School Connection
July 16, 2002WAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS AND GARNER BUILD PARTNERSHIP
Wake County School leaders and Garner school supporters are
working together to strengthen Garner schools and bolster
public support for them. You can read more at http://www.wcpss.net/news/2002_garner_partnership/index.html
YEAR ROUND SCHOOL YEAR STARTS WITH REVISED DRESS CODES
The 2002-2003 school year began July 8 at Wake County's year
round schools. Students and staff will be the first to notice
the new standards for dress established by the Board of Education.
You can read more at http://www.wcpss.net/news/2002_dress_code/index.html
VOYAGER SUMMER ACADEMY PROGRAM MAKES LEARNING FUN
Approximately 4,000 Wake County students in grades 2-8 just
completed the Voyager Summer Academy where they were strengthening
basic reading and math skills while exploring far-flung destinations
around the globe. The system's new approach to summer school
helps students master basic skills by turning ordinary lessons
into fun and exciting adventures. You can read more at http://www.wcpss.net/news/poston/voyager/index.html
BOARD OF EDUCATION ELECTS WATSON QUIGG TO SECOND TERM
AS CHAIR
At its June 25 meeting, the Board of Education held its annual
meeting to elect officers for the coming year. Superintendent
Bill McNeal presided over the elections where board members
returned Kathryn Watson Quigg as board chairwoman and Susan
Parry as vice chairwoman to serve a second one-year term.
The board nominated only the one candidate for each leadership
position, and the vote of support was unanimous.
BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPTS 2002-2003 BUDGET
At its June 25 meeting, the Board of Education adopted a $754
million operating budget for 2002-2003. The budget includes
the full funding from the county of $203 million the board
had requested. Wake commissioners approved the county budget
June 18. Additional school system funding will come from the
state and federal budgets still before the legislature and
congress.
The budget provides for more students and the opening of new schools. An additional 4,000 students, plus the cost of inflation, are projected to add $18,989,758 in expenses, mainly for additional teacher salaries and benefits, as well as textbooks, instructional materials, and supplies. The opening of three new schools will add more than 800,000 square feet of space. Health insurance premiums are projected to increase 30 percent, and dental, property, and liability insurance premiums are also increasing.
School system managers held the budget in check by slashing departmental budgets to levels less than the previous year, cutting deeply into critical educational and support expenses. For example, the system's summer program known as Summer Academy has been eliminated, saving more than $3 million. More than five million dollars has been slashed from the district's aggressive effort to implement and support instructional technology. Every central office department has slashed basic operating expenses in order to eliminate nearly $15 million from the budget.
The spending plan may need to be revised depending on how much state funding the system receives.
BOARD ADOPTS FINANCE COMMITTEE'S SMALL SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS
At its June 25 meeting, the Board of Education adopted the
finance committee's recommendations that Wake consider using
small school concepts. The recommendations included asking
the superintendent to evaluate small school concepts and determine
if the evaluation indicates whether school prototypes should
be reduced; consider small school concepts in the design of
new schools; and instruct principals to strongly consider
implementing small school concepts. Some small school concepts
are in use such as schools with fewer than 400 students, team
teaching in middle schools, and technology academies at high
schools.
PROGRAM COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS NO CHANGES IN SCHOOL CALENDARS
No changes were recommended in the current school calendars
by the Board of Education Program Committee during its June
25 meeting. The Program Committee had undertaken a yearlong
study of the traditional, year round and modified calendars
currently used. There are 85,000 students in traditional calendar
schools, 12,700 in year round, and 3,000 in modified.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ATHLETICS REVISED
At its June 25 meeting, the Board of Education approved revisions
to standards for participation in athletics, cheerleading,
band and student council executive council. The changes bring
the county in line with the NC High School Athletic Association
for attendance, requiring students to attend 85 percent of
their classes the previous semester. School officials said
the new standard will be easier to track than the former requirement
for students to attend at least 94 percent of the days of
any class during the semester prior to eligibility determination,
allowing for excused absences when course work was made up.
PROMOTIONS/TRANSFERS
At its June 25 meeting, the Board of Education named a new
administrator and seven new principals.
The board named Nancy S. Spencer Director Legal and Audit at Special Education Services. Spencer has been a WCPSS Special Education senior administrator since 1998. She worked as a Special Education program specialist with Wake County and directed Special Education Services for the Durham and Orange school systems.
The board named Suzanne Warren principal at Swift Creek Elementary. Warren has served as principal at Smith Elementary since 1999. She worked as an assistant principal at Enloe High and Fuquay Varina High, as well as a guidance counselor at Millbrook High, Sanderson High, Douglas Elementary and York Elementary. She was a guidance program specialist in Wake's central office for five years and worked as a teacher for ten years in South Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia.
The board named Kristen Faircloth principal at Hilburn Elementary. Faircloth has served as assistant principal at Wildwood Forest Elementary since 1999. She worked as a teacher at Durant Road Elementary and in Harnett County.
