SCHOOL CONNECTION
March 7, 20032003 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.
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
Nearly 50 Wake County residents talked to the Board of Education
in two public hearings on student assignment Wednesday (March
5). Board members Jeff York, Bill Fletcher and Amy White listened
to parents at Apex High and board members Kathryn Quigg, Susan
Parry, Rosa Gill, Patti Head, Beverley Clark and Tom Oxholm
listened to parents at Millbrook High. Board members received
a plan Feb. 18 from school administrators to assign students
for the 2003-2004 school year. The plan fills two new schools,
Holly Ridge Elementary and Holly Ridge Middle in Holly Springs
and seeks to best use current facilities as another 3,000
students enter school next year.
The plan could affect up to 2,300 students. In this year's proposal, school system administration administration has recommended grandfathering rules that would allow many students to remain at their schools if their parents provide transportation. In this year's plan student assignment staff recommended fourth-, fifth-, seventh-, eighth-, tenth-, eleventh-, and twelfth-grade students be allowed to request and receive a transfer from an existing school to an existing school, and fifth- and eighth-grade students be allowed to request and receive a transfer from an existing school to the new schools, Holly Ridge Elementary and Holly Ridge Middle.
PLAN 2000 UPDATE
Five new schools, four major capital improvement projects
and 21 minor capital improvement projects in the PLAN 2000
construction program have been completed, Christina Lighthall
told the Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday (March
4). Lighthall told the board the school system has awarded
$189 million in contracts this year and $289 million in contracts
to date in the $550 million building program.
The five new schools completed include Ballentine, Heritage and Holly Ridge elementary schools; and Holly Ridge and Reedy Creek middle schools. The four major capital improvement projects include Athens Drive High, Baucom and Combs elementary schools, and Mt. Vernon School. Typically, major improvements cost more than $1 million and systemwide improvements cost less than $1 million.
The PLAN 2000 construction program includes a total of 110 projects with 14 new schools, 35 major capitol improvement projects, and 61 minor capitol improvement projects.
WAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS EARN INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE AUTHORIZATION
The International Baccalaureate Organization has authorized
three Wake County Public School System schools to officially
provide the organization's Middle Years Programme.
Superintendent Bill McNeal, community leaders, educators
and students joined at East Millbrook Middle School Feb. 24
to celebrate the milestone with music, singing and speeches.
"With this authorization, Wake County becomes one of
the nation's leaders in the International Baccalaureate program,
offering its academic challenges to students from their first
to their last year of school," McNeal said. "The
International Baccalaureate approach to middle school instruction
is one we offer to all students at our IB middle schools and
not a select few."
Broughton High School, Daniels Middle School and East Millbrook
Middle have successfully achieved full authorization as International
Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme schools.
The IBO has grown from a handful of international schools
in the mid-1960s to more than 1,395 schools around the world
today. The organization grew out of international schools
efforts to establish a common curriculum and university entry
credential. The IBO aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable
and caring young people who help to create a better and more
peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
The International Baccalaureate Organization offers three
programmes: Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma. Farmington
Woods Elementary has been authorized for the Primary Years
Programme and Broughton and Enloe high schools have been authorized
for the Diploma Programme.
"Becoming authorized puts us in a class that is rarefied,"
said Dr. Flo Durway who directs Wake County's IB program.
"We are the first North Carolina school system and one
of the few in the nation to have all three programs authorized."
VANDORA SPRINGS NAMED SUPER SAFE SCHOOL
For the fourth year in a row, the N.C. Department of Public
Instruction recognized Vandora Springs Elementary School as
a Super Safe School for providing a safe learning environment
for its students and staff. Vandora Springs is one of 37 schools
across the state recognized this year as a Super Safe School.
The WCPSS school, located in Garner, was the only Triangle
school to be selected for the award this year.
Vandora Springs Principal Troy Peuler received the award
during a luncheon ceremony at the fifth annual Safe, Orderly
and Caring Schools Conference held at the Sheraton Imperial,
Research Triangle Park. To receive recognition as a Super
Safe School, schools voluntarily submit a portfolio documenting
the safety processes they have in place. On-site visits also
are conducted prior to final recommendations. In recognition
of their achievement, each school will receive a plaque designating
them as a Triple "S" School for 2002-03.
