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.January 19, 2006
BOARD SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT IN SEARCH FOR NEW SUPERINTENDENT
The Wake County Board of Education is seeking community input in its search
for a new Superintendent of Schools.
The Superintendent Search Community Survey has been posted on the Wake County Public School System website at www.wcpss.net providing an easy way for the public to share their views with the board. Participants are asked to rate a series of abilities, experiences and expectations from most important to least important. The 30-question survey also provides an opportunity for brief written comments and asks whether respondents are parents of elementary, middle or high school students.
Community groups can also share their organizations' views by providing written comments to Allison Schafer of the North Carolina School Boards Association at Box 97877, Raleigh, NC 27624or email aschafer@ncsba.org.
The information will be accepted through January 24 and will be compiled for presentation to the board.
The Board of Education has contracted with the NC School Board Association for their administrative services in the superintendent search.
The board is seeking a superintendent to fill the vacancy created when Bill McNeal announced Nov. 15 he would retire from the job June 30, 2006. McNeal is the longest serving Superintendent of the Wake County Public School System since the merger of the Raleigh City Schools and the Wake County Schools in 1976. McNeal was named Superintendent in 2000.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT PREPARES PLAN FOR BOARD
Many people made calls, sent e-mails and posted comments providing feedback
on the draft proposal WCPSS Growth Management published Dec. 12. Once the
comment period ended Dec. 31, senior director Dr. Ramey Beavers and his
staff reviewed the comments and considered what changes might be needed
and/or possible given the crowding in schools. At the Feb. 14 Board of Education
meeting, Beavers will present the assignment plan to the school board. The
school board will conduct public hearings and gather further comment, make
any revisions it deems necessary, and approve a final proposal on March
21. For more information, visit the full Growth Management Timeline for
the 2006-07 Assignment Plan.
FAMILIES CONSIDERING MAGNET SCHOOLS CAN VISIT CAMPUSES
Parents interested in applying for their children to attend magnet schools
in the Wake County Public School System still have plenty of time to research
the opportunities before the February application period. Magnet schools
have scheduled times for families to visit schools later this month. Magnet
elementary schools will provide tours 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday Jan.
24 and Wednesday, Feb. 1. Magnet middle schools will provide tours 9 a.m.
and 12 p.m. on Wednesday Jan. 25 and Tuesday, Jan. 31. Magnet year-round
schools will provide tours on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
for elementary schools and 7 p.m. for middle schools.
Each of the four magnet high schools will provide tours. Families may visit Southeast Raleigh High at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30; Enloe High at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 31; Broughton High at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 1; and Garner High at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2.
Magnet applications will be available in all schools Jan. 27. Applications must be postmarked or time-stamped electronically no earlier than Feb. 6 and no later than Feb. 24,
NEW HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM DISCUSSED
At its Jan. 3 meeting, the Board of Education heard from school administrators
and community leaders about a proposed early college program. Dr. Bill Atkinson,
WakeMed President; Dr. Stephen Scott, President of Wake Technical Community
College and Richard Murphy, WCPSS High School administrator described the
efforts being made to create the school on Wake Tech's campus near WakeMed
that will involve the hospital.
WCPSS Staff is preparing an application for a grant for implementation of an early college in collaboration with Wake Technical Community College and WakeMed. This is a follow up to the planning grant approved by the Wake County Board of Education and funded in 2005. The implementation grant is funded under the Governor's "Learn and Earn" initiative, and coordinated by the Public School Forum, New Schools Project and the Department of Public Instruction.
The purpose of the initiative is to allow students to graduate after five years with a high school diploma and 30 or more hours of transferable college credit. Students enrolled in this school will represent the demographics of the system, with many of these being first-generation college attendees. The Learn and Earn Early College, which is to open in 2006-07, will be located on the Wake Technical Community College Health Sciences Campus and serve 50 rising ninth-grade students the first year. When fully operational, the school could potentially serve 400 students.
BOARD AMENDS THARRINGTON SMITH CONTRACT
At its Jan. 3 meeting, the Board of Education amended its contract with
Tharrington Smith, which serves as Board Attorney and provides legal services
for the board. The changes reflect changes in rates for attorney services.
The 2005-06 budget for legal fees is $563,313, which is based on a projection
for the total expenditures for 2004-05. It is estimated, based on the budgeted
amount, that the total could rise to $587,000 for 2005-06 as a result of
the rate increase. Should the amount required for legal fees exceed the
amount budgeted, due either to the increased rate or required services,
the amount will be reported on the quarterly Potential Changes to Budget
report.
BOARD UPDATES POLICY ON DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS TO STUDENTS
At its Jan. 3 meeting, the Board of Education gave final approval to a revision
in policy 2420. The revision allows the Superintendent to develop rules
and procedures that will provide for limited distribution to students of
materials that address activities or events primarily for school age children
or which directly support the school program. The policy was revised with
the guidance of school board attorney Ann Majestic and the assistance of
a group of principals. The board Policy Committee approved the revision.
CALENDAR
| Jan. 19 | 9:30 a.m., Finance Committee Meeting-Board Conference Room |
| Jan. 19 | 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Magnet Middle School Evening Information Session |
| Jan. 24 | Magnet Elementary School Visits |
| Jan. 25 | Magnet Middle School Visits |
| Jan. 26 | Year-Round School Visits |
| Jan. 30 | 9:30 a.m., Facilities Committee Meeting-Board Conference Room |
| Jan. 30 | 7 p.m., Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School Visit |
| Jan. 31 | Magnet Middle School Visits |
| Jan. 31 | 4 p.m., Special Board Meeting - Board Room |
| Jan. 31 | 7 p.m., Enloe Magnet High School Visit |
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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