Students Shine Like Gold in Annual Arts Extravaganza

More than 800 Wake County public school students showcased their talents on stage and behind the scenes Wednesday night in the 24th annual Pieces of Gold at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Pieces of Gold is an annual arts extravaganza produced by the Wake County Public School System and Wake Education Partnership. Ninety student artists were also honored on Tuesday at a Gifts of Gold reception at the Progress Energy Center for Performing Arts, including a medal ceremony for the winning artists. The students’ artwork, representing 69 Wake County schools, was featured in the lobby of Memorial Auditorium on March 6-7.

Students and teachers work throughout the year to produce performances that support the curriculum as well as entertain an enthusiastic audience. The event also serves as an annual fundraiser for Wake Education Partnership. The performance celebrates the many talents of students from around our community and honors the hard work of our school community. Pieces of Gold alums have gone on to pursue careers in a variety of areas, but some—like Broadway star Lauren Kennedy and American Idol sensation Clay Aiken—started their performing careers right here in Raleigh. For a complete list of participating schools and winning artists, visit Wake Ed online.

WCPSS Updates from The News & Observer

- Schools say transfer requests manageable… Low demand from Wake County families to opt out of year-round schools means school leaders expect to be able to accommodate all of the requests. Figures released last week show that 1,519 families applied last month for the 2,600 seats set aside at traditional-calendar schools for those who said they couldn't make the year-round schedule work.

- Superintendent presents budget request… WCPSS Superintendent Del Burns presented his proposed 2007-08 budget to the Board of Education this week, including a request for an extra $29.4 million from County Commissioners to operate schools. The largest increase in funding is in response to growth – student enrollment grew by 7,500 for 2006-07 and is projected to increase by more than 8,000 for 2007-08.. The plan includes $16.5 million to open seven new schools and meet the needs of an additional 8,000 students. Legislative changes for salary increases and employer's matching benefit changes require the school district to spend an additional $9.6 million. The plan also includes $4.6 million in savings, removing one-time costs from the previous year and budget reductions. If the school board approves the budget, the school district would ask commissioners for $305.3 million of their $1.1 billion budget.

Community Meetings Offer Info for Parents, Teachers, Students

- The Coalition of Concerned Citizens for African American Children will host a public meeting on March 24, 2007, to allow parents, teachers and community members to learn more about Wake Ed’s Quality Matters report and N.C. State’s RAMP-UP program (Recognizing Accelerated Math Potential in Underrepresented People). The meeting will be held at Martin St. Baptist Church (1001 East Martin St., Raleigh) from 10 a.m. to noon. Speakers will be John Mabe, attorney with Maupin Taylor and Quality Matters committee member, and Liz Parry, project director with RAMP-UP. Limited seating is available -- please RSVP to Calla Wright at cccaac@nc.rr.com by Tuesday, March 20.

- PAGE (Partners for the Advancement of Gifted Education) of Wake County will sponsor Super Saturday on April 14 at Cary Academy. The morning and afternoon sessions, which are designed to spark interest in AG K-8 grade students, include classes in Indonesian dance, Making Motion Pictures, Dinosaur Hunters, Quilting, and more. Concurrent parent sessions will feature presentations from Dr. Jim Brooks, vice president of the N.C. Association of Gifted and Talented, and Joyce Gardner, director of WCPSS’s AG program. Advance registration is required by March 19, 2007. For a full list of class descriptions and registration information, visit PAGE online.

Parent Council Accepting Applications

The Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council is currently accepting applications from parents to serve a three-year term on the council. The SPAC is in its third year as a diverse group of engaged and informed parents who serve as a sounding board and problem solving entity to the Superintendent of the Wake County Public School System and his top leadership team. This 18-person council works with representatives from the Teachers Advisory Council, the Staff Advisory Council and the Association of Principals and Assistant Principals to work together to provide input on specific issues identified by the Superintendent. The Superintendent's Summit meets four times a year. Applications are being accepted through April 13, 2007. Selection will be made by May 11 and the first meeting will be on June 11. For more information or to receive an application, please send an email to Virginia Parker at parkervg@earthlink.net or call 919.846.1928.

News from the Special Education PTA

The Wake County Special Education PTA (SEPTA) is open to PTA members interested in the particular issues facing students with special learning needs. More than 19,000 Wake County students have special education plans. SEPTA is collecting books related to learning disabilities and special education to be placed in the Wake County Public library system to increase the availability of resources to parents and teachers. In support of this effort, the Triangle Down Syndrome Network has given a grant to purchase new books for each library branch. If you have books appropriate for this undertaking, please contact Leigh Menconi at 919.788.2500 or President@WakeSEPTA.org.

The Wake County Advisory Council for Programs and Services for Children with Special Needs Award Program is seeking nominations. Deadline for nominating a teacher or other school staff member is March 16. The form is available online. For more information, contact Lisa Schwab at lisaschwab@bellsouth.net.

