May 21, 2010

Top News

Fuller Elementary Teacher is 2010 Wake County Teacher of the Year

Fuller Magnet Elementary kindergarten teacher Elizabeth Plotkin is the 2010 Wake County Teacher of the Year.

Elizabeth Plotkin 2010 Wake County Teacher of the Year

Interim Superintendent Donna Hargens presented Plotkin the Wake County Teacher of the Year Award sponsored by Wachovia Bank and praised Plotkin for her devotion to children, her leadership in encouraging positive student behavior and with her school’s professional learning teams.

Plotkin has been teaching for four years, all at Fuller Magnet Elementary. She is the facilitator for the kindergarten professional learning team at the school. She has also volunteered to work with youth through her church and to speak to students in the Education Program at Meredith College.

In addition, Plotkin works with Fuller staff and PTA to prepare meals and hosts sessions for the school’s bi-monthly family nights. For Plotkin, teaching is more than a job.

“My goals as a teacher are to provide opportunities for children to make positive memories in the school environment, to build a foundation of finding joy in learning, and to claim each day as a chance to be the change in a child’s life,” said Plotkin. “Making connections between children’s lives and the curriculum creates engaged learners. Using all the resources in your environment to reach students enables maximum growth.”

Principal Chris Scott says Plotkin serves as the chair of the school’s Positive Behavior Support Committee and is on the Student Support Team.

“She has empowered teachers with realistic strategies to anticipate, pre-correct and respond to student behaviors,” said Scott. “She has reorganized the PBS committee this year to create sub-committees, establishing task lists and setting goals for the school year. She has also recognized the importance of teaching families about PBS by adding a section to the school’s Parent Handbook and presenting sessions at Fuller Family Nights.”

2010 WCPSS Valedictorians Celebrate Success

The 24 Wake County Public School System 2010 valedictorians were honored at the Board of Education’s May 18 meeting.

Each high school with a senior class names a valedictorian. This is the first graduating class and the first valedictorian for the Wake Early College of Health and Sciences.

Twenty of the students plan to attend North Carolina universities with five going to UNC-Chapel Hill, five bound for Duke and five going to NC State University. One student earned a Robertson Scholarship to attend both UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University. Other students plan to attend Appalachian State University, Davidson College and East Carolina University.

Four are headed to out-of-state schools: Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University, Cornell University and Drexel University.

Seven want to be doctors, four indicated interest in biomedical engineering, three plan to be research scientists, three plan to be engineers, two are interested in law and one wants to be a designer of computer games. Several with medical interests indicated they plan to volunteer with Doctors without Borders.

More information is available here.

Superintendent Search Committee's Work Begins

The Wake County Board of Education's Superintendent Search Committee met on Wednesday, May 19.

The panel voted to recommend hiring a search firm to help in the search for a new superintendent. Committee Chair Debra Goldman said they have already received proposals from five search firms.

The Superintendent Search Committee will next meet on Tuesday, May 25, from 5:30 - 7 p.m. in the administration building at 3600 Wake Forest Rd., Raleigh.

More News

Board Receives Update on Curriculum Management Audit

At its May 18 meeting, Interim Superintendent Donna Hargens focused on using data in decision making as she told board members the school system has passed the halfway point in acting on the recommendations of the Curriculum Management Audit.

“Data driven accountability means understanding whether we are doing what we say we are doing and that we are choosing whether to implement, enhance or discontinue programs based on their effectiveness in promoting learning and teaching,” said Hargens.

Hargens noted two important steps have been taken in the latest quarter that support efforts towards data driven accountability. She noted the hiring of Meredith Weinstein as the school system’s academic auditor and the launch by WCPSS Evaluation and Research of an online program evaluation site.

Dr. Weinstein is already hard at work evaluating how resources allotted to schools are actually being deployed. She is looking for alignment with the intent of the resource and the impact on learning. Her role is to ensure that resources are used for the board’s intent and that we are not continuing to do what the data doesn’t support works.

The WCPSS Evaluation and Research Program Evaluation staff have recently reviewed Novanet, the Accelerated Learning Program and Intervention Months for Grades 6-8. The evaluations describe the students served by the program, student achievement in the program, the expenditures in the delivery of the program and program evaluation staff recommendations. The new online resource also includes the program manager’s response to the specific findings and recommendations.

You can read the latest edition of the Curriculum Matters newsletter here.

Board Approves Revised Policy on Student Assignment

At its May 18 meeting, the Board of Education gave final approval to revisions to Policy 6200: Student Assignment.

