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  Forum video and presentations Great Schools in Wake Archive- Critical Information   In "Critical Accreditation" Lora Roa talks about the importance of school accreditation A must read: Accreditation Review Report Says it All About the State of WCPSS  Board Meeting Notes SAFE SCHOOLS, FAIR SCHOOLS- Research-Based Recommendations for Improving Student Discipline NEW! July 2011 Landmark Study Reveals Startling Findings on School Discipline Great Schools in Wake Press Releases- TROUBLING SCHOOL REASSIGNMENT DECISIONS FORESHADOW FUTURE CHAOS FOR WAKE COUNTY FAMILIES: September 28, 2011 Great Schools in Wake Weighs in on Student Assignment Courses of Action: June 2, 2011 Great Schools in Wake Receives Redistricting Data: May 13, 2011 Great Schools in Wake Favors Comprehensive, Strategic Approach to Student Assignment: April 25, 2011 Great Schools Responds to School Board Attorney's Feedback to Office of Civil Rights: April 20, 2011 VIDEO - Latest News- 12/28/11 Student assignments, magnet lottery applications to be available for CMS students "Student assignments for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will be sent home next week. The notifications will be sent to all current students. Also, magnet lottery applications can be submitted online from Jan. 6 through Feb. 13."  12/16/11 NC among nine states to receive federal pre-K grant "Nine states, including North Carolina, will receive millions of dollars in grant money to improve early childhood education programs." December 16-31, 2011- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES 12/31/11 Triangle Politics: Wake school board makes 'gesture of good listening' "Speakers once again will have three minutes each during the public comment section at Wake County school board meetings." 12/31/11 Teachers' pay that reflects respect "I also realize that this idea is also pie in the sky. But as long as we continue to pay teachers low wages across the board, and only pretend to respect the profession, we will continue to hear the phrase, "Oh, he/she is just a teacher." January 1-15, 2012- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES 12/31/11 Triangle Politics: Wake school board makes 'gesture of good listening' "Speakers once again will have three minutes each during the public comment section at Wake County school board meetings." 12/31/11 Teachers' pay that reflects respect "I also realize that this idea is also pie in the sky. But as long as we continue to pay teachers low wages across the board, and only pretend to respect the profession, we will continue to hear the phrase, "Oh, he/she is just a teacher." LATEST NEWS - Citizens Speak Out- Visit this page often to read about what our community is saying about public education in Wake County. Just out the links below. News Articles & Letters to the Editor Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools - The Latest News Other reports Video NC Policy Watch Wake Ed Partnership News Archive Watch videos of the Wake Co. Board of Education meetings at the following pages: Great Schools in Wake News Archive- December 16-31, 2011 December 1-15, 2011 November 16-30, 2011  November 1-15, 2011 October 16-31, 2011 October 1-15, 2011  September 1-15, 2011 August 16-31, 2011 August 1-15, 2011 July 16-31, 2011 July 1-15, 2011 December 1-15, 2011- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLESLETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES 12/15/11 Charter schools: Wave of the future? "Everyone interviewed for this story said education officials have to do a better job of closing down charter schools that aren't making the grade and implement on a wider scale the practices that are producing positive results." 12/15/11 Hybrid math is on the way to Triangle schools "The days of Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry could be numbered in Triangle schools, but they would be replaced by a new trio of what's supposed to be tougher and more in-depth math courses." Board Meeting - Speeches- December 6, 2011 Carpenter Village #1 Carpenter Village #2 T. McDonald  November 22, 2011 V. Adamson D. Boos C. King  L. Koscielniak  October 4, 2011 Board Meeting Summaries- Sep 6, 2011- Board Meeting Minutes  Aug 16, 2011 - Board Meeting Minutes July 12, 2011 - Board Meeting Minutes June 21, 2011 - Board Meeting Minutes June 7, 2011 - Board Meeting Minutes May 3, 2011 - Board Meeting Minutes April 5, 2011 - Board Meeting Minutes Join Great Schools in Wake!-     Thank you for your interest in Great Schools in Wake! We hope you will join us in promoting a quality education for all our children. Join as an Individual: Often when we advocate for our children, people want to know how many community members we represent. We have learned that numbers do matter! The larger our membership, the stronger our voice. When you join as an individual, not only will you receive the latest news and information about what's going on in the Wake County Public School System, but you will be "counted" as an advocate for high quality public schools. Click the button below to sign up.  Thank you for adding your strength to our cause! November 16-30, 2011- 11/20/11 Schools' way forward "No one wants to move backward; the newly elected board members have stated that they plan to move forward with deliberation, information and in the interest of providing the best education for all our children. Fear, however is once again being fueled. Let's move forward, people; we are supposed to be examples for our children." 