School Connection
November 25, 2003
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.
GOAL 2008 ENDORSED
The new Wake County Public School System academic goal has
been endorsed by the board of Wake Education Partnership and
the executive board of the Wake County PTA Council.
John Mabe congratulated the Board of Education members at their Wednesday (Nov. 19) meeting for passage of the goal. Mabe read a resolution from the partnership's board endorsing Goal 2008 and calling for the entire community to join in support of it.
At the Thursday (Nov. 20) meeting of the Wake County PTA Council executive board, PTA leaders gave their endorsement to Goal 2008. The council board urged all business, civic, education and parent groups to become actively involved in supporting efforts to achieve Goal 2008.
MCNEAL NAMED 2003 STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR A SECOND
TIME
A second organization has recognized Wake County Public School
System superintendent Bill McNeal as its State Superintendent
of the Year.
McNeal was honored by the North Carolina School Boards Association at its meeting in Greensboro Tuesday (Nov. 18). He was named the 2003 Guy B. and A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year.
McNeal was nominated for the honor by the Wake County Board of Education. At the board's meeting Wednesday (Nov. 19), board chair Susan Parry congratulated McNeal.
"We feel so very strongly about what he has done for our school system," said Parry. "We are extremely proud of him."
Board member Rosa Gill presented McNeal with a print of children to commend him for the honor.
McNeal thanked the board for their nomination and their gift. He noted the honor was a recognition of Wake County as a community that nurtures children and expects children to give their best.
Earlier this month, the North Carolina Association of School Administrators named McNeal its 2003 State Superintendent of the Year. He will be presented the award during the association's retreat in December at Southern Pines.
49 WCPSS SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED AS SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE
In the state's largest recognition of academically successful
schools, State Superintendent of Education Mike Ward honored
49 Wake County schools as Schools of Excellence in a ceremony
at the RBC Center Wednesday (Nov. 19).
"This is a remarkable record of success," said Ward. "I hope you feel the euphoria of doing marvelous things for youngsters."
Ward presented a banner to each school principal, thanking them for their school's hard work and success. The school leaders were congratulated by Superintendent Bill McNeal, Wake County Commission Chair Herb Council and Wake Board of Education Chair Susan Parry.
The celebration was the first time all Wake County Schools of Excellence were recognized together. State education leaders visited individual schools until this year when so many earned recognition.
Schools of Excellence had at least 90 percent of their students perform at or above grade level and met expected or high growth. The state recognizes Schools of Excellence as part of the ABCs of Public Education.
The elementary schools honored include Adams, Apex, Baileywick, Ballentine, Baucom, Brassfield, Bugg, Cary, Combs, Davis Drive, Dillard Drive, Durant Road, Farmington Woods, Green Hope, Green, Heritage, Hilburn Drive, Hunter, Kingswood, Knightdale, Lacy, Leesville, Lincoln Heights, Lockhart, Middle Creek, Morrisville, North Ridge, Northwoods, Oak Grove, Olive Chapel, Pleasant Union, Poe, Salem, Swift Creek, Timber Drive, Wakefield, Washington, West Lake, Wildwood Forest, and Willow Springs.
The middle schools honored include Apex, Davis Drive, Dillard Drive, Leesville Road, Ligon, Lufkin Road, Wakefield, West Cary and West Lake.
BOARD APPROVES CALENDARS
At its Wednesday (Nov. 19) meeting, the Board of Education
approved 2004-2005 instructional calendars for traditional,
year round and modified calendar schools.
For the traditional calendar, the school year starts August 10 and ends May 25. Winter break is December 23 to January 3. Spring break is March 21 through 28, which includes Good Friday and Easter Monday. Good Friday will also be an employee holiday. Teacher workdays are scheduled for September 16, October 14 and 15, January 3, February 18 and 21, March 11, and April 22. The calendar is available at http://www.wcpss.net/Calendars/2004-05/index.html
For the year-round calendar, the school year starts July 12 and ends June 30. Winter break is December 23 through 31. For the modified calendar, the school year starts July 26 and ends May 27.
The Board asked its policy committee to review observance of religious holidays in the school calendar.
MAGNET GRANT SOUGHT
Five schools are seeking funds from the US Department of Education
Magnet Schools Assistance Program Grant. Conn Elementary,
Joyner Elementary, Enloe High and Southeast Raleigh High will
significantly revise their magnet themes next year and North
Garner will apply as a new magnet school to receive assistance
from this federal grant. Conn will become an active learning
and technology magnet; Joyner will become a dual language
magnet; North Garner Middle will prepare to offer the International
Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme; Southeast Raleigh High
will become a center for leadership and technology; and Enloe
High will add new components to its Gifted and Talented and
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme theme. Magnet
Program Senior Director Caroline Massengill told the Board
of Education at its Wednesday (Nov. 19) meeting that it may
be as late as September before the school system gets a response
to its application. The 2001-04 magnet grant awarded $7.5
million to the school district.
COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT PRESENTED
At its Wednesday (Nov. 19) meeting, the Board of Education
received the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. WCPSS
Senior Director of Accounting Mark Winters said the report
indicates the school system was in a strong financial position
at the close of the fiscal year. The report indicates certified
public accountants McGladrey and Pullen, LLP reviewed school
system financials, found the information presented fairly
and that WCPSS had the appropriate internal control structures
in place.
