March 4, 2011

Top News

Board of Education Approves New Mission, Vision and Core Beliefs

The Wake County Board of Education has come to agreement and voted approval of a new mission, vision and set of core beliefs.

The board voted approval of these guiding principles at its meeting on March 1, after spending a day on Friday, Feb. 25 working with Superintendent Tony Tata in a planning retreat.

Board Chair Ron Margiotta offered his thanks to the board for taking part in the critical discussions regarding what’s important for the students and staff of the school system.

“We reaffirmed among all board members the importance of insuring every child receives a quality education,” said Margiotta. “I would like to thank Superintendent Tata for making the day possible. He worked very hard to identify information and topics that he knew were important to the school system in moving forward and spent many hours in preparation that allowed the board to complete the retreat in one day.”

Margiotta offered his thanks to facilitator Jim Hugey whose participation was part of the support from the Broad Foundation since Superintendent Tata is a Broad graduate.

At its March 1 meeting, the board approved the following mission, vision and core beliefs:

Mission
The Wake County Public School System will significantly increase achievement for all students by providing a world class education that equips students with the knowledge and expertise to become successful, productive citizens.

Vision
WCPSS will serve as the national standard for increasing student achievement in the 21st century. Highly effective teachers are empowered to raise the achievement of all children and will provide students with high quality classroom instruction that fosters intellectual development.
WCPSS recognizes children have different needs and is committed to ensuring all are challenged to reach their full potential. Students will graduate in increasingly high percentages and compete successfully as productive citizens. WCPSS will continue this community’s proud tradition of education leadership and academic excellence with a proactive school staff effectively supported by the Board of Education and Central Services.

Core Beliefs

• All children, regardless of socio-economic environment, can be high achieving students.
• Academic achievement gaps can and will be eliminated by aggressively challenging students at all achievement levels.
• Highly effective principals and teachers are the key to improving growth in student achievement.
• The Board of Education and Central Services promotes an environment of continuous improvement which results in a high performing organization that is 100% focused on student achievement.
• The supportive, passionate and multi-cultural Wake County community serves as the foundation of our school system.

Tata Presents Plan of Entry

Superintendent Tony Tata created a plan of entry to guide his first 90 days on the job. Developed in mid-January prior to assuming his role as superintendent of the Wake County Public School System, the document spells out his plan for an effective, efficient and orderly transition of leadership focused on increased student achievement.

After presenting his plan to the Board of Education, Tata recently discussed his 90-day plan with the Superintendent’s Leadership Team, principals and Central Services administrators. He said his first 90 days as superintendent are about addressing immediate needs, understanding the district’s current position and setting the stage for his superintendency.

The plan includes five goals to be accomplished during this 90-day time period:

• Develop a unified governance team that inspires confidence with all stakeholders.
• Focus district resources and staff efforts on teaching and learning.
• Recruit, retain and train high quality employees, onboard them properly, and hold them accountable.
• Ensure fiscal and organizational accountability that enhances development and implementation of systems and structures that support schools.
• Establish a supportive, positive and effective district climate and culture singularly focused on the improvement of student achievement, using a continuous improvement model.

You can hear more from Superintendent Tata in this video interview. 

Board Recognizes WCPSS Schools Honored By Magnet Schools of America

The following fifteen schools were recently named by the Magnet Schools of America as 2011 Magnet Schools of Excellence or Magnet Schools of Distinction.

2011 National Magnet Schools of Excellence
Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary
Bugg Creative Arts and Science Magnet Elementary
Farmington Woods International Baccalaureate PYP Magnet Elementary
Joyner Center for Spanish Language/International Baccalaureate PYP Magnet Elementary
Millbrook International Baccalaureate PYP Magnet Elementary
Ligon Gifted and Talented Magnet Middle

2011 National Magnet Schools of Distinction
Brooks Museums Magnet Elementary
Underwood Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary
Washington Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary
Martin Gifted and Talented Magnet Middle
Garner International Baccalaureate MYP/DP Magnet High
Southeast Raleigh Leadership and Technology Magnet High
Wake Early College of Health and Science

Honorable Mention
East Garner IB-MYP Magnet Middle
Wiley International Studies Magnet Elementary

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.

Globetrotter Visits Yates Mill Elementary

University of Florida Gators Help Combs Magnet Elementary Gators

More News

Application Period Continues for 2011-12 WCPSS Calendar and Magnet School Program

The application period for the Wake County Public School System calendar and magnet schools continues through March 7. Applications will only be accepted online. 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. You can find more information here.

Board Approves Bell Schedule for 2011-12

At its March 1 meeting, the Board of Education approved the bell schedules for the school year 2011-12.

The schedule includes changes at two schools:
Leesville Road Middle changes to 8:15 a.m. until 3 pm. from 8:05 a.m. until 3 p.m.
West Lake Elementary changes to 8:20 a.m. until 2:50 p.m. from 8:20 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The schedules were set for the two new schools:
Walnut Creek Elementary will be 8:30 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. with an extended day program beginning at 7:15 a.m.

The Wake N.C. State University STEM Early College will be 7:35 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Staff reviewed the changes to the schedule at the board work session on Feb. 15. Board policy 5032 requires that the school day for students be established by April 1 each year.

