School Connection

September 23, 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.

PRELIMINARY ENROLLMENT NUMBERS TOTAL 114,000 FOR 2004-05
Preliminary enrollment numbers submitted by the Wake County Public Schools System to the NC Department of Public Instruction for the 20th day of school show an enrollment of 114,092 students. That's 5,122 more students than last year's total of 108,970.

WAKE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PROVIDE $2 MILLION TO SCHOOL BUDGET
At its Sept. 20 meeting, the Wake County Commissioners approved $2 million in additional funding for the Wake County Public School System. In a meeting of the County Commissioners and Board of Education Sept. 15, school board members thanked the county commissioners for taking the unprecedented step of providing the additional funds. They said the additional funding would be of great benefit to Wake County students.

WCPSS PROPOSES OPTIONS TO MEET ENROLLMENT SURGE
In the last two years, WCPSS enrollment has had an influx of 9,600 students: 5,100 students this year and 4,500 students last year. This rapid rate of growth along with the state mandate to reduce third-grade class size requires additional steps to meet the start of the 2005 school year. WCPSS will need space for 5,000 elementary students when school opens for 2005-06. You can read more about this issue at http://www.wcpss.net/online_newsletters/growth-matters/

2004 WCPSS PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FINALISTS SELECTED
The finalists have been selected for the 2004-05 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year.

Principal Finalists
Freda Cole of Green Hope Elementary
Stephen Mares of Joyner Elementary
Darryl Fisher of Wilburn Elementary
John Wall of Zebulon Middle
John Modest of Southeast Raleigh High

Assistant Principal Finalists
D. Susan Spivey of Cary Elementary
Mary Swann of Forestville Road Elementary
James Argent of Timber Drive Elementary
Karen Summers of West Lake Middle
Martha Ramsey of Middle Creek High

The Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year Celebration will take place on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. at Exploris Museum, 201 East Hargett Street in Raleigh.

COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO 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 meetings will provide families the opportunity to hear the most current information used in making decisions on school construction and student assignment, as well as an opportunity to provide input into the development of new plans.

Eight new schools will open in the next two years. Cedar Fork Elementary is scheduled to open in 2005-06 and seven new schools are scheduled to open in 2006-07.

The school system will hold a total of two rounds of six meetings in the next two months. All meetings are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and last for approximately two hours.

Meetings will be held Oct. 12 at Sanderson High, Oct. 13 at Wakefield High and Oct. 14 at Green Hope High. Meetings will be held Oct. 19 at Garner High, Oct. 20 at Holly Ridge Middle and Oct. 21 at Knightdale High.

Meetings will be held Nov. 8 at Sanderson High, Nov. 9 at Wakefield High and Nov. 10 at Green Hope High. Meetings will be held Nov. 16 at Garner High, Nov. 17 at Holly Ridge Middle and Nov. 18 at Knightdale High.

The goals for these meetings are to provide parents and other interested community members more information about school construction and assignment issues, gather input from parents regarding school assignment, growth, proposed changes in assignment, school sites and construction schedules and identify for parents potentially affected schools when new locations are known.

PILOT PROGRAM TO SERVE LONG-TERM SUSPENDED STUDENTS
At its Sept. 7 meeting, the Board of Education approved a pilot program to serve long term suspended students. The program will serve 30-45 students in three community service-learning and academic programs. The programs will use NovaNET as an instructional tool and will be located in the learning centers at Heritage Park and Kentwood public housing communities and The DuBois Center. The program will be operated under contracts with Communities in Schools of Wake County and The DuBois Center. WCPSS is partnering with Communities in Schools of Wake County, The DuBois Center, Harriet B. Webster Task Force for Student Success, and the NC Department of Public Instruction in this long-term suspension alternative.

APPOINTMENTS
At its Sept. 7 meeting, the Board of Education named three assistant principals: Katherine Blair at Vandora Springs Elementary, Lisa Murphy at Brentwood Elementary and Kelly Bradshaw at Lufkin Road Middle.