India Fest Free for Educators and Students this Month

The NuvYug Cultural Organization invites all Wake County educators and their students to INDIA FEST 2007: Your Gateway to India. India Fest will be held on Saturday, March 17, from noon -9 p.m., and Sunday, March 18, from 1-6 p.m, at the J.S. Dorton Arena, State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. India Fest provides students with first-hand experience of the arts and cultures of South Asia. This year India Fest celebrates the theme of "Scintillating Spices." Contact Mehul Shah at 919.465.2666 for free passes for students and teachers, to arrange special seating for school groups, or to arrange for a speaker to come to your school or classroom after the event.

New Graduation Data Tracks Cohorts

The 82.6 percent on-time graduation rate for the Wake County Public School System is one of the highest graduation rates among North Carolina school districts and higher than the state’s other large urban districts. The state average is 68.1 percent. The rate is largely consistent with previous studies of the WCPSS graduation rate. Among the various WCPSS student subgroups, female students had a graduation rate just over 7 percentage points higher than male students. The four-year graduation rate varied considerably among ethnic subgroups, with Asian and American Indian students showing rates above 90 percent and white students at 89.6 percent. Students with disabilities, students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch and students with limited English proficiency had graduation rates that were substantially below the system-wide average.

The four-year graduation rate is a new calculation added to the 2005-06 NC School Report Cards as part of the measurement of Annual Yearly Progress required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The graduation rate is the percentage of students entering the ninth grade for the first time during the 2002-03 school year who earned a diploma by the spring of 2006. Prior to 2005-06, state graduation data calculated the number of graduates in a particular year who had completed graduation requirements in four years or less. High school completion data for every school system and for every high school in North Carolina can be found on the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s website.

Cable Awards Seeking Innovative Teachers, Champion Principals

For 17 years, Time Warner Cable has honored teachers across the United States with its National Teacher Awards, recognizing teachers who bring enrichment and innovation to our nation's classrooms. This year, Time Warner Cable will recognize 15 projects for creative use of cable television resources. The winners will receive $2,000 cash and $3,000 for school technology advancement. Applications are due by April 13 and are available online.

For the first time, Time Warner Cable announces the Champion Principal Award, to recognize the power of a principal’s encouragement and support in effectively using technology to maximize teaching and learning in the classroom. The Champion Principal will receive a trip for two to the TWC National Teacher Awards gala celebration in Washington, D.C., and $5,000 for classroom technology enhancement. Applications are due by April 13 and are available online.

U.S. Chamber Report Card Gives N.C. Average Marks

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has issued a state-by-state report card on educational effectiveness that shows America’s K–12 schools are failing their students and putting America’s future competitiveness at risk. The report graded all 50 states and Washington, D.C., on nine broad categories including academic achievement, return on investment, truth in advertising, rigor of standards, and data quality. The report focuses on the critical role of education in attaining the American dream. Unemployment rates for those without a high school degree are 8.1 percent compared with 2.2 percent for college graduates. Yet, approximately 40 percent of all U.S. college students take at least one remedial course, and most students who take remedial courses never earn a college degree. North Carolina averaged a “C.” To read the report, visit the Center for American Progress online.

Guidebook Offers “Eight for 2008” for Presidential Candidates

In a new report, Education Sector offers eight education ideas for the 2008 presidential campaign. They cover the educational spectrum, from preschool to higher education. They range in scope from big ideas that would chart entirely new directions for policymaking to others that would simply help schools and colleges improve what they are already doing. The eight ideas include: (1) Unlock the Pre-K Door; (2) Offer Teachers a New Deal; (3) Create a National Corps of "SuperPrincipals"; (3) Open New Schools in Low-Income Neighborhoods; (4) Launch Learning into the 21st Century; (5) Reward Hard-Working Immigrant Students; (6) Give Students a Roadmap to Good Colleges; and (7) Help Students Help Others.

NCLB Commission Releases Report

Last month, the Aspen Institute's year-old Commission on No Child Left Behind released its final report, with 75 recommendations for strengthening the law in the areas of standards, accountability, improvement/ options, and teacher quality. Among the recommendations, the Commission addressed embedding growth models in the law to measure student achievement over time, the pressing need for highly qualified teachers in every classroom, and more significant interventions and critical resources for schools that are chronically underperforming.

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UPCOMING WAKE ED PARTNERSHIP EVENTS

March 22: Education Exchange meeting at the Knightdale Town Hall from 7-8:30 p.m. Topic will be the work of the Citizens Facility Advisory Committee with a focus on site selection for schools

March 28: Deadline for Food for Thought grant applications. Applications for Wake Education Partnership’s Food for Thought grants are being accepted online now through March 28.

April 4 : Wake Regional Education Roundtable. Topic: Student Achievement; hosted by Wake Ed and the Morrisville and Cary Chambers of Commerce. Registration will be available soon.