School Connection
October 11, 2002
2003 Goal: By 2003, 95 percent of students tested will be at or above grade level as measured by NC End-of-Grade testing at grades 3 and 8.
WCPSS RECOMMENDS REVISIONS TO HEALTHFUL LIVING CURRICULUM
Administrators recommended revisions to the Healthful Living
Curriculum to strengthen the Abstinence Until Marriage program,
while providing students and families with information and
assistance for individual problems and concerns. The recommendations
were brought to the Board of Education at its Tuesday (Oct.
8) meeting of the Committee of the Whole.
"Our recommendations are consistent with state and federal Abstinence Until Marriage guidelines and enable teachers and counselors to be more responsive to families' individual needs," said Cindi Jolly, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. "We believe this multi-pronged approach is the most helpful for students and their families while maintaining the central message of promoting abstinence as the expected standard of behavior for our students."
WCPSS staff brought three recommendations:
1.Enhance the school system's implementation of the state
Abstinence Until Marriage curriculum for grades seven through
nine with updated scientific information and additional units
on healthy decision-making and refusal skills; healthy relationships;
and the impact of values, personal goals, and family expectations
on teenage behaviors.
2.Offer a new high school elective course in Healthful Living for grades 10 through 12. The course would be offered in the 2003-04 school year after the curriculum is developed. Students may register for elective courses with a parent or guardian's consent.
3.Amend Board Policy 5120.4 to permit school nurses, counselors, or social workers to work with students and their families on individual confidential concerns, while forbidding school employees from distributing contraceptives or providing information to any student about where to obtain abortion referral services.
The proposed Abstinence Until Marriage curriculum for grades 7 through 9 will be made available at five locations across Wake County and on the WCPSS Internet website when the documents have been converted to a Web-readable format.
The Wake County Board of Education will hold a public hearing on the recommendations on Monday, Oct. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at Millbrook High School.
BOARD APPROVES BLOCK SCHEDULING FOR HIGH SCHOOLS
There will be a change from the current six-period schedule
to a new block schedule at most Wake County high schools next
year. At its meeting Tuesday (Oct. 8), the Board of Education
approved block scheduling in 11 Wake high schools: Apex, Athens
Drive, Cary, East Wake, Garner, Green Hope, Leesville Road,
Millbrook, Sanderson, Wake Forest-Rolesville, and Wakefield.
Wake high school principals and administrators have been studying strategies to improve the high school experience for all students for three years. The needs that were identified included supporting students in meeting the new graduation requirements, providing more opportunities to students to participate in elective programs and advanced classes and creating a smaller learning community in the school. A change from the six period schedule to a block schedule was identified as a way of meeting these needs. The "4X4" schedule was identified as the one that gave the greatest flexibility to students.
Block scheduling would provide students the chance to take four-semester courses, or eight classes a year, 32 classes over four years. The current six-class schedule provides for only 24 classes over four years.
Three schools -- Southeast Raleigh, Fuquay-Varina, and Middle Creek -- already operate on block schedules. Magnet schools - Enloe and Broughton - operate on schedules set for their programs. As Wake staff studied scheduling, they found that 80 percent of the state's high schools operate on block schedules.
Administrators said all students will have more flexibility to take electives and advanced courses and teachers will be able to provide more individualized instruction since they will have more time in each class and fewer classes each semester. Administrators indicated that schools would have the flexibility in developing the schedule for their school that best addresses the needs of students enrolled in Advanced Placement classes or sequenced classes
The board called on principals and administrators to communicate with the students, parents, staff and others affected by the change, and report their efforts to the board in December.
Administrators plan to hold a series of training sessions for teachers before the new schedule goes into effect for the 2003-2004 school year, and once classes have begun.
