School Connection
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.August 25, 2005
IT'S A NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Students and teachers returned to WCPSS traditional calendar schools today.
On the first day of school, there were 114,375 students. That's 6,022 more
students than the first day last year.
NEW DEMOGRAPHICS RESOURCE CENTER MAPS OUT NUMBERS
A new addition to wcpss.net is the Demographics Resource Center provided
by WCPSS Growth Management. The site provides maps and tables explaining
WCPSS school populations and the current dramatic growth trend. Check out
the graph at http://www.wcpss.net/demographics/projections/images/comparison-proj-actual.pdf
You can visit the Demographic Resource Center at http://www.wcpss.net/demographics
ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDE AN INSIDE LOOK AT WCPSS
On the front of wcpss.net, you may have noticed a new feature, The
Morning Announcements. Bill Ferriter, the WCPSS 2005 Teacher of the
Year, is a frequent contributor. In his latest entry, he considers the benefit
of writing a book about the relationship between parents and teachers. He
offers suggestions on how the two can work together for students. Chip Sudderth,
editor of the Announcements, toured several WCPSS schools on opening day.
He has observations on the first day of school at the new Cedar Fork Elementary
and the second year at Knightdale High.
FIRST DAY OF TRADITIONAL CALENDAR PROVIDES SMOOTH OPENING
The first day of school brings changes every year. Superintendent Bill McNeal
talked with reporters in live television interviews this morning at Willow
Springs Elementary. McNeal said the school system is responding to a rapidly
growing student population. He pointed to the school system's first use
of temporary modular schools to quickly provide seats for students as well
as the addition of mobile and modular units across the system. He said another
5,000 students are expected this year and discussions on managing growth
will continue. Four new schools - Cedar Fork Elementary and the temporary
modular campuses for Forest Pines, Harris Creek and Wakelon elementary schools
- opened today. Northwoods Elementary returned to their newly renovated
campus after spending last year in swing space at Cedar Fork. Knightdale
High added a junior class in its second year. It started last year with
ninth and tenth graders. Administrators said the first day of school was
a smooth opening.
BACK TO SCHOOL 2005 HAS FACTS, ARTICLES AND INFORMATION
WCPSS has 139 schools now and fact sheets with are available on the five
that will open this year at the Back to School 2005 website at http://www.wcpss.net/news/back-to-school_2005/
School calendars, bell schedules and the dress code are readily accessible
there.
WCPSS PREPARING MORE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR RIGOROUS CLASSES
WCPSS middle school teachers will take part in a new initiative to begin
to more systematically challenge students who are performing in the academic
middle to take more rigorous classes and work towards college eligibility.
Dana Diesel Wallace, WCPSS senior director of Middle School Education, says
faculty at more than 20 WCPSS middle schools have worked over the past year
taking part in training sessions for AVID which stands for Advancement Via
Individual Determination. AVID targets students in the academic middle who
have the desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard. These
are students who are capable of completing rigorous curriculum but are falling
short of their potential. Typically, they will be the first in their families
to attend college, and many are from low-income families. Diesel Wallace
says teachers will use academic instruction, tutorial support and motivational
activities to help the students become academically successful role models
for others. She says the groundwork will be laid in middle school to prepare
these students for advanced placement and honors courses when they reach
high school.
SCHOOL BUSES ARE BACK ON THE ROAD
Wake County Public School System drivers will be behind the wheels of more
than 783 buses traveling more than 4,000 bus routes making sure 61,000 bus-riding
students travel safely each day. The first week of school, parents and students
are making decisions about the best use of buses to get to and from school.
As families make decisions about their use of buses, the Transportation
Department adapts routes to meet the daily rider demands. As families finalize
decisions about their use of bus service, bus routes are finalized. This
process generally takes about two weeks. Contact information for Transportation
managers is at http://www.wcpss.net/news/2005_back-to-school/bus-drivers/index.html
61 WCPSS SCHOOLS NAMED 2005 SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE
The Wake County Public School System had a record number of schools honored
by the state including 61 named Schools of Excellence, according to the
results of the 2004-05 state ABCs of Public Education. The 104 schools honored
as Schools of Excellence or Schools of Distinction is the largest number
of WCPSS schools the state has ever honored.
Fourteen of Wake County's schools had ABCs performance composite scores above 95 percent, and 9 of those 14 schools also met the high growth standard. First-year elementary schools Highcroft Road and Turner Creek Road were recognized as Honor Schools of Excellence and achieved high growth. Highcroft Road had a composite score above 99 percent and Turner Creek road had a composite score above 95 percent. Davis Drive, Green Hope and Morrisville elementary schools had scores above 98 percent. Brassfield and Washington had scores above 97. Last year 22 schools had ABCs performance composite scores above 95.
Green Hope High School was named one of the state's Top 10 Most Improved High Schools. Green Hope High had a composite score of 91.7 and was recognized as an Honor School of Excellence with high growth. Salem Middle School was named one of the state's Top 25 Most Improved K-8 Schools. Salem Middle had a composite score of 95.3 and was recognized as an Honor School of Excellence with high growth.
CALENDAR
| Sept. 1 | 8:30 a.m., Joint Work Session of County Commissioners and the Board of Education at 3600 Wake Forest Road |
| Sept. 6 | 2 p.m., Committee of the Whole-Board Conference Room; 4 p.m., Board of Education Meeting-Board Room |
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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