Parent EdLink Email Newsletter: May 2010

MAY 2010

As we enter the final weeks of the 2009-10 school year, attention is focused on end-of-year testing, recognitions of students and staff, and finalizing the budget for next year.  Durham Public Schools is fortunate that Dr. Eric Becoats will take the post of Superintendent starting July 1, and I want to assure Dr. Becoats that he is moving to a community where the parents and citizens care about and support public schools.  Now is the time to recognize the work of our teachers so I encourage you to send an email note of thanks to the teachers who have done so much to inspire learning in your child this year.  I am grateful to each of you for your commitment to our schools and wish for you and your children a safe and happy summer. 

H. Hank Hurd, Interim Superintendent

In This Issue:

• New Superintendent Named
• Send Teachers Appreciation Emails
• Graduation Schedule Announced
• Budget Presented to Board; Public Hearing Set
• Summer Homework Project Issued
• 2011-12 School Calendars Approved
• New Website to Inform Parents about Schools
• Talking with Young People about Sex
• Duke Offers Sports Physicals
• IBM Technology Camp Applications Available

New Superintendent Named

At a special meeting the Board of Education appointed Dr. Eric J. Becoats as the new Superintendent of Durham Public Schools, effective July 1. Dr. Becoats is Chief Administrative Officer and formerly Chief of Staff and Co-Interim Superintendent for Guilford County Schools. Dr. Becoats says he is looking forward to working with teachers, principals, parents and the community in the service of DPS students.

Send Teachers Appreciation Emails

Durham Public Schools is pleased to offer parents (along with students and others) a free and easy way to show teachers how much they are appreciated.  Click on the graphic http://www.dpsnc.net/forms/teacher-appreciation-week-email to fill out a simple form sending an email to a teacher you appreciate.  The email will be sent to the teacher and his/her principal.  Show teachers you care about all the many ways they enrich your child’s life!

Graduation Schedule Announced

Nearly 2,000 seniors will walk across the stage at Cameron Indoor Stadium and at various other sites across Durham starting May 20 when the Early and Middle College High Schools graduate and ending June 10 when the final Durham School of the Arts student walks across the stage.  The complete graduation schedule is online at http://www.dpsnc.net/schools/calendars/student-calendars/2010-graduation-schedule

Budget Presented to Board; Public Hearing Set

After several months of input and discussion, the Superintendent’s budget was presented to the Board of Education for consideration on April 29.  The Board will now hold a public hearing on the budget on Thursday, May 6, at 6:30 pm before approving the budget at a special meeting on Thursday, May 13.  The Superintendent’s budget is online at http://www.dpsnc.net/about-dps/budget

Summer Homework Project Issued

On June 10, school will end for the year but students will have an important summer homework project.  DPS wants students to keep up their skills over the summer by reading books, magazines, newspapers, online information and more.  A great way to ensure that students read over the summer is by participating in the Durham County Library’s summer reading program.  Check it out online at http://www.durhamcountylibrary.org/kids.php   And DPS has a reading Website that has tips, booklists and more.  Look for it on the DPS homepage this summer.

2011-12 School Calendars Approved

Parents who are planning ahead, far ahead, will be interested to know that the Board of Education recently approved the calendars for the 2011-12 school year.  The 2010-11 calendars were approved last year and are online at http://www.dpsnc.net/schools/calendars
The Board recently adjusted these calendars to include more inclement weather days.  For 2011-12, year-round schools will start on July 18 with winter break Dec. 19-Jan. 6 and the last day of school for students on June 8.  For traditional school students for 2011-12, they will start school on Aug. 25, be out for winter break Dec. 21 until Jan. 2, and end the year on June 7.  Just a reminder that the 2010-11 school year starts on July 19 for year-round students and Aug. 25 for traditional school students. 

Turn In Those Textbooks

Replacing missing textbooks is very expensive to the school district.  Parents and students are encouraged to look through closets, under beds and in other places where books are sometimes stashed to turn in all textbooks and library books before school is out. 

New Website to Inform Parents about Schools

There soon will be a new Website for parents and prospective parents to learn about Durham’s public schools.  Strong Durham Schools is a Website devoted to tell parent stories about the positive experiences they have with our schools.  The program is operated by a group of parents and is independent of DPS.  To tell your story about a DPS school, go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y6WDFNN   Or you can send your story to Strong.Durham.Schools@gmail.com (Please specify how you wish your name to appear on the site) or mail your story to Strong Durham Schools, 2 High Rock Ct., Durham, NC 27713. 

Talking with Young People about Sex

Plain Talk is a community-based initiative aimed at helping adults, parents and community leaders develop the skills and tools they need to communicate effectively with young people about reducing adolescent sexual risk-taking.  Funded by a grant through the Department of Health and Human Services, the group offers “Home Health Parties,” two-hour sessions that can be held for parents and community leaders in a volunteer’s home to strategize ways for communicating pregnancy and STD prevention among teens.  The goal is to give parents and other community adults the information and skills they need to communicate effectively with teens about responsible sexual behavior and to improve adolescent access to quality, age-appropriate and readily available reproductive health care. For more information on Plain Talk or to host a Home Health Party contact April McCoy at 919-560-7832 or email at apmccoy@ph.co.durham.nc.us

Duke Offers Sports Physicals

Duke Sports Medicine offers its annual physicals for Durham Public Schools high school student-athletes.  Physicals will be offered on Tuesday, May 25 from 6 to 9 pm at the Duke Sports Medicine Finch-Yeager Building.  Cost is $10, and it is requested that the fee be paid in cash.  Physical form with past medical history must be filled out by parent/guardian or student-athlete will not be seen.  This form is available through your high school Athletic Trainer, or by visiting the DPS Website.  Call 681-1656 for more information.

IBM Technology Camp

IBM is teaming with Durham Public Schools to sponsor two offerings of a two-day technology camp for girls entering the seventh and eighth grades in fall 2010. The camps will be held at the IBM Research Triangle Park facility June 17 – 18, and July 15 – 16. Entirely funded by IBM, the mission of these camps is to introduce girls to the exciting fields of science, math and engineering in a nurturing environment.  If selected, the girls will get to do interesting activities such as designing and building a Web page, coding a program, making lip gloss, touring unique laboratories, and building a robot.  Applications are available at your middle school.  For more info, contact Steven Pearson at pearsons@us.ibm.com.