WAKE BOARD OF EDUCATION CREATES "HEALTHY SCHOOLS
TASK FORCE"
The Wake County Board of Education approved creation of a
countywide "Healthy Schools Task Force," at its
Tuesday (Oct. 8) meeting. Board Chair Kathryn Watson Quigg
and Superintendent Bill McNeal proposed the task force last
month to examine a variety of educational issues that will
impact the future of public education in Wake County. Superintendent
McNeal recommended the task force be comprised of 18 to 25
members that reflect the county's geography and demography.
McNeal said community groups and concerned citizens have already
begun suggesting persons for the panel. The task force will
produce a written report and recommendations to the Board
of Education. The recommendations will ensure continued growth
in student achievement, increase the satisfaction of parents
and key constituencies, address facility issues including
decisions related to PLAN 2004, and increase community support
for the Wake County Public School System.
SUPERINTENDENT MCNEAL NAMED TO SOUTHERN REGIONAL EDUCATION
BOARD
Wake Superintendent Bill McNeal has been appointed by Gov.
Mike Easley to the Southern Regional Education Board. McNeal
is one of five North Carolina representatives on the board
that represents 16 states. The board, created in 1948 by Southern
states, helps government and education leaders work cooperatively
to advance education and, in doing so, improve the social
and economic life of the region.
COLORADO EDUCATORS VISIT WAKE SCHOOLS
A delegation of educators from Denver, Colorado visited Wake
County schools Oct. 2 to look at Wake's strong academic program
and policies on magnet programs. Nearly 90 percent of Wake's
students scored at or above grade level on state reading,
writing and mathematics testing. In the state ABCs measure
of student academic growth, Wake had a record 52 Schools of
Excellence. On the SAT, the average score for Wake students
was 1067, 47 points above the national average. The Denver
educators have experienced resegregation and declining populations
in their downtown schools and were looking for ways to help
their district's 73,000 students achieve academic success.
WAKE BUSINESS LEADERS EARN GOVERNOR'S AWARD
Wake County s Business Education Leadership Council (BELC)
was recognized with the Governor's Business Partner Award
today at the statewide Meet in the Middle Conference. The
public/private partnership was noted as an innovative practice
for large school districts. BELC is a leadership team that
is made up of business leaders and school system staff. It
guides the development and work of 34 school-based business
alliances. Alliance membership is 484. 2001-2002 school year
results show that over 10,000 Wake County students were impacted
by business alliance activities such as job shadow days or
career fairs.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HONORS WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL
SYSTEM
On Monday, Oct. 7, the U.S. Department of Energy recognized
the Wake County Public School System for its success in saving
energy. "We achieve energy savings of $1.2 million annually
through a combination of energy-efficient designs, building
improvements and a far-reaching EnergySavers program that
involves students, teachers, administrators, and maintenance
staff," said Mike Burriss, assistant superintendent of
facilities. "It takes everyone working together."
Jim Powell, director of the DOE Atlanta regional office, and Ray Massey, associate superintendent of auxiliary services, signed an agreement to make the school system a partner of Rebuild America, a national network of more than 475 partnerships committed to improving communities by saving energy. Through the Rebuild America program, DOE anticipates that WCPSS will serve as a model for what school districts can accomplish by committing to a comprehensive energy-saving program.
BOARD NAMES HAYDON ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT
At its Tuesday (Oct. 8) meeting, the Board of Education approved
Donald Haydon as the new Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary
Services. Haydon will fill the vacancy created by Ray Massey's
retirement.
Haydon has served as the chief operations officer of the Columbus, Ohio schools since 2000. He served as director of facilities and then executive director of finance and operations management for the Minneapolis, Minnesota schools from 1993 to 2000. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and earned a masters in financial management from the Naval Post Graduate School. He also earned a degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University.
PARENTS VOTE TO KEEP TRADITIONAL CALENDAR AT TWO SCHOOLS
The results are in from the parents vote on converting Hodge
Road Elementary and Olive Chapel Elementary to a year-round
calendar starting 2003-2004. Parents were mailed a survey
in late September asking them to respond yes or no to converting
their school to a year-round calendar. At Hodge Road Elementary,
111 parents voted yes, 114 voted no, and 226 did not respond.
At Olive Chapel Elementary, 276 parents voted yes, 289 no,
and 151 did not respond. School administrators said it would
take a 70 percent vote in favor to convert to a year-round
calendar.
Crowding caused by the growing student population at the two schools led school system staff to cap enrollment at the schools last school year. Staff said they will have to reassign a number of students for 2003-2004 or parents could choose to convert the school to a multi-track year-round school. Switching to a multi-track year-round school would allow a school to handle another 20 to 30 percent more students.
WAKE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT CONTINUES TO GROW
The official enrollment for the 2002-2003 school year is 104,373
students. School systems use the enrollment of the 20th day
of school for official comparisons. Enrollment for last year
was 101,397 students. Wake enrollment increased by 2,976 students
over last year. Enrollment has increased by 34,327 since 1992-93.
BOARD ESTABLISHES CAPACITY STANDARDS
At its Tuesday (Oct. 8) meeting, the Board of Education gave
final approval to a new policy establishing school capacity
standards. The new policy will establish a consistent calculation
method and schedule for developing school building capacities
and school campus capacities. The standards will be used for
facility planning and student assignment.
BOARD APPROVES PLAN FOR NEW ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL
The board approved a $17.7 million proposal to build an alternative
school for kindergarten through 12th grade. The school would
house elementary school students from the Bridges Program,
plus middle school and high school students from the Longview
School. The school, which administrators would like to open
by December 2005, would allow Wake to serve more students
with emotional and behavioral problems. Administrators would
use Longview's campus in East Raleigh for a new alternative
school for middle school students who would otherwise be suspended.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR HERITAGE MIDDLE
At its Tuesday (Oct. 8) meeting, the Board of Education awarded
bids for the new Heritage Middle School. The board awarded
the general contract to R.N. Rouse and Company in the amount
of $9,903,000. The board awarded the pluming contract to Bolton
Corporation in the amount of $1,131,000; the mechanical contract
to Southern Piping Company in the amount of $2,045,000; and
the electrical contract to Rayman Electrical Company in the
amount of $1,301,846. The total multi-prime package was $14,380,846.
BOARD APPROVES CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR SCHOOL RENOVATION
At its Tuesday (Oct. 8) meeting, the Board of Education approved
construction documents for the PLAN 2000 addition and renovations
at Wake Forest Elementary. The facility planning staff presented
the plans, which were prepared by Pearce, Brinkley, Cease,
and Lee PA.
BOARD NAMES ARCHITECT FOR SCHOOL RENOVATION
At its Tuesday (Oct. 8) meeting, the Board of Education named
an architect for renovation work at Enloe High. The board
selected Brown Jurkowski Architectural Collaborative for the
project.
BOARD APPROVES MORE AT FOUR PROGRAM FOR LYNN ROAD ELEMENTARY
At its Tuesday (Oct. 8) meeting, the Board of Education approved
expanding the More at Four pre-kindergarten program for at-risk
four-year olds by adding two classes at Lynn Road Elementary.
Students served will be at-risk four-year olds with priority
to children living in the Lynn Road Elementary attendance
area. The program will be funded with Title I, special education
and a state More at Four grant.
TWO WAKE STUDENTS EARN TOP HONORS IN WRITING COMPETITION
Jerry Mauro of Wakefield High won first place, Jessica Son
of Enloe second, and Katie Chamblee of Charlotte placed third
in the fifth Wade Edwards North Carolina Short Fiction Award.
The winners were named at the North Carolina English Teacher's
Association conference in Greensboro Oct. 5. The writers were
selected for short fiction promoting the qualities of humility,
strength of convictions, loyalty, honor, charity, determination,
the value of family, and the obligations of friendship and
community. Scholarships and a gift to the first place winner's
English Department bring total prizes of $10,000 to the recipients.
NORTH RIDGE ART TEACHER NAMED ART EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
North Ridge Elementary art teacher Elissa Oken has been selected
as the Elementary Art Educator of the Year by the North Carolina
Art Education Association. The award will be presented at
their annual Staff Development weekend in Wilmington on Nov.
2nd.
EAST WAKE HIGH TEACHER NAMED BIOLOGY TEACHER OF THE YEAR
East Wake High biology teacher Dusty Burns has been named
Outstanding Biology Teacher for the State of North Carolina
by the North Carolina Biology Teacher's Association.
LIGON'S ENCORE PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLE PRESENT DAVID AND
LISA
Ligon's Encore Performance Ensemble, which features student
actors from across Wake County, will present the play "David
and Lisa" later this month. The drama, which tells the
story of two emotionally disturbed teens, will be performed
on Saturday, October 19, at 7:00 p.m., and again on Sunday,
October 20, at 2:30 p.m., in the Ligon Middle School Auditorium,
706 E.Lenoir Street, Raleigh. Tickets, available only from
the box office, are $3.00 for students and senior citizens
and $5.00 for general admission. The box office opens an hour
before each show.
NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK
Our school system will be among thousands across the nation
celebrating National School Lunch Week, October 14-18. This
year's theme is "Stars, Stripes and School Lunch."
School food service professionals, teachers and administrators
will be taking students on an educational journey through
the wonderful world of flag flying patriotism.
We'll include some special decorations in our cafeteria, invite families, staff and the media to lunch on Wednesday, conduct great raffles for prizes, and of course sport our red, white, and blue colors! School Lunch plays a vital role in providing good nutrition and nutrition education to our nation's children. Please join us for some fun and celebrate our achievements. Tomorrow's American heroes eat school lunch today!
INSIDE THE NEWS
U.S. Department of Education reports "Education Department, National Urban League Form Partnership to Educate Families About Reading and Literacy Development"; "Education, Defense Departments Remind High Schools About Disclosure Issues"; and "Paige Joins White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at Training Conference in Atlanta"
NC Department of Public Instruction reports the 2001-2002 ABCs results
Education Week reports "States Revise the Meaning Of 'Proficient'"; "NSF Names Winners of Math And Science Grants"; "Bits and Bytes of Guidance"; and "More Chicago Pupils Flunk Grade"
The Washington Post reports "Schools Balance Safety, Normalcy" and "Making Kids Money-Wise"
The Beacon of LEARN NC reports on education
CNN reports on education
The National School Board Association reports the School Board News
ANSWERMAN: MAGNET FAIR TO BE HELD IN NOVEMBER
Question: What is the best way to obtain detailed information
about my magnet school options and application procedures?
Answer: The Magnet Fair will be held at Southeast Raleigh
High School on Saturday, November 2nd beginning at 1:00 p.m.
and ending at 4:00 p.m. Each magnet school will provide a
display as well as opportunities to speak with the principal
and other key people. It is a great place to go "shopping"
and acquire a lot of information at one time. One word of
caution: you may go to the Magnet Fair thinking about a short
list of schools - and come away excited about a whole bunch
of additional schools! It is a terrific event and one you
don't want to miss.
Additionally, you may want to call or come by our Magnet Resource Center. It is located behind Millbrook Elementary School (1520 E. Millbrook Road; Raleigh). The good folks over there love to talk about magnet schools and are quite capable at answering even the most intricate questions. Give them a call at 501-7900.
CALENDAR
|
Oct. 14-18 |
National School Lunch Week |
|
Oct. 15 |
11 a.m., Human Resources Committee Meeting; 12:30 p.m. Policy Committee Meeting; 2 p.m., Community Relations Committee Meeting; 3:30 p.m. Finance Committee Meeting |
|
Oct. 16 |
2 p.m., Facilities Committee Meeting; 3:30 p.m., Program Committee Meeting |
|
Oct. 22 |
2 p.m., Board Committee of the Whole; 4 p.m., Board 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 Schools. 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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