The School Connection

Goal 2008: WCPSS is committed to academic excellence. By 2008, 95 percent of students in grades 3 through 12 will be at or above grade level as measured by the State of North Carolina End-of-Grade or Course tests, and all student groups will demonstrate high growth.

October 11, 2006

 

SEVEN WCPSS HIGH SCHOOLS HONORED BY ABCS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
For the second year in a row, Green Hope High School was recognized as an Honor School of Excellence, according to the high school results of the 2005-06 state ABCs of Public Education.

Green Hope Named 1 of 3 Honor Schools of Excellence in NC

Green Hope was one of only three schools in the state recognized as an Honor School of Excellence and was the only one of those three to achieve high growth. More than 90 percent of Green Hope High students were successful on the state's assessments, even though two new assessments were figured into high school scores and the state made adjustments to its growth standards. In order to achieve Honor School of Excellence standards, Green Hope also had to make Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) under the federal No Child Left Behind Act and to meet their state-specified expected growth standards.

Six WCPSS high schools were honored as Schools of Distinction. The schools had more than 80 percent of students scoring proficient on state assessments and met growth standards. Apex High and Athens Drive High were recognized as Honor Schools of Distinction for reaching the 80 percent mark and meeting high growth. Broughton High, Cary High, Leesville Road High and Wakefield High were recognized as Schools of Distinction for reaching the 80 percent mark and meeting expected growth.

Six WCPSS high schools were recognized as Schools of Progress. The state ABCs of Public Education recognizes schools that have more than 70 percent of students successful on the End-of-Course-testing and meet growth standards as Schools of Progress. Fuquay-Varina High and Wake Forest-Rolesville High were recognized as Honor Schools of Progress for reaching the 70 percent mark and meeting high growth. Garner High, Millbrook High, Sanderson High and East Wake School of Health Sciences were recognized as Schools of Progress for reaching the 70 percent mark and meeting expected growth standards.

Under the new, more stringent state standards, five WCPSS high schools - Green Hope High, Apex High, Athens Drive High, Fuquay-Varina High and Wake Forest-Rolesville High - achieved high growth.

Nine WCPSS high schools - Broughton High, Cary High, Garner High, Leesville Road High, Millbrook High, Philips High, Sanderson High, Wakefield High and East Wake School of Health Sciences - met expected growth.

Five WCPSS high schools - East Wake High, Enloe High, Knightdale High, Middle Creek High and Southeast Raleigh High - did not meet growth standards. As a result, those schools did not qualify for ABCs of Public Education recognition.

WCPSS had no schools designated by the state as low performing schools.

WCPSS SCHOOLS PROVIDE SHELTER FOR APEX FIRE EVACUEES
Five Wake County Public School System schools were closed Friday, October 6 after an Apex fire involving hazardous materials led to orders for some residents to evacuate. Three other schools were closed October 6 because they were used as emergency shelters.

Baucom Elementary, Apex Elementary, Apex Middle, Lufkin Road Middle and Apex High were closed because of the evacuation. Olive Chapel Elementary, Turner Creek Road Elementary and Green Hope High were closed for use as evacuation shelters.

Don Haydon, WCPSS Chief Facilities and Operations Officer, says the Wake County Environmental Services Director indicated that although no extraordinary clean-up was necessary at the schools, WCPSS staff wanted to ensure that the schools were safe for students and staff. As a result, shelter schools were cleaned by custodial teams; air filters were replaced by WCPSS Maintenance & Operations; WCPSS Child Nutrition Services staff washed kitchen and serving equipment and tables; and seats of buses parked in the evacuation area were wiped down.

Haydon said an environmental consultant, under the guidance of our Environmental Health & Safety Department, took wipe samples in schools; none showed contamination.

After the fire broke out Thursday night, first Olive Chapel and then Turner Creek elementary schools were opened by the Wake County Emergency Operations Center as shelters for the people who were being evacuated from Apex. The elementary schools remained open til midday Friday when Green Hope High opened as a shelter. Apex residents were allowed to return home Saturday.

CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER ORGANIZES TEAM TO BEST SERVE STUDENTS
The organization of the Wake County Public School System Instructional Services Division leadership has been realigned into a flatter and more efficient team, according to WCPSS Chief Academic Officer Donna Hargens.

WCPSS Instructional Services

Re-organizes

As Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Hargens and the Instructional Services Division work collaboratively with school principals and teachers to provide effective instruction for all students. While the new team still includes two Assistant Superintendents, the re-organization eliminates a level of an assistant superintendent and repurposes a senior director position, which in the past focused in many areas.

The elementary and secondary teams will have a single clear focus - the support and promotion of effective instruction for all students. Dr. Hargens will work with six senior directors overseeing the Office of Secondary Education; the Office of Elementary Education; Magnet Programs; State and Federal Programs; the Office of Continuous Improvement and Professional Development; and Instructional Technology and Library Media.

"This new organization will weave the pieces of Instructional Services more closely together," said Hargens. "We will be better able to meet the needs of our teachers and students."

Richard Murphy is senior director for the Office of Secondary Education. Lee Ann Segalla leads the Office of Elementary Education; Dr. Ken Branch, Magnet Programs; Dawn Dawson, State and Federal Programs; Dennis Davis is the interim senior director for the Office of Continuous Improvement and Professional Development; and Cynthia Kennedy will be senior director for Instructional Technology and Library Media with a comprehensive focus on 21st century skills.

"These six senior directors are better aligned to serve schools," said Hargens. "This reorganization brings these senior directors in line to best meet the needs of our elementary and secondary schools."

The Assistant Superintendent for Evaluation and Research will continue to oversee School Accountability, Testing, Program Accountability and Grants. The Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services will continue to oversee Counseling and Student Services, Prevention Services and Special Education Services.

