Dear WCPSS Teachers,

This week, the Wake County Public School System joins the rest of the nation in celebrating excellent teaching.  Our school system is blessed with nearly 9,000 teachers, giving 100 percent to help each of our 150,000 students achieve at the highest level possible. The sheer numbers do not tell the whole story:  Wake County’s academic success is better measured by individual stories of going “above and beyond” on a daily basis, reaching each child in the classroom, celebrating achievement.

Your work is not only noticed, it is deeply appreciated by our community.  I know that I speak for all when I extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to each teacher in our school system.  I wish you all the best as you finish the 2012-2013 school year.

Respectfully,
Stephen Gainey
Interim Superintendent

Learn more about National Teacher Day >

• Tina Anderson has been appointed as assistant principal at Harris Creek Elementary School.

• Robert Epler has been appointed as assistant principal at Brentwood Elementary School.

• Timothy Kennedy has been appointed as the Senior Director of Internal Audit.

• Susan Lavallee has been appointed as assistant principal at Rolesville Middle School.

• Anne Pauls has been appointed as assistant principal at Smith Elementary School.

• Tierre Ramsey has been appointed as assistant principal at Daniels Middle School.

• Deanna Wilson has been appointed as assistant principal at Walnut Creek Elementary School.

• Monica Yilanes has been appointed as assistant principal at Sanderson High School.

The Wake County Public School System has named Luke Miles the Wake County Teacher of the Year. Miles received the Wake County Teacher of the Year Award at a banquet sponsored by Wells Fargo. Hundreds gathered to celebrate his work and the accomplishments of all 12 finalists. Miles is a teacher at Durant Road Middle where he is a leader in instructional technology.

Learn more. >

Four WCPSS beginning teachers have been honored with the Diane Kent-Parker First Year Teacher Award. The winners are

• Stephanie Albert is a fifth-grade teacher at Powell Magnet Elementary. Albert is a graduate of the University of Arizona. Principal Chas Miller says she is a dedicated professional and is committed to the success of all students.
• Lindsay Tobin teaches a self-contained special education class at Rolesville Middle. Tobin is a graduate of Appalachian State University. Principal Dhedra Lassiter says she puts student needs and growth first in everything she does.
• Hannah Weaver teaches seventh-grade Language Arts at Salem Middle. Weaver is a graduate of University of Pittsburgh and N.C. State University. Principal Allen Ellzey says her poise, communication skills, passion and energy set her apart.
• Hana Jenkins teaches orchestra at Wake Forest Rolesville High. Jenkins is a graduate of Appalachian State University. Assistant Principal Dwayne Cooke says she knows her students and has a passion, love and drive for music.

Dr. Stephen Gainey, Wake County Interim Superintendent, applauded the winners for being recognized by their peers for their dedication to children as well as their quest for professional and personal excellence.

The teachers were honored at the Wake County Teacher of the Year Banquet on May 9.

Village Realty declares May, 2013 “Teacher Appreciation Month” in honor of the Wake County Public School System teachers, librarians, staff – anyone connected with the school system.  They have some special incentives for you, but you need to hurry! These offers end on May 31, 2013. This is an exclusive offer just for you in appreciation for all you do for our children.

Offer 1: A 15% discount off of the rent (only) for participating homes with one to five bedrooms if booked and confirmed with payment by May 31, 2013.

Offer 2: A 20% discount off of the rent (only) for participating homes with six or more bedrooms if booked and confirmed with payment by May 31, 2013.

Details + a link that includes the 303 Outer Banks properties are available via our employee only intranet: http://www2.wcpss.net/departments/hr/discounts/index.htm

Please contact Melanie Brown in Human Resources, mbrown8@wcpss.net, with any questions.

Douglas Magnet Elementary teacher Natalia Disney has been awarded the 2013 A+ Educator of the Year award.

Disney is the second teacher to receive the annual Gerry D. Howell A+ Educator of the Year award from the A+ Creative Arts Program.

Douglas Creative Arts and Science Magnet Elementary is part of the A+ Creative Arts Program, an approach to teaching and learning grounded in the belief that the arts can play a central role in how children learn. A+ schools combine interdisciplinary teaching and daily arts instruction, giving teachers multiple opportunities each day to recognize the special skills and learning styles of students. The program operates in N.C. and three other states

The award is named after the late Gerry D. Howell, long-time A+ Schools Program executive director and the inspiration behind the creative teaching and learning of countless educators, administrators and students across North Carolina.

Disney, a kindergarten teacher at Douglas, was recognized as a dedicated A+ educator who best exemplifies the values of the A+ Schools Program and its philosophies. She had to complete an extensive application including her philosophy of teaching and learning.  Her nomination was supported by the school’s Leadership Team.

Two Wake County school bus drivers finished in the top 10 at the annual State School Bus ROADeo in Raleigh.

In the driving skills competition, Byron Lanier finished second earning a $400 cash prize and Jeffrey Mellen finished seventh earning a $50 cash prize . Drivers compete on an obstacle course that tests mastering a diminishing clearance, backing, making a tight turn and parallel parking.