11/19/11 Last-minute cash helped sway District 3 runoff "A flurry of last-minute money, including some from a national liberal group, helped propel Democrats back into the majority on the Wake County school board this fall." Nov. 1-15, 2011, News Archive- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 11/13/11 New school stewards: Now, results "The debate over student assignment has touched on a deeper set of issues at the heart of public education: How can schools maximize the prospects of each and every student? Are sound policies and ample resources the key to success or does success hinge on the motivation and self-responsibility of students and parents? Yes, and yes. As for the new school board, it must fully own up to the system's past shortcomings and be relentless in pushing toward new heights for all." 11/13/11 Party, race shaped board wins October 1-15, 2011, News Archive- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES 10/15/11 School assignment vote should go on, Tata says "Wake County schools Superintendent Tony Tata stands behind his decision to ask for a vote on the new student assignment plan next week - even as some newly elected school board members and parents say the vote should be delayed." 10/15/11 Pre-K resolve "The recognition by Gov. Beverly Perdue that the state should follow a judge's decision on pre-kindergarten programs for all at-risk children in North Carolina is important." UPCOMING EVENTS - Great Schools in Wake- If you missed any of the forums, or just want to watch them again, you can view them on RTN. Click here for the schedule.  WARNING! What's Happening in Charlotte Could Happen in Wake!- 9/6/11 Today is the start of something bright "Now that the dust has settled, here's the scene: 48 schools around Mecklenburg County host Bright Beginnings classes, compared with 13 schools and five centers last year." http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/09/06/2582473/today-is-the-startof-something.html#ixzz1XHVUmyXX  9/4/11 School layoffs report confounds "But more than anything, the report designed to clarify the connection between budget cuts and education jobs illustrates just how difficult that is." http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/09/04/2577941/school-layoffs-report-confounds.html#ixzz1WztopXjM Sept. 1-15, 2011, News Archive- 9/10/11 Magnet busing may be cut back "Wake County magnet school students could lose door-to-door bus service under a proposal to save money and reduce long bus rides that sometimes reach two hours each way." http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/09/10/1474974/magnet-busing-may-be-cut-back.html#ixzz1XZ0RL5nK 9/10/11 Potential impact of switching to express busing only for magnet schools "How much of an impact would going to express busing only for Wake County magnet schools have on the program?" http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/potential-impact-of-switching-to-express-busing-only-for-magnet-schools#ixzz1XZ1R0PEz August 16-31, 2011, News Archive- 8/31/11 Wake NCAE announces school board candidate endorsements "In a press release today, Wake NCAE announced it was endorsing Kevin Hill in District 3, Keith Sutton in District 4, Jim Martin in District 5, Christine Kushner in District 6 and Susan Evans in District 8." http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-ncae-announces-school-board-candidate-endorsements#ixzz1WhwMC6wE 8/31/11 Wake Democrats announce school board and municipal candidate endorsements "As expected, the Wake County Democratic Party announced Tuesday that it was endorsing Kevin Hill in District 3, Keith Sutton in District 4, Jim Martin in District 5, Christine Kushner in District 6 and Susan Evans in District 8." http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-democrats-announce-school-board-and-municipal-candidate-endorsements#ixzz1WhwiXKsh August 1-15, 2011, News Archive- 8/15/11 Film accuses Koch brothers of resegregating Wake County schools "A new video from a liberal group is accusing the conservative Koch brothers of having bought the Wake County school board elections in 2009 in an attempt to resegregate the school system." 8/15/11 Perdue stumps on pre-kindergarten services "Gov. Beverly Perdue is visiting the Outer Banks to boost a new front in her ongoing contest with legislative Republicans over education spending." July 16-31, 2011, News Archive- 7/31/11 Praised teacher program gets ax "For the past quarter of a century, North Carolina has offered a great deal to thousands of its brightest high school students: a free ride in college in exchange for teaching four years in Tar Heel classrooms." 7/30/11 Schools won't have to add class time "All 115 of the state's local school districts sought and received a waiver from a requirement in the new state budget to expand the 180-day school year to 185 this year. The extra classroom time would have been added by taking away five days in which teachers work while students stay home." July 1-15, 2011, News Archive- 7/15/11 Wake graduation rate up slightly "Wake County schools' graduation rate likely increased by two percent during the school year just concluded, Superintendent Tony Tata said this morning." 7/15/11 Doing likewise "If WCPSS is going to force the lowest-paid group to take a pay cut, should upper management, the highest-paid group, not also take a pay cut?" 7/15/11 Wake Supt: Test scores show district needs to work smarter "Wake County Supt. Tony Tata released a preliminary academic progress report from last year's test scores." June 1-15, 2011, News Archive- 6/15/11 Gorman grant paid for PR campaign for CMS budget "Departing Superintendent Peter Gorman spent half of his $250,000 "personal development" grant to quietly bankroll a publicity campaign on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools budget." 6/15/11 NC teacher group lobbies unfriendly legislature "North Carolina Senators are about to hear from public school workers as lawmakers decide whether to back up their nearly $20 billion budget by overriding Gov. Beverly Perdue's veto." WakeUP Wake County Urges County Commission to Increase School Funding, Keep up with Growth- For Immediate Release Contact: Karen Rindge, WakeUP Wake County, 828-3833, karen@wakeupwakecounty.org Date: June 6, 2011 Today, WakeUP Wake County, the citizens' voice for good growth planning and sustainable communities, urged the Wake Board of Commissioners to increase funding for Wake County Public Schools. Speaking at the public hearing on the 2012 budget, WakeUP's Executive Director, Karen Rindge, pointed out that the school budget has been flat-lined for the past three years. Meanwhile, student population has grown by 6,000 children over the past two years. "We need funding to sustain our growing population, and next year's student body will grow by more than 3,000 bringing us to a total of 147,000 students," stated Rindge. May 16-31, 2011, News Archive- 5/31/11 'Green plan' familiar "Wake County's "green plan" for student assignments is finding support from those who think every address in Wake County should come with a definite school assignment." 5/31/11 New Senate budget with no teacher assistant cuts "The state Senate made public a new $19.7 billion budget today that makes no cuts to teacher assistants but requires local school districts to more savings on their own." Great Schools in Wake Facts & Figures-   Total Members: 11,682 (as of 05/17/10) Select a document below to learn more about the issues and challenges facing Wake County Schools. Civil Rights Complaint- Civil Rights Complaint Redistricting- School Redistricting Information Press Release: 5-13-11 GSIW Receives Redistricting Data Details behind the proposed redistricting plan Redistricting in a nutshell: maps, frequently asked questions, more information What is redistricting? Why should it matter to you? Proposed Board of Education Redistricting Plan Apr. 16-30, 2011, News Archive- 4/30/11 The High Cost of Low Teacher Salaries "When we don't like the way our students score on international standardized tests, we blame the teachers. When we don't like the way particular schools perform, we blame the teachers and restrict their resources."  4/30/11 School board hears toll of legal challenges "Wake County schools have devoted more than 800 hours in staff time responding to challenges to the system based on public access concerns and accusations of racial discrimination, school board members heard at a work session this week." May 1-15, 2011, News Archive- 5/8/11 Magnet claims "In fact, although this year there were 270 more acceptances than last year, approximately 300 were due to the N.C. State STEM magnet program opening and space created by node changes at two schools. Without these extra seats, magnet acceptances would have been lower than last year. And overall applications were down." 5/8/11 Who's the power behind CMS? "Superintendent Peter Gorman may be the face of public education in Charlotte, but is a Los Angeles billionaire the power behind the scenes?" Wake schools conversion from multi-track to single-track calendar- Click link below to read Great Schools' report on the WCPSS conversion of 14 year-round programs to single-track: Great Schools in Wake on Year-Round School Conversion (pdf) Click link below to read Great Schools' April 25, 2011 press release: Press release: 4-25-11 Great Schools in Wake Favors Comprehensive, Strategic Approach to Student Assignment (pdf) Student Assignment Committee- **All meetings held in the Board Conference Room, 3600 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh Past meeting minutes: Redistricting in a Nutshell- Why does redistricting occur? Read our Questions and Answers What did we learn from the 2010 Census? Wake County's population is now 900,990! Therefore, we must redistrict to have a population of 100,110 (+/- 5 percent) in each school board district.   How did we come up with our proposed redistricting alternatives? We took the correction numbers and looked at the demographic data to ensure that the proposed districts represented all ethnic and racial groups fairly.  This is a constitutional mandate. Great Schools Film Festival Returns- Lessons in History: Celebrating the Heroism of the "Average" Citizen   GREAT SCHOOLS FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS - Last Spring Film - CHANGE OF DATE - TUESDAY, APRIL 27th Eyes on the Prize - America's Civil Rights Movement - click here for more info No Easy Walk (1961-1963) Mississippi: Is This America? (1963-1964) Moderator: Tim Tyson, Duke University We'll start promptly at 6:30pm at the Galaxy Cinema, Cary - click here for Galaxy info   Money Watch- TRIANGLE BUSINESS JOURNAL BUSINESS PULSE SURVEY: "Is the Wake County Schools diversity-policy controversy hurting the area's reputation as a good place to live and work?" Apr. 1-15, 2011, News Archive- 4/15/11 What we found-and didn't find "While we are happy to see our research in the public square, we want to set the record straight regarding the manner in which the school system characterized our work." 4/15/11 Republican seeks school board seat "Republican activist Heather Losurdo announced Thursday night that she'll oppose Democrat Kevin Hill, the Wake County school board District 3 incumbent, in fall election." Wake Board of Education- Board of Education Member Information Board Meeting - Speeches Board Meeting Summaries Student Assignment Committee Meeting Summaries Student Assignment Public Hearing Videos Jan. 16-31, 2011, News Archive- 1/31/11 $55 million and a quest for success in West Charlotte "As they launched a $55 million reform plan for struggling westside schools, Charlotte's business and philanthropic elite pledged to push for permission to try bold experiments, such as lengthening the school day or school year." 1/31/11 New Wake superintendent begins first day on the job "Wake County public schools' new superintendent will spend his first day on the job Monday touring schools and meeting principals, teachers and students." Mar. 1-15, 2011, News Archive- 3/15/11 Tata prioritizes teachers, classroom in Wake budget proposal "Superintendent Tony Tata presented a "very creative" budget proposal to the Wake County Board of Education Tuesday, prioritizing teacher retention and classroom investment in the face of a projected $2 billion to $3 billion state budget shortfall next year." 3/15/11 Tata's budget plan would cut jobs but not teachers "It's very realistic that we will be able to implement this budget," said Tata, who started as superintendent of the state's largest district on Jan. 31." Feb. 16-31, 2011, News Archive- 2/28/11 Rage Simmering Among American Teachers "Education historian Diane Ravitch says the teachers on the front lines of labor rallies in Wisconsin reflect growing anger among educators nationwide. Teachers are sick and tired, she says, of being blamed for the ills of America's public schools." 12-07-10 Board Meeting Speeches- Debbie Biesack Tama Bouncer Michelle Chapman Lynn Edmonds Ilina Ewen Karey Harwood Mary Kelley Adrienne Lumpkin Jim Martin Help make this event possible!-   Water: Is the Bill Coming Due? Become an event sponsor Donate to help make WakeUP's 2011 Water Forum a success! Great Schools Coalition Partners- WakeUP Wake County YWCA of the Greater Triangle Coalition of Concerned Citizens for African American Children Harriet B. Webster Task Force for Student Success NAACP—3 Wake Chapters BiggerPicture4Wake NC Justice Center Raleigh Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance N.C. school diversity plan: a policy, not a panacea- Regarding the Jan. 30 letter from Kathleen Brennan, "A case of diversity not enhancing student performance": Ms. Brennan said that the diversity policy in Wake County, N.C., was responsible for the reassignment of 60,000 students over 10 years. This is scapegoating. Ms. Brennan has to know that historic population growth in Wake County prompted the construction of 48 schools in that 10-year period. These new schools needed to be filled with students, which triggered the reassignment of 46,000 children. 2-1-11 Board Meeting - Public Comment Speeches- V. Adamson C. Dow-Smith L. Edmonds A. Lascurain League of Women Voters A. Lee B. Lovejoy L. Nixon A. Sherron P. Williams HKonJ5 Meet, March to Legislature- If you believe in justice gather in Raleigh at 9:30am at Shaw University (Wimington + South St) and march to the Legislature at 16 Jones St for a rally beginning 11:00am More information at HKonJ5 website. Appeal of Open Meetings Case- Please attend, and please read more about the issues surrounding the case that GSIW helped bring to court. Great Schools in Wake Fall Forum- CLICK HERE for the "Costs and Consequences" Abridged Research Report Full Research Report (available 11/15) CLICK HERE to receive a copy of the "Costs and Consequences" research report Jan. 1-15, 2011, News Archive- 1/15/11 U.S. school chief chides Wake school policy "The turmoil over Wake County schools reached the top of the federal Department of Education Friday, as Education Secretary Arne Duncan criticized Wake's decision to discard its school diversity policy in a letter published by the Washington Post." 1/15/11 In good standing? "In trying to set the terms of an accreditation review that is key to upholding the reputation of its high schools, the Wake County school board runs the proverbial risk of cutting off its nose to spite its face." Why are there concerns about Tata?- This article by Cash Michaels appeared earlier in the week in THE CAROLINIAN: WHY ARE THERE CONCERNS ABOUT TATA? by Cash Michaels editor Over his distinguished 28-year US Army career, Anthony Tata may have dealt with many an enemy in places like Bosnia and Afghanistan, but if the response to his hiring as Wake County's newest schools superintendent is any indication, he's never quite faced the kind of opposition he's in for now. Dec. 16-31, 2010, News Archive- 12/31/10 A wrong-headed experiment in school leadership "Of course you can't, but this won't surprise you: The Board of Education in Wake County, N.C., tapped a brigadier general who has no experience in instruction or academic leadership to be the new superintendent of the 143,000-student school system." 12/30/10 Tata makes series of appearances next week as superintendent "Tony Tata, Wake County's newly named schools superintendent, will make a series of public appearances next week before schools staff, the school board and other groups including the conservative Wake County Taxpayers Association, board chairman Ron Margiotta said today." The Tedesco Scheme- Read The CAROLINIAN real story by Cash Michaels about the Tedesco/Margiotta scheme to get over 6,000 SouthEast Raleigh students re-assigned back to their neighborhoods. The school system's own documents prove it: THE TEDESCO SCHEME By Cash Michaels, Editor ... GSIW receives Blueprint North Carolina's 'Look Out 2011 Award'- Blueprint North Carolina, a partnership of more than 50 nonprofits dedicated to achieving a better, fairer, healthier North Carolina, issued GSIW the 'Lookout 2011' award for the coalition's comprehensive coverage of recent Wake school board majority policy changes.  Read more below: We also want to recognize the work of a group that barely existed at the beginning of the year, but in a few months has built the kind of source credibility that typically takes years. Dec. 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 12/15/10 Rick Scott's School Plan for Scoundrels "Conservatives have been plotting for years to blow up the public school system. Now, Florida's incoming governor Rick Scott is poised to light the fuse." 12/15/10 SE Raleigh students to stay put next year "The 5-3 vote means that any attempt to implement a large-scale reassignment of Southeast Raleigh children to neighborhood schools likely won't happen until the 2012-13 school year at the earliest. Their reassignment might not happen at all, depending on the October 2011 election to fill five of the nine school board seats." 11/6/10 Beyond Appreciating Diversity Forum: See the Presentations & Video- Missed the Forum? Watch video coverage: Part 1: Introduction Dr. Heather Davis, NC State University Part 2: Psychosocial Benefits of School Racial/Ethnic Diversity Dr. Sandra Graham, UCLA (Part 1) Part 3: Psychosocial Benefits of School Racial/Ethnic Diversity Dr. Sandra Graham, UCLA (Part 2) Nov. 16-30, 2010, News Archive- 11/30/10 Civil rights and the news from Raleigh "Wake County Schools, which just became a majority-minority school system, is going through turmoil as a new school board majority prepares to shift to a neighborhood-based assignment system, scrapping the longstanding system that used family income to promote school diversity. CMS crossed the less-than-half-white threshold many years ago (currently about one-third of students are white), and beat Raleigh to the punch on the shift to neighborhood schools."  Oct. 16-31, 2010, News Archive- 10/31/10 Life via schools "Teachers, students and their parents create the school community no matter how far away or what side of town they live on." 10/30/10 Burns weighs in on interplay of Wake boards "The Board of Commissioners has to approve the school system's budget and can influence school construction, location and calendars, Burns said. "There could be interplay between the two boards," he said. "There has been in the past." 10/29/10 Hard of hearing "Does he fail to realize that he's actively encouraging the same kind of tone-deafness that he and his fellow GOP'ers accused the previous board of?" VISION - Great Schools in Wake- We believe that all children in Wake County, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, or residence, should receive the highest quality education possible. Our mission is to provide accurate information to educate the public about policy initiatives that would impact the quality of education, to foster well-informed discussions about critical education issues, and to advocate for policies that improve public education in Wake County. Visual representation of our vision and mission: 'Chalice of Love' Nov. 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 11/15/10 Wake holds first community meeting on 2011-12 assignment "Wake County school system staff will address issues of possible overcrowding and changes to the traditional calendar during a community workshop at Millbrook Magnet High School on Monday evening." 11/15/10 Education Abolition " Another entry in the category of "You can't make this stuff up". Wake School Board member John Tedesco thinks that abolition of the US Department of Education "would be great". Wake County Board of Commissioners- Wake County Board of Commissioners Meeting Schedule Meeting Agendas & Minutes Great Schools in Wake 'Costs & Consequences' Forum a success!-   This Thursday! October 28 - "Costs and Consequences" Forum- COSTS & CONSEQUENCES: What's at Stake for Wake? Thursday, October 28th, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Glenaire Retirement Community 4000 Glenaire Circle, Cary 460-8095   Whether you have family members who attend the Wake County Public Schools-or not-decisions regarding the future of our schools have an impact on the entire community!  Click here for event flyer. Student Assignment Committee Meeting, October 12, 2010- Assignment Committee Handouts: WCPSS AP Programs by School WCPSS Arts Programs by School WCPSS Second Language by School WCPSS Special Ed by School WCPSS Title One Schools Student Assignment Committee Meeting, October 12, 2010 Oct. 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 10/15/10 Great Schools in Wake forum tomorrow: Coming at a good time "It's a good opportunity to catch up on the latest twists and turns in the Wake schools saga - and figure out what the next moves should be." 10/15/10 New Survey: Wake teachers favor diversity in the schools "By an 81 to 19 percent margin, the Wake County teachers surveyed said they disagreed with the Board's decision to end the system's longstanding diversity policy and listed it as the top problem facing the system." Sept. 16-30, 2010, News Archive- 9/30/10 Break from diversity policy may have cost Wake $10.3 million magnet grant "Wake County School Board member Kevin Hill says the board's decision to eliminate diversity from its student assignment policy may be why the U.S. Department of Education did not to award Wake a $10.3 million grant for magnet schools Thursday." Diversity Matters- Why Diversity IS Important Diversity is important - in the classroom, in the business community, and beyond.  University, business, and military leaders all agree on one thing: diversity is a prerequisite for success.   Local Universities Duke University - President Richard Brodhead "...in our increasingly interconnected world, our students must be able to understand and collaborate across the many dimensions of difference - of race and ethnicity, income, religious affiliation, national culture, and many more - to succeed. Diversity makes our world a far more interesting place, and that's a good reason to build this university as a place where difference isn't just tolerated, but actively embraced." 'Chalice of Love'-         My painting's title reflects the joyful Eve figure in the beautiful dress reaching her arms to embrace all the babes. The swing is sheltering the dear children swaying gently. The red tree represents the life energy that has created and sustains us with love and wisdom. The moon and stars are there to remind us all that we are connected to all that is. We are one and this is the garden. -Alice Whyte    Sept. 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 9/15/10 Wake schools outperform others "In fact, Wake outperforms Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Guilford and the Winston Salem/Forsyth public schools in many areas." 9/15/10 Wake business leaders to discuss student assignment plan "The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the Wake Education Partnership will hold a press conference Thursday to comment on the Wake County school board's plan to assign students to neighborhood schools." Aug. 16-31, 2010, News Archive- 8/29/10 The odds against black youth "Remedies for these problems can at least be imagined. But America's tragic number - tragic because it is difficult to conceive remedial policies - is 70 percent. This is the portion of African-American children born to unmarried women. It may explain what puzzles Nathan Glazer." 8/29/10 The lessons in male graduation rates "White males didn't do that much better, with graduation rates in Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida ranging from 57 percent to 59 percent. In Cleveland, 27 percent of black males graduated; just 30 percent of white males did. In Detroit, 27 percent of black males graduated, but just 19 percent of white males did." Aug. 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 8/15/10 Wake's new attendance zones will affect school athletics "The attendance area is a huge factor in athletics," said Bobby Guthrie, the Wake County Public Schools athletic director. "The pool of students that teams draw from is one of the most important things." 8/15/10 Exclusive charters "Some of our charter schools, such as Raleigh Charter, are excellent. But until they have to play on a level playing field with public schools, with innovations that can translate to a high-poverty location, I think calling them "public" is laughable." August 16: Great Schools Back-to-School Forum - August 16th (Monday), 7-8:30pm Back-to-School Forum What You Need to Know About...STUDENT ASSIGNMENT...YOUR STUDENT'S LEGAL RIGHTS... July 15-31, 2010, News Archive- 8/1/10 School board's travesty "It is reasonable, not radical, to expect a board responsible for the education of 140,000 students in a very tight budget period to carefully consider data, not ideology, when making decisions." 8/1/10 Student examples "I am proud of the students who have chosen to stand up for what is right." Suspension Weblinks- Advocates for Children's Services Alternatives to Suspension, Expulsion, and School-Based Arrest, Advancement Project American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force Report Baltimore City Public Schools Code of Conduct Case Study: Jefferson County, Alabama OTHER REPORTS - Latest News- June 22, 2010 - Open Letter to the Community, Clergy and Civil Rights Leaders - Thoughts While we were Being Handcuffed, and Processed at the Wake County Jail on June 15 after Engaging in an Act of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience, Reverend Dr. William Barber II  June 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 6/15/10 'Non-violent protest' halts Wake school board meeting "A civil rights group staging a non-violent protest brought the Wake County school board meeting to a halt Tuesday afternoon when it took over the board's meeting room, standing together with interlocked arms and singing "We Shall Overcome." http://www.wral.com/news/education/story/7790621/ 6/15/10 School board OKs search firm, revises qualifications for superintendent "School board member Carolyn Morrison objected to hiring Heidrick, saying the committee ignored a more prudent bid from the North Carolina School Board Association, which would have saved $75,000 and costs associated with travel, since the group is local." http://www.wral.com/news/education/story/7791915/ Great Schools Neighborhood Forum Presentations- CLICK HERE for video coverage of the March 20, 2010 Great Schools Neighborhood Forum Dr. Gerald Grant, Professor of Education and Sociology Emeritus, Syracuse University Overcoming Barriers to Success Caroline Massengill, Former Senior Director of Magnet Programs, WCPSS July 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 7/15/10 Fear of 'resegregation' fuels unrest in NC "For folks who were there and lived through it, there's a real sense of a collective forgetting, a collective amnesia," says James Leloudis, a history professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who was in high school when the county system integrated. "There is a kind of tragic disremembering." NOW AVAILABLE: Great Schools March 2010 Forum Videos- 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' Great Schools in Wake Education Forum March 20, 2010 McKimmon Center at NCSU, Raleigh NC  Video Coverage: Great Schools in Wake Education Forum (Part 1) Great Schools in Wake Education Forum (Part 2) Forum Information: Click here to view forum agenda and speaker information Click here to view speaker presenations   I Want to Sponsor... Great Schools in Wake Fall Forum - September 25, 2010- $100 $200   $350   $500   Other   Wade Edwards Learning Lab Summer Program 2010- The Wade Edwards Foundation in collaboration with Needham Broughton High School Presents: The Wade Edwards Learning Lab's Summer Program 2010 July 19-August 19 M-Th, 9:00-12:00, 1:00-4:00 Registration Information May 16-31, 2010, News Archive- 5/29/10 Poor listeners "Did the new members intentionally lie when they ran on a platform of listening to and representing our community? Or are they just a clear example of power corrupting? Wake County deserves better. We need leaders who care about the education of all of our students, not just those in some neighborhoods." http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/05/29/505118/poor-listeners.html 5/29/10 Doubtful savings? "Please explain - very simply - these "economics" to me. I don't believe that such "savings" are real." http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/05/29/505115/doubtful-savings.html May 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 5/15/10 Foes see symbolism in shakeup at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools? "At issue is a plan to group the district's highest-poverty schools in two "central" administrative zones, with all other schools grouped by location. The 64 central schools all have poverty levels of 75 percent or higher. Only 6 percent of the current students are white, compared with 33 percent across CMS."? http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/05/15/1436913/foes-see-symbolism-i... 5/14/10 Court case: Would the Wake school board majority rather the public just go away? (And, if so, so what?) Great Schools in Wake News Articles & LTE- 5/16/10 Which CMS schools will have to close? "In a county where just three years ago voters approved a record $516 million to build schools, the prospect of budget-driven closings is a shock. People are already edgy."? http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/05/16/1438577/which-cms-schools-will-close.html 5/16/10 A serious hassle "To get to a school board meeting I must hire a sitter, get her a key, find someone to bring home my children from their respective schools, drive to the meeting and find a parking place. So now to attend a meeting I have to get my kids off to school, tell the teacher I can't come in for the Tuesday volunteer time I committed to at the beginning of the year, drive all the way to the school board building and go wait in line hoping I get a ticket."? http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/05/16/482649/a-serious-hassle.html 5/16/10 Unhappy with school board's direction? April 16-30, 2010- 4/28/10 Wake school board committee decides on new assignment policy "A Wake County school board committee voted 2-1 Wednesday on a new student assignment policy that maintains "stable student populations that consider proximity to home, student safety and stability of family" as top priority." http://www.wral.com/news/education/story/7499859/ 4/28/10 Sheehan: Airtime with Tedesco "Tedesco did not allay those concerns in our shared radio gig. He is not a villain, folks. But he believes he's right and that he's doing the right thing - which may be a more dangerous thing by far." April 1-15, 2010, News Archive- "Can anyone honestly say teaching staff should be cut before additional layoffs to Facilities Planning, Auxiliary Services or Growth and Planning?," Luebke writes. "If the purpose of Wake County Schools is to educate students, shouldn't the budget reflect those priorities?" http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/looking-for-administrative-cuts-first 4/15/10 Rewriting school policy proves sticky"Board member Keith Sutton said the panel should keep in mind the amount of local and national attention focused on the system's decision to remove economic diversity as a factor inassignments and replace it with commitments to keeping students closer to home in stable assignments."http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/04/15/437623/rewriting-school-policy-proves.html April 1-15, 2010, News Archive- "Can anyone honestly say teaching staff should be cut before additional layoffs to Facilities Planning, Auxiliary Services or Growth and Planning?," Luebke writes. "If the purpose of Wake County Schools is to educate students, shouldn't the budget reflect those priorities?" http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/looking-for-administrative-cuts-first 4/15/10 Rewriting school policy proves sticky"Board member Keith Sutton said the panel should keep in mind the amount of local and national attention focused on the system's decision to remove economic diversity as a factor inassignments and replace it with commitments to keeping students closer to home in stable assignments."http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/04/15/437623/rewriting-school-policy-proves.html Mar. 16-31, 2010, News Archive-  3/31/10 The price of retreat "A brief glimpse into the past-or a look at school systems around the South no longer working towards the goal of integration-suggests that serious, negative consequences await North Carolina's largest district." http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/cms/2010/03/31/the-price-of-retreat/ 3/31/10 With the Wake schools diversity policy gone, the challenge of drawing new lines "If all students were sent to their closest school, the WEP analysis showed, about two dozen of Wake'159 schools would be at or above 150 percent of their capacity. Another two dozen would be below 50 percent capacity." Mar. 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 3/14/2010: Wake's Dropout Rate Lowest Since 2003-2004 http://www.wcpss.net/news/2010_march4_dropout/ 3/14/10 Thy Neighbors' Children "John Tedesco may choose to live in an integrated community, but that decision requires enough money to make the choice." http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/03/14/385436/thy-neighbors-children.htm... Feb. 16-28, 2010, News Archive- 2/27/2010 Last week Wake County Schools Superintendent Del Burns announced his surprise resignation, adding new fuel to the already incendiary debate over the future of school assignments for the system's 140,000 students. Burns said his conscience prevents him from carrying out the agenda of the new school board majority. That agenda includes eliminating the socioeconomic diversity policy that currently governs school assignments in Wake County. Dave DeWitt, WUNC's Raleigh Bureau Chief, explains the players, the issues and the politicking taking place behind the scenes of this communitywide debate. http://wunc.org/tsot/archive/sot0225a10.mp3/view?searchterm=dave Superintendent Del Burns announced his resignation, effective June 30, 2010. Feb. 1-15, 2010, News Archive- 2/15/10-A clear response "...we need positive changes within our schools, not an overblown plan to remake our school system." http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters/story/335973.html 2/15/10-Sinking schools "Additional money is not the solution for high-poverty schools!" http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters/story/341088.html Jan. 16-31, 2010, News Archive- 1/29/10-Backsliding in the Wake County Schools "An effective educational system is dependent upon exposing our children to the diversity that exists in the real world..." http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/story/310326.html 1/29/10-Fateful choices "That is the future-white flight, housing anarchy, crime, huge pockets of failed schools and children, and ultimately, ruined economies." http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters/story/310335.html 1/28/10-School Zone "But as a former teacher and a current parent, public education advocate and taxpayer, I cannot support an approach that could lead to resegregated schools, no matter how lovely my personal scenario might seem." http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A409238 1/27/10-Parents have chances to speak out Jan. 1-15, 2009 News Archive- 1/15/10 - Heavy hand (LTE) "He also would do well to remember that those members in the minority were also elected, just as he and his allies were. They deserve respect." 1/15/10 - Wake school board to revote on mandatory year-round (LTE) "Public Policy Polling...released a poll this week that said that 63 percent of voters opposed ending year-round schools. The poll questions had tied elimination of year-round with an increase in property taxes." 1/15/10 - Taxpayer's input (LTE) "Year-round schools have the capability for saving significant tax dollars..." 1/14/10 - Margiotta puts allies in power slots (LTE) "My new colleagues are talking about the need to work together, and we have to," Hill said. "The committee assignments don't back that up." Oct-Dec 2009 News Archive- 12/23/09 - Perdue backs maintaining diversity in schools "Whether it's racially done or economically done, there has to be some kind of momentum to continue to have diversity in our schools," she said. 12/22/09 - School Board Buzz Persists "Partisan storms surrounding the Wake County school board continued Monday, with Republican power broker Art Pope downplaying his role in the election of GOP-backed candidates to the board." 12/21/09 - Parties Battle for Wake "Partisan political drama is increasingly topping the agendas of Wake County's board of commissioners and school board..." CORE VALUES - Great Schools in Wake- Wake County citizens expect and deserve schools that: 1. Produce Great Students. Our community needs the Board of Education to focus its attention on, and make decisions for, the success and achievement of all students to be competitive in both the global and local workforce. 2. Support Skilled Educators. We value our teachers and staff and believe that the Board of Education must assure opportunities for professional development and good working conditions. Every school must be a place where teachers want to teach and students learn. MISSION - Great Schools in Wake-   Our mission is to provide accurate information to educate the public about policy initiatives that would impact the quality of education, to foster well-informed discussions about critical education issues, and to advocate for policies that improve public education in Wake County. Schools- WakeUP is currently focusing on the following growth issues that affect the quality of education of students in Wake County: PRESS RELEASE: Great Schools in Wake Coalition Responds to Reprimand of School Superintendent- Contacts:  Yevonne Brannon/Patty Williams Tel: 919-244-6243/919-696-8059 Email: info@greatschoolsinwake.org CLICK HERE to view as a PDF   GREAT SCHOOLS IN WAKE COALITION RESPONDS TO REPRIMAND OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT   PRESS RELEASE: Great Schools In Wake Coalition To Host Education Forum-     Contacts: Yevonne Brannon/Patty Williams Tel: 919-244-6243/919-696-8059 Email: info@greatschoolsinwake.org CLICK HERE to view PDF version     Wake Schools Lose Focus on Diversity- Courtesy of The Carolinian Newspaper, NC's twice-weekly African-American newspaper, we are re-posting a topical three-part series of articles about the Wake County Public School System, written by Cash Michaels. Part 2, below, was first published in the print-only newspaper November 19, 2009. © Cash Michaels, The Carolinian  Editor’s note - This is part 2 of a three-part series on Wake County Public Schools' lost focus on black student achievement in recent years, allowing the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System to pull ahead in the NC report card results.     ---------------------------  Two weeks after the bad news struck, David Holdzkom, assistant superintendent for Evaluation and Research for the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is still analyzing the data, trying to figure out what happened. Google Custom Search Program QuickLinks Air Quality (1) Growth Management (52) Housing Options (1) Land Use (11) Open Space (3) Paying for Growth (17) Quality of Life (5) Schools (117) Stormwater (5) Transit (32) UDO (3) Water (23) Want a WakeUP speaker at your event? click here Taxpayers for Good Growth! wakeupwakecounty.com WakeUP Wake County • POB 6484 • Raleigh NC 27628 Copyright © 2008 WakeUP Wake County, Inc. All Rights Reserved.