from walking to running as their bodies grow stronger!” Belk added that the community is also lending a hand in helping students stay fit and healthy. The school’s efforts are supported by the Stanly Regional Hospital’s wellness program, the Stanly County Agricultural Department and NC State University’s Step to Health program. “This assistance, along with our school’s breakfast grant, healthy lunch choices and the fruits and vegetable program is a testimony to the work being done at Central Elementary to build healthy minds and bodies.”

Check Out These Web sites for More Wellness Ideas

http://www.ncpe4me.com/#ld http://fitkids.com/

http://www.beactivenc.org/ www.jackhartmann.com

www.advocatesforhealthinaction.org!!

Q & A: Use of the Five Bonus Leave Days

! Who is eligible?Any person eligible to earn annual leave AND who was a permanent employee of the LEA on July 1, 2012, or who was under contract to be employed for the 2012-13 year on July 1, 2012.

If the LEA contracts with an employee on July 15 to work the 2012-13 school year, are they eligible for the five days? No, if contract was established after July 1, 2012, the employee is not eligible.

Our non-certified personnel do not have contracts, how do we determine if they are eligible?

If a written job offer has been made to an employee and the employee has accepted

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prior to July 1, 2012, the employee is eligible for the leave.

Can the annual leave bonus days be paid out upon separation of employment?

There is no payment for unused bonus leave UNLESS the employee retires immediately after termination.

Can unused bonus leave be converted to sick leave?

No, bonus leave will not be subject toconversion to sick leave.

More questions and answers about the five bonus leave days are available here, or for a detailed “Fact Sheet,” click here!

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4News Bulletin September 2012 NCAE

Beginning this school year, the new Common Core Standards and the North Carolina Essential Standards will be taught and assessed in all schools as part of the state’s Standard Course of Study. Teachers and students in kindergarten through 12th grade will follow the Common Core state standards in mathematics and language arts. The Essential Standards will be the guide for other subjects. Work on the revamped Standard Course of Study began in 2008 with the help of thousands of teachers, curriculum experts and subject experts, who assisted in the development of the Essential Standards and the adoption of the Common Core. For more than a year, professional development was offered to provide information about the new standards and what they mean for each grade and subject, as well as best practices for success. Teams of educators from each school district participated in the training and each district provided professional development for each school.

Under the Mathematics Common Core, students will:• Have better conceptual understanding. For example, they will not just “do” fraction problems, but should really understand

Common Core, Essential Standards: New Strategies in Teaching and Learning

what fractions are, when to use them and how they relate to other math concepts;• Master procedural skills. Studentsneed to be proficient in arithmetic skills, calculation skills and also procedural skills to work and solve equations.• Apply their learning to the real world by using math skills to solve real problems.

Under the Language Arts Common Core, there will be three (3) major shifts:• A major emphasis on vocabulary, especially understanding how to properly use words in different contexts and uses;• Use of evidence will be more important. Students will be asked to explain their thinking and use examples to supporttheir ideas;• Information texts will be very important, and will include everything from newspapers to computer manuals. More information on the Common Core and Essential standards, along with resources, is available on the DPI Website by clicking here.

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) has released its first set of item and task prototypes for English language arts/

literacy and mathematics. The prototypes are illustrative of how the critical content and skills found in the Common Core Standards may be measured by

PARCC assessments set to be administered in 2014-15. To view the task prototypes, visit

www.parcconline.org.

A native of Kansas, Carrie Bumgardner worked as a clerk for a federal judge in Kansas City and as an attorney for Legal Aid of North Carolina. She has a bachelor’s in politics and mathematics from Cornell College in Iowa and earned her J.D. from the University of Kansas. “I am excited for the opportunity to use my legal and communications skills to serve NCAE members and provide them advice on a variety of employment issues. I look forward to working with our members.”

