The School Connection
October 18, 2007 |
WCPSS BECOMES STATE’S LARGEST DISTRICT WITH 134,000 STUDENTS
Enrollment in the Wake County Public School System increased to 134,002 on the 20th day of the 2006-07 school year, 6,000 students more than last year. This increase in enrollment made WCPSS the largest school district in NC, passing Charlotte Mecklenburg schools which reported 20th day enrollment of 132,281.
WCPSS 20th Day Enrollment
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The increase in enrollment of 5,930 students is the third largest in the school system’s history. In 2005-06, enrollment grew by 7,568 and in 2004-05, by 6,439.
The increase of nearly 6,000 students this year falls short of the projection for 8,000 students. School system and county planners who jointly develop the projections will review the data to see what they can learn from it and revise projections for the future.
The 20th day enrollment is a snapshot of one day’s school enrollment that is annually reported to the state. Since the 20th day, WCPSS schools have enrolled an additional 600 students. 400 of those students are attending year-round schools.
BOARD RECEIVES UPDATE ON THE CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT AUDIT
At its Oct. 2 meeting, the Board of Education received an update from WCPSS Chief Academic Officer Donna Hargens who provided a brief overview of the sections of the Curriculum Management Audit Report. Dr. Hargens reviewed single-page overviews of each recommendation as a method to understand the report and to easily locate additional information regarding a finding, a recommendation, or an action step.
At the Sept. 18 board meeting, Dr. Burns and Dr. Hargens provided a framework for the staff work and the phases of the staff work related to the audit and aligned to the four Strategic Directives. Dr. Hargens presented an expanded overview of the report and overviews of each recommendation for the board at the Sept. 18 committee of the whole meeting.
Dr. Rosanne Stripling, lead auditor, presented the 400-page CMA Report to the Board of Education at the Sept. 4 meeting.
MAGNET FAIR PLANNED FOR NOV. 3
The annual WCPSS Magnet Schools Fair is planned for Saturday, Nov. 3 at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Families interested in educational choice may explore the many innovative programs offered through the network of magnet programs.
The magnet fair is open to the public and creates a venue for parents and students to visit interactive display booths and inquire about such magnet programs as Gifted and Talented, International Baccalaureate, Museums, University Connections, Leadership and Technology, and the newest magnet school, Wake Early College of Health and Sciences.
While magnet school students perform, sing and dance in the auditorium, principals, teachers and students from the schools are available to answer questions at the display booths in the gym and lunchroom.
Families can also collect information about future recruitment events; and meet with representatives from WCPSS's Office of Growth and Planning, and Transportation Department.
For over 25 years, WCPSS's award-winning magnet schools have enhanced the NC Standard Course of Study with innovative approaches to learning that empower students. Magnets open doors of opportunity and spark the imagination of students, preparing them to become responsible citizens in a global society.
To find out more about WCPSS magnet schools and other upcoming recruiting events visit www.wcpss.net/magnet, or the Magnet Resource Center located on the campus of Millbrook Elementary. The phone number is 501-7900.
BOARD APPROVES JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT FOR TRIANGLE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
At its Oct. 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved renewal of the contract and funding for Wake County Public Schools continued participation in Triangle Leadership Academy. WCPSS portion is $150,000.00 per year in the leadership program operated with Durham and Orange school districts.
BOARD APPROVES BLUE DIAMOND INFORMATION SOLUTIONS CONTRACT
At its Oct. 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved a contract for $200,000.00 with Blue Diamond Information Solutions (BDIS) which provides software site licenses for all school sites, enabling each school the ability to score formative assessments and generate reports. BDIS also provides consultation services, support services, maintenance of applications, software maintenance, back-up data, and documentation as set forth in the service agreement with WCPSS. The contract will be paid from Disadvantaged Students Supplemental Funding.
Character Education in WCPSS
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At Conn Elementary, the guidance program and the Positive Behavior Support (PBS) team have developed a school-wide character education program. Their motto is that all staff members and students show respect, responsibility and kindness and demonstrate excellence in all that they do. Every month, the guidance counselor appears on the school’s morning news broadcast to introduce the character trait for that month. She may read a book, show a video, or give the classroom teachers ideas for modeling these traits during morning meeting. Fifth grade students also feature character trait ideas during the week on the morning news. After viewing the news, teachers are encouraged to discuss these character traits with their students. For consistent instruction, the guidance counselor also teaches character trait lessons twice a month in kindergarten and once a month in first through fifth grade throughout the school year.