The board named Clinton B. Johnson principal at East Wake Middle. Johnson has been co-owner of Educated Guess, Inc. since 2001. He served as a principal at six Wilson and Nash county schools between 1979 and 2001, as well as serving two years as director of middle school education for Wilson County Schools.
The board named Edward S. McFarland principal at Aversboro Elementary. McFarland has served as assistant principal at Middle Creek Elementary since 2000. He served as band director at two Greensboro middle schools between 1992 and 2000, and was a teacher in Franklin County for two years.
The board named Chris McCabe principal at Smith Elementary. McCabe served as assistant principal at Brentwood Elementary since 2001. He was an intern at Wakefield Elementary, and a teacher at Joyner Elementary and Pleasant Union Elementary. He earned a North Carolina Principal Fellowship in 1999.
The board named James Overman principal at Creech Road Elementary. Overman served as assistant principal at Leesville Road Elementary since 1999. He was named the 2001-2002 Wake County Assistant Principal of the year. He also served as assistant principal at Timber Drive Elementary and as a teacher in Smithfield.
The board named Donald Rose principal at Vance Elementary. Rose has been a self-employed contractor in Raleigh since 1997. He served as principal of two Michigan elementary schools between 1982 and 1997.
WAKE SCHOOL OFFICIAL APPOINTED EXAMINER FOR 2002 MALCOLM
BALDRIGE NATIONAL QUALITY AWARD
Dr. Deborah Rose Manzo, Senior Director of the Office of Continuous
Improvement and Professional Development has earned a prestigious
appointment to the 2002 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm
Baldrige National Quality Award.
Dr. Manzo will serve on the board with 400 other national experts from industry, professional and trade organizations, education and health care organizations, and government. As a member of the Board of Examiners, Manzo will help select organizations to receive the 2002 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Named for the Secretary of Commerce in the 1980s, the award was created by public law in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness, quality, and productivity of US organizations for the benefit of all citizens. The Baldrige National Quality Award is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a US organization can receive. Awards are given annually in the categories of Manufacturing, Service, Small Business, Education, and Health Care.
The Wake County Public School System has earned recognition at the state level for implementation of Baldrige Continuous Improvement processes. Dr. Manzo's department is responsible for training school system staff in all aspects of the quality initiative.
BROOKS ELEMENTARY TEACHER WINS TECHNOLOGY CONTEST
Linda Peterson, fifth-grade teacher at Brooks Museums Magnet
Elementary School, was one of two winners of the Sprint's
"Teachers Talk Technology" Contest. Teachers submitting
entries were asked to create an original lesson plan to teach
students about communications and its ever-changing technology.
Winners received Sprint wireless phones and a year's service
for their winning submissions.
LEESVILLE ROAD HIGH EMPLOYEE WINS FLORIDA LOTTERY
Jeanne Talbot, a Child Nutrition Services employee at Leesville
Road High, won the lottery in Florida. Talbot was visiting
relatives in Florida when she bought the lottery tickets.
When they published the winning numbers the next day, she
found she had won $7.9 million. She had driven to Florida
in a Toyota Corolla, but returned home to Raleigh in a new
Lexus 430.
ENLOE HIGH STUDENT PICKED FOR BOYS NATION
Enloe High Senior Bradley Johnson has been named to attend
Boys Nation, sponsored by the American Legion. Johnson will
attend the conference July 19-28 at Arlington, Va. At Boys
Nation, he will learn about the federal government and hear
from U.S. officials.
EAST GARNER MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WIN FIRST PLACE TROPHIES
East Garner Middle students under the direction of eighth-grade
science teacher Duane Hedley participated in the Junior Solar
Spring EV Competition and earned two of the event's three
first-place trophies for middle schools. Ryan Edmund and Jason
Setzer's entry took first place for speed. Krystal Ferguson,
P.J. Quinn, Courtney Marsh, and Brandon Hilliard took first
place in the creativity category. The Junior Solar Spring
program teaches students about math, science, solar energy,
and electric vehicle concepts.
FORMER MAYOR OF RALEIGH, FRIEND OF EDUCATION WILL BE MISSED
Clarence Lightner, a man who was dedicated to equality of
opportunity, passed away on Monday, July 8, at the age of
80. Mr. Lightner, who was the first African-American mayor
of Raleigh, was also the first mayor directly elected by voters.
He served on the city council from 1967 to 1973 and as mayor
from 1973 to 1975, then served in the state Senate. He was
admired as a man who could build consensus and community,
and was a true friend of education. The people of the Wake
County Public School System extend their deepest sympathies
to Mr. Lightner's family, and celebrate all his accomplishments
for the people of Raleigh and Wake County.
BOARD OF EDUCATION AWARDS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS
At its June 25 meeting, the Board of Education awarded contracts
for improvements at Fuquay Varina Elementary and Apex and
Wake Forest-Rolesville high schools. The board awarded a contract
to Baker Roofing Company in the amount of $335,524 for a roof
replacement project at Fuquay Varina Elementary. The board
awarded a single-prime construction contract to Jacobsen Construction,
Inc., in the amount of $154,598 for a parking lot addition
at Apex High. The board awarded a single-prime construction
contract to Jacobsen Construction, Inc., in the amount of
$1,124,570 for a Multi-Purpose Facility at Wake Forest-Rolesville
High.
