News

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) is pleased to announce that Stephanie Uhrich, a dedicated Math and Science teacher at Saluda Elementary School in Polk County Schools, has been awarded the prestigious Susan S. McHugh NCCAT Honored Educator Scholarship for the 2024-2025 academic year. This distinguished scholarship, generously funded by the Stuart and Margaret L. Forbes Foundation of Polk County, provides crucial support by covering substitute teacher costs and offering $250 for classroom use.

Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger has reappointed Dr. Aaron Fleming of Lillington, N.C., and Mrs. Julie Hart von Henner of Arden, N.C., to the Board of Trustees of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT). NCCAT is a recognized national leader in professional development programming for North Carolina teachers. "We are delighted to welcome back Dr. Fleming and Mrs. von Henner to the Board,” said NCCAT Executive Director Dr. M. Brock Womble.

Shea James, a dedicated teacher of AP Physics, AP Chemistry, and Physical Science at Green Level High School, has been awarded the prestigious Robert E. and Hattie H. Bridges NCCAT Honored Educator Scholarship for the 2023-2024 academic year. This esteemed scholarship covers substitute teacher costs and provides $250 for classroom use. Ms. James is pictured with NCCAT faculty member Jason Lineberger during the "Your Move: Harnessing Design Thinking Using Tabletop Games" program recently at NCCAT Cullowhee.

Open to teachers in their first, second, or third year of teaching, this program supports motivated beginning teachers by strengthening their knowledge base and classroom expertise join us for "Success from the Start" at NCCAT Cullowhee. Teachers will develop their craft by understanding how to teach to the depth of their standards and differentiating for multiple levels of learners.  Beginning educators will also have the opportunities to refine their teaching philosophies and class expectations.  Within this seminar, teachers will identify their most immediate needs for their classrooms, and time will be spent exploring solutions to those needs.

Join us for an immersive journey into the dynamic intersection of technology and mathematics education with the program "Tech-Infused Math: Enhancing Math Instruction." Through hands-on exploration and collaborative learning experiences, educators will discover how to leverage a variety of digital tools to integrate coding with the K-8 math content standards. This program is designed for math educators in grades K-8. NCCAT provides teachers with knowledge, skills, teaching methods, best practices and information to take back to their classrooms.

Is your school interested in using the NC STEM Schools of Distinction Rubric for school improvement or to receive the STEM School of Distinction designation?  During this planning institute schools will review the overarching principles of the Rubric, consider what each principle means in the context of their individual school, assess the school’s readiness, draft a strategic plan and develop next steps for school improvement or to apply for the NC STEM Schools of Distinction. The institute will include whole group discussion to learn from best practices across the state and individual school team planning. 

Apply now to be part of "Classroom Tips: Trauma-Affected Student Support" at NCCAT Cullowhee in August. Participants will explore trauma-informed classroom management techniques and proactive approaches to behavior management, de-escalation strategies, and creating trauma-sensitive routines and rituals. Participants will also learn and practice strategies to build resilience in their own lives and in turn how these practices can be implemented into the classroom environment. Lodging accommodations are available for Thursday evening before the Friday program upon request.

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) is proud to announce the selection of twenty-four exceptional teachers as finalists for the NCCAT 2024 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year Award. One outstanding educator will be named the NCCAT 2024 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year at an award ceremony scheduled for October 3, 2024, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University.

The North Carolina Science Teachers Association (NCSTA) held its Western Science District Meeting June 14th at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) in Cullowhee. This event aimed to acclimate science teachers in the Western District to the new science standards and resources available to support them. Throughout the day, participants interacted with each other and representatives from local organizations dedicated to supporting science educators in North Carolina.

Are you looking to deepen comprehension in your upper grades' classroom? Do you want to enhance your teaching strategies with evidence-based literacy practices? Join us for the "Creating Readers/Thinkers Across Content Areas" residential program, hosted by the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT), from August 12-15 in Cullowhee. This engaging session is designed specifically for educators teaching grades 4-8. We will highlight evidence-based literacy practices that align with the development of students’ comprehension skills.

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) is excited to announce an upcoming professional development program, "Recipe for Problem Solving K-5," scheduled for September. This innovative training is specifically designed for K-5 teachers and will be led by esteemed research scholars from the William and Ida Friday Institute for Education Innovation. The "Recipe for Problem Solving K-5" program aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to computational thinking and practical teaching strategies.

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) is proud to announce that Jennifer Mitchell, an Honors and AP English teacher at Cuthbertson High School in Union County Schools, has been awarded the NCCAT Honored Educator Scholarship (HES) for the 2023-2024 academic year. Ms. Mitchell is the recipient of the Belk Foundation HES for 2023-2024. She recently participated in the "Unlocking Advanced Learning Differentiation with NC Literacy Instruction Standards" program at NCCAT Cullowhee, which was led by NC DPI presenters Crissy Brown and Kelly Schultz.

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) Cullowhee Campus Building Project Committee will convene a meeting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at the NCCAT Cullowhee campus, located at 276 NCCAT Drive, Cullowhee, NC 28723. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the NCCAT Cullowhee Campus Capital Project. The meeting will be available live at nccat.org.

This training, led by research scholars from the William and Ida Friday Institute for Education Innovation, will provide K-5 teachers with a comprehensive introduction to computational thinking and practical teaching strategies. Participants will explore the fundamentals of computational thinking, coding, and age-appropriate programming tools to integrate into their classrooms. By the end of the training, teachers will feel confident in writing lesson plans integrating computational thinking to teach creative and engaging lessons integrating the NC content standards, NC K-5 computer science standards, and the NC Digital Learning Standards for Students.

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) is proud to announce that two educators, April Sherrod and Lisa Hendricks, have been awarded NCCAT Honored Educator Scholarships for 2023-2024. April Sherrod, a 7th-grade math teacher at Forest Hills Middle School, has been named the recipient of the Elsie Brame and Norma Henderson Leonard Hunt HES for 2023-2024. Lisa Hendricks, a Health Sciences teacher at James Hunt High School, has been honored with the Mabel Roberson McIntyre HES for the same period.