School Connection
February 25, 2004
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.
SCHOOLS CLOSED EARLY TODAY
Winter weather has led to an early closing of school today.
At 10:45 a.m., today, Wake County Public School System officials
announced schools would close three hours early because of
severe winter weather. A winter weather warning issued by
the National Weather Service predicted snow, sleet and rain
with accumulations of snow.
WCPSS IN FORBES TOP TEN
Forbes Magazine has named the Wake County School System third
in the nation on its Top Ten List for The Best Education In
The Biggest Cities."
Wake County made the list based on such factors as the high school graduation rate, the affordability of housing, and the best access to educational resources. Forbes looked at the 100 largest school districts in the most populous cities in the country, as determined by the U.S. Census Bureau, and selected the 10 school districts that fared best in all three categories."
The Top Ten List includes Boston, Massachusetts; Salt Lake City, Utah; Wake County, North Carolina; Baltimore, Maryland; New Orleans, Louisiana; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; and San Diego, California. To read the article in its entirety, please go online to http://www.forbes.com/2004/02/13/cx_bs_0213home.html. The link to the Top Ten list is at the end of the article.
MCNEAL NAMED NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR
At its Tuesday (Feb. 24) meeting, Board of Education members
congratulated Superintendent Bill McNeal on being named the
2004 National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association
of School Administrators last week. Board members presented
McNeal with a framed copy of a newspaper article heralding
the honor and a t-shirt with the superintendent's name and
award on the front. Emblazoned on the back of the shirt is
'Property of WCPSS."
McNeal has worked in Wake County for 29 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and associate superintendent. Board members praised him for his hard work, leadership and ability to keep a continued focus on student achievement.
LOCKHART ELEMENTARY RECOGNIZED AS DISTINGUISHED TITLE
I SCHOOL
Lockhart Elementary was one of two North Carolina elementary
schools recognized as 2004 Distinguished Title I Schools at
the National Title I Conference in New Orleans, La.
Lockhart Elementary was recognized for its exceptional student
performance for two or more consecutive years. Staff members
use tailored classroom instruction based on the state's Standard
Course of Study to meet the individual needs of students.
Strong parental and community involvement in the school is
another reason for Lockhart's academic success. This team
effort resulted in Lockhart being designated in 1999-2000
one of the Top 25 K-8 Schools in the state based on academic
growth to a School of Excellence for the past two years.
Lockhart Elementary Principal Martha Martin said that the
recognition acknowledges the shared vision, high expectations,
passion and commitment of the total school community. "It
reinforces Lockhart's belief that, as a school family, we
can work together to achieve any goal. The award also reflects
the successes of our children, which are what, to us, education
is truly all about."
WCPSS SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS HONORED
The North Carolina Council on the Social Studies named East
Wake High social studies teacher Susan Hirsch the North Carolina
Social Studies Teacher of the Year at their Annual Conference
in Greensboro last week. Hirsch, the school's social studies
department chair, is a Kenan Fellow, pacing-guide writer,
curriculum-guide writer and social studies teacher extraordinaire.
The conference awarded a $1,000 scholarship to two teachers
at Wakefield Middle School, Lara Fricke and Bonnie Lloyd.
Fricke is the co-writer of the grade 6 pacing guide for social
studies.
WCPSS PROVIDES NEW EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SERVICE
The new ALERTNOW emergency notification service will dramatically
improve the way Wake County Public School System communicates
with parents in a school emergency. With one call from WCPSS
to ALERTNOW, their high-speed communications technology relays
a message by phone to parents at the rate of 4,000 calls per
minute.
Superintendent Bill McNeal announced the agreement between the school system and Raleigh-based Saf-T-Net ALERTNOW in a news conference Wednesday (Feb.25) at Olds Elementary School, which has piloted the use of the high-tech notification service.
"When there is a crisis, parents want information fast," McNeal said. "This service allows us to reach parents within a matter of minutes at as many phone numbers as they want to provide us."
This dramatically improves the emergency response plan the WCPSS Security Department developed with police, fire and emergency officials. ALERTNOW allows WCPSS to directly contact parents and initiate a call to every number for every parent within a school simultaneously.
The WCPSS Security Department is using a federal emergency crisis response grant to further crisis response plans by contracting with ALERTNOW, and also by improving security equipment at schools and providing parents information about their role in emergency response.
BOARD APPROVES MAGNET SCHOOLS GRANT RESOLUTION
At its Tuesday (Feb. 24), the Board of Education approved
a resolution for the 2004-07 magnet grant proposal.
