On this Friday, I am thankful for you. Our work would not happen without your leadership in our schools but also in the communities we serve. This week, I was fortunate to spend time with Breana Fowler, the student representative to the CMS Board of Education, who has hopes and dreams so big I wish them for all of our children. And then I traveled on to meet with Hardin Kennedy, who is on the faculty at Wilkes Community College but he also serves on the Wilkes County School Board. Kennedy is the winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award for the N.C. Community College System.

Part of what has been magical about the EdNC journey is watching you participate in the building of what this is. This week I also spent time with Donnell Cannon and Jenny O’Meara, and I am so proud of their podcast, the Hummingbird Stories. So many of you are creating podcasts, EdNC’s Alli now curates them weekly!

And our mountain philosopher, Superintendent Jeff McDaris, curates a weekly playlist for all of us, providing tunes each weekend for us to breathe, reflect, and dedicate. This week, he says, “It has been another busy, draining, rewarding, thoughtful, intense, loving, emotional, tiring, and hopeful week in NC!”

This week, “You are the best thing,” made his list, and that feels so true to me. Our students, our educators, you are the best thing.

Check out our new video on our collective architecture of participation that bubbled up and out of Nation’s heart and mind.

Thanks y’all.

The State Board of Education will meet remotely, via conference call, on Thursday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m. The meeting agenda is available online and includes a link to audio access for the meeting.

Here are the podcasts for the weekend:

The Resilience Zone | Episode 2 – The highlight tool

Gabby and Elijah are back to talk about another resilience tool. In this episode they discuss the highlight tool, which they use to find positivity no matter what’s going on in their lives. Listen here to learn more about the tool and how these students utilize it on a daily basis.

First in Future by IEI | Can Kitty Hawk Take Flight?

Kitty Hawk is a new strategy from the UNC system to reach adult learners. In this episode, hear how they plan to reach 1.5 million NC adults with guests Dr. Andrew Kelly, Senior VP Policy and Strategy with the UNC System; Dr. Susan Barcinas, Adult and Community College Education at NC State and Conni Branscom; Adult Completing Student at UNCC.

Education Beat by EdSource | What it takes to be an award winning counselor

How did these award-winning counselors from California’s Central Valley become so good at what they do? How did their own experiences shape them?

• UNC’s $97 Million Plan to Reach Adult Online Learners

  Inside Higher Ed | December 9, 2021

• Six Questions State Boards Should Ask about Student Mental Health

  National State Boards of Education | December 9, 2021

• State’s new budget includes historic funding for flood resilience

  Pew | December 3, 2021

• Want to Build Back Better? Consider Early Childhood Districts

  Education Commission of the States | December 10, 2021

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