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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.

December 19, 2005


2006-07 GROWTH MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL FILLS SEVEN NEW SCHOOLS
The 2006-07 growth management proposal was published Dec. 12 for a two-week comment period. Comments from the public will be used by the Growth Management staff to prepare a proposal to present to the Board of Education in February.

The proposal fills two new high schools and five new year-round elementary schools, two of which will be started early in temporary facilities.

The new schools are adding space as student enrollment growth has exploded. Since 2000, student enrollment leaped by 22,924 students. Wake County schools are expected to gain more than 7,000 new students next year, bringing total enrollment to 127,513.

The proposal involves 11,495 students and is the largest the school system has made. The proposal includes 10,389 students who have a change in base assignment and 1,106 students who have a change in year-round transportation area.

The growth management proposal was developed after a series of 12 community engagement meetings held across the county last fall. Ramey Beavers of WCPSS Growth Management said they used what they heard to develop the proposal.

"We received many comments from parents at the Community Engagement Meetings," said Beavers. "In putting the proposal together, we have been able to respond to many of the expressed concerns while populating the new schools. Parents have again said less frequent reassignment and distance are a priority, and we have worked to provide that for students. Where possible, we have brought back together attendance areas called "spot nodes" that had been split from neighboring attendance areas due to crowding. We have tried to clean up "feeder patterns" to keep neighborhoods together through elementary, middle and high school. Parents agreed with the school board that we should use all available seats and fully utilize the new schools in the first year. They also asked that we look ahead to future school openings as we developed the proposal, and were adamant that we continue giving rising juniors the opportunity to stay at their current school -- we heard them loud and clear."

The proposal is online at http://www.wcpss.net/news/2006_growth-proposal/

Comments can be made:

The public input will help the Office of Growth Management revise the proposal for presentation to the Board of Education in February. The board will hold works sessions to review the proposal and public hearings for comment from the community before approving the final plan in late March or early April.

MAGNET APPLICATION PERIOD EXTENDED
Parents who would like their children to attend one of the WCPSS magnet schools will have more time to submit applications this year. The application period for WCPSS magnet programs will be a week longer. Applications must be postmarked or time-stamped electronically no earlier than February 6, 2006, and no later than February 24, 2006.

SWEARING IN HELD FOR NEWLY ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS
The newly elected members of the Wake County Board of Education were sworn into office Dec. 6. Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake of the North Carolina Supreme Court administered the oath of office to Patti Head, Eleanor Hill Goettee, Lori Millberg and Horace J. Tart as they began their four-year terms. Family members of the board members were on hand for the ceremony. Head, current board chair entering her second term of office, helped her grandson lead the room in the Pledge of Allegiance. Amy White sang "God Bless America." After the oath was administered, there was a reception for the board. Then the nine-member panel returned to hold their first meeting.

BOARD APPROVES EXPANSION OF WAKE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
At its Dec. 6 meeting, the Board of Education approved an agreement among the five school districts in the Research Triangle Area and Wake Education Partnership to expand the Wake Leadership Academy into the Triangle Leadership Academy. This expansion will provide Wake County personnel many new opportunities for programming and access to expertise, which currently do not exist. A team of staff from all partners has been working for approximately eight months to develop this concept. Dr. Joe Peel said the joint venture may benefit grant writing and recruiting of nationally known speakers for training sessions.

STATE ISSUES SCHOOL REPORT CARDS
The N.C. Department of Public Instruction launched the 2005 N.C. School Report Cards, providing parents, educators and others interested in public schools with an up-to-date "one-stop" shop to locate information about how the state's schools and school districts are performing on a variety of measures. To access the N.C. School Report Cards' Web site, visit http://www.ncreportcards.org .

BOARD APPROVES TITLE I SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
At its Dec. 6 meeting, the Board of Education approved a contract for supplemental education services with Sylvan Learning Center. Other state-approved providers serving students at Hodge Road Elementary include Huntington Learning Center, Mastermind Prep Learning Solutions, Inc., and University Instructors. Under "No Child Left Behind" Legislation, a Title I school that has not met the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals for three consecutive years, must offer Supplemental Educational Services (SES) for all eligible students. Students are eligible if they qualify for free/reduced lunch. These services must be provided by a provider that is approved by the Department of Public Instruction. Parents select the provider from the approved list.

APPOINTMENTS
At its Dec. 6 meeting, the Board of Education named Annice Hood principal of the new Barwell Road Elementary School. Hood will hire the staff and prepare for the opening of the year-round school for 2006-07. Hood has served as principal of Green Year-round Elementary since 2002. She was assistant principal there for four years. She was a teacher at Rolesville and Powell elementary schools. The board named two new assistant principals: James Dismulke at Leesville Road High and Dell Edwards at Lufkin Road Middle.

BOARD RECEIVES 2004-05 COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT
At its Dec. 6 meeting, the Board of Education received the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the Wake County Board of Education (Board) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005. The Board's independent certified public accountants, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, have audited the general purpose financial statements and related combining and individual fund and account group statements and schedules and have rendered their unqualified opinion on them. The auditor's reports on the schedule of federal and state financial assistance, internal control structure, and compliance matters are included in the single audit section of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The report indicates that as a result of appropriate fiscal management, including realistic budgeting practices, effective cost controls, and sound cash management, the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report indicates a strong financial position at June 30, 2005.

BOARD RECEIVES RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MCGLADREY AND PULLEN
At its Dec. 6 meeting, the Board of Education received a letter from McGladrey & Pullen, LLP outlining creation of an audit committee. McGladrey & Pullen advised that a properly constituted audit committee helps to enhance the financial statement auditor's real and perceived independence by providing a direct link between the auditor and the governing board and recommended the board consider establishing an audit committee. McGladrey & Pullen recommended WCPSS provide a standardized administrative oversight of before and after school programs and establish standards for the point of sale system being used in cafeterias. In response, WCPSS will provide random site visits of the before and after school programs and review and revise the program's resource guide. WCPSS is updating the software used in cafeterias and has talked with the software company about possible improvements. Child Nutrition staff plans to make unannounced visits to lunchrooms to check daily paperwork.

SCHOOL CONNECTION TV VISITS SCHOOLS
Join WCPSS host Christy Hardee as she visits Poe Montessori Magnet Elementary where they are celebrating anniversaries. Christy also talks with WCPSS Principal of the Year James Overman at Creech Road Elementary. You can visit School Connection TV at http://www.wcpss.net/schooltv/

CALENDAR

Dec. 20 2 p.m., Committee of the Whole meeting, Board Conference Room; 4 p.m., Board of Education meeting, board room.
Dec. 23 - Jan. 2 Winter break
Jan. 3 2 p.m., Committee of the Whole meeting, Board Conference Room; 4 p.m., Board of Education meeting, board room.
Jan. 9-12 6:30 p.m., Magnet Elementary School evening information sessions
Jan 12 6:30 p.m., Magnet Middle School evening information sessions
Jan. 17-19 6:30 p.m., Magnet Middle School evening information sessions

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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