CCS Staff In the Know
October is National Principals Month and we want all of our school leaders to know how much they are appreciated and valued for their commitment to creating a successful learning environment for students and staff. This year has brought many challenges to our administrators and they have risen to the occasion by showing how much they care about their students, staff, families, and the community.
Let's celebrate them by showering them with all of the thanks they deserve! Please complete this form and your message will be shared with the principal and also shared on social media so everyone knows how special they are to their school families and the community.If you would like to attach a photograph and/or video please upload it at the end of the form.
Thank you for taking the time to show our principals how much they mean to you, this will mean so much to them! PLEASE SUBMIT BY OCTOBER 10th so we can share all of the submissions with our leaders.
Student Attendance Tracking and Reporting
Quick Reminder from the Craven County Schools Guidebook for Virtual and Blended Learning:
A student is considered present for the purposes of daily attendance during a remote instruction day if the student: 
  • Completes their assignments for each remote instruction day, either online or offline; and/or 
  • Has a daily check-in, a two-way communication, with the appropriate teacher(s): K-5 homeroom teacher; grades 6-13, each course teacher as scheduled. 
The following information will be updated on page 42 of the Guidebook:
        
Attendance Guidelines Under Plan B 

The criteria for being marked “present” or “absent” will be the same of all schools for consistency and equity. This policy considers that elementary students may need parental/adult assistance to access and/or complete their work, which may prevent them from electronically submitting completed work by the end of the school day. In addition, it acknowledges our students who are working offline because of lack of reliable internet access and as a result may not be able to submit their work until they have internet access to upload or sync.

Under Plan B:
  • In order to be considered present on a day scheduled for “in-person” instruction, the student must be physically on-site for the school day/class period or at a place other than on-site with the approval of the appropriate school official for the purpose of attending an authorized school activity. (Directly from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Policy, see Appendix D in the CCS Guidebook for Virtual and Blended Learning )
  • In order to be considered present for a day scheduled for “at home” learning, the student must do one of the following:
complete and submit their assignments for each “at home” learning day, either online or offline, based on the date the assignment was made. Students will have up to 5 instructional days to complete daily assignments. This time frame accounts for the potential delay in receiving assignments via external drives, or time to access Wifi and download/upload work; and/or
  • have a daily, two-way communication check-in with the appropriate teachers:
  • In grades K-5, homeroom teachers
  • In grades 6-13, each course teacher as scheduled
(Two-way communication for attendance does not replace the requirement to complete assigned work.) 
Reminder: Out of State Travel

The travel process for staff has changed. Based on stakeholder feedback and benchmarking with other districts, we have revised our current travel process for staff. Staff will no longer be required to report travel. We will instead focus more on the symptoms checklist at school and work sites. We will keep the question on the daily check in regarding out of state travel, but this will only be used by school nurses to monitor those staff members that may have been exposed. 
Any staff member that has already completed an out of state travel form and received notice of quarantine can disregard that memo. Those currently quarantined will be expected to return to work. This decision has been made in support of our staff and to ensure we have staff in the building as we transition to Plan B. It is imperative that all staff members answer daily check in questions honestly and completely in order to ensure the safety of staff and students.
CCS Pre-K  

On Oct. 19, when we move to Plan B, our youngest learners will return to our Pre-K classrooms. All Pre-K classrooms will follow the safety protocols that NCDHHS, NCDPI and CCS have in place to protect our students and staff. If you have any questions, call Renee Harrell at (252) 244-3225.
Professional Learning Process 
Please review this narrated flow chart to review the CCS Professional Learning Process. Video link. If you have any questions please email Ashlee DeCamp.
EC Training
 
EC Training for Elementary or Middle School Teachers  
  • Reading SPIRE, October 7 (1:00-2:30) or October 8 (3:15-4:45) 
Teachers that have been trained in the SPIRE reading program need to attend the SPIRE refresher for a blended online component. If you are not able to attend one of the sessions, please contact your Liaison. 
 
Transfer of Rights and Guardianship Training 
  • October 15, 2020 from 2:30-3:30 for all EC High School Teachers, EC Administrators invited 
 
EC Bus Monitor Training: 
Who should attend? Bus Monitors, potential Sub Bus Monitors 
Initial Training for new hires or those not trained at some point during the 2019-20 school year. 
  • Oct. 6, 2020 (1:30-2:15) link for SEA System forthcoming 
  • Oct 13, 2020 (2:15-3:00) link for SEA System forthcoming 
 
Refresher Training for those staff members that were trained during the 2019-2020 school year. 
To be completed by 10/13/20 Assigned course will be forthcoming. 
 
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI): 
Who should attend? 
EC teachers, EC Teacher Assistants, Bus Monitors, Administrators 
CPI Refresher: 
 
  • Sea System # 4-527  Section 3 Oct. 6, 2020   1:00-3:30 
                                                 https://cravenk12.zoom.us/j/95363527343 
  • Sea System # 4-527  Section 4 Oct. 7, 2020   9:00-11:30 
                                                https://cravenk12.zoom.us/j/97060497214 
  
  • Sea System # 4-527  Section 5 Oct. 7, 2020   1:00-3:30 
                                                       https://cravenk12.zoom.us/j/93582474371 
  
  • Sea System # 4-527  Section 6 Oct. 8, 2020   3:00-5:30 
                                                             https://cravenk12.zoom.us/j/95791937077 
 
Once we complete the zoom refresher you will need to complete your post assessment via google. After the post assessment is received (must be done by the next day) we will be setting up appointments to do the physical refreshers. You will need to choose one person with whom you feel comfortable to be up close and personal with to demonstrate your physical skills. After the physical skills are completed you will receive your Blue Card. If you have concerns, please contact Heather Hingley. 
 
