Education: Bill Fletcher 2017 April Newsletter
Cary, NC – Thoughts for April 2017 from Bill Fletcher, Member of the Wake County Board of Education.
Elementary Art, Music and PE positions Still At Risk!
Nothing has changed as of this writing. Wake is facing the mandatory re-organization of nearly every elementary school in the county, including year- round track assignments. More than 60,000 students could be affected by these state-mandated changes. Principals are being forced to consider the worst impact of the forced class size reductions. Art, music and PE teachers fear for their jobs while at the same time principals cannot hire the K-3 certified teachers necessary to teach the new student groupings. The quickest solution is for the NC Senate to pass HB13 as is. Please let your Senator know your thoughts and concerns.
Superintendent Releases Budget Amidst Uncertainty from the State and Feds
Today, Dr. Merrill released his budget recommendation to the Wake School Board. In it he shares priorities for maintaining art, music and PE in the elementary schools as well as augmenting instructional resources at schools where too few students are performing at grade level. His budget also includes numerous significant and important educational strategies that are unfunded and will remain on a deferred list.
Public School Forum releases new K-12 education funding study
This report will serve as a reference for the Legislative Study Commission that will review and possibly create a new system of state funding for all 115 NC School Districts. There will be winners and losers. Be informed. The full report is available: https://www.ncforum.org/local-school-finance-study/
Wake Enters PISA Testing System
Under the leadership of Superintendent Jim Merrill, Wake’s high schools have entered the world-wide assessment system known a PISA. PISA is a computer-based assessment of mathematics, science, and reading. PISA measures how well 15-year-old students around the world apply what they learned to unfamiliar settings under the rationale that “modern economies reward individuals not for what they know, but for what they can do with what they know”. WCPSS schools out-performed both the U.S. national and international averages in each core subject of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA): mathematics, reading, and science.
Discussions about Race & Disproportionality are expanding across the District
Several recent student incidents suggest that our schools, as well as the broader community, should engage in renewed conversations about the impact of race in all aspects of civic life — student academic performance, behavior/discipline as well as employment and housing opportunities. Please join in these conversations and engage the diverse points of view across our county.
Factoid #31
Despite aggressive efforts to recruit, train and retain bus drivers for Wake’s yellow fleet, the District continues to have more than 100 unfilled positions. The hours are somewhat unusual. The clientele is the best our parents have (they don’t keep the good one at home). Who do you know who is looking for a rewarding “encore” position with benefits? Apply here!
Parent chats (except on holidays)
1st Thursday – 1 PM
Cary Chamber, 315 N Academy St., Cary
3rd Monday – 11 AM
Caribou Coffee shop, 109 SW Maynard Rd., Cary
Bill Fletcher school info: BFletcher@wcpss.net || Voice Mail: 919-694-8843 || Mobile: 919-880-5301
Story by Bill Fletcher, Member Wake County Board of Education. Graph courtesy of Bill Fletcher. Photos courtesy of the Wake County Public School System.