Michael Chaudhuri isn’t new to the Association, but this is a new position for him. He joined the NCAE staff in 2009 as a UniServ director. Prior to coming to North Carolina, he worked as an attorney for the Nevada State Education Association. Chaudhuri is a native of Detroit. He earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University, and received his J.D. from the University of Alabama. When he’s not working, he enjoys traveling, hiking, reading and collecting “all kinds of stuff,” including books and old travel brochures.

Diehard “Tarheel” fan Jessica N. Holmes says she feels privileged to be able to serve education professionals in her home state of North Carolina. Holmes worked as a special associate in the Special Federal Litigation Division for the New York City Law Department prior to joining the NCAE family. She has a BA in political science from UNC-Chapel Hill and a J.D. from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law.

New Faces: NCAE Welcomes Advocacy Center Attorneys

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.

Linda Powell-Jones, Editor/Designer www.ncae.org

N C A E N E W S B U L L E T I N Follow NCAE eventsand activities on:

5News Bulletin September 2012 NCAE

…that all local association officers work (or are on leave from positions) in public schools? NCAE’s Board of Directors at the state level includes representatives from all geographic districts of North Carolina and divisions of the Association, including, principals/administrators, education support professionals, student services and college students. Three members of the Board also represent NCAE on the NEA Board of Directors, and include two non-voting and honorary directors.

Building on the Legacy

!!!!!The memory of Betty Neighbours, a former president of the NCAE Student Services Division, is serving as the foundation for the Division’s continued work to advocate for members and grow membership. Although she passed away earlier this year, her passion to keep the Division strong lives on through her accomplishments. For this reason, the Division’s planning committee thought it appropriate to use” Building on the Legacy: Two Steps at a Time,” as the theme for the annual leadership retreat. Over the two days, we honed our planning and organizing skills, learned more about how to be effective leaders, implemented a plan to increase membership, and networked and shared ideas. Functioning as a team was also part of our training. We used the strategies associated with the game of football to achieve this. Our executive board members were the starting players and opened the retreat with a “warm-up.” The first

quarter focused on stepping into the new world of leadership. The team scored through innovative learning on how to relate to Student Services members, which include counselors, media specialists/librarians, technology facilitators, school curriculum facilitators, social workers, nurses, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists. Putting those skills into practice netted a touchdown. Vice President Mark Jewell, who served as the halftime guest, shared additional strategies on winning in the game of leadership. Cheerleaders kept the group energized as we prepared for the third and fourth quarters, which were filled with helpful information on communications and organizing. The game is far from over. We are all continuing to work together to formulate a plan to incorporate the elements of membership, stewardship and leadership within the Division. We encourage members who fall under the Student Services umbrella to get involved and to create their own legacy. Help us as we build upon a foundation that can only lead to a bigger and better NCAE for each of us! The Student Services Division is sponsoring a mini-conference in November and its annual luncheon in March 2013. For more information, contact Lena Murrill-Chapman at murrill2001@yahoo.com!"

Lena Murrill-Chapman, Student Services Division president

!!!!!If you are a 10-month employee with concerns about the 12-month salary installment option, below is information that you might find helpful.

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) says that LEA’s “must” offer the 12-month installment pay of salaries to 10-month employees through the LEA payroll in addition to the State Employees Credit Union (if they choose the credit union as an option).

A reference to the Attorney General’s opinion about this issue can be viewed on the DPI Web site (this request was made by Eddie Davis, NCAE president in 2008).

115C-302.1 requires 12-month installments for certified staff and 115C-316 requires 12-month installments for 10-month, non-certified employees.

NOTE: Members interested in the 12-month installment must have made the request prior to the first day of work. If you have questions or need assistance, contact your local president or UniServ director.

12-Month Salary Installment Optionfor 10-Month Employees

Online Learning for Life

Learning is a life-long process. The NEA Academy offers a host of professional development opportunities for members through three university partners – Walden University, Western Governor’s University and The University of Massachusetts. See all that the Academy has to offer.