Initial CPI 
  • Sea System # 4-526 Oct. 7, 2020 8:00-4:00 & Oct. 14, 2020 12:00-3:00  
                                                      https://cravenk12.zoom.us/j/9880444953 
  
YOU MUST ATTEND BOTH DAYS. You will be required to attend the physical training on Oct. 14, 2020 from 12:00-3:00 pm. Location is not yet set. We will let you know where it will be when you join us virtually on Oct. 7th. You will not be certified until both days and the post assessment are completed.
Below are two important webinars for Kindergarten teachers
regarding the Early Learning Inventory (ELI).

10/22/20 - NC Early Learning Inventory: Preliminary Levels
Intended Audience: Kindergarten Educators

This support update will provide information for making decisions about the developmental levels that represent a child's knowledge, skills, and abilities based on the documentation collected during instruction. Due to the pandemic, the due date for setting preliminary levels has been extended to November 6.

10/22/20 @ 3:30
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
11/19/20 - NC Early Learning Inventory: Checkpoints
Intended Audience: Kindergarten Educators

This support update will provide information for making decisions about the developmental levels that represent a child's knowledge, skills, and abilities based on the documentation collected during instruction. Due to the pandemic, the due date for setting checkpoint levels has been extended to January 22.

11/19/20 @ 3:30
TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

A new security setting from Zoom was pushed out this week. Zoom has turned off the ability to share your screen while in a BreakOut room.   
The host of the meeting can still make anyone a co-host and provide the ability to share their screen while in the BreakOut room. But the host will have to turn off the co-host designation after the BreakOut session. 
We've reached out to Zoom and they indicated that they are working on the ability for hosts to designate who can share their screens but there is no ETA on this feature.
REMINDER: October 12th is a Remote Learning/Optional Workday 

This is a Remote Learning Day for students in our Traditional 2020-21 Calendar. Students are to be provided with instructions on accessing their remote learning assignments/work/resources prior to October 12th. As this is an Optional Workday for teachers, students are not required to participate in synchronous (live) sessions. Teachers are not required to provide office hours on this day and may opt to take leave. Teachers who choose to work on this day have the option of offering office hours to assist students and parents. School leaders are expected to communicate this information to their students and parents. Teachers should also communicate with their students through class announcements.
October – National Bullying Prevention Month 

October is National Bullying Prevention Month 
October 5: #BlueUp – Wear Blue for World Day of Bullying Prevention 
October 21: #UnityDay - Wear Orange to Prevent Bullying and Promote Kindness 
Resources for National Bullying Prevention Month can be found at Stomp Out Bullying and Committee for Children Website.
Free App for Educators
Headspace provides mediations and exercises for sleep, focus, stress and anxiety. It is now free for K-12 teachers and school administrators.
Employee Benefits Update -
Open Enrollment information for tobacco users

This action is ONLY for tobacco users who want to reduce their monthly premium by
$60 per month in 2021. If an employee is NOT a tobacco user, they will simply need to
attest to that during the online Open Enrollment process, which is October 15th through
October 31st.
Please remember you have until November 30, 2020, to visit your Primary Care
Provider or a CVS MinuteClinic to complete a tobacco cessation counseling session in
order to earn your premium credit for 2021. In past years, since Craven County has no
CVS MinuteClinics within 25 miles, the State Health Plan allowed exceptions for
attending the cessation counseling session. THERE WILL BE NO MORE
EXCEPTIONS GRANTED SINCE THERE IS THE OPTION TO SEE YOUR PRIMARY
CARE PHYSICIAN.
It’s also important that you visit the Plan’s website and print off instructions for your
provider to ensure your tobacco attestation counseling session is FREE and is billed
correctly. (If you combine the tobacco cessation visit with another service, there may be
a copay.) This document is not required for the visit, it’s simply a suggestion to ensure
the visit is billed correctly.

2020 Annual Benefits Enrollment 
The annual enrollment period for Craven County Schools Benefits Plan will be October 5, 2020 through November 13, 2020. A Pierce Group Benefits Counselor will be contacting you very soon to schedule a virtual group briefing for annual enrollment. All faculty and staff are encouraged to attend. This virtual briefing will last approximately fifteen minutes and we appreciate your help in allowing these briefings to be scheduled. An online sign-up sheet for onsite individual enrollment sessions will be provided to you and your staff by your Benefits Counselor following the group briefing.
 In addition, an employee letter will be sent to all employees within the district on the first day of annual enrollment. It will provide detailed information and communicate expectations regarding the annual enrollment period. The Pierce Group Benefits Counselor will provide you site specific information to relay to your staff.
Please be sure that all eligible employees are informed of open enrollment. Elections made during the enrollment period may not be changed during the plan year. The only exception is for a family status change as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. A plan change due to a family status change must be initiated within 30 days of the qualifying event. If an employee is on a current leave during the open enrollment period, they will not be allowed to sign up for benefits at this time. An employee on leave will have 30 days upon their return to sign up.
Your cooperation with this process is most appreciated.
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