Colfax, NC — The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) held its first annual Beginning Teacher Coordinator Institute on March 28 at Guilford Technical Community College. The event brought together representatives from more than 70 school districts across North Carolina for a day of learning and collaboration focused on beginning teachers.
Keynote speakers Vanessa Smith and Jennifer Blake delivered inspiring messages, while participants engaged in a variety of informative breakout sessions and learned from a panel discussion focused on ways to create a school culture of support. At the conclusion of the program, coordinators heard from 5 spotlight districts that are utilizing innovative practices in their beginning teacher programs.
Dr. Karen Sumner, NCCAT Deputy Executive Director, noted the Institute was a great inaugural event focused on bringing together beginning teacher coordinators. “We need time to collaborate on ways to retain and recruit beginning teachers in North Carolina. This conference allowed us to begin building statewide understanding of what we can do, on an individual, school, and district level, to help beginning teachers with modern challenges. Learning from experts in the field and having the opportunity to share successes from across the state made for a wonderful conclusion to a week focused on beginning teachers.”
NCCAT extends its appreciation to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program (NTSP), and school districts statewide for their collaboration in making this event possible.
The Institute followed a week of professional development and recognition for the NCCAT 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Beginning Teacher of the Year finalists in Greensboro. Summer Espinosa, a kindergarten teacher at W.R. Odell Primary School in Cabarrus County Schools, was named the 2025 award recipient. The runner-up is Pieter Westerbeek, a special education teacher at Knightdale High School in Wake County Public School System. Now in its sixth year, this award celebrates outstanding beginning teachers in North Carolina public and charter schools.
About NCCAT
The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) supports teachers and impacts students through exemplary professional development programs. By increasing teacher effectiveness, NCCAT strengthens public education across the state. NCCAT equips educators with innovative teaching methods, best practices, and resources to take back to their classrooms. To learn more about NCCAT’s programs, visit www.nccat.org or call 828-293-5202.