BOARD OF EDUCATION NAMES ARCHITECT FOR NEW SCHOOLS
At its June 25 meeting, the Board of Education selected an
architect for two new elementary schools. The board named
Small Kane Architects, PA, for the design of Forestville Road
and Louis Stephens Drive elementary schools. The design of
both schools will re-use the Cedar Fork Elementary prototype.
The Forestville Road Elementary project has been revised to
include a gymnasium.
BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES SCHEMATIC DESIGNS FOR NEW
SCHOOLS
At its June 25 meeting, the Board of Education approved schematic
designs for three new elementary schools, the renovation of
a middle school, and construction of a high school stadium.
The board approved plans by Pearce Brinkley Cease and Lee
PA for the construction of "Turner Creek Road Elementary,"
and "Sears Farm Road Elementary," and Small Kane Architects,
P.A., for the construction of Forestville Road Elementary.
The board also approved plans by Pearce Brinkley Cease and
Lee PA for the addition and renovations of Ligon Middle, and
construction documents by Cherry Huffman Architects, PA, for
Middle Creek High Stadium.
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DROPS WRITING SCORES FROM ABCS
After hearing a variety of opinions and concerns from a panel
composed of a teacher, a principal, a superintendent and central
office personnel regarding the decline in student scores on
the 2001-02 writing assessment, the State Board of Education
voted at its July meeting to drop the 4th and 7th grade writing
assessment scores from the 2001-02 ABCs accountability model
and outlined a plan to fully reinstate the writing assessment
as a component of the model by 2004-05. Chairman Phil Kirk
prefaced his motion regarding excluding this year's results
with comments regarding the Board's continued commitment to
teaching and assessing writing. In the 2002-03 school year,
there will be a statewide administration of the writing assessments
at grades 4, 7 and 10 and the analytical scoring method will
be piloted. If all goes well with the pilot, in the 2003-04
school year, the writing assessment scores will be included
in the performance composite measure in the ABCs. In the 2004-05
school year, writing will also be included in the growth calculation
of the ABCs.
Although Board members agreed to this plan, they also indicated an interest in receiving more information in August on a variety of issues related to writing assessment. Most of these issues were mentioned by the educators who participated in the panel discussion on writing during the Board's issues session. They include: the cognitive development level of the typical fourth grader, options for different grading rubrics at different grade levels, and ways to address the suggestions for improving writing assessment that were suggested by the outside review panel that considered North Carolina's writing assessment program on July 2. This panel suggested a more systematic approach to prompt development, including more people on the advisory committees reviewing potential writing test prompts, adding multiple choice items on the assessment, and improvements to field testing.
RESOLUTION PASSES IN SUPPORT OF PERFORMANCE-BASED LICENSURE
At its July meeting, State Board of Education members approved
a resolution that supports performance-based licensure and
its portfolio requirement and are sending the resolution to
legislative leadership. This is in response to an item currently
in the budget document that would eliminate the program. The
Board noted in the resolution that the performance-based licensure
program is tied directly to the revised teacher salary schedule
that was adopted as part of the Excellent Schools Act. This
is why the largest single step increase (5.86 percent) on
the teacher salary schedule occurs after the third year to
coincide with earning the continuing license. In addition,
the resolution notes that 92 percent of the mentor teachers
who were surveyed by NC DPI noted that their beginning teacher
had experienced some or much professional growth as a result
of the program. While there are possible alternatives to the
portfolio requirement, these are more expensive than North
Carolina's current requirement and involve similar activities.
IN THE NEWS
The U.S. Department of Education reports "Paige Issues Statement on Report from President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education"; "Paige Encourages Women Leaders to Help Leave No Child Behind"; and "Paige Releases Number of Schools in School Improvement in Each State"
Education Week reports "Overhauled SAT Could Shake Up School Curricula"; "Frustration Grows as States Await 'Adequate Yearly Progress' Advice"; Teaching Quality Viewed as Crucial"; and "Geography Makes Comeback In U.S. Classrooms"
The Washington Post reports "$3 million plan aimed at worst Virginia Schools"; "Teacher training: too much or note enough"; and "Struggling to get civics back into the classroom"
The Southeast Center for Teaching Quality reports "No Child Left Behind? Then Leave No Teacher Unqualified"
The Beacon of LEARN NC reports on education
WRAL reports family and education news
CNN reports on education
The National School Board Association reports the School Board News
WCPSS CALENDAR
|
July 22 |
first day of Carver Elementary school calendar for 2002-2003 |
|
July 29 |
first day of school for 2002-2003 for modified calendars schools: Southeast Raleigh High, Centennial Middle, and Partnership Elementary |
|
July 31-August 2 |
WCPSS Continuous Improvement Conference |
|
August 4, 4pm |
Board of Education meets |
|
August 12 |
first day of traditional school calendar for 2002-2003 |
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
Tell a friend about the School Connection and encourage
them to sign up at
http://www.wcpss.net/online_newsletters/the_school_connection