School Connection
Sept. 18,2003SCHOOL SYSTEM PREPARES FOR SEVERE WEATHER
Schools will be closed Thursday, Sept. 18 and all evening
school programs and activities will be canceled because of
expected severe weather as Hurricane Isabel passes through
North Carolina Thursday. Weather forecasts indicate rain and
wind from the hurricane will affect Wake County for much of
the day.
ENROLLMENT JUMPS
Enrollment grew by 4,600 students this year. On the 20th day
of school in Wake County, the school system's 127 schools
had 108,970 students. That compares to the 104,373 last year.
BOARD SEEKS CHALLENGING EDUCATION GOAL
In its Tuesday (Sept. 16) committee meeting, the Board of
Education continued to develop a new five-year academic goal.
Associate Superintendent Jo Baker led the board through a
review of earlier discussions where they agreed the goal should
be clear and concise, and inclusive of all students to the
extent possible. They wanted the goal to be difficult, but
achievable in five years. School leaders proposed a draft
goal calling for 95 percent of third through twelfth graders
to be at or above grade level and achieving high growth standards
by 2008. Student success would be based on state testing:
the End of Grade test administered to third through eight
graders and the End-of-Course tests administered to ninth
through twelfth-graders. The state uses these tests to establish
annual expected growth standards for schools. Schools that
exceed that standard by helping students grow more than expected
in an academic year would achieve high growth.
Board members pointed out the proposal was ambitious. Goal 2003 addressed students in elementary and middle school. Goal 2008 includes high schools and adds the high growth standard to increase challenges for high achieving students.
Baker also reviewed with board members strategies to help reach the goal including:
· Increase student participation and success in advanced
classes at the high school level,
· Attract, support and develop a work force that is
the best in the nation,
· Identify the costs and seek necessary resources,
· Increase the percent of ninth grader students graduating
from high schools in four years,
· Actively communicate and collaborate with parents
and the community, and
· Increase challenging educational opportunities for
all students.
Discussions on the draft goal are continuing.
BOARD APPROVES JOINT USE AGREEMENT WITH KNIGHTDALE
At its Tuesday (Sept. 16) meeting, the Board of Education
approved a joint use agreement for Knightdale High and Forestville
Road Elementary. The board approved a property division agreement
subject to Knightdale's approval of the agreement and the
town's acceptance of the joint use agreement as the contract
governing the town's use of school board property.
The school board, Knightdale and county are developing the property as a school/community park complex. The development will include the board transferring to the town ownership of three areas of the site that will be primarily used by the town. The school board and town will share in the design, development, construction, maintenance and operation of the facilities.
Knightdale agreed to pay design and construction costs for two lighted little league fields, concession/restroom building, tot lot playground, parking at the high school baseball field area and to upgrade the Forestville road Elementary multi-purpose room to a full-size gym and recreation center with additional parking. The recreation center will be on school board property but it will principally be used for town purposes. Wake County will assist with maintenance of the high school track to allow for community use. Knightdale has agreed to build a community center with a pool.
The initial term of the agreement is for 50 years. The town and county must still approve the agreement.
 WCPSS Security Chief Corey Duber and Wake Forest Rolesville High principal Andre Smith receive recognition for critical incident planning from NC Attorney General Roy Cooper. |
ATTORNEY GENERAL RECOGNIZES WCPSS FOR CRISIS PLANNING
Attorney General Roy Cooper recognized Wake County as one
of two school districts in the state to have all schools complete
critical incident planning. At the Tuesday (Sept. 16) meeting
of the Board of Education, Cooper presented WCPSS Chief of
Security Corey Duber and Andre Smith of the Wake Division
of Principals and Assistant Principals certificates for each
school
Cooper congratulated the board on 100 percent compliance for critical incident planning and thanked the school system for keeping the county's children safe, including two of his children who are in elementary school.
"We've distributed a video that describes how to respond in the first 20 minutes of a crisis," Cooper said. "We've provided books and encouraged schools to develop a critical incident plan. Wake has gone even further and I thank you for taking that extra step."
Cooper thanked school systems and law enforcement agencies for working together to develop plans to help keep school children safe.
WAKE EDUCATION LEADERS TALK ABOUT NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
Wake education leaders spent 90 minutes talking with Anne
Hancock of the U.S. Department of Education about the federal
No Child Left Behind education law. Superintendent McNeal,
board members, principals, PTA leaders and others told Hancock
the law needs fine-tuning. Superintendent McNeal, board member
Bill Fletcher and Charlotte Turpin, a leader of Wake County
teachers expressed concerns about the impact of the law on
teachers. McNeal asked Hancock for feedback on her meeting
with Education Secretary Ron Paige about her visit in Raleigh.
McNeal invited Paige to get a first hand look at Wake County,
offering him a chance to meet with Wake education leaders
and visit area schools. The principals of Wake Forest Rolesville
high, Lufkin Road Middle and Millbrook Elementary who took
part in the meeting said they would be happy for Paige to
visit their schools.
