At school, it’s not just the students who  get graded. Teachers have to make the grade, too.  

This year, instructors in the Newton-Conover City Schools system will have more to prove as one of 13 school systems in the state to introduce a new method to evaluate teachers.

NCCS will be the first school system in Catawba County to introduce the N.C. Teacher Evaluation Process, which will replace the former Teacher Performance Appraisal Instrument (TPAI). 

“It’s completely different. It’s a whole new framework, a whole new way of thinking,” said Monica Shepherd, northwest regional education facilitator with the N.C. Board of Education.

She said TPAI evaluated teachers on what could be seen during a 45-minute observation, without taking into consideration other things they might be doing in the classroom.  Little has changed about the system since it was introduced more than 20 years ago.

The new system will still use observation as an evaluation tool, said NCCS Personnel Director Sylvia White.  However, the N.C. Teacher Evaluation Process will require teachers to complete a self-evaluation, identifying their own strengths and weaknesses, and produce an individual growth plan with goals they can work on for improvement.

“The new rubric is beneficial because it almost forces conversation between teachers and the principal, both identifying areas of strength and growth,” NCCS Superintendent Dr. Barry Redmond said.  “It’s a coming together of leader and co-worker.”

Meanwhile, she said the new system also puts a strong emphasis on leadership and the use of technology in the classroom.

“We want to prepare students for the 21st century,” White said.

Shepherd said teachers literally have to prepare students for jobs that don’t exist yet, and that means training students in as much technology as possible.

White said they want to see teachers using podcasting; SMART Boards, an interactive whiteboard; and any other educational technology that will better prepare students for 21st century jobs.

“It draws people together in a sense of mission and common vision and looks at instruction as a greater whole and not separate parts,” Redmond said.

Redmond said the school system volunteered to implement the new N.C. Teacher Evaluation Process because the school system spent the last year aligning its strategic plan with the state’s goals.

“We felt like it would help make sense out of our strategic plan for training, because it all alligns together.” he said. “It gets the fear out of the way, and, plus, we want to be on the cutting edge.”

White said everything is framed under five standards:

• Produce globally competitive students

• Be led by 21st century professionals

• Have students who are healthy and responsible

• Have leadership to guide innovation

• Be governed and supported by 21st century systems

The new method will eventually be used statewide in a three-year, staggered rollout.  Shepherd said the other 102 school systems will follow either in 2009 or 2010.

Carol Johnson, a second-grade teacher at Shuford Elementary, is excited about the new N.C. Teacher Evaluation Process.

“It’s more detailed now with more rubrics,” she said.  “It will help us figure out what we need to be doing.”

She said now teachers will have a better understanding of how effective their teaching methods are and what it takes to be an outstanding teacher.

“It’s set up to help us help the kids,” Johnson said.