Classroom Connection - July 7, 2009
First Day for Year-Round Schools
The 2009-10 school year began for students attending our 51 year-round elementary and middle schools today. Students on Tracks 1, 2 and 3 were in class today while students on Track 4 began the school year tracked out for the first three weeks. Track 4 students will attend class starting July 27.The first day for schools following the modified calendar will be Monday, July 27. The Wake Early College of Health and Science starts Monday, Aug. 10 and traditional schools begin Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Three New Schools Open, Improvements Underway at Six Others
The Wake County Public School System opened three new year-round schools today. The new schools are Banks Road Elementary, Herbert Akins Road Elementary and Lake Myra Elementary.
Banks Road Elementary is opening as a new school with its own students this year after serving as swing space for Smith Elementary while its campus was renovated. The school is located near the main Wake Technical Community College campus off US 401. The 103,806 square foot school design is a reuse of a two-story elementary school prototype. The new school is expected to serve more than 600 students this year. The site will feature Wake County Parks and Recreation open space and a future Town of Fuquay-Varina ball park. The school’s principal is Franklin Creech.
Herbert Akins Road Elementary is a new larger elementary prototype adapted from the Cedar Fork Elementary design. The school is a 103,405 square foot two-story building. The new school is expected to serve 650 students this year. The school’s principal is Kathy Warren.
Lake Myra Elementary is a first re-use of the Mills Park Elementary prototype. The new school facility is a 103,769 square foot three-story elementary school. The new school is expected to serve approximately 475 students this year. The school’s principal is Jim Argent.
A lot of work went into preparing for the school openings. While the school facilities were being built, principals were appointed to begin the job of pulling together the staff, academic programs, books and equipment the new schools will need. They worked to finalize classroom, teacher and track assignments, as well as serving as instructional leaders. Then they welcomed new students and families into the newest school facilities in Wake County.
When students return to traditional calendar schools on August 25, they will see more results of the school construction program. Students from Bugg Elementary, Lacy Elementary, Poe Elementary, Smith Elementary, Wendell Middle and Wake Forest-Rolesville at Heritage will move into improved or new facilities.
At Bugg Elementary, improvements include the construction of 10 new general classrooms and two new Special Programs classrooms and new Physical Education support spaces. The kitchen has been renovated and expanded and a new dining/serving area has been built. Existing media center and classrooms were upgraded. Vehicle circulation and parking was expanded and bus circulation was expanded.
At Lacy Elementary new general and special programs classrooms were constructed as well as a new art and music classrooms. New dining and multi-purpose room, media center, administration and student support services were constructed. Old buildings B, D, E, and A were demolished. A new canopy was provided for student drop off. An accessible route was provided to new play fields.
At Poe Elementary, older classrooms, corridors, and toilets were renovated and any remaining asbestos was removed. The kitchen and support services and Media Center were renovated. Windows were replaced as needed and canopies provided for student drop off.
Smith Elementary students return from a year in swing space at the Banks Road campus to a new facility at their old campus. New general and special programs classrooms were constructed as well as new art and music classrooms, administration, student support services, child nutrition services and plant operations areas. Old Buildings B and C and a portion of Building A were demolished. Older classrooms, corridors and toilets were upgraded. Canopies were provided for student drop-off.
At Wendell Middle, students moved from the early start modular campus into their new facility built at the same site. A new 981 student capacity middle school was constructed using the Salem Middle prototype revised to a three story building.
Wake Forest-Rolesville High students in grades 10-12 will move into swing space at the new Heritage High campus this year, while their campus undergoes major renovation. Ninth graders will continue using the Dubois modular campus.
Work is on schedule for these projects to open on time for the start of traditional calendar school on August 25.
Start of New Year Challenging Time for Bus Transportation
The start of the school year is a challenging time for the WCPSS Transportation Department. Transportation planners created routes for the new year by looking at the students who were transported the prior year and obtaining new information from WCPSS Growth Management of students enrolled for this school year. The Transportation Department creates new routes based on their expectation of student ridership.
The first week of school, parents and students are making decisions about the best use of buses to get to and from school. As families make decisions about their use of buses, the Transportation Department adapts routes to meet the riders' needs. As families finalize decisions about their use of bus service, bus routes are finalized. This process generally takes about two weeks.
By the end of August when all schools are in session, Wake County Public School System drivers will be behind the wheels of 900 buses transporting approximately 75,000 students safely each day.
This year, kindergartners and first-graders who ride the bus will be given name tags for the first 20 days of school. Schools will place name tags on students before boarding the afternoon bus. Tags will include student name, school name and phone number, bus route number and bus stop location. Parents are encouraged to teach children to know their home address, phone number and bus route name. Help prepare children for the new experience of riding the bus to school.
Parents are encouraged to visit our Transportation website at www.wcpss.net/transportation to find answers to questions regarding services due to the high volume of calls the departments receives the first couple weeks of school. Should you still have questions, we can be reached at (919) 856-8050. We will have additional operators during this time period to take and return calls. Should you need to leave a message, the department will return your call within 24 hours.
Bus routes for the 52 year-round schools are online at www.wcpss.net/school-directory/bus-routes/. Bus routes for traditional calendar schools will be updated online in early August. Other information regarding transportation services can be found on the Transportation website, such as how to request services, forms and board policies related to transportation services.
Back-to-School Information Online
Parents can find essential information about the start of the 2009-2010 school year on our website at www.wcpss.net/2009_back-to-school/. Here you will find the latest information and news about events connected to the opening of the Wake County Public School System, with more updates to come.
Early Dismissal Wednesdays
In order for teachers to meet regularly to collaborate and discuss ways to improve individual student academic performance, the 2009-10 bell schedule provides weekly one hour early dismissal on Wednesdays for all students. On six of those Wednesdays, schools will release 2.5 hours early. Schools will continue to use the six 2.5 hour sessions for school-wide faculty professional development.
More information about the Early Dismissal Wednesdays can be found at www.wcpss.net/wednesdays/. There you will find the Wednesday Calendar for the scheduled 2.5 hour Early Release Days, information on child care options, transportation and suggested after school learning opportunities.
Tdap Booster Required for Sixth-Graders
North Carolina law requires a Tdap booster for all children entering sixth grade on or after August 1, 2008, if five or more years have passed since their last tetanus shot. The Tdap vaccine booster is intended to protect against whooping cough (pertussis), tetanus and diphtheria. Without it, the protection from childhood immunization wears off over time.
Wake County Human Services recommends that parents talk to their child's doctor to find out whether the child needs a Tdap booster, make sure the child gets the shot before school starts, and take a copy of the child's shot record to school as soon as possible.
Wake County Human Services is providing free walk-in immunization clinics the week of July 27, from 3 to 5 p.m., across the county. Just bring a copy of your child's shot record. Here's the schedule:
Monday, July 27: Millbrook Human Services Center, 2809 E. Millbrook Rd., Raleigh
Tuesday, July 28: Western Wake Center, 150 Cornerstone Dr., Cary
Wednesday, July 29: Northern Regional Center, 350 E. Holding Ave., Wake Forest
Thursday, July 30: Eastern Regional Center, 1002 Dogwood Dr., Zebulon
Friday, July 31: Southern Regional Center, 130 North Judd Parkway, Fuquay-Varina