And So It Begins...

Today I was in a Teacher of the Year whirlwind, and I loved it! I'm tired, and my brain is spinning with information, but I'm beginning to get the idea about what the next year of my life is going to be like.

I got up a 5:30 AM to get ready for a 7:00 breakfast meeting with the Hillsborough Rotary Club. I made it in time to eat one of the best pancakes I've ever had, and then I spoke with the club about challenges in education, a topic they had chosen for me. I was pleasantly surprised at the outpouring of suggestions and offers for assistance that the members gave me after hearing about my dream of opening a community literacy center for the parents and students of my school. I explained that this center will be a place where students can work on their reading skills while their parents are studying English or maybe trying to strengthen their own reading. I left there with a handful of business cards, names, and phone numbers - all from people who offered to help. And I thought I went there to do something for them!

Also, I was very moved when the President of the Rotary Club handed me a certificate informing me that a book had been placed in the Orange County Public Library in my name. Epossumondas Saves the Day, a funny little story about a possum who finds the missing ingredient for a birthday cake, is now my book, sitting on a shelf in our county's library. It was all I could do not to cry on the rest of my pancake. As a reading teacher, I was so grateful and moved by the gesture.

I left Hillsborough and drove to the other side of the county to Chapel Hill (the Southern part of Heaven) and attended my first License Appeals Committee meeting at the Center for School Leadership Development. Again, I gained more from this meeting than I brought in as I learned about State Board of Education policy and licensure issues.

After meeting briefly with my friends in the North Carolina Model Teacher Education Consortium office, I headed back to Hillsborough to meet with my Assistant Superintendent to discuss Beginning Teacher Orientation. Next I headed to my school and talked through some ideas for teacher training with my principal.

When I finally returned home, ten hours after I left, I realized that I had grabbed an envelope out of my box while I was in my school building. I reached in my bag and quickly opened it. It was a congratulatory letter from the Governor. THE GOVERNOR!

What a day...

Smile for the Camera!

One of the first duties of the North Carolina Teacher of the Year is to be interviewed for a television show on UNC public television called "North Carolina Now." Today was my day, and I can tell you, it was quite the experience! I was first led to the "Green Room," and I thought Wow, they really have these! Next the microphone was clipped on my lapel, and a little box (I'm sure there's a more scientific name) was placed on my back under my jacket. Mitchell Lewis, News Anchor for North Carolina Now, then came in to brief me on the questions he would ask. They were all predictable - "How did you feel when you were named NC Teacher of the Year?" "How has teaching changed since you started?" Easy, right?

Well, let me tell you...no matter how easy the questions are there is something unnerving about three huge cameras pointed right at you. No matter how many times you've been asked these easy questions, those spotlights make you a little queasy.

But nine minutes later, it was over, and now I'm going through each question (and answer) in my head. Did that sound professional, I'm thinking...or Why didn't I say -----?" I guess it's up to North Carolina to decide...Wednesday, June 25th at 7:30...for all the world to see.

Submitted by...

Cindi...on the education road in NC

Forever Friends...

Christy Albertson - Stoneville

Frieda Baker - Wilson

Ruth Bass - Roxboro

Joyce Best - Wilson

Mary Kay Cooley - NCCAT

Sambra Desrosiers - Oxford

Lena Donlon - NCCAT

Carol Earnhardt - Winston-Salem

Patricia Edmondson -Rocky Mount

Rhondra Fleming - Kinston

Jennifer Garrish - Ocracoke

Carolyn Hiatt - Colfax

Jean Matthews - Ahoskie

Trisha Muse - Asheboro

Bethany Orr - Mooresville

RuthAnn Parker - Clinton

Melissa Pearce - Clayton

Renee Peoples - Whittier

Janice Raper - Salisbury

Cindi Rigsbee - Durham

Sonya Rinehart - Edenton

Bernard Waugh - China Grove

Anita Winn - Gates

Leaving Ocracoke

Thursday night was a very special evening for our Teachers of the Year. We had the opportunity to hear from Martin Garrish and his friends who shared stories of the island culture through music. We sang, we danced (especially our resident clogger, Regional Teacher of the Year Trisha Muse,) and we laughed until we cried.

Teachers are members of a community of kindred spirits, and we were so blessed to spend the week with each other. Our sincere thanks goes out to Mary Kay Cooley, Center Fellow for NCCAT at Cullowhee and Lena Donlon, Program Associate for NCCAT Ocracoke. You ladies, along with Alton Ballance, Scott Cole, Phillip Howard, Ken Wells, and Martin Garrish, made this group of teachers proud to be educators! Thank you for the knowledge, the laughter, the renewal of spirit, and the newly found friends. We are forever grateful.

Goodbye Ocracoke...

