SCHOOL CONNECTION
February 21, 2003
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.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT REASSIGNMENT PLAN FOR 2003-2004
The staff of the Office of Growth Management presented their
revised recommendations for the 2003-2004 assignment plan
to the Board of Education on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The latest
proposal, which incorporates comments and suggestions received
during the public comment period, can be found at http://www.wcpss.net/growth-management/index.html.
Dr. Ramey Beavers, senior director of growth management, said his office received helpful comments that led them to reduce the number of students affected by 276. "The Office of Growth Management appreciates the efforts of the many who have offered advice, suggestions and criticisms," he said. "Citizens can and should be heard in this process. This input has provided insight into shaping the proposal being presented at this time."
The proposal calls for moving 2,360 students to fill two new schools - Holly Ridge Elementary School and Holly Ridge Middle School - scheduled to open in 2003-2004, and relieve crowding in other schools in the area. The new schools will help provide space for Wake County's growing student population. WCPSS enrollment has grown to 104,373 students this year from 70,052 in 1992-93, roughly 3,000 students per year.
The Office of Growth Management mailed personal letters to families affected by the revised proposal on Feb. 18.
Public hearings on the proposal will be held on March 5 at Apex and Millbrook high schools. The board will be asked to approve the proposal in April.
MAKE UP DAYS SET
A February ice storm led school officials to cancel school
Feb. 17 and 18 and delay the start of school by two hours
Feb. 19.
Traditional-calendar schools will make up these days May 30 and June 2. Modified-calendar schools will make up the days May 26 and June 2. Year-round schools will make up the days Feb. 22 and May 26.
WEST MILLBROOK TEACHERS NAMED BEST IN THE STATE
The NC Middle School Association has named West Millbrook
Middle School's 6th-grade GEMS team as the Team of the Year.
The GEMS team consists of Barbara Clark, Team Leader (Social
Studies), Suzanne Eaton (Language Arts), Jennifer Koch (Science)
and Denise Seroka (Mathematics).
The team of teachers will be recognized at the NC Middle School Association Conference General Assembly on March 11. Each teacher will receive a plaque, and the team will receive a check for $500.
Team teaching is one of the small school concepts used in WCPSS middle schools. Each grade is divided into teams with their own teachers whose classrooms are usually located together. The GEMS are one of three 6th-grade teams at West Millbrook Middle.
West Millbrook principal Kaye Evans asked that WCPSS join her in congratulating this creative, inspiring, dedicated and hardworking team of teachers!
BOARD APPROVES PROGRAM FOR WCPSS SCHOOLS IN GARNER
At its Tuesday (Feb. 18) meeting, the Board of Education approved
designation of Garner Senior High School, North Garner Middle
School and East Garner Middle School as magnet schools. School
administrators will begin the training and preparation for
establishing the International Baccalaureate Programme at
the schools. The Middle Years Programme will be offered to
all students at East Garner Middle School, North Garner Middle
School and ninth- and tenth-graders at Garner Senior High
School. Garner Senior High will offer the International Baccalaureate
Diploma Programme. The program is based on intellectual rigor,
high academic standards and international understanding. The
schools must complete several years of preparation to seek
authorization from the International Baccalaureate Organization,
a nonprofit educational foundation in Switzerland.
BOARD APPROVES JOINT USE AGREEMENT FOR BALLFIELD
At its Tuesday (Feb. 18) meeting, the Board of Education approved
a joint use agreement for the North Garner Middle School baseball
field property to benefit the school and community. The Town
of Garner and WCPSS agreed to jointly maintain the field.
The agreement includes plans to add a scoreboard, irrigation
system and lighting to the field.
MAGNET/YEAR-ROUND SELECTION PROCESS
Staff from the Office of Growth Management reviewed the magnet/year-round
selection process with the Board of Education during its meeting
Feb.18. The time period for submitting applications to be
considered for a WCPSS magnet program ran from Feb. 8 - Feb.
19. Staff explained that their main goal throughout the selection
process is keeping all schools in the system healthy, whether
it's a magnet, year-round or a traditional school. Dr. Ramey
Beavers, senior director of growth management, told the board
that all valid applicants are guaranteed an opportunity to
be selected in the magnet and/or year-round selection process.
Factors in the selection process include transportation pattern,
crowding and diversity.
For year-round schools, siblings listed on the intent form, intersession magnet students and students who live in the optional year-round "base" who apply are given top priority. A four-tiered selection criteria is used to fill 90 percent of the remaining vacancies. The final 10 percent are filled randomly from all valid applications for students who live in the year-round transportation pattern for that school.
For program magnet schools, first priority is given to siblings of present magnet students identified on the intent form. After assigning these students, the remaining 90 percent of vacancies will be filled by the four-tiered selection criteria. The final 10 percent will be filled randomly from all remaining valid applications.
Students selected in the magnet selection process can remain in the program until the end of that grade configuration (K-5, 6-8, 9-12). Students selected to year-round through the magnet selection process may remain in the year-round program through middle school.
FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ALTERNATIVE REVENUE
The Finance Committee made a recommendation to the Board of
Education during its Feb. 18 meeting for the board to explore
the possibility of hiring a full-time development officer
for the school system. The development officer would be responsible
for coordinating efforts to develop alternative revenue sources
for WCPSS by soliciting bequests and lifetime gifts, establishing
education foundations to receive endowments, soliciting grants,
and working closely with staff to examine the legal constraints
affecting other alternative revenue opportunities such as
system-wide athletic clothing and equipment contracts.
BOARD APPROVES CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS
At its Tuesday (Feb. 18) meeting, the Board of Education approved
construction documents for North Garner Middle School. Skinner,
Lamm and Highsmith, P.A. prepared the documents for the additions
and renovations at the school.
BOARD APPROVES DESIGN DOCUMENTS
At its Tuesday (Feb. 18) meeting, the Board of Education approved
schematic design documents for Daniels Middle School. Cline
Design Associates, P.A. prepared the documents for renovations
at the school.
WCPSS ON TV
Superintendent Bill McNeal talks with NBC 17's Monty Knight
about education issues as part of WNCN's Wednesday morning
newscast on Time Warner Cable Channel 6 in Raleigh. Tune in
every Wednesday around 6:40 a.m. to see Superintendent McNeal
discuss the latest issues in education.
Watch for the Wake County Board of Education meetings broadcast
on Time Warner Cable Channel 11 in Cary and Raleigh. Each
city's website provides a weekly schedule of programming.
"Making Choices," a series of three programs sponsored
by Wake Education Partnership, Wake County PTA Council, Time
Warner Cable and News 14 Carolina, will be broadcast Mondays
at 12 and 8 p.m., Thursdays at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. and Saturdays
at 7:30 p.m. The program airs on Time Warner Cable Channel
24.
SOUTHEAST RALEIGH HIGH STUDENT SINGS ON OPRAH
Ashley Smith, a junior at Southeast Raleigh High School, appeared
on the Oprah Winfrey Show Feb. 17. Ashley was selected to
be a Princess for the Day.
Smith missed a chance to audition for American Idol, and wrote a letter to The Oprah Winfrey Show, which made it all the way to Hollywood. Paula Abdul of American Idol and last season's stars Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson helped prepare Smith to sing on Oprah. Smith had the complete American Idol experience with a makeover from the show's wardrobe team, and help from the show's voice coach and its official pianist. After all the help, Ashley sang Christina Aguilera's hit "Reflections" in front of Oprah's live studio audience and ten million people around the world! You can see more at http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200302/tows_past_20030217.jhtml
PIECES OF GOLD
Great seats still available--make plans to attend now! The
20th annual performing arts showcase, Pieces of Gold, will
be held at the BTI Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday
March 26, 2003. This special show is collaboration between
Wake County Public Schools and Wake Education Partnership.
Performers from each school in Wake County were invited to
audition in November and, from these auditions, 25 elementary,
middle and high school groups were selected to perform this
year. In celebration of the 20th year, special alumni events,
historical displays and video clips will highlight accomplishments
in arts education over the past 20 years. Gifts of Gold, a
visual arts display, will be featured in the lobby of Memorial
Auditorium during Pieces of Gold. Each school in Wake County
has the opportunity to display work from a special student
artist.
There will be two performances of Pieces of Gold this year
- an afternoon matinee at 3 p.m. and an evening show at 7:30
p.m. Tickets are available from the box office at the BTI
Center or through Ticketmaster at 834-4000 or http://www.ticketmaster.com
. Ticket prices range from $6 to $50. Group discounts will
be available for the afternoon matinee performance. Please
make plans now to attend this special 20th anniversary celebration.
For more information, contact Kay Walker at 821-7609 extension
40 or kwalker@wakeedpartnership.org.
LIGON RESCHEDULES 'WIZARD OF OZ' PRODUCTION
The February ice storm has caused Ligon Middle School's production
of 'The Wizard of Oz' performances to be rescheduled. Ligon's
auditorium on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 28 and March 1) nights
at 7 p.m. and Sunday (March 2) at 2:30 p.m. at Ligon Middle
School. Tickets will be sold at the door: $5 for adults, $3
for students and seniors. For more information call Deborah
Yalacki at 856-7929.
MARCH IS NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH
The theme for this year's National Nutrition Month (NNM) is
"Healthy Eating, Healthy You." The campaign is designed
to focus attention on the importance of making informed food
choices and developing sound eating and physical activity
habits. National Nutrition Month '03 teaches us that good
nutrition does not require great sacrifice or restriction
and that a variety of foods can be a part of healthy eating
when consumed in moderation and combined with regular physical
activity.
Child Nutrition Services has planned many colorful and exciting promotions for our 2003 campaign. We'd like to ask for your cooperation in working with the cafeteria manager to offer lots of great student learning opportunities for this special celebration of good health!
NC SCHOOL REPORT CARDS PUBLISHED
Students will bring home the new state report cards in the
next week. The North Carolina School Report Cards developed
by Gov. Mike Easley and the NC Department of Public Instruction
provide information about K-12 public schools, for local school
systems and for the state. Each report card includes a school
or district profile and information about student performance,
safe schools, access to technology, and teacher quality. By
reviewing report card data, parents and other citizens can
learn more about school progress and resources. You can find
school report cards on Gov. Easley's website at http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/
INSIDE THE NEWS
U.S. Department of Education reports "Paige Helps Launch UNESCO Literacy Decade"; "White House Web Site Unveils President's Day: United in Service"; and "Paige Hails 18 Months of Management Improvements; Department Receives First 'Clean Audit' in Many Years"
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reports "LeSieur Named Director of School Business Services at DPI"
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
|
Feb. 27, 5 p.m. |
Healthy Schools Task Force meets at Webster Center |
|
March 3 |
NEA's Read Across America Day |
|
March 3 |
National School Breakfast Week |
|
March 3-5 |
National School Social Work Week |
|
March 3-7 |
National School Breakfast Week |
|
March 4 |
2 p.m. Board committee of the whole meeting; 4 p.m. Board of Education meeting |
|
March 11 |
12:30 p.m., Policy Committee Meeting; 2 p.m., Community Relations Committee Meeting; 3:30 p.m., Finance Committee Meeting |
|
March 12 |
2 p.m., Facilities Committee Meeting |
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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