Dare County Schools

Dare County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Sue F. Burgess introduced Dr. Bill Daggett to a group of invited DCS administrators and faculty leadership teams on Thursday, September 7. Daggett, President of the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE), discussed what successful schools are doing to apply research-based practices and better prepare students for life in the 21st century. Several in the audience were familiar with the work of Dr. Daggett and the ICLE through hearing him speak at Tech Prep and Model Schools Conferences. All DCS educators will have the opportunity to hear him when DEF brings Daggett back to keynote the Northeast Regional Best Practices Conference that DCS will host in February 2007.

On September 7, the Dare Education Foundation (DEF) together with Bank of America, Kelly's Restaurant and Tavern, Ocean Atlantic Rentals, and Drew and Lisa Wright, sponsored a much anticipated event where forward thinking educators and engaged community members gathered to hear Dr. Bill Daggett, President of the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE), speak at First Flight High School on the topic "Are We Preparing Our Children for the Future?"

Prior to the evening's headline event, DEF sponsored an opportunity for a select group of Dare County Schools' leadership and school improvement teams to hear Daggett discuss what successful schools are doing to apply research-based practices and better prepare students. Several in the audience were familiar with the work of Dr. Daggett and the ICLE through hearing him speak at Tech Prep and Model Schools Conferences.

As Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sue Burgess introduced Dr. Daggett, she reminded the audience of the Board of Education's goal to "continue to pursue best instructional practices at all levels, with an emphasis on research-based high school reform."

DCS is addressing the topic of high school reform on several fronts. First Flight High School and Manteo High School are both members of the Successful Practices Network, created by the ICLE. Last year, Manteo High School was selected to be one of ten high schools in North Carolina to participate in a five-year partnership in the Promising High School Network, co-sponsored by the ICLE and the Council of Chief State School Officers. As members, the schools receive assistance and training to develop strategic plans to support improvements in the three Rs of high school reform -- Rigor, Relevance and Relationships -- through such programs as DCS Freshman Academies.

New Schools Project funding has provided intensive coaching and professional development opportunities, laying the foundation for the redesign of Cape Hatteras Secondary School, based on the new 3Rs, into Cape Hatteras Secondary School of Coastal Studies.

Burgess pointed out that all of the educators in attendance are touched by related reform initiatives throughout the district. To prepare DCS students for 21st century life and work, efforts based on the 3Rs research are driving K-12 staff development. Current emphases on reading and writing to learn across content areas, on meeting the needs of special education and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) students, and on developing professional learning communities are all based in the research on high school reform.

Burgess applauded the Dare Education Foundation and sponsors for bringing the renowned Daggett to Dare County. All DCS educators will have the opportunity to hear him when DEF brings Daggett back to keynote the Northeast Regional Best Practices Conference that DCS will host in February 2007.