WCPSS Renaissance Model to Provide Support for Four Elementary Schools
March 1 , 2011 - North Carolina recently received a $400 million grant from the Federal Race to the Top competition to be used over the next four years to help increase student achievement throughout our state. The Wake County Public School System will receive $10.2 million of those funds to be utilized for activities designed to improve the academic achievement of students in our school district.
A portion of these funds will be used for our Renaissance Model. WCPSS developed the Renaissance Model to provide support for four of our elementary schools that could benefit from the extra resources provided by this grant: Barwell Road Elementary, Brentwood Magnet Elementary, Creech Road Elementary and Wilburn Elementary.
Starting with the 2011-12 school year, classrooms in these four Renaissance schools will be outfitted with the latest technology, and additional teaching staff will be provided for each grade level. In addition, there will be flexibility in the school day and school year to provide more instructional time.
A selection process will be held to staff the Renaissance schools. Current employees at each of the four Renaissance schools who wish to participate in the project will be asked to reapply for positions. Employees will also have the opportunity to request a transfer to another school. Principals and teachers with a record of student growth will be recruited with a one-time recruitment bonus to work at these schools. Renaissance school staff will also be eligible to receive annual performance-based compensation.
The infusion of Race to the Top funding is an exciting opportunity for our district to provide additional resources to schools in support of student academic achievement.