The grant proposal will include Enloe High, Southeast Raleigh High, North Garner Middle, Joyner Elementary and Conn Elementary. The school system is seeking a grant of: $10,000,000 to refine and improve the magnet programs at these schools.
BOARD HEARS PLANS FOR NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF MAGNET SCHOOLS
WCPSS will host the 22nd annual national conference on Magnet
Schools, April 18-22, 2004. A sub-theme of the conference
is "50 Years After Brown v. Board of Education".
The conference will be held at the Sheraton Capital Center
Hotel and Raleigh Convention Center. Participants will visit
many of Wake County's nationally recognized magnet schools.
Keynote speakers for the conference include Superintendent
Bill McNeal, National Public Radio Correspondent Juan Williams,
and Disney Teacher of the Year, Ron Clark. A reception will
be held at Exploris Museum on Sunday evening, April 18 to
welcome conference attendees to Wake County. The festival
"A Taste of North Carolina" will be held on the
Convention Center Plaza featuring artisans from around our
state on Tuesday evening, April 20. Students from Wake County's
magnet schools will perform during the conference.
APPOINTMENTS
At its Tuesday (Feb. 24), the Board of Education named Melissa
Burns principal of Olive Chapel Elementary, Michael Regan
principal of Briarcliff Elementary, Denise Tillery principal
of Wake Forest Elementary and Stephen H. Oates principal of
Forestville Elementary.
Burns has served as assistant principal with duties split between Davis Drive Elementary and Baucom Elementary. She has also served as assistant principal at Davis Drive Elementary and Salem Elementary. She was the lead coordinator for Wake County's summer academy in 2001.
Regan has served as assistant principal at York Elementary. He worked as an administrative intern at Wake Forest Elementary, curriculum specialist at Joyner Elementary and teacher at Pleasant Union Elementary.
Tillery has served as assistant principal at Baileywick Elementary. She was an administrative intern at Wake Forest Elementary and a teacher at Wake Forest Elementary and Jones Dairy Elementary.
Oates has served as principal of Wakefield Elementary. He was principal of Root Elementary and worked as an assistant principal with duties split between Root Elementary and Willow Springs Elementary.
BOARD APPROVES BID FOR WAKE FOREST ROLESVILLE HIGH
At its Tuesday (Feb. 24) meeting, the Board of Education approved
a bid for the dining addition at Wake Forest Rolesville High.
The board awarded a single-prime contract to Beau Chene Company,
LLC in the amount of $735,000.
BOARD APPROVES SCHEMATIC DESIGN FOR: DANIELS MIDDLE
At its Tuesday (Feb. 24) meeting, the Board of Education approved
the schematic design documents prepared by Cline Design Associates,
PA for the PLAN 2004 construction of additions and renovation
to Daniels Middle. This design is the final phase of three
construction projects occurring over the next five years:
1. Bates Building renovations; 2. Bus loop and parking along
Oberlin Road; 3. Additions and renovations to Daniels Middle.
TICKETS ON SALE FOR PIECES OF GOLD
Tickets are on sale now for Pieces of Gold. The 21st annual
arts extravaganza will take place at Memorial Auditorium in
the BTi Center for the Performing Arts on March 18 at 7 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased through the box office at the BTi
Center (Wilmington Street) or through Ticketmaster (by phone
at 834-4000; at Kroger or Hechts; or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com).
Don't miss this opportunity to see a great night of singing,
dancing and performing by more than 800 Wake County public
school students. For more information about Pieces of Gold,
visit http://www.wakeedpartnership.org/Events/POG/Pieces_Of_Gold.htm.
CALENDAR
|
March 2 |
2 p.m. Committee of the Whole meeting, Board Conference Room; 4 p.m. Board meeting, Board Room, 3600 Wake Forest Road |
|
March 3 |
Registration begins for Growth Management public hearings |
|
March 9 |
2 p.m. Board community relations committee, Board Conference Room |
|
March 16 |
2 p.m. Committee of the Whole meeting, Board Conference Room; 4 p.m. Board meeting, Board Room, 3600 Wake Forest Road |
|
March 17 |
12 p.m. Board of Education and County Commissioners luncheon |
|
March 17 |
6 p.m. Board of Education Growth Management proposal public hearings at East Wake High and Green Hope High |
|
March 18 |
Pieces of Gold, BTi Center for the Performing Arts. Purchase tickets in advance. |
|
March 30 |
2 p.m. Committee of the Whole meeting, Board Conference Room; 4 p.m. Board meeting, Board Room, 3600 Wake Forest Road |
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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