On April 28, the Policy Committee recommended changes for Policy 6200, Student Assignment. The Committee requested that these changes be brought before the Board of Education for discussion and board action. The proposal promotes the establishment of community-based schools with consideration of proximity to home, student safety and stability of family and providing parents with clear choices in calendar and programs among the goals for the student assignment process.

Student assignment plans will be based on distance, choice, stability of assignment, facility utilization, grade structure, alignment with the magnet schools program and students with higher needs.

The board gave the policy preliminary approval at its meeting on May 4.

Board Approves Common Early Release Days for 2010-11 School Year

Members of the Board of Education approved six common early release days for schools following the traditional and modified calendars and for each track on the year-round calendar during their meeting on May 18. All early release days occur on Fridays. Schools will dismiss 2.5 hours early on these days:

Traditional
Friday, September 17
Friday October 22
Friday, December 3
Friday, February 11
Friday, March 11
Friday, April 8

Modified
Friday, August 20
Friday, October 22
Friday, December 3
Friday, February 11
Friday, March 4
Friday, April 8

Year-Round
Friday, July 30, Tracks 1,2,3
Friday, August 20, Tracks 1,2,4
Friday, October 1, Tracks 2,3,4
Friday, December 3, Tracks 1,3,4
Friday, January 21, Tracks 1,2,3
Friday, February 11, Tracks 1,2,4
Friday, March 4, Tracks 1,3,4
Friday, April 1, Tracks 2,3,4

All schools shall comply with G.S. 115C-84.2 which requires a minimum of 180 days and 1,000 hours of instruction.  Implementation of early release days are based on monitoring of this time requirement. 

Board Approves Policy on Public Participation at Board Meetings

At its May 18 meeting, the Board of Education gave final approval to revisions to Policy 1326: A Policy on Public Participation in Board Meetings.

The policy change was approved at the Policy Committee meeting on April 28, 2010. The board gave the changes preliminary approval at the May 4 board meeting after discussions earlier that day at Committee of the Whole.

The policy includes a list of guidelines that incorporate board practices such as public comment sign up and length of time speakers are allotted to address the board and a prohibition on signs that obstruct the view of others.

The guidelines state: Speakers are welcome to offer comments or criticism directed at substantive ideas, actions or procedures of the board, individual board members or staff. In the interest of maintaining civility and decorum, however, speakers should refrain from personal attacks and insults directed at the board, individual board members, staff or members of the general public.

You can find a copy of the policy here.

Board Gives Preliminary Approval to Revised Policy on Honor Rolls

At its May 18 meeting, the Board of Education gave first reading approval to the Honor Roll Policy, Policy 5522. The original policy dates back to 1976. Dr. Ken Branch reviewed the policy revisions with the board.

The policy states that principals have the option of using honor rolls to recognize academic achievement. The policy provides guidelines that honor rolls should recognize quarterly academic performance with a listing of students who make all “A’s” and a listing of “AB” students who earn an overall grade average of “B” or better with no grade lower than a “C.” Conduct grades should not be factored into computing the honor roll.

Board Approves Keeping Diploma Programme at Broughton High

At the May 18 meeting, the Board of Education gave approval to changing from a phase out plan to a maintenance plan for Broughton High’s International Baccalaureate Programme.

The board acted on a recommendation from the Student Achievement Committee to change part of an earlier board decision and allow Broughton High to continue offering the IB Diploma Programme after 2013.

In December 2008, the Board of Education voted to remove the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme magnet program from Broughton High School. The board then approved a phase-out plan to remove funding for the program after the 2012-13 school year when the last magnet students graduate.

Funding is in place through the phase out plan for program through 2013. Additional funding, estimated $180,000 per year, will be required in 2013 and beyond.

The IB Diploma Programme is designed as a college level course of study that requires passing scores on final examinations and ensures experience in languages, social studies, the experimental sciences and mathematics. Students must also complete an extended essay, participate in a theory of knowledge course and complete a required number of hours in action, performance and volunteering. Students who successfully complete this work earn an IB Diploma.

Many universities provide course credit for students who earn passing scores on IB exams, similar to credits awarded for Advanced Placement exams. While students may choose to take the IB Diploma course of study, they select individual AP courses offered by their school.

The demanding course of study gives students options in college level work while in high school.

The IB Diploma Programme is also available at three magnet high schools: Enloe, Garner and Millbrook.