February 5, 2010

Top News

Wake County Magnet Schools Receive National Honor

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.

Garner High Principal Drew Cook, students, Area Superintendent Lloyd Gardner and Magnet Schools Director David Ansbacher talk about the school earning national recogntion.

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.

Application Period for WCPSS Calendar and Magnet School Program

The application period for the Wake County Public School System calendar and magnet schools will open Feb. 8 and continue to Feb. 28.

Applications will only be accepted online. Calendar and magnet applications are available Feb. 8 - 28. There is no benefit to applying early or late within that window of time.

Families may apply for both calendar choice and magnet schools. If an application is submitted for both calendar and magnet schools, the magnet application will be considered first in the selection process.

Every Wake County address has one base school assignment and one calendar application option. If families want a calendar different than the calendar of the base school assignment, families must complete this application. Every effort will be made to honor requests made during this application period.

Magnet applications may include up to 3 choices. If selected, families will receive only one offer. Magnet schools have scheduled open houses and tours throughout the month of February. Parents can learn more about magnet schools at www.wcpss.net/magnet.

If you need assistance submitting your application, please contact the Office of Growth and Planning (919-850-1921), the Magnet Resource Center (919-501-7900), or the media center at your nearest school.

The notification process works differently this year. Families will be able to check online to find their student’s calendar or magnet school assignment on March 18. When families make their online application, they will receive at the completion a confirmation screen. You will need to print a copy of your confirmation screen and have it available March 18 to log on to find your application results. Families will have the opportunity to accept or decline this offer.

Pre-registration Open for Year-Round Community Engagement Meetings

A fifth community engagement meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, February 11 at Southeast Raleigh High School at 2600 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh, NC 27610. The results of these community engagement meetings will assist the Board of Education in making decisions that may impact school calendar assignments as early as 2010-11.

The meetings announced earlier will be held:

Tuesday, February 9 at Holly Springs High at 5329 Cass Holt Road, Holly Springs, NC 27540 
Thursday, February 18 at Heritage High at 1150 Forestville Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587 
Tuesday, February 23 at Leesville Road High at 8409 Leesville Road, Raleigh, NC 27613
Thursday, February 25 at Panther Creek High at 6770 McCrimmon Parkway, Cary, NC 27519

The community engagement meetings will be held in the high schools’ auditoriums from 6:30 – 9 p.m.

Online pre-registration for citizens interested in speaking is now open at http://www.wcpss.net/news/2010_jan12_meetings/. You can only sign up to talk at one meeting. If you sign up for multiple meetings, the additional registrations will be invalidated.

Speakers can also sign up to speak on site from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. the day of the meeting. Those who sign up at the door will speak after those who pre-registered online. To maximize the number of people who can address the board, each speaker will be limited to two minutes.

More News

Board Tables Changes to Calendar Application Areas

At its Feb. 2 meeting, the school board tabled a proposal presented by school system staff recommending changes in calendar choice application areas in order to balance anticipated requests with available space and avoid overcrowding. The staff recommendations initially presented to the board Jan. 19 responded to the resolution on School Calendar Choice approved by the Board of Education on Jan. 5, 2010, and revised at a second reading on Jan. 19, 2010. Board members indicated they wanted time to hear from the public in the series of scheduled community engagement meetings and for review of the voluminous information gathered from the calendar survey.

2010 Calendar Survey Results Now Online

The results of the 2010 Calendar Survey, which ran online from Jan. 11 - 25, were presented to the school board at its Committee of the Whole meeting on Feb. 2. All of the documents presented to the board and additional documents requested by the board are available here.

Snow and Ice Close School for Three Days

Wake County saw up to five inches of snow and ice from winter weather that led to the closing of school for three days, Feb. 2-4. While major highways through the county were cleared by Feb. 3, icy conditions remained in neighborhoods until rain and higher temperatures helped further improve street conditions. On Feb. 4, the temperature dropped resulting in some early morning difficulties with icy road conditions. As a result, schools opened on a two-hour delay.

The coaching staff helps to clear snow and ice from walkways at Millbrook High.

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

Make up days have been scheduled for the three days of school missed. Make-up days are established in the traditional school calendar when it’s approved by the board and are held on Saturdays for multi-track, year-round schools.
* For traditional calendar students, Monday, Feb. 15; Monday, March 29, and Thursday, June 10.
* For year-round students, Saturday, Feb. 6; Saturday, May 1, and Saturday, May 8.
* For modified-calendar students, Monday, Feb. 15; Monday, March 8, and Tuesday, March 9.
* Wake Early College students will attend classes on Monday, Feb. 15; Thursday, April 1, and Thursday, May 27.

Board Receives Update on 2010-11 Budget Development Process

At the Feb. 2 school board meeting, WCPSS Chief Business Officer David Neter updated the board on progress in the development of the 2010-11 school system budget. Neter indicated the 2010-11 Superintendent’s Proposed Budget will include Central Services reductions of $20 million. The budget cuts are required to address additional funding reductions and cost increases for the 2010-11 year. He said this will result in the elimination of vacant positions and could result in the reduction of 75-100 filled Central Services positions. The Superintendent’s proposed budget is to be presented to the board in March.

Board Approves Amendment to Contract for Legal Support Services

At its Feb. 2 meeting, the board amended a contract for Legal Support Services with Boxley, Bolton, Garber & Haywood, L.L.P., related to real estate matters increasing by $10,000 the amount of the contract up to $34,000. The amount of total compensation proposed in the agreement is a mix of fees for services based upon an hourly rate schedule and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses advanced by the firm. Funding is available from the CIP 2006 Land Purchase budget.

Board Approves Corrections to the Year-Round 2010-11 Instructional Calendar

At its Feb. 2 meeting, the school board approved corrections to the 2010-11 year-round instructional calendar. Staff asked that the calendar that had been approved last year be updated so that Track 1 tracks in on Monday, April 4, 2011 and Track 4 tracks out that same day, giving both tracks the required 180 student days required in the state calendar law.

Board Approves Naming Cary High School Gym in Honor of Charlie Adams

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 said it is appropriate to name the gym in honor of Charlie Adams in recognition of his extraordinary service to the community and to NC.

Time to Register Children for Kindergarten

The registration for children who will be attending kindergarten in 2010-11 is underway. Sharon Collins, a WCPSS Language Arts senior administrator, says parents can register their children at a WCPSS elementary school. Parents will need to bring a certified copy of their child's birth certificate and documentation of residence (a power bill, an apartment lease, or a signed contract) and the child's immunization record. To be eligible for kindergarten, a child needs to be age 5 on or before August 31, 2010. Click here to listen to Time to register children for kindergarten This is a 5 minute mp3 file.

Wake County Pre-K Programs to Hold Application Events for 2010-11

In February, Wake County SmartStart will accept applications for Wake County’s public Pre-K programs, including the More at Four Program, a publicly funded pre-kindergarten program that provides quality experiences which enhance kindergarten readiness. To qualify for the programs, Wake County families will demonstrate economic and/or educational need. Children must be 4 years of age on or before August 31, 2010. Families should be prepared to provide transportation to and from the programs.

This pre-kindergarten initiative is designed to prepare 4-year-olds for school with a curriculum that focuses on the enhancement of each child’s emotional-social, physical and cognitive abilities through developmentally appropriate approaches to learning.

You can find locations and dates to apply at http://www.wcpss.net/news/2010_jan26_prek/