In the main office, there are CONNpliment cards and Thursday motto cards that the teachers can utilize. Teachers can fill out CONNpliment cards for staff members demonstrating respect, responsibility, and kindness, along with Thursday motto cards for students who are showing these character traits. The students’ names are read on the Thursday news and the CONNpliment cards are recognized on a bulletin board and at monthly staff meetings.
Every classroom has a character education poster. Teachers hold morning meeting each day from 9:15-9:30. This allotted block of time guarantees that each student receives character education training.
MARTIN MIDDLE - At Martin Middle School each month, school counselor Georganne Griffin notifies staff by e-mail of the monthly character trait, the WCPSS definition, and some ideas of how teachers can use the character trait for instruction. Griffin recently visited all the sixth grade classes and found that most of the students knew about the WCPSS character traits and were able to define and relate them to the classroom guidance session at hand. Griffin is planning to pilot a small Peer Mediation program in the near future, and will be using aspects of character education in the training and implementation. Character education and a positive school climate are integrated into a successful peer mediation program.
SALEM MIDDLE - Salem Middle School is excited about its Character Counts program. Counselor Barbara Van Oostrum says there are many students at Salem Middle School that reach high academic recognition and the school felt the need to spotlight deserving students who demonstrate the WCPSS character traits on a daily basis. Two students per track per grade are selected on a quarterly basis for their outstanding character. For the first quarter of the 2007-08 school 27 students were honored with a Character Counts breakfast sponsored this quarter by area restaurants.
HOLLY RIDGE MIDDLE - Teacher Patrick McArdle says the school’s character trait for October is respect. McArdle shares a monthly electronic newsletter with staff entitled the Character Bulletin. The newsletter includes some advice on communication:
“We are always communicating with what we say, how we act, sometimes with what we don't say. Words chosen well can lift someone up and make for healthy relationships. Words not chosen well can tear people apart. Lack of words can build walls, most of us know the pain that comes when we feel ignored or left out, or overlooked. Lack of words can sometimes create stronger relationships that unpleasant words would destroy. Make it a habit to think before speaking.”
McArdle shares an excerpt from the Character Education Informational Handbook & Guide for Support and Implementation of the Student Citizen Act of 2001, a tool the school uses to develop its Character Education program. The handbook says character education programs should include:
Community participation. Have educators, parents, students, and members of the community invest themselves in a consensus-building process to discover common ground that is essential for long-term success.
Character education policy. Make character education a part of your philosophy, goal or mission statement by adopting a formal policy. Don’t just say it—put it in writing.
Defined traits. Have a meeting of parents, teachers and community representatives and use
consensus to get agreement on which character traits to reinforce and what definitions to
use. Formally state what your school means by “courage” or “perseverance” before they are
discussed with students. (The suggested traits listed in the Student Citizen Act might be a
great place to start.)
Integrated curriculum. Make character education integral to the curriculum at all grade levels. Take the traits you have chosen and connect them to classroom lessons, so students see
how a trait might figure into a story or be part of a science experiment or how it might affect
them. Make these traits a part of every class and every subject.
Experiential learning. Allow your students to see the trait in action, experience it and express it. Include community-based, real-world experiences in your curriculum that illustrate
character traits (e.g., service learning, cooperative learning and peer mentoring). Allow
time for discussion and reflection.
Evaluation. Evaluate character education from two perspectives: (1) Is the program affecting positive changes in student behavior, academic achievement and cognitive understanding of the
traits? (2) Is the implementation process providing the tools and support teachers need?
CALENDAR
| Oct. 23 | 9 a.m., Board of Education work session, Crossroads II Building, Cary |
| Oct. 24 | 9 a.m., Board of Education work session, Crossroads II Building, Cary |
| Oct. 26 | 6 p.m., Principal of the Year Banquet, Marbles (Exploris) Museum, Raleigh |
| Nov. 3 | 10 a.m., WCPSS Magnet Fair, Southeast Raleigh High, Raleigh |
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