-Blair has served as an assistant principal intern at Underwood Elementary since 2003.
-Murphy has served as an assistant principal intern and teacher at Durant Road Elementary since 1996.
-Bradshaw will serve as an assistant principal/instructional resource teacher. She has served as an assistant principal intern at Lufkin Road Middle and Salem Elementary and a teacher at Salem Elementary and Kingswood Elementary.

FARMINGTON WOODS STUDENTS HELP FLORIDA SCHOOL
The children at Farmington Woods Elementary School have adopted Peace River Elementary in Port Charlotte, Florida. According to the principal there, the families of 90 percent of the children at that school have suffered huge losses. The Farmington Woods children have collection jars in their classrooms and will turn the money they collect into gift cards for the children at Peace River. The school hopes that the Florida children will use department store gift cards to purchase what they need. The school's International Baccalaureate action project is being spearheaded by Kathy Bennett's fourth grade class. You can contact her at 460-3469 or KMBennett@wcpss.

SOUTHEAST RALEIGH HIGH WELCOMES RETURNING TEACHER
Jason Spencer, science teacher at Southeast Raleigh High School, returned home from Iraq for a two-week leave. Jason's reserve unit was activated October 2003, his second year of teaching. In recognition of his service, Southeast Raleigh High had a program to welcome him back to the school when he visited Sept. 14. After Jason's tour of active duty, he plans to return to his teaching position at Southeast Raleigh High.

ENLOE STUDENTS EARN EMMY AWARDS
Two teams of students from Enloe High School were honored at the Nashville Midsouth Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with Emmy Awards, as regional winners of the National Student Television Award of Excellence. Students Eric Notarnicola, Emre Cilem, Elizabeth Bernold and Kelsey Umstead were honored for technical achievement. Nathan A. Holland and Owen FitzGerald were honored for writing.

WCPSS MAGNET FAIR DISPLAYS AWARD-WINNING SCHOOLS
The Wake County Public School System will host its annual Magnet Schools Fair 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 6 at Southeast Raleigh High School. Families interested in educational choice should explore the innovative programs offered in the system's 50 magnet schools.
For over 20 years, WCPSS's award-winning magnet schools have enhanced the North Carolina Standard Course of Study with innovative approaches to learning that empower students. Magnets open doors of opportunity and spark the imagination of students, preparing them to become responsible citizens in a global society.

The magnet fair is open to the public and creates a venue for parents and students to visit interactive display booths, inquire about such magnet programs as Gifted and Talented, International Baccalaureate, Museums, University Connections, Leadership and Technology, and Year-Round; collect information about future recruitment events; meet with representatives from WCPSS's Office of Growth Management, Facilities and Transportation; and enjoy performances by students enrolled magnet schools.

To find out more information about WCPSS magnet schools and other upcoming recruiting events visit us online at www.wcpss.net/magnet, stop by the Magnet Resource Center located on the campus of Millbrook Elementary or call us at 919.501.7900.

WCPSS SCHOOLS OPEN ON TWO-HOUR DELAY NOV. 2
All Wake County Public Schools will be delayed by two hours on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 2. All early arrival programs will operate on the delayed schedule.

The Wake County Board of Elections is expecting a high voter turnout for the General Election. A number of WCPSS schools will serve as voting sites with the polls opening at 6:30 a.m. and closing at 7:30 p.m.

CALENDAR

Sept. 30

5 p.m., Wake County PTA Council holds its Great Expectations leadership conference at Sanderson High

Oct. 5

4 p.m., Board of Education meeting

Oct. 12

7 p.m., Community Engagement Meeting at Sanderson High
Oct. 13 7 p.m., Community Engagement Meeting at Wakefield High
Oct. 14 7 p.m., Community Engagement Meeting - at Green Hope High
Oct. 19 4 p.m., Board of Education meeting
Oct. 19 7 p.m. , Community Engagement Meeting at Garner High
Oct. 20 12 p.m., Board of Education luncheon meeting with County Commissioners
Oct. 20 7 p.m., Community Engagement Meeting at Holly Ridge Middle
Oct. 21 7 p.m., Community Engagement Meeting at Knightdale High

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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