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Featured Articles in Parent Matters Fall 2009-10

Superintendent's Column

Welcome to the 2009-2010 school year. While the circumstances of the times in which we live continue to be unsettling, you can be certain our principals and teachers have been working to prepare for the launch of a successful school year. Despite the challenges, we are poised to have a great year. I want to share with you what I see looking ahead this year.

In July, we opened our year-round calendar schools welcoming more than 30,000 students. It was one of the smoothest openings I have ever seen. Just a few weeks ago, we added our modified calendar and traditional calendar students. We expect to welcome a total of more than 140,000 students this year when our final enrollment numbers are tallied.

As we have navigated these difficult times, I am encouraged because over the past few years we have been quietly changing the culture of the Wake County Public School System. We are approaching the mid-point of the implementation phase of our Curriculum Management Audit (CMA) with more than two-thirds of the recommendations completed or underway. The CMA is our roadmap as we create a more effective and efficient school system. While commonplace in the private sector, we are looking at our core business of “learning and teaching” in ways that have allowed us to tighten procedures and processes and to create opportunities for shared leadership in classrooms and throughout the organization.

Another reason I am so encouraged by what I am seeing this year is the thoughtful way everyone in the Wake County Public School System has pulled together while keeping our children at the center of their work. We have frozen all but the most essential vacant positions, obviously a difficult decision; however the conversations that this decision generated have been child-focused. That is the way it should be. Everyone is rolling up their sleeves and doing what is best for children. I am very proud of the professionalism our staff continues to demonstrate in preparing for this year.

Our academic performance with EOG and EOC tests show steady, positive growth with achievement gaps narrowing, however not fast enough. Our system is being recognized nationally as a leader in public education and our long-range planning has allowed for a multi-year student assignment plan tied to the building and renovations of schools for the foreseeable future which provides stability and continuity for families.

We have much to do this year, and I invite everyone to find ways to join us in another very successful year.

WCPSS Schools Dive into WAKE Wednesdays

Wednesdays have a new meaning for our school communities in the 2009-10 school year. The atmosphere is one of collaboration and learning for teachers who are working to improve services to each and every student. This year WCPSS schools are scheduling more time for teachers to collaborate and develop targeted instructional strategies that will help individual students learn. To provide time for Professional Learning Teams (PLTs), WCPSS schools will be dismissing one hour early on Wednesdays. On six of those Wednesdays, schools will release 2.5 hours early. Teachers meet in grade level or subject area to review instruction and look for ways to better meet the needs of students.

WCPSS teachers and staff appreciate the support of students, parents, and the community to enable PLTs to occur. Families that have questions about Wednesday-only childcare and/or transportation options should contact their child’s school principal or refer to the WCPSS website for a listing of the resources available at http://www.wcpss.net/wednesdays/. This website also contains a list of educational activities by grade level. To review the board’s policy on team-based collaboration and professional learning teams, Policy 3610, visit www.wcpss.net/Board/ and go to the section on Board Policy.

Wake Wednesdays: What is a Professional Learning Team?

In the medical field, it is not uncommon for a team of doctors to review patient cases and make recommendations for treatment. Follow-up sessions with the medical team involve tracking patients’ progress to determine if treatment is working, and making adjustments if needed. In a team-based approach, collaboration helps ensure a more favorable outcome.

Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) in the school setting use a similar process to determine what students need to be successful in their learning.
Questions that guide the PLT collaboration include:
• What is it we want students to know?
• How do we know if they know it?
• What do we do if they don’t know it or do know it?

Q & A: Understanding Professional Learning Teams

Q. What is it we want students to know?
A. Students are expected to learn the NC Standard Course of Study and the WCPSS curriculum outline. Teachers are provided objectives in specific grade levels and subject areas as well as guidelines for pacing the instruction.

Q. How will we know if they know it?
A. There are many ways to determine if a student has mastered curriculum objectives. Assessments may include tests, observations or other forms of appraisal. These assessments, developed by the district or by grade level/subject area teachers, can help determine if a student has learned an objective.

Q. What do we do with the students who don’t know it or do know it?
A. A key to the discussion in PLTs is reviewing how students progress from week to week. Those students who have learned a concept may be ready for extensions or enrichment activities. Those who have not yet mastered a concept will need additional opportunities to learn it. Sometimes that means teachers will work with small groups of students to provide additional instruction or re-teaching material differently to larger groups of students. These discussions and decisions are based on the philosophy that all students can learn.

Collaboration around student data and searching for the most effective teaching strategies is at the heart of PLTs. Teachers may review data which reveals that one teacher’s students performed better on an assessment. The resulting PLT discussion may lead to a search for best practices.

Q. How are PLT meetings different from traditional planning meetings?
A. The fundamental difference is that PLTs focus on student data. There is a philosophical shift towards the belief that students belong to all teachers on the team and the success of each student is everyone’s concern.
Collaboration helps each teacher become more effective and builds knowledge of best practices.

Traditional planning meetings are discussions about administrative issues, field trips, coordinating volunteers, and textbook resources. While important, this is not part of the work that is accomplished on PLT Wednesdays and must be conducted at other times.

Q. How are PLT meetings structured?
A. Schools moving toward collaborative professional learning establish planning and reporting processes that increase cross-team collaboration and learning. These processes, when they become routine, contribute to building a school-wide collaborative culture.

Once a PLT has analyzed data, set goals, and identified possible strategies, they develop a plan of action that helps them and others know how they plan to accomplish their goal(s). A team’s plan of action is a roadmap with a timeline that helps teachers stay the course and make intentional changes when necessary. In addition, PLTs remain organized by preparing an agenda for each meeting. The agenda can help team members track progress toward the goal(s) identified and prepare for the next week’s session.

Preparing for Flu Season

Kelly Creech, RN, Director WCPSS Health Services

Everyone within our school communities plays a role in promoting a healthy school environment. At this time, due to the prevalence of H1N1 across the country, the Health Department is treating H1N1 as it would any other seasonal flu illness. Being part of Wake County, WCPSS adheres to guidelines provided by Wake County Human Services Communicable Disease which receives information on H1N1 and any communicable disease from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NC Department of Health and Human Services. We encourage parents to continue to talk to their children about the importance of hand washing, basic hygiene and overall health. When necessary, the WCPSS website will have direct links to information from the CDC and notification about any directives we receive from Wake County Human Services.

The following information has been provided by Wake
County Human Services regarding the flu.

Preventing and Responding to the Flu
As you know, there are flu viruses causing illness in Wake County, North Carolina, the United States and countries around the world. This includes the novel H1N1 virus (Swine Flu). We would like to provide you with information if you, your children or others become ill.

If you are sick, your health care provider can decide if you need tests and treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “It is expected that most people will recover without needing medical care.” At this time, the CDC recommends recognizing flu-like symptoms early, staying home when sick, covering coughs and sneezes and washing hands often. The following information will help you know what you can do if you think you or someone close to you has flu-like symptoms.

Symptoms of a flu-like illness

What should I do if I have symptoms of flu-like illness?

How do I protect myself and my family from flu-like illness?

There are many things you can do (and teach children to do):

Source: Please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm for additional information.

Inclement Weather

Snow, ice storms, heat waves, hurricanes and tornados are a few examples of weather conditions that can have a major impact on your child’s school day. Occasionally, inclement weather forces us to cancel classes, delay opening or dismiss early. Decisions on adjusting schedules are usually made after consulting the weather service, traffic agencies, and others. Our Transportation Department checks the conditions of roads, streets, and highways in various areas of the school district, and in some cases, we rely on weather reports. As soon as a decision is made, our notification process begins.

• A notice is posted on the school system’s website.
• Local radio and television stations are notified.
• An e-mail message is sent out from our e-mail notification service.
• Schools typically update the school’s main phone line with a message to reflect the closing or delay status.
For complete information on closings and emergencies, including our inclement weather policy and FAQs, please visit www.wcpss.net/emergency.

WCPSS Wednesday-Only Child Care

Finding an afterschool program that you trust, is affordable and makes your child feel safe are all important factors to consider when selecting a program. Fortunately, most WCPSS schools provide before- and after-school care on site or work with a trusted third-party provider like the YMCA.

To help parents adjust to the new Wednesday schedule, schools with established WCPSS After-School
Programs are now offering a Wednesday-Only Program. This is in place to support families needing childcare on Wednesdays due to the weekly early dismissals.

The Wednesday-Only Program is not a drop-in program. Parents must enroll for the entire year to take advantage of childcare on all Wednesdays. The program cost includes all Wednesdays in the 2009-2010 school calendar, including the six 2.5 hour Early Release Days. If you are interested in this program and your school already operates a Monday through Friday After-School tuition program, please contact your child’s school for more information.

To register, parents pay a registration fee of $15.00 for the program. The monthly fee is due on the same schedule as the Monday-Friday fee, and all late due dates and charges apply. The Wednesday-Only Program provides childcare from the time of school dismissal until 6:00 p.m.
Other after-school programs including the YMCA are also offering childcare options for Wednesday. Check with your school to see what services are available.

Wake County PTA Council

Sarah Martin
Wake PTA Council President, 2009-2010

As the 2009-2010 school begins, parents across Wake County have the opportunity to make this their children’s best school year yet. National PTA says that family involvement is the key to student success. In fact, the National PTA has documented evidence showing that family involvement in education promotes student success. No matter what their family income or background may be, students with involved parents are more likely to:

• Earn higher grades and test scores,
• Pass their classes,
• Attend school regularly,
• Have better social skills and adapt well to school, and
• Go on to postsecondary education.

But what does family involvement mean? What does it look like? How can we as parents possibly get involved, especially when we’re working so hard just to keep our heads above water? For every family, involvement means something different:

• For some, it means spending time each day talking with your student about their school endeavors — and providing support and encouragement for what the student is learning and experiencing.
• For some, it means making sure that your child shows up on time for school every day, having eaten a good breakfast and bringing all the appropriate materials, so that the child is prepared to learn.
• For some, it means including calm times at home in the evening so that children can unwind and prepare for the coming school day.
• For some, it means reading together on a nightly basis.
• For some, it means helping out when teachers or staff members ask for assistance in the classroom or on a field trip.
• And for some, involvement means all of the above and more.

The real point is that every family will find their own ways of getting involved. But we ALL have the responsibility to do that.
We ALL have the responsibility to support and encourage our students.
If you are looking for ways to specifically get plugged into your child’s education, please do not hesitate to contact your school’s PTA/PTSA president. He/She can help you find ways to get involved. Even if you can only offer 30 minutes of time, you can be part of the solution, part of the positive community of volunteers that are making a real difference in the lives of the children at every school in Wake County. If you don’t know how to contact your PTA president, contact your school’s main office and they will direct you as to contact information.

Thanks for all you do for the children.

Child Nutrition

Every child needs nourishment during the school day.
Good nutrition is critical to student achievement. All elementary and middle schools offer both breakfast and lunch to all students every day. All high schools offer lunch to students every day. High schools offer breakfast when there is sufficient interest.

Meals may be served at a free and reduced price to children from families whose income is at or below the free or reduced price scale of the Income Eligibility Guidelines. Application forms and eligibility requirements will be mailed to families, distributed at schools and made available in your school office or at the Child Nutrition Services office at 1551 Rock Quarry Road in Raleigh or call (919) 856-2918.

Breakfast & Lunch Payment Options
There are several quick and easy ways to pay for your child’s school meal.
Pre-pay by check — Simply write your child’s name and lunch number provided by the school on your check. Let the cafeteria manager know the amount you wish to pay for breakfast, lunch, or extra sales items that are not included in the meal price.
Pre-pay online — Once your account is established with www.myLunchmoney.com, you can check balances and replenish the account anytime from your home computer, phone or fax. Your child’s information is safe – it stays at school. Your personal and payment card information is protected by advanced internet security. There is a $1.95 service charge for each transaction.

For more information call 1-800-479-3531 or visit www.myLunchmoney.com/. To enroll in this service, you will need your child’s NCWISE number found on your child’s report card or schedule.

10 Ways Parents Can Help Foster Positive Relationships with Teachers

Bryce Jacobs, PTA Program Specialist

  1. Find time to share your experiences with school and how that has shaped your perception about parent-teacher relationships. Talk about how you think schools differ from when or where you attended.
  2. Discuss with the teacher what you think are the most important challenges facing schools in your community and what strengths your school and community have to meet these challenges.
  3. Communicate with your child’s teacher(s) early and often. Send e-mails or handwritten notes. If you prefer direct contact, establish a regular time to visit or call the teacher to set up a time that works for you and the teacher. If something happens in the home that may affect classroom performance, let the teacher know immediately.
  4. Actively participate in parent-teacher conferences. For example, come prepared with a set of questions, comments, and if necessary, concerns.
  5. If your schedule permits, volunteer to spend time in the classroom or chaperone class trips. For parents of older students, come to school-wide events. Also, find out how to better support learning in the home.
  6. Understand that since teachers cannot always communicate during the school day, you may not get as an immediate response as you do at your workplace. But don’t let a call or e-mail go unanswered. If necessary, call or write again.
  7. If your child is having a problem in class, talk with the teacher first. The teacher will appreciate it and be more willing to work with you. Going over the teacher’s head, in most cases, puts everyone on the defensive.
  8. Find out how the local school and the school district operate. It will help you understand what teachers can and must do, what their limitations are and how you, the parent, can help.
  9. Ask your child’s teacher and the school to clarify what your child should be learning and doing during the school year and ask for ways you can help reinforce the educational program at home.
  10. Set high expectations for your child. Your child will benefit from it, and the teacher will appreciate it.

Full Circle Provides New Perspective for Television Audiences

Sometimes the most important issues aren’t always the ones that can be covered in a 90-second news story. WCPSS’s newest television program, Full Circle, is able to explore a wide range of topics and issues during an enlightening half hour of discussion. People watching the program will benefit from hearing guests discuss a single topic affecting Wake County Schools, students and teachers that might not get covered in the news media. Guests from WCPSS classrooms and administration share their expertise and offer unique perspectives that help bring these issues full circle!

“You’ll meet the people in your child’s classroom that are working hard to make a difference at school,” said host Jeff Nash. Nash asks each guest a variety of questions that shed light on educational trends, current debates, and what parents and the broader Wake County community should know about matters concerning our schools. “We’re able to get down to the meat and potatoes of a particular issue by having in-depth conversations about important topics and mixing in a healthy dose of perspective from multiple guests.”

Full Circle is produced every month. Programming is carried by cable providers in Raleigh and Cary on channel 11. In Cary, tune in on Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 8:00 a.m.
Raleigh residents can watch the program on Thursdays and Fridays at noon and Sundays at 9:30 p.m. Each month’s edition can be viewed online at www.wcpss.net along with past episodes of The School Connection.