BOARD APPROVES AGREEMENT WITH HOLLY SPRINGS
At its Wednesday (Nov. 19) meeting, the Board of Education
approved an interlocal agreement with the town of Holly Springs
and Wake County. Officials from Holly Springs and Wake County
have agreed to contribute funding for recreational improvements
not included in the standard high school program to include
lighting and irrigation for ball fields and tennis courts,
a community use parking lot, future restrooms and concession
facilities and water fountains and tennis courts at a new
high school to be built near Holly Springs. The Town of Holly
Springs will contribute $350,000 and Wake County will contribute
$250,000 for recreational improvements. The improvements will
be based upon an approved master plan for the high school
project.
THREE WAKE COUNTY TEACHERS TAKE TOP HONORS
Three veteran Wake County Public School System health and
physical education teachers were recognized as being the top
educators in the state. "While it is an honor for a school
district to have a single Teacher of the Year selected,"
said Dr. Ron Morrow, Executive Director for the North Carolina
Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation
and Dance (NCAAHPERD), "To have three teachers from Wake
County Schools to receive Teacher of the Year honors is exceptional.
I don't believe this has ever happened before."
Betsy Beals of Northwoods Elementary, Barnanne Creech of Zebulon Middle School, and Kathy Stefanou ofMillbrook High School were recognized at the 2003 NCAAHPERD State Convention in Greensboro.
Betsy Beals received the North Carolina Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year award. Barnanne Creech was selected as the North Carolina Middle School Health Education Teacher of the Year, and Kathy Stefanou received the North Carolina High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year recognition.
TWO WAKE COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS RECOGNIZED
Two Wake County Public School System middle schools were recently
recognized for their innovative programming by the North Carolina
Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation
and Dance (NCAAHPERD). Centennial Middle School was awarded
the Outstanding Public School Intramural Program of the Year
for its focus on creating a model intramural program that
encourages all students to become involved in fun activities
that promote teamwork, cooperation, and sport skills. The
program was developed though the leadership of April Parrish,
a physical education teacher at Centennial Middle School.
As one of only eight schools in the state, West Cary Middle School (Cary, NC) was designated as a 2003 Physical Education Celebrity School for implementing a middle school program of merit. West Cary Middle School's physical education department has a unique personal fitness and wellness component for its students. In addition to having a designated "Wellness Center," they are currently working on creating an "Aerobics Center" to help students understand the importance of cardiovascular fitness to prevent obesity and type II diabetes.
BOARD NAMES WASHINGTON COURTYARD AFTER FORMER PRINCIPAL
At its Wednesday (Nov. 19) meeting, the Board of Education
named the new courtyard at Washington Elementary after the
school's former principal Allynna Stone. The board approved
the Washington Elementary PTA's request to name the area outside
the cafeteria the Allynna Stone Math and Science Courtyard.
Stone retired at the end of the last school year. She had
led the school to recognition as the number one magnet school
in the nation and through a major renovation and addition
of facilities.
APPOINTMENTS
At its Wednesday (Nov. 19) meeting, the Board of Education
named principals for four schools. The board named LaVaughn
Buchanan principal of Heritage Middle School, Marvin Connley
principal at Knightdale High School, Matthew Wight principal
at Salem Middle School, and Delores Best Gill principal at
Knightdale Elementary.
-Buchanan has served as principal of Cary Elementary since
1998. She was assistant principal of East Cary Middle and
was a middle school assistant principal in the Durham schools.
-Connley has served as principal of Wake Forest Rolesville
Middle since 2001. Prior to that, he was assistant principal
at Athens Drive High and a program coordinator at Longview
School.
-Wight has served as principal of Reedy Creek Middle since
1999. Prior to that he worked as a principal, assistant and
teacher in Wilmington schools.
-Gill has been principal of a Johnston County elementary school.
She also worked as an assistant principal in Johnston County
and as a special education teacher in Pitt and Beaufort counties.
WAKE COUNTY PROGRAM GAINS NATIONAL ATTENTION
On Nov. 10, key representatives from Wake Education Partnership
and Wake County Human Services presented at the Public Education
Network's Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Their discussion
highlighted the success of Wake County's Partnership for Educational
Success, a program developed in 1999 through the collaboration
of the Wake Education Partnership and Wake County Human Services.
By providing academic and family support services for students
in participating schools, the program has seen tremendous
success. Ninety-six percent of families of children who are
struggling in school are participating in the program, and
72 percent of those children showed improvement in literacy
and math skills. Because of this initiative's success, plans
are in place to expand its services to all schools in the
system. Presenters at the conference included Dr. Valerie
Brown, vice president of programs for Wake Education Partnership;
John Ringo, area superintendent for the Wake County Public
School System; Maria Spaulding, director of Wake County Human
Services; and Mary Uzi, director of Family Support Services
for Wake County.
INSIDE THE NEWS
The Beacon of LEARN NC reports on education
Time Warner News 14 reports School News
CNN reports on education
The National School Board Association reports the School Board News
CALENDAR
|
Nov 26-28 |
Administration offices closed for Thanksgiving holidays |
|
Dec. 2 |
2 p.m. Committee of the whole meeting; 4 p.m. Board of Education meeting |
|
Dec 6 |
8 a.m. WCPSS Fall job fair at Wakefield Middle School |
|
Dec. 16 |
2 p.m. Committee of the whole meeting; 4 p.m. Board of Education meeting |
|
Dec. 17 |
12 p.m. County Commissioners and Board of Education luncheon at county offices, 337 S. Salisbury Street, Raleigh |
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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