• DRIVER ED. UPDATES (as of December 19, 2024)

    Spring 2025 Driver Education Update

     

    Information concerning Drivers Ed Part 1: Classroom Instruction at Wakefield High School is below.    
    • Spring 2025 classes will begin in February.  Monthly classes will be held February through May. Each after-school class lasts for 10 days, meeting 2:30-5:30 in the WHS Media Center. 
    • Registration for Spring 2025 classes at Wakefield will take place beginning on Thursday, 1/9/25, at 10:30 am.  The class dates for the spring semester are currently viewable on the Jordan website.  Families are encouraged to pay close attention to the beginning of registration; the classes are likely to fill up very quickly.
    • Sign-up is done entirely online; there are no physical forms to submit.  All DE registration is done on a first come, first serve basis through the Jordan Driving School website (jordandriving.com).  Students may only register for school-year Drivers Ed courses at the high school which they attend. 
    • The fee for Drivers Ed is $65.00, payable online, and covers both the classroom teaching and the driving instruction.  When registration is made successfully, a payment link will be emailed, which should be done immediately.   There is a fee-waiver provision for families who are unable to afford the fee; specific information and forms can be found on the JDS site.  No cash or check payments will be accepted.
    • The dates for the Summer 2025 set of DE classes will be communicated on the site in mid-March, and registration for those classes will take place in early April.  A more precise schedule for this registration will also be published in March.
    Drivers Ed Part 2:  Behind-the-Wheel Instruction:
    Students are driven according to the month they took the classroom portion.  There is an approximate 14-week gap between Parts 1 and 2 of  Drivers Ed.
    • Driving instructors will contact the family initially by phone, using the phone numbers that were provided on the initial registration paperwork.  
    • Each driving instructor has been trained in health and safety protocols and has specific directions to follow.  When you are called for BTW, the instructor will go over these with you.
    General Drivers Ed Information:
    • For a teen to enter the Graduated Licensing process, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction – both of these must be met in order for Drivers Ed to be completed.  Teens must be at least 14 ½ years old by the first day of the class that they are registered for.
    • To be eligible for a North Carolina Level 1 Learner’s Permit, students must have finished both parts (Classroom Instruction and Driving Instruction) of Drivers Ed and be between the ages of 14.5 and 18.  When a student finishes only the Classroom Instruction portion, Drivers Ed is not over.
    • The Classroom portion of Drivers Ed occurs first.  Upon completion of Part 1, the student will be automatically placed in line for Part 2: Behind-The-Wheel training, which will be conducted at the school which the student attends.  When both Instruction Parts are completed, the student will be given a Driver's Education Completion Certificate, and the licensing process can begin at the DMV.
    • There are no academic requirements to take the Driver Education class. There are specific academic requirements to apply for a permit or license at the NC DMV after finishing the class.
    • Drivers Ed is an extracurricular activity; it is not part of the regular school day, nor is any academic credit given.  Jordan Driving School has a contract with WCPSS to provide Drivers Education outside of school hours.  Classroom instruction takes place after 2:30 on weekdays during the school year; driving instruction may also be provided on weekends, holidays, summer breaks, and other non-school days. 
    • Under North Carolina law, only teens under the age of 18 are required to take Drivers Education.  If the student is over or nearly 18 years old, please contact Mr. Tharrington directly.
    • For additional information about Drivers Education at Wakefield, contact Mr. Tharrington (wakefield@jordandriving.com).  You may also visit the JDS website to find general information, email addresses for Lead Teachers, specific classroom dates, and a list of additional classes that might be available.
    Edward Tharrington
    Jordan Driving School
    Lead Teacher for Wakefield, Millbrook, NWCCA, NRCA, EWA, FA, and Thales
    wakefield@jordandriving.com
     

     

Contact Mr. Tharrington

Need more information about Driver's Ed at Wakefield?
Ed Tharrington
Jordan Driving School

Sign up for Driver Ed

Go to jordandriving.com for current class offerings and to register. For other questions, contact the lead Driver Education teacher at your school.