Board Approves 2011-2012 Instructional Calendar for Early Colleges

At its March 1 meeting, the Board of Education approved the 2011-2012 instructional calendar for Wake Early College of Health and Sciences and Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School.

 The first day of class will be August 8 and the last day will be May 22. Students will have winter break Dec. 20 through Jan. 2 and spring break March 5 through 9. You can see the calendar here.

Board Approves 2011 Legislative Agenda

At its March 1 meeting, the Board of Education approved the 2011 Legislative Agenda. The agenda was presented and discussed at the March 1 board work session. The agenda includes four areas: globally competitive students, healthy students, 21st century professionals and 21st century systems. The agenda asks the state to provide personnel and funding to close the achievement gap and increase the on time graduation rate of students through the direct intervention programs in every school system. You can read the full agenda here.

Board Approves Enrollment Cap at Cedar Fork Elementary for 2011-12

At its March 1 meeting, the Board of Education approved the WCPSS Growth and Planning staff recommendation that the cap on enrollment for Cedar Fork Elementary be continued for 2011-12. Staff presented information regarding projected crowding for Cedar Fork Elementary at the Jan. 25 board work session. The enrollment cap recommended by staff is 843 students. The original cap date, July 21, 2010, will be the date used to determine eligibility to enroll. Under the cap, families that move into the school assignment area will be enrolled instead at Weatherstone Elementary. Enrollment capping is governed by Board Policy 6204.

The board also approved staff's recommendation to name Green Hope Elementary as the traditional calendar application school for families from Alston Ridge Elementary in nodes 375.0, 628.1, and 628.2.  Families, in these nodes, who apply during the February 21 - March 7 application for their traditional calendar school will receive a seat at Green Hope Elementary with transportation provided.  Calendar application students from Alston Ridge Elementary who currently attend Cedar Fork Elementary will remain at Cedar Fork Elementary for the 2011-12 school year with transportation provided.

WCPSS Renaissance Model to Provide Support for Four Elementary Schools

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.

WCPSS Dropout Rate Increases Slightly for 2009-10

The dropout rate for grades 9-12 in the Wake County Public School System increased for 2009-10 to 3.53 percent, but the WCPSS rate remains lower than the state’s average and the rates for most urban North Carolina school districts.

The WCPSS dropout rate of 3.53 percent is an increase of 0.06 from the 2008-09 rate of 3.47 percent. The number of students who dropped out of school in 2009-10 was 1,494 compared with 1,430 in 2008-09.

The WCPSS rate remains lower than the state average, and is lower than rates for Durham, Forsyth and Mecklenburg school systems. Guilford’s rate was lower.

North Carolina	Durham	Forsyth	Guilford	Mecklenburg	WCPSS
3.75	4.32	4.07	2.81	4.15	3.53

The WCPSS dropout rate has been lower than the state average in each of the past 12 years.

There was news of improvement for minority students in the report. For only the second time in the past 11 years, the WCPSS dropout rate for Hispanic/Latino students fell below seven percent to 6.86%, marking the fourth consecutive drop for this group.  African-American students had their lowest dropout rate of 5.64 percent since 2003-04.  The drop-out rate for white students remained below two percent for the second year in a row.

The rates in 2009-10 increased by 1.3 percentage points for limited English proficient students to 10.3 percent, by 1.4 percentage points for students with disabilities to 7.9 percent and by 0.2 percentage points for economically disadvantaged students to 5.3 percent.

Board Approves Construction Agreement for Forestville Road/Us 401 North Intersection

At its March 1 meeting, the Board of Education approved a construction agreement as part of the current Rolesville High construction project to meet NCDOT requirements of an additional southbound turn lane at the Forestville Road/US 401 intersection. NCDOT is requiring the construction following a traffic impact analysis performed to estimate school impacts on the roads and intersections in the area.

NCDOT is currently improving the intersection under NCDOT Project R-2814A (R-2814A) as part of a widening project of US 401 North. NCDOT will construct the school system required improvements to the intersection as part of their work, a cost effective solution that will limit nuisance to the public. The school board is responsible for the cost of all school related improvements and utility relocations necessary to the school improvements. Construction cost estimates totaling $152,880.14 are included in the agreement and were provided by NCDOT and/or NCDOT consultants/contractors.

Board Approves Employee Recognition Initiative

At its March 1 meeting, the Board of Education received information on the new PRIDE IN WCPSS employee recognition initiative developed by Human Resources. This initiative will provide a new way to recognize members of our WCPSS employee team for displaying pride in the school system and high character/high commitment through their daily efforts with the presentation of a PRIDE IN WCPSS pin.

The primary focus of the program will be on smaller events associated with employees' actions not as likely to attract much public attention. In short, individuals who help the school system in ways often not visible to the public and do their jobs with a high level of pride will be recognized. Actions by employees in relation to large events can be recognized as well.

The PRIDE IN WCPSS initiative is intended to provide an informal process with immediate recognition of great efforts by employees. Thus, the PRIDE IN WCPSS pin can be given to an employee at any time by members of the Superintendent's Leadership Team or members of the Board of Education.

Brentwood Elementary Students Celebrate National Engineering Week

Underwood Students Create Story Quilt