October is Principal Appreciation Month in the state of North Carolina. Please join me in saluting all of our school-based principals and assistant principals for the outstanding leadership they provide each day at each of our school sites. This week I had the opportunity join our principals at their monthly NRMPAPA meeting to share congratulatory remarks. Each principal and assistant principal was presented a small token of appreciation for their tireless commitment to children and the school system. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated, passionate and capable team of educators working on behalf of students, teachers and our community. Congratulations and thanks for a job well done.
I would like to take this opportunity to personally invite each of you to our first annual STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS address to be held on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 at 5:30 pm. The event will be held at Nash Community College in the Brown Auditorium.
The program will serve to open our annual CTE Showcase. We will be sharing updates on major initiatives underway in the district. We also take time to celebrate our accomplishments, embrace our challenges and outline our goals moving forward. All are invited. See you there.
This school year, as a school district, we are blazing a trail into instructional territory new to students,
parents, teachers and our community. As a part of our long-range strategic vision for the district, we are intentionally implementing a focused plan to introduce cutting-edge technology into our classrooms, transition students to the use of digital resources and provide structured support and training to teachers to effectively teach in a digitally infused environment. As we do so, we are confident that this shift in pedagogy will serve as the catalyst for transformation in the ways teachers teach, positively shift and improve the environments in which students learn. Ultimately we believe that this change will help us prepare students for bright and prosperous futures with the requisite skills to live, grow, compete and fully contribute to their local, regional, national and global communities.
WHAT IS iCONNECT?
The iConnect Digital Learning Initiative is the vehicle we have developed to transport us from where we are today, to the future. iConnect has four very clear components. (1) Device Deployment, (2) Professional Development and Support and (3) Access to Rigorous, High-Quality Digital Resources, and (4) Change of Practice/ Transformation of the teaching and learning process.
WHEN DID ALL OF THIS START?
Two years ago, the Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education approved a new strategic plan. This plan identified six strategic priorities that we believed if we mastered with laser like precision, we would make a huge difference in the educational product we provide for our students and ultimately change our community. The priorities are: (1) High Student Achievement for All Students, (2) Safe and Orderly Schools, (3) Recruit, Reward and Retain High Quality Professionals, (4) Provide and encourage the use of Cutting-edge Technological Resources, (5) Effective, Efficient and Transparent Operations and (6) Community Engagement.
HOW DOES iCONNECT ALIGN WITH NRMPS GOALS?
The iConnect Digital Learning Initiative is aligned with strategic priorities 1, 3, 4 and 5. For the past two years we have been operating small pilots across the district in anticipation of implementing a full 1:1 device per student digital learning initiative. In 2011-12 we introduced iPad Carts at the elementary level, and increased the number of devices and resources available to staff. In 2012-13, we provided each teacher with a mobile device (Dell Laptop) for their professional use and 1:1 pilots in 8 elementary, 1 middle and 2 high schools. The feedback we received from those involved was very instructive as we planned the larger deployment. We learned many lessons from the feedback we received and we had to eliminate some of the things we thought we would be able to do as a result of listening to teachers, students and parents.
WHAT ARE WE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH?
We are hoping to empower our teachers to teach in new and exciting ways, with the tools to extend learning beyond the classroom. We recognize that this is going to take time; but we also are committed to providing them with the tools, support and time to actually get this done.
WHERE ARE WE IN THE PROCESS?
This year we have implemented the iConnect model district-wide. All students in grades 4-12 have been provided a district-owned device, digital resources have been made available to support the integration of technology into the learning environment and on-going professional development is being provided to staff.
We have established strategic partnerships with several major technology companies and digital resource providers. We have updated policies and we are currently engaged in a large-scale training process designed to support teachers as they implement these changes in classrooms.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES?
Right now our biggest challenge is staying focused on the true intent of the initiative. It is essential that we remember that iConnect is about teaching and learning, not the device. iConnect is about removing barriers to ensure that students have the opportunity to learn 24/7. As we move forward, I am sure we will have operational and instructional challenges, but I am also confident that our strategic focus, carefully designed implementation plan, professional support for teachers and engagement of parents will pay huge dividends.
THE TRANSFORMATION HAS ALREADY STARTED...
The video below provides only a glimpse into the amazing transformations happening in classrooms across the district. I want to thank our teachers for their willingness to challenge the status quo. I want to our parents for trusting us as we venture into uncharted waters and also thank our community for the many supportive comments and constructive criticisms as we have launched this initiative. All of this, both the good and the bad, work together to ensure a successful initiative. Please know that with anything new, there will be challenges, but as you will see in the NRMPS we really do believe in the POSSIBILITIES.
Enjoy!!!
The Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools District Connection is the official electronic news publication for the school system. The District Connection is produced by the Public Information Department to share the NRMPS story, and connect our schools with the community, as part of the district's strategic plan.
Mail responses to: news@nrms.k12.nc.us.
Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools Vision: "Preparing all students for bright and prosperous futures through deliberately and intentionally providing rigorous and relevant instruction, in every classroom, every day."
October is Principal Appreciation Month in the state of North Carolina. Please join me in saluting all of our school-based principals and assistant principals for the outstanding leadership they provide each day at each of our school sites. This week I had the opportunity join our principals at their monthly NRMPAPA meeting to share congratulatory remarks. Each principal and assistant principal was presented a small token of appreciation for their tireless commitment to children and the school system. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated, passionate and capable team of educators working on behalf of students, teachers and our community. Congratulations and thanks for a job well done.
