School Connection
June 9, 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.
BOARD HEARS PARENTS IN TRANSFER HEARINGS
More than 270 parents talked directly with Wake County Board
of Education members in the first day of student transfer
hearings Thursday (June 3). Hearings began at 11 a.m. and
continued for more than six hours as each parent spent two
minutes explaining to two school board members why their children
should be transferred. From 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., the board reviewed
each parent's comments.
After students received their assignment strips for the next school year, parents had a two-week period that ended June 1 to request transfers. Those not approved by the Growth Management Department may be appealed to the Board of Education and reviewed in the transfer hearings.
Families are notified of the board's decisions within five business days. More transfer hearings will be held the week of June 21.
BOARD REVIEWS NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND REQUIREMENTS
At its June 1 meeting, the Board of Education heard that preliminary
testing results indicate two WCPSS schools, which receive
Title 1 federal funds, did not make adequate yearly progress
under the federal No Child Left Behind law for the second
year in a row. The federal law requires that parents at the
two schools, Hodge Road and Lynn Road elementary schools,
be given the option of moving their children to different
schools.
State End-of-Grade test results are used in the state's ABC's of Public Education and federal NCLB standards. The preliminary testing results show both Hodge Road and Lynn were considered Schools of Distinction under the state standards. This means more than 80 percent of the schools' students were at or above grade level on the EOG testing. The federal standards divide the schools into 10 different student populations based on race, language and disability and look at results on the math and reading portions of the EOG testing. At Hodge Road, preliminary results show that students met 23 of 24 subgroup targets. At Lynn Road, preliminary results show that students met 18 of 20 subgroup targets.
The Parent Matters newsletter was sent home at the end of May with students to make all parents aware of the NCLB standards. Letters have been mailed to parents at the two schools explaining their options.
Parents at the two schools must return a completed form to WCPSS by June 21 if they decide to request that their children be moved to one of the two schools designated for their consideration. Testing results will be finalized in July and parents will be alerted to the results. Then parents at the two schools will be notified if their request will be approved, the school assignment and asked to notify WCPSS by July 23 if they do not wish to accept the assignment.
Parents from Hodge Road Elementary may consider Brentwood and Knightdale elementary schools as their schools of choice. Parents from Lynn Road Elementary may consider Lead Mine and Stough elementary schools as their schools of choice.
BOARD APPROVES AGREEMENT WITH HOLLY SPRINGS
At its June 1 meeting, the Board of Education approved a joint
use agreement with the Town of Holly Springs The agreement
provides for joint use of the planned Holly Springs High School
baseball field, softball field, multipurpose fields, tennis
courts, parking areas and drive accesses. The school will
have priority use at all times. The Town and the Wake County
Parks, Recreation and Open Space department will add lights,
irrigation, and approximately 40 parking spaces. The Town
will maintain Town Licensed Areas in exchange for the privilege
to schedule the Town Licensed Areas when not needed or scheduled
for school use. The term is 25 years.
The board purchased approximately 92.57 acres of land. The Town is responsible for the maintenance and utilities for the Town Licensed Areas. The board shall pay no utilities or fees to the Town for its use. The Town is 100 percent responsible for maintaining the baseball, softball, multipurpose fields and amenities, staff parking area and drive access to the WCPSS Landscape Maintenance Standards. The board and the Town will share the maintenance for the tennis courts.
BOARD APPROVES ACADEMICALLY GIFTED PROGRAM PLAN
At its June 1 meeting, the Board of Education approved the
WCPSS Academically Gifted Program plan. The North Carolina
Department of Public Instruction requires all school systems
to develop local plans for the education of academically or
intellectually gifted students. The plans contain comprehensive
descriptions of services available to students in the local
school systems. These plans are submitted to the State Board
of Education for their review and recommendations.
THARRINGTON SMITH CONTRACT AMENDMENT
At its June 1 meeting, the Board of Education approved amendments
to its contract with law firm Tharrington Smith. The firm
serves as the board's attorney and provides legal services
for the Wake County Board of Education. Under the amended
contract, retainer rates for attorney services are increased
by $10 per hour, to $155 per hour for partners and $140 for
associates.
APPOINTMENTS
At its June 1 meeting, the Board of Education named Douglas
Thilman principal of West Cary Middle School and Judith Anderson
principal at Partnership Elementary School.
-Thilman has served as assistant principal of Millbrook High
School since 2001. Prior to that, he was a teacher and administrative
intern at Southeast Raleigh High School from 1997 to 2001.
-Anderson has been an assistant principal at Partnership Elementary
since 1997. Prior to that, she worked as a speech/language
pathologist in Department of Defense schools in Japan and
South Korea.
BOARD RECOGNIZES EMPLOYEES WITH EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Eleven Wake County Public School System employees were recognized
by the Board of Education with the Employee Excellence Awards
at the board's June 1 meeting.
The May 2004 Employee Excellence Awards were presented to Tom Bartle, a Briarcliff Elementary School CCI teacher; William Brown, WCPSS Human Resources senior administrator; Lien Bui, Olive Chapel Elementary School custodian; Carl Clark, Moore Square Museums Middle head custodian; Alfred Dennis, Fuquay-Varina High School custodian; Trophimus Fondren, WCPSS General Services multi task employee; David King, WCPSS Energy & Physical Plant HVAC Shop assistant supervisor; Rob Olevsky, WCPSS Technology Services programmer; Mazie Smith, WCPSS Auxiliary Services Director of Organizational Development; Russ Smith, WCPSS Security Investigator; and James Underwood, Durant Road Elementary data manager.
The Employee Excellence Awards were created to recognize Wake County school employees for their hard work, and providing one of the country's top-performing school districts. Employees are nominated for the honor and selected by a committee.
BOARD AWARD CONTRACTS FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS
At its June 1 meeting, the Board of Education awarded contracts
for improvements at Broughton High School and Lockhart Elementary
School. The board awarded:
- single-prime contract to JM Thompson Company in the amount
of $159,850 for the storm drainage and waterproofing project
at Broughton High. The project will be funded from the PLAN
2000 School Building Program and the PLAN 2004 School Building
Program.
- single-prime contract to Owens Roofing Inc in the amount
of $137,319 for the roof replacement at Lockhart Elementary.
The project will be funded from the PLAN 2004 School Building
Program.
2004 SUMMER SCHOOL HAS A NEW FORMAT
Summer school begins June 14 and operates for 22 school days.
Apex and Southeast Raleigh high schools will hold classes
five days a week. Other high schools will have classes Monday
through Thursday. Registration was held June 4 and 8. This
is a student-tuition-funded program.
Each WCPSS high school will offer a site-based summer school program for their base students this summer. High Schools will use their NovaNET labs to provide individualized instruction to students. Each school may offer traditional classes based on the needs of their students.
Students were admitted in the following priority order: 1) Seniors needing to graduate (2004) and 2) Juniors needing to graduate (2005). Other base students needing credit can be served at the discretion of the school principal after junior and senior needs are met.
CALENDAR
June 15 4 p.m. Board of Education meets in Board Room, 3600
Wake Forest Road
June 21 5 p.m. Deadline for Lynn Road and Hodge Road elementary
school parents to return completed forms to WCPSS to make
a request for a school of choice
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
Tell a friend about the School Connection and encourage them
to sign up at
http://www.wcpss.net/online_newsletters/the_school_connection