David Holdzkom is the Assistant Superintendent for Evaluation and Research and Marvin Connelly is the newly named Assistant Superintendent for Support Services.

"This new organization puts all the players in Instructional Services together discussing the data of student achievement and the steps we will need to take to help children continue to grow academically," said Hargens. "We will also use the data to identify where teachers are having success and share information about their classroom practices with teachers across the district."

WAKE SCHOOLS HOST MAGNET SCHOOLS FAIR
Wake County Public School System will host its annual Magnet Schools Fair on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Southeast Raleigh High School from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Families interested in educational choice should explore the innovative programs offered in the system's 36 magnet schools.

For 24 years, WCPSS's award-winning magnet schools have enhanced the North Carolina Standard Course of Study with innovative approaches to learning that empower students. Magnets open doors of opportunity and spark the imagination of students, preparing them to become responsible citizens in a global society.

The magnet fair is open to the public and creates a venue for parents and students to visit interactive display booths and inquire about such magnet programs as Gifted and Talented, International Baccalaureate, Museums, University Connections, Leadership and Technology, and the newest magnet school, Wake Early College of Health and Sciences. While there, families can collect information about future recruitment events; meet with representatives from WCPSS's Office of Growth and Planning, Year-Round Education, and Transportation as well as enjoy performances by students attending magnet schools.

To find out more information about WCPSS magnet schools and other upcoming recruiting events visit us online at www.wcpss.net/magnet, stop by the Magnet Resource Center located on the campus of Millbrook Elementary or call us at 919.501.7900.

DR. RAMEY BEAVERS RETIRES
After a career that began in 1962, WCPSS Senior Director for Growth Management Ramey Beavers retired last month. Beavers held his most recent job - working to keep all Wake schools healthy - in 1997. Prior to that, he served as principal of West Lake Middle School and Cary High School. Dr. Beavers helped to develop the Community Engagement Meetings where he led discussions across the county about the impact of growth and the plans for opening new schools. At a reception in his honor, Beavers was congratulated for his years of hard work in the school system by Superintendent Burns, board members, co-workers and friends.

WCPSS INSTITUTE FOR TEACHER LEADERS BEGINS SECOND YEAR
This is the second year for educators taking part in the WCPSS Institute for Teacher Leaders, an initiative of the WCPSS Instructional Services Division Office of Continuous Improvement and Professional Development. Superintendent Burns says the educators come from elementary, middle and high schools and from all regions of Wake County. The two-year program began in 2005-06. The first cohort of educators will complete the program this year. A second cohort is getting started. Superintendent Burns says the institute is important step in working to retain outstanding employees.

TEXTBOOK SELECTION FAIR PLANNED
The 2006 Wake County Public School System Textbook/Materials Selection Fair for K-12 Arts Education and 6-12 Family and Consumer Science Education (FACS) will be held October 16-19 from 3:30 - 6:00 PM at the Crossroads Professional Development Center, 110 Corning Road, Cary. This is an opportunity for teachers, administrators and the public to preview books and materials under consideration for this adoption cycle.

SCHOOLS PILOT INTEGRATED APPROACH TO 9TH GRADE ENGLISH
Seven WCPSS schools are piloting a new English class that focuses on reading. WCPSS Director of Literacy Ruth Steidinger discussed the reading program with the board at its Sept. 19 meeting. The course, which uses the Wilson Reading System, is driven by instructional assessment, aligning students' needs with specific strategies. It was created in response to English I EOC data and is geared toward students who struggle in reading fluency and comprehension. The program was piloted for two years at Enloe High where students showed significant gains in academic achievement. This year the course is at Apex, Enloe, Leesville Road, Sanderson, Panther Creek and Fuquay-Varina high schools and Fuquay-Varina Middle School.

WCPSS IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH HIGH 5
WCPSS is working closely with High 5, which will be surveying high school teachers to determine level of implementation and impact of Professional Learning Communities at schools. Wake is one of the five school districts partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC, Capitol Broadcasting, The News and Observer, progress Energy and SAS in a five-year project to improve high schools to help students compete in the global economy. One High 5 initiative has been to provide training for schools to create Professional Learning Communities where teachers work as teams carefully planning instruction that will challenge students. Superintendent Burns says it's important for WCPSS to continue to develop learning communities in our schools to strengthen instruction and retain teachers. High 5 will complete its work in 2009.

WCPSS PARTNERS WITH PEACE COLLEGE IN TEACHER TRAINING
Superintendent Burns visited Peace College Sept 7 as the first cohort of students began a new teacher training program launched by WCPSS and Peace College. Peace students participating in the program will gain valuable classroom experience by performing extensive fieldwork in WCPSS schools. The program was designed based on findings from studies that show that prospective teachers who have had extensive classroom experience as part of their training are more likely to pursue teaching positions upon graduation and to remain in the teaching profession. Through the program, students will obtain a traditional liberal arts education, but also take coursework that prepares them for licensure in both elementary education and special education. It will be the only such "blended" dual licensure teacher education program in the state.

CALENDAR
Oct. 17 12 p.m., Board Committee of the Whole, Board Conference Room; 2 p.m., Board of Education Meeting, Board Room
Oct. 26 6 p.m., WCPSS Principal of the Year ceremony at Exploris Museum.
Nov. 7 Election Day
No. 7 12 p.m., Board Committee of the Whole, Board Conference Room; 2 p.m., Board of Education Meeting, Board Room

You can find more information on school events at http://www.wcpss.net/Calendars

 

School Connection is published electronically every other week for everyone interested in the Wake County Public School System. Is what you read in this edition helpful? What information would you like to see in future editions? Contact me by calling 850-1829 or e-mailing bposton@wcpss.net.

Bill Poston
Wake County Public School System
Communications Department
3600 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27611

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