Sharing Ocracoke

Thursday was a special to day to those of us who are "mainlanders." First, native Ocracoker Alton Ballance (and a Center Fellow at NCCAT) shared the history of his home island. We were spellbound hearing stories of how hurricanes and wars affected Ocracoke. It was so interesting to hear about the culture of this part of our state and the politics that are involved when making decisions about a world that is somewhat disconnected from those who govern it. Luckily, Alton has served as a County Commissioner and has had a great deal of impact on decisions made affecting the people. In addition, he is the author of Ocracokers, and an expert on the island's people, so he is responsible for sharing the "story" of Ocracoke with others. Next, we met with another native, Phillip Howard, who is an Ocracoke historian. His ancestry traces back to William Howard, Blackbeard's quartermaster. We listened to fascinating stories of the island's people and history while walking the historic streets of the town.

After another gourmet lunch, we met as NC Teachers of the Year to plan a symposium for the coming year. Using the "Lotus Diagram" we were able to narrow our brainstorming into four "petals" of the lotus. Everyone had such great ideas:

WHO - District TOY's, BT's, policy makers

WHAT - Networking, Celebrating, Sharing, Mixing and Mingling with Policy Makers, Reflection, Round Table Discussions

WHERE - 3 Regions/Piedmont, Coastal, Mountain, Community College Campus, UNC System Schools, Trinity Place, The North Carolina Zoo

WHEN - Although several dates were discussed, it was decided that our symposium will take place in the spring, after each district level Teacher of the Year has been selected.

We will continue this important work that we started at NCCAT and hopefully will be able to offer a powerful symposium for teachers in our state.

During the next part of our last full day, we were thrilled to hear comments from Ken Wells, a former principal and superintendent, on the subject of Leadership. Ken, who believes that change is driving public schools, shared many interesting points:

1. Adapting to change is the most important characteristic of a leader.

2. Leaders must learn to listen.

3. Leaders must "get out of the office."

He continued by telling us that North Carolina's new evaluation standards will open professional dialogue between teachers and administrators.

After Ken's enlightening presentation, we all met out on the deck to for a reception. We ended the evening with a delicious steak dinner that made teachers feel appreciated and celebrated.

KaYIKEing!!!

What an adventurous group of people teachers are! So what if many of us had never kayaked before? So what if the Pamlico Sound is the largest lagoon on the East Coast (80 miles long)? We settled right in and got to paddling! We paddled around Springer's Point and then hopped out (well, actually I fell out) for a nature walk. We were introduced to some of the island's plantlife and then heard the story of the eccentric Sam Jones. Finally, we were entertained by the sight of his grave. He's buried with his horse, Ikey D.

How many people get to say that they have sailed in Teach's Hole where the infamous Blackbeard was beheaded? Well, NC Teachers of the Year can! Legend says you may see the old pirate if you're out there at night. Luckily, we still had plenty of daylight.

We saw amazing wildlife there - and I'm not talking about the teachers! Turtles swam by, and all types of gulls were diving for dinner. We returned to our starting point, Silver Lake (known as "The Creek" by locals,) and then relaxed a bit before paddling to shore.

We are pleased to report that there were no drownings or serious injuries...only a few bumps and bruises like a normal day of teaching.

We ended the day with a picnic overlooking the water on the lovely deck of NCCAT Ocracoke. And nothing is more entertaining than "teacher stories." They were in abundance after dinner as relationships were strengthened and life long friends were made.

Morning Magic

Some of us were determined not to eat breakfast this morning due to a large intake of food yesterday. But, oops, it's PANCAKES! Maybe we won't eat tomorrow. Today began with a discussion of mission and vision. What do these terms really mean, and how do we make them more than just "words?" This exciting seminar turned passionate when Teachers of the Year began talking about testing and the impact test scores have on teacher retention and teacher working conditions. We heard horror stories about superintendents and principals who project test scores, beside teacher names, for all to see. We talked about the loss of creativity some teachers feel as a result of preparing students for standardized tests. But we ended on a positive note: teacher voices are being heard, and we have to believe that change is "a-comin..." Just this year a group of state Teachers of the Year met with legislators to discuss the impact of No Child Left Behind on our classrooms. In North Carolina, the Blue Ribbon Commission on Testing and Accountability has made recommendations to the State Board of Education. Teachers are being heard; the Teacher of the Year "voice" is a powerful one.

Later in the morning, we filled our kaleidoscopes with "magic." We were amazed at the transformation our tubes of plumbing pipe made when we added bits of colored plastic and glass. Interesting how just one extra piece could change the entire picture. Thought - what's the one extra "piece" we can add to our classrooms or give to a student that will change everything?

After lunch (PIZZA!!!) we took one of the most wonderful treks yet - we visited the Ocracoke School. North Carolina's smallest school (120 students Pre K - 12 at last count,) the staff at Ocracoke has to be creative, flexible, and motivating. We were able to visit classrooms (we stood in awe of the room that holds the entire middle school for math and science) and view the "lockers" (cubbies for every student, even the high school kids don't steal each other's pencils!)
It was a rewarding experience to see how they make it work in this island school, but when it came down to it, it had the look, the smell, the feel of any school. We could almost hear the students' voices. We're lucky, too, that participant Jennifer Garrish (Hyde County's Teacher of the Year and the first ever from Ocracoke Island) is with us this week to share her small town with us.

And next....on to kayaking...stay tuned for the excitement!