Community Engagement Meetings (Again) on Student Assignment, etc.

I'm passing on the following information from the WCPSS's website concerning "community engagement" meetings on student assignment. I'm sorry I failed to post this before the first meeting last Monday, but here are links to the power point presentation and to handouts:

http://www.newsobserver.com/content/media/2007/10/30/CEPresentation.pdf

http://www.newsobserver.com/content/media/2007/10/30/CommHandout.pdf

 

The community engagement meetings will provide families the opportunity to hear the most current information used in making decisions on school construction and student assignment, as well as an opportunity to provide input into the development of new plans.

The school system will hold three community engagement meetings in various areas of the county. Following are the meeting dates and locations:

Oct. 29

Green Hope High, 2500 Carpenter Upchurch Road, Cary, NC 27519

Nov. 13

Knightdale High, 100 Bryan Chalk Lane, Knightdale, NC 27545 

Nov. 15

Sanderson High, 5500 Dixon Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609

Nov. 27
Middle Creek High, 123 Middle Creek Park Avenue, Apex, NC 27539

All meetings are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and last for approximately two hours.

A draft Growth Management Proposal will be available for review and public comment on the school district website beginning in early December and the school system will receive suggestions on the proposal that will be used in presenting a staff recommendation to the Board of Education at the board's meeting on January 8. The Board of Education will then schedule public hearings and work sessions. The board is expected to vote on a Growth Management Plan at its February 5 meeting.

-wcpss-

WCPSS Enrollment Less Than Predicted

The 20th-day enrollment figures were finally released today by the Wake County Public School System. Their original prediction (insistence?) that the increase would probably be around 8,000 students did not come to pass. There are about 6,000 more students this year - a huge jump, but 2,000 seats less than envisioned. Some of us who oppose the forcing of year-round schools find this especially disturbing given the fact that other arguably less- invasive options for creating  seats were not sufficiently explored. Another interesting topic of conversation centers around the county dollars that were given to the school system based on the 8,000 number.

Today's "News and Observer" article stated that, "Tony Gurley, chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, said the board can't legally force the schools to return more than $4 million in funding that exceeded the county allocation of $2,172 per student.

But Gurley said commissioners might ask the schools to give back the money voluntarily."

You can find out more at:  http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/733410.html. There is also a post on the WCPSS website, www.wcpss.net .

VOTE ON TUESDAY!!!!!

Most of you know (I hope!) that tomorrow (Tuesday) is an election day for Wake County. It is so very important that each one of us takes advantage of our precious right to let our choices be known. Turn-out is expected to be low - let's prove that prediction wrong!

FYI - I have been contacted by many folks who share my view that the mandating of year-round schools is wrong. Support for Sean O'Brien in District 6 and Alfreda Wilson in District 3 is growing. I don't live in those districts, but for those who do, I have provided the following links:

http://www.electseanobrien.com/ 

http://www.electalfredawilson.com/

Please urge everyone you know to make a difference and go out and vote! I think we all know what is at stake here in Wake County. We are desperately in need of some positive changes, and the best way to bring those about is to show up at the polls tomorrow!

Planning to Vote Early? Please Read This!

From today's N&O:

"Today and Saturday are the last chances to use the one-stop process to register and vote in the municipal elections in Wake and Durham counties."

"If you've registered, you can vote today or Saturday. If you haven't registered, you can do that, too, and vote at the same time. You can also change your registration and vote. "

Read the full article here.

Survey Glitch

I have received word that when parents have attempted to send in their comments for the online WCPSS survey posted by NBC17, their message is rejected unless the top portion is filled out. Well - the top portion is only for traditional-school parents.

When I questioned NBC17 about this yesterday, they were the ones who said, “just fill out the bottom”. So much for those directions!

I just spoke with the reporter and she is now aware of the problem – says she’ll pass it on. I had hoped that NBC17 would put out a survey of their own for input from MYR parents. I don’t think they quite “get it”. Don’t know how effective this one will be now. I also mentioned that just passing the comments on to WCPSS isn’t enough. Many of you did that long ago. Others need to be aware of the dissatisfaction out there.

Sorry for the faulty instructions. Please let others know, and in the meantime maybe the news station will come up with something. Even if they discount the top info., they can still focus in on the comments.

Thanks everyone.

Here's Your Chance!!

I posted this on the N&O WakeEd blog tonight. PLEASE take this opportunity that has been laid out for you, and pass this on to others! I assured the person who interviewed me that if NBC17 did this, they would get an overwhelming response (especially from unhappy year-round conversion parents).

Thanks - Louise

If you watched the NBC17 6:00 news, you know that they have put the WCPSS survey online.
They did this so that ALL parents who faced a decision about where to place their child this year (because of the MYR issue) could let their voices be heard. NBC17 interviewed me about this today, and indicated that parents who stayed at their converted year-round school - against their better judgment - should let their reasons be known.

Skip down to the "COMMENT" section on the survey and type away. This survey is for you!!

Access the survey at the following link and go to "CLICK HERE".

http://www.nbc17.com/midatlantic/ncn/news/Education___School_News/wake_calendar_survey.html or use this short one which goes to the same page
http://tinyurl.com/2rso97

UPDATE: Here's the text from the NBC17 story from tonight.

Interview With NBC17 for Tonight's News (just a "blurb" at best!)

Well...I just interviewed with NBC17, with regard to the many, many parents who "opted" to stay at their converted year-round school because their only other choice would have been an "unknown". To me, THEY are the ones who need to be surveyed, and I am hopeful that they will soon have a venue where they can express their opinions. Stay tuned...