GRADING PERIOD CHANGE FOR TRADITIONAL CALENDAR SCHOOLS
The third grading period in traditional calendar schools has
been extended to Thursday, March 13. The last day reports
cards are due to be sent to parents is now Friday, March 28.
WAKE NCAE CALLS FOR TEACHER PAY INCREASE
Wake teacher association leaders called for an increase in
teacher pay for the 2003-2004 school year at the Board of
Education meeting Tuesday (March 4.) Charlotte Turpin, president
of the Wake Chapter of the NC Association of Educators, asked
the board to provide $8.2 million to increase the local supplement
for all certified personnel paid on the teacher salary schedule.
During the meeting's public hearing time, Turpin said Wake
teachers have helped boost student achievement, and increasing
teacher pay will help the school system retain and recruit
high quality teachers.
BOARD PRESENTS SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENTS AWARD
At its Tuesday (March 4) meeting, the Board of Education recognized
18 students with the Spotlight on Students award. The board
honored Asad B. Rahman of Dillard Drive Elementary, Danielle
Nicole Alderson of Green Hope Elementary, Jordan Pressley
of Salem Elementary, Myah Shone Smith of Wake Forest Elementary,
Kayla Marie Farrish of Lead Mine Elementary, Taylor Calloway
of Ballentine Elementary, Rebecca Brenner of East Millbrook
Middle, Brent Fraleigh of East Wake Middle, Terrell Brown
of Fuquay-Varina Middle, Jorge Escamilla-Villa of Mt. Vernon
School, Danielle Hope Speller of Millbrook High, Dana Dudley
of Pleasant Union Elementary, Rachel Bruce of Wake Forest-Rolesville
Middle, Madelaine Calvin of Davis Drive Elementary, Melodie
Moniki Bailey of Green Elementary, Shefali Basak of Underwood
Elementary, Marina Strom of Morrisville Elementary, and Andrew
Newcomb Tibbetts of Hilburn Drive Elementary.
BOARD RECOGNIZES EMPLOYEES
Ten Wake County school employees were honored with Wake County
Employee Excellence Awards by the Board of Education at its
March 4 meeting.
The Employee Excellence Awards were created to recognize Wake County school employees for their hard work, reflecting the community's high standards, and providing one of the country's top-performing school districts. Employees are nominated for the honor and selected by a committee established by Assistant Superintendent Maurice Boswell. At the board meeting, Superintendent Bill McNeal presented the employees to the board and presented each with a plaque as Boswell described the employee's achievements.
The Employee Excellence Awards were presented to Cindy Bazemore,
Leesville Road Middle library assistant; Pat Danieley, Brooks
Elementary lead secretary; Polly Greene, Yates Mill Elementary
media specialist; Christina Jenkins, Apex Elementary guidance
counselor; Diane Keith, Wakefield Middle teacher; Pat Lebda,
Green Hope High SIMS/NC Wise data manager; Verlinza Lucas,
Creech Road Elementary teacher assistant; Irving Mims, Middle
Creek Elementary head custodian; Kay Moody, Carnage Middle
assistant principal; and Mary Ann Powell, Millbrook Elementary
technology resource teacher.
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.
INSIDE THE NEWS
U.S. Department of Education reports "President's Education Budget Promotes High Standards, Leadership and Proven Educational Methods, Paige Testifies"
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reports "Phil Kirk, Second-Longest Serving State Board Chairman, Resigns"
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
|
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 |
|
March 17-21 |
Spring break |
|
March 17, 12:30 p.m. |
Board of Education work session on student assignment |
|
March 19, 12 p.m. |
Wake County commissioners and school board meet for luncheon at 3600 Wake Forest Road |
|
March 19, 2 p.m. |
Facilities Committee Meeting |
|
March 27, 5 p.m. |
Healthy Schools Task Force meets at Webster Center |
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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