A total of 48 school bus drivers participated in the final testing and driving competition to name the top school bus driver in North Carolina.  Each of the 48 contestants advanced to the state finals by placing in the top 10 of a regional competition.  Most regional participants also advanced through a local ROADeo sponsored by their local school system.

The N.C. Pupil Transportation Association, the Division of Motor Vehicles, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s Transportation Services Section and Wake County Public School System’s Transportation Department sponsor the annual State School Bus ROADeo.

Seventh place finisher Jeffrey Mellen and Byron Lanier who finished in second place earning a $400 cash prize in the state Bus Driver Roadeo.

A hiring freeze is in effect for the 2013-2014 school year for all central services positions and all school-based positions except for Principal, Bookkeeper, NCWISE Data Manager, and Lead Secretary.

The hiring freeze for the 2013-2014 school year affects new hires and re-hires. Under the hiring freeze, these candidates will not be considered for employment during the 2013-2014 school year until all contractual obligations (such as career teachers, probationary teachers, and administrators on contracts) for the 2013-2014 school year have been met. (Note: The group referred to as re-hires includes employees on a 2012-2013 terminating contract.)

Voluntary transfer requests will be accepted from individuals not on a 2012-2013 terminating contract.

These actions are being taken to manage the contractual obligations of WCPSS for the 2013-2014 school year until we receive more definitive information about next year’s budget.

Applicants are encouraged to continue with the application process in anticipation of the hiring freeze’s gradual lifting in late Spring/early Summer and closely monitor this site for updates.

FAQs

Why is WCPSS instituting a hiring freeze?
The hiring freeze is instituted for two reasons:

1. ensure that there are sufficient positions for individuals such as teachers, administrators, and support staff with whom WCPSS  has  a 2013-2014 contractual/employment obligation, and,
2. ensure that the school system operates within the limits of its state and local budgets.

When will the hiring freeze be lifted?
In the past, hiring freezes have been lifted by position type throughout the Spring as WCPSS teachers, administrators, and support staff with contracts/employment for the upcoming school year are placed in positions.   During the past four years, the freeze has been completely lifted for all position types in late Spring.

Are the posted job openings positions that are open to the general public…or are they open only to WCPSS’s current employees?
Per our board policy, we are required to post all vacant positions for 10 days. During the hiring freeze, it is possible that a posted position will be filled by an existing WCPSS employee with whom the school system has a contractual/employment obligation for the 2013-2014 school year.

I’d really like to work in Wake County.  Should I bother to apply and contact schools?
Applicants are encouraged to continue with the application process and contact schools, even during the hiring freeze.  Once the hiring freeze has been lifted, principals will be eager to hire.

For more information:
> Memo to Principals

Enloe Magnet High teacher Lauren Brooks just finished serving her year as the Wake County Teacher of the Year. At the recent banquet naming Luke Miles as the new Wake County Teacher of the Year, Brooks talked about what she learned serving in the role. Here is what she had to say.

Thanks, Lauren.

Fuquay-Varina High teacher Charla Parker has been named the national High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) at its national convention in Charlotte.

Parker, a PE teacher for the past 30 years,  received the award in recognition of her outstanding teaching performance at the high school level, her ability to motivate students and sharing these skills with other teachers.

The Board of Education appointed leaders to several schools at its June 4 meeting.

• Janiece Dilts has been appointed as assistant principal at Millbrook High School.

• Shandua Ellis has been appointed as assistant principal/instructional resource teacher at East Cary Middle School.

Three WCPSS school counselors have been named 2013 WCPSS Counselor of the Year.

The three nominees will go on to compete at the state level for the title of N.C. Counselor of the Year, an honor to be awarded in November at the 2013 N.C. School Counselor Association’s annual conference in Greensboro.

“We are so grateful for the work of all of our school counselors, and for their endless support of students and families,” said Crystal Reardon, Director of Counseling for WCPSS. “These three professionals are standouts among a talented group of school counselors, and it is with much pride that we recognize them as leaders in our district.”

The recipients are:

Fillard

Lisbeth Fillard, Middle Creek Elementary School

Fillard, who has been a counselor for 14 years, says she knew she wanted to go into the field as early as high school, when she served as a student helper to her high school counselors.

“I was just really interested in their jobs,” she says. “I knew I wanted to work with kids.” Fillard serves as the sole counselor for all 860 students at her school.

Bridges

Kerri Bridges, Salem Middle School

Bridges has been a counselor for 13 years, and was inspired to be a counselor after working previously as a health and P.E. teacher.

“It is so amazing when you help a student discover the power they already have within themselves to address a problem,” Bridges says. “They come out of a situation empowered to handle whatever life throws at them.”

Inscoe

Laura Inscoe, Wakefield High School

Inscoe has been a counselor 14 years and is the Dean of Students at Wakefield.

She was inspired to be a counselor because of the relationship she had with her own school counselor when she attended Garner High School.

The most rewarding part of her job, she says, is seeing students graduate—”Just knowing that somehow I’ve had an impact on what they’re doing in the future and where they’re going.”

The school counselors at Holly Grove Middle earned recognition from the American School Counseling Association for providing a data driven comprehensive school counseling program to meet the needs of all students.

On July 2, Holly Grove Middle will receive a plaque recognizing the counseling team’s accomplishments at the American School Counselor Association national conference in Philadelphia, PA.

Under the leadership of Principal Ken Proulx and the school counseling advisory board that includes teachers, parents and community leaders, the counseling program supports the school’s mission and goals.  School counselors Chauncey Hatcher, Margaret Ray-Nobles and Joy Trexler facilitate academics, social/personal and career development for all students.

Along with supporting students, teachers and parents, the school counselors provide activities that help to enhance the social growth and development of students. School social worker Kelly Dunbar, psychologist Esther Kelly and guidance technician Regina Jackson are part of the department.

The student support staff use data to identify student academic and social gaps that might prevent a student from being successful in school.

Hatcher’s mentor program promotes the skills required to be a leader in all situations. It teaches social responsibility, academic excellence and personal growth. More than 10 percent of the school’s students are members of the group.

Ray-Nobles leads the PAWS (Positive Attitude Will Succeed) group.  These Lady Bulldogs work with female high school students and staff members, develop positive self images and serve as mentors to elementary students.  She also advises the Hip Hop club.

Trexler advises the Rowdy Dawgs, a pep club that makes spirit posters for athletic events. She provide group sessions for Latino students, encouraging them to take part in school activities, seek academic success and discuss issues.

The school counseling team led a trip to Atlanta last fall for 83 students who visited the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola and the historic Varsity restaurant. It was a fun and exciting learning experience for all.

 
 
Holly Grove Middle School counselors Margaret Ray-Nobles, Chauncey Hatcher and Joy Trexler earn ASCA honor.

Sanderson High teacher Sherrie Dixon will be among a group of teachers traveling to Cuzco, Peru for two weeks in July to study Spanish and Andean literature at Academia Latinoamericana. Dixon received a travel scholarship from the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) promotes the study and teaching of the Spanish and Portuguese languages and their corresponding Hispanic, Luso-Brazilian and other related literatures and cultures at all levels of education.

All recipients of the awards will be recognized in San Antonio, TX at the AATSP national conference on July 8.

Wake County educators and school board members heard from national education expert Judy Elliott, former Chief Academic Officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Elliott discussed Response to Instruction in a training session at the Wake County Public School System. After taking part in the session, school board members discussed Response to Instruction in the board’s Student Achievement committee, too.

Response to Instruction is the practice of providing high-quality instruction and interventions matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make changes in instruction or goals, and applying child response data to important educational decisions

Dr. Elliott has trained thousands of staff, teachers and administrators in the areas of inclusive schooling that include: linking assessment to classroom intervention, strategies and tactics for effective instruction, curriculum adaptation for students with mild to severe disabilities and collaborative teaching.

Fifty-one WCPSS schools brought teams of four staff members. Administrators worked with Elliott in the afternoon, while other school staff attended breakout sessions on three broad components – professional learning teams, data-based decision making and differentiated instruction.

Staff submitted evaluations on the day’s activities. One person wrote: “This is the best professional development I have attended in my six years in WCPSS.”

Dr. Judy Elliott discussed Response to Instruction in a training session at WCPSS.

Veteran bus driver Spencer Jenkins speaks with a reporter at a transportation district office about the benefits of being a bus driver.

In an effort to boost bus driver recruitment, the Board of Education approved funding on June 18 offering a $100 incentive to bus drivers who recruit new drivers to fill vacancies for the 2013-14 school year. The incentive will be available beginning July 1 to any current WCPSS bus driver who refers a job candidate who becomes a fully licensed bus driver with the school district.

WCPSS currently employs 850 drivers, but needs about 100 additional drivers to fill remaining positions on staff, said Bob Snidemiller, Senior Director of Transportation.

The department has made steady hires throughout the current school year, bringing in 120 new drivers since last fall. But with many drivers retiring or finding new jobs, there is still a shortage of drivers, Snidemiller said.

The referral incentive is being used in conjunction with advertising and other recruiting efforts to increase the number of applicants for bus driver positions. “We want to make certain that we have a pipeline of applicants,” Snidemiller said. “Just through word of mouth, we can continue to gain more candidates and applicants.”

The district is hiring both full-time and substitute bus drivers. The jobs offer training, competitive wages, flexibility in scheduling, vacation time, holiday pay, health insurance and a congenial work environment.

“We have a great working relationship with the other drivers and I love working with kids,” says Spencer Jenkins, who has been driving 20 years and has recruited new drivers. “I tell people, it’s a great opportunity, a way to get your foot in the door and you get great benefits. It can open a lot more opportunities for you in your career.” Click here for more information on the open positions. >>

Holly Grove Middle sixth-grade teachers Amy Smith and Debbie Baize have been selected by the Global Classