Education: Bill Fletcher February Newsletter
Wake County, NC — Thoughts for February 2015 from Bill Fletcher, Member Wake County Board of Education.
High Quality Teachers in Our Classrooms
Wake is still the nation’s leader in the number of Nationally Board Certified teachers. Recently, 90 WCPSS teachers earned what is widely considered the “gold standard” in teaching – certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
This brings the total number of teachers achieving this status while working in WCPSS to 2,455 – the largest number of certified teachers for any school district nationwide. This is the ninth consecutive year WCPSS has held this distinction.
Wake Releases New School Report Cards
In response to a new state approach that assigns a single grade to an entire school, the Wake County Public School System has released detailed progress reports for all of its schools. The reports make it easy to review student achievement and academic growth by school. The information goes far beyond the single grade assigned by the state.
Superintendent Jim Merrill states that:
We have never believed assigning a single grade to a school makes much sense. Our parents understand there is much more to a school than one grade can reflect. We feel this is a credible, transparent and logical way for parents to quickly appreciate the strengths and challenges of any school in our system.
WAKE Up and Read Second Annual Book Drive
In low income neighborhoods, only one child in every 300 children owns a book of his/her own. This successful drive will provide ten books to every child in ten Wake elementary schools. Collecting 100,000 books in the month of February is step one.
Books will be sorted and leveled and offered to students at school-based book fairs in May. You can be involved. Sign up at www.wakeupandread.org.
Parental Choice is Alive and Well in Wake
Parents in Wake have an abundance of educational choices within the Wake County Public School System. The magnet school application period ends Wednesday, February 11, 2015, and early reports show high numbers of applicants for the 40 differentiated magnet programs.
Thousands of other students are in schools chosen by parents and accessed through calendar options and transfer requests.
Strategic Plan Approved
The Board-approved strategic plan provides the focus for future budgets and plans for the system. Find out more through wcpss.net.
Commission and School Board Pledge Cooperation
The first joint meeting of the newly elected County Commission and School Board resulted in a shared understanding of some of the challenges ahead for our County. What is remarkable is the mutual expectation that through working together “best value” and “least cost” solutions can be found. Here! Here!
Factoid #8
More than 300 WCPSS students graduated from eight high schools in midyear January ceremonies. Most were completing high school ahead of their classmates!
Parent Chats
Parent chats are held on the first Thursdays and on the third Mondays of each month. They are not held on holidays.
- 1st Thursdays: 1 pm, Cary Chamber, 315 N Academy Street
- 3rd Mondays: 11 am, Caribou Coffee shop, 109 SW Maynard
Get in Touch
BFletcher@wcpss.net || Voice Mail: 919-431-7332 || Mobile: 919-880-5301
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Story by Bill Fletcher, Member Wake County Board of Education. Photo by Hal Goodtree.