COMMUNITY MEETINGS DISCUSS GROWTH MANAGEMENT
The Wake County Public School System will hold a series of
public meetings to inform and involve the public in the upcoming
student assignment process. The school system plans to open
seven new schools in the 2004-05 school year. This new approach
in creating the student assignment plan is designed to provide
greater community input in the development of next year's
plan.
The school system will hold a total of 11 meetings over the next three months at locations throughout the county. The first series of three meetings held at three high schools last week drew about 250 people. The meetings were designed to inform the public about the need and issues surrounding managing growth in the school system. The second set of four meetings will focus on the more specific impact of student growth and crowding on certain areas of the county. The third group of four meetings will be a discussion of how specific schools might be affected by the upcoming plan.
The second series of meetings will be held Oct. 13th at Leesville High School; Oct. 14th at Southeast Raleigh High School, Oct. 15th at East Wake High School, and Oct. 16 at Green Hope High School. All of the meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m.
PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Finalists for the WCPSS principal and assistant principal
of the year have been named.
Nominated for Principal of the Year are LaVaughn Buchanan of Cary Elementary, Stephen Mares of Joyner Elementary, Darryl Fisher of Wilburn Elementary, Beth Cochran of Ligon Middle and Lloyd Gardner of Enloe High. Nominated for Assistant Principal of the year are Earnestine Pittman of Stough Elementary, Bob Umstead of Swift Creek Elementary, Camille Miller of willow Springs Elementary, Betty Cornell of Holly Ridge Middle and Darrel Prioleau of Garner High.
Principals and assistant principals are voted finalists by WCPSS principals and assistant principals. Then a team of school officials reviews the finalists - visiting their schools and reviewing a portfolio prepared by each finalist.
The WCPSS Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year will be named at a program and reception 6:30 p.m., Oct. 9 at the Exploris Museum.
PLANS FOR FRIDAY INSTITUTE MOVE FORWARD
Plans for the Friday Institute are moving forward, the Board
of Education heard at their Tuesday (Sept. 16) meeting from
Hiller Spires of N.C. State University. The William and Ida
Friday institute for Educational Innovation will be built
adjacent to Centennial Campus Middle School. The school system
and university signed an agreement in 1997. WCPSS agreed to
open the middle school and N.C. State agreed to maintain a
teacher outreach center adjacent to the middle school, benefiting
both programs. Principal Ken Branch said he's looking forward
to the benefits his school, the school system and state will
receive from the Friday Institute. Spires said some programs
have already been launched, such as the First Friday Forums
and she noted that Superintendent Bill McNeal had participated
in their first session in a discussion on No Child Left Behind.
Current plans call for the Friday Institute to be completed
in March 2005.
KICK OFF EVENT HELD BY BOND SUPPORTERS
More than 100 people gathered at the Wake County Commons Building
Tuesday (Sept. 9) for the Friends of Wake kick-off event.
Wake County Commission Chair Herb Council and Wake Board of
Education Chair Susan Parry joined Friends co-chairs Ann Goodnight
and Horace Johnson in speaking to the crowd of education supporters.
The volunteer group is dedicated to passage of the $450 million
school construction bond that goes to the voters Oct. 7.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS RESCHEDULED
The Wake County PTA Council has rescheduled its annual Great
Expectations Leadership Conference because of severe weather.
The PTA Council now plans to hold the event Tuesday, Sept.
30 at Southeast Raleigh High.
INSIDE THE NEWS
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reports 'North Carolina and Duke Engineering School to Launch 'Project Lead the Way' for Pre-College Students"and 'ABCs Investment Pays Off; Student Test Scores Reach Highest Level and Achievement Gaps are Closing'
The Charlotte Observer reports " High-poverty schools undermine students'; 'Wake takes different tack on school assignment'; and 'Assignment plan options dismay school board'
Educate reports "Assignment Review' (Acrobat Reader required)
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
|
Sept. 24 |
principals meeting |
|
Sept. 25 |
5 p.m. Healthy Schools Task Force meets at the Webster Center |
|
Oct. 2 |
Moore Square Middle receives award from the City of Raleigh Appearance Commission |
|
Oct. 7 |
Election Day |
|
Oct. 8 |
2 p.m. Board of Education Committee of the Whole meeting; 4 p.m. Board of Education meeting at 3600 Wake Forest Road |
|
Oct. 13 |
7 p.m. Growth management meeting at Leesville Road High |
|
Oct. 14 |
7 p.m. Growth management meeting at Southeast Raleigh High |
|
Oct. 15 |
12 p.m. Board of Education and County Commissioners luncheon |
|
Oct. 15 |
7 p.m. Growth management meeting at East Wake High |
|
Oct. 16 |
9 a.m. Career Fair at Triangle Town Center |
|
Oct. 16 |
7 p.m. Growth management meeting at Green Hope High |
|
Oct. 21 |
2 p.m. Board of Education Committee of the Whole meeting; 4 p.m. Board of Education meeting at 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
Tell a friend about the School Connection and encourage them
to sign up at
http://www.wcpss.net/online_newsletters/the_school_connection