Morning Announcements

East Millbrook Magnet Middle School offers Arts Matter performance

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:07:54 -0500

East Millbrook Magnet Middle School will host its first Arts Matter performance at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11. Families considering applying for their children to attend the school should come to enjoy an evening of visual arts displays, dancing, acting, and music as the East Millbrook Visual and Performing Arts Department showcase their talents to the community. Parents and neighbors should come to enjoy the students work and performances. Admission is free. After the show, the arts teachers will be available in the lobby near the art displays to answer questions about the school's award-winning arts programs. For more information, contact the school.

Raleigh Regional Science Olympiad set for Feb. 13

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:54:08 -0500

Hundreds of high school and middle school students from central North Carolina will compete in science and engineering events at the annual Raleigh Regional Science Olympiad on Saturday, Feb. 13 at Garner Magnet High School.

Olympiad officials are expecting 60 middle and high school teams each with 15 - 18 members from Durham, Wake, Granville, Vance, Franklin, and Warren counties. Competing in 47 different events, the 30 middle school and 30 high school teams are vying for the opportunity to represent the region at the State Science Olympiad in Raleigh on April 23 and 24, hoping to represent North Carolina at the National Science Olympiad.

"We expect about 3,000 visitors on campus," said Kim Gervase, co-director of the Science Olympiad. "We stress that the purpose of this competition is for students to learn. Everybody gets a chance to complete, but what matters most is their participation as a team."

The North Carolina Science Olympiad (NCSO) is third largest in the country in the number of students participating. Currently, 250 middle and high schools representing over 6,000 students and 60 counties in North Carolina are participating in the NCSO. In 2009 alone, NCSO had over 5,000 volunteers involved in reaching middle and high school students for science.

New Research on Learning and Teaching in WCPSS

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:17:03 -0500

The WCPSS Department of Evaluation and Research recently released two new reports assessing the effectiveness of different aspects of learning and teaching in our schools. "Effective Teaching Practices in English I" and "NovaNET 2008-09 Evaluation" can be found on the department's research reports website along with other recent studies.

ParentVision: Snow Days

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:47:28 -0500

In today's ParentVision video podcast, we take a look at the scheduled snow days following last week's snow and ice.

Cary High Gym Named for Charlie Adams

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:10:38 -0500

At its Feb. 2 meeting, the school board approved naming the Cary High School gym in honor of Charlie Adams who is retiring after a 43-year career with the NC High School Athletic Association.

Adams was a star athlete at Cary High during the 1950s, and taught and coached the basketball team there during the 1960s. He moved to the NC High School Athletic Association in 1967 and served there for 43 years, since 1984 as Executive Director.

Principal Doug Thilman and Athletic Director Kurt Glendenning say it's appropriate to name the gym in honor of Charlie Adams in recognition of his extraordinary service to the community and to NC.

Click here to listen to Cary High Gym Named for Charlie Adams

This is a 6 minute mp3 file.

Superintendent's Journal: Funding Our Schools in 2010-11

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:51:33 -0500

In this week's journal, Dr. Burns provides an update on the revenues available to the school system from state and local sources in the next school year. Dr. Burns also discusses some of the strategies that will be used to respond, including budget cuts in Central Services.

A transcript is also available.

(Downloadable in QuickTime)

2010 Calendar Survey Results Updated

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:32:14 -0500

Two additional reports breaking down the 2010 Calendar Survey data have been provided to the Board of Education:

District-Wide Responses to Survey Items by Assignment
Responses by School, by Board Member, by Assignment, Alphabetical by Board Member and by School (1,860 pages)

These reports have been added the survey results page.

Martin Magnet Middle Teacher Named Recycling Coordinator of the Year

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:02:42 -0500

Martin Magnet Middle School Orchestra Teacher Anita Hynus has earned the title of Wake County Recycling Coordinator of the Year.

Hynus says her interest in helping students organizing recycling efforts at the school come from her college studies in geology and growing up on her family's farm.

Click here to listen to Martin Middle Teacher Named Recycling Coordinator of the Year

This is a 10 minute mp3 file.

Board Names Principals

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:37:31 -0500

At its February 2 meeting, the Board of Education named Ian Solomon principal at Durant Road Middle, Kerry Chisnall principal at Northwoods Elementary, retired principal Marge Ronco as interim principal at Creech Road Elementary and Teresa Cunningham-Brown as Senior Director of Human Resources-Recruitment and Retention.

Solomon has served as assistant principal of Durant Road Middle School since 2008. Prior to that, he was an assistant principal and administrator in Lenoir County Schools. Earlier he was an assistant principal at Cary High.

Chisnall has served as assistant principal of East Cary Middle School since 2007. Prior to that, he was assistant principal in Lee County Schools. Earlier, he worked as an administrative intern at Cary High and Reedy Creek Elementary and was a teacher at Daniels Middle.

Ronco retired after serving as principal of Ballentine Elementary and Lincoln Heights Elementary. Prior to that, she was assistant principal at Apex Elementary.

Cunningham-Brown has served as Director of Human Resources Recruitment and Retention since 2006. Prior to that, she was a Senior Administrator in Human Resources. Earlier, she was an assistant principal, assistant principal intern and teacher at Southeast Raleigh High.

Dr. Burns Reports: February 2, 2010

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:02:45 -0500

In speaking to the Board of Education, Superintendent Burns congratulated the 14 WCPSS magnet schools recognized by the magnet Schools of America and the leadership magnet schools who recently hosted international visitors interested in their approach to instruction.

Click here to listen to Dr. Burns Reports

This is a 5.5 minute MP3 file.

Pitching in to clear campuses of snow and ice

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:18:56 -0500

Schools have been clearing campus walkways of the snow and ice left by the recent winter storm. School campuses received a coating of up to five inches of snow and ice with the winter weather.

Schools have received help in cleaning campuses from staff, volunteers, custodial staff, WCPSS maintenance staff and school system trucks fitted with scrapers.

Millbrook High Assistant Principal Kelly Aman says the coaching staff at Millbrook helped.

"Our football coach, Clarence Inscore, called for a "coaches meeting" at the flagpole about 10 a.m. on Feb. 1. We had football coaches, our cross country coach, soccer coaches, custodians, guidance counselors and administrators out with shovels, brooms and picks attempting to clear the snow from the front of the school. It is truly great to work with folks that are so dedicated to MHS!" said Aman.

Wake County Magnet Schools Receive National Honor

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:42:26 -0500

Fourteen Wake County Magnet Schools have been notified by the Magnet Schools of America of their selection as Magnet Schools of Excellence or Magnet Schools of Distinction.

2010 National Magnet Schools of Excellence

Bugg Creative Arts and Science Magnet Elementary
Conn Active Learning and Technology Magnet Elementary
Joyner Center for Spanish Language / International Baccalaureate PYP Magnet Elementary
Millbrook International Baccalaureate PYP Magnet Elementary
Wiley International Studies Magnet Elementary
Ligon Gifted and Talented Magnet Middle School
Garner International Baccalaureate MYP/DP Magnet High

2010 National Magnet Schools of Distinction

Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary
Brooks Museums Magnet Elementary
Douglas Creative Arts and Science Magnet Elementary
Hunter Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary
Washington Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary
Centennial Campus University Connections & Leadership Magnet Middle
East Garner International Baccalaureate MYP Magnet Middle

Magnet Schools of America is a national collaborative network of magnet schools that provide leadership for innovative instructional programs promoting equity, diversity, and academic excellence for all students in public school choice programs. The schools were selected from a national field of over 2,000 magnet schools based on rigorous criteria that includes innovative instructional strategies, student achievement, diversity goals, and parent and community involvement in the magnet school. As WCPSS proceeds with the Curriculum Management Audit's call to evaluate all programs, the accomplishment of these schools shows the level to which WCPSS magnet programs meet and exceed the national standard for magnet schools.

Magnet Schools in WCPSS will accept applications online from February 8 - 28, 2010. If you have questions, please call 501-7900 or explore our website .

2010 Calendar Survey Results Now Online

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:06:08 -0500

The results of the 2010 Calendar Survey, which ran online from January 11, 2010 through January 25, 2010, were presented to the Board at its Committee of the Whole meeting on February 2, 2010.

All of the documents presented to the Board are available here.

Universal Pre-K Application for 2010-11 Now Available

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:06:03 -0500

The Universal Pre-Kindergarten application for 2010-11 has now been posted to our Parents Resource Center and forms page. Please complete this form and mail it to the Smart Start office (address on application) to apply for WCPSS pre-K programs.

WCPSS Teacher Named Top Regional Middle School Science Teacher

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:01:16 -0500

Durant Road Middle science teacher Paul Cancellieri has been presented the 2009 District 3 Outstanding Middle School Science Teacher award from the North Carolina Science Teachers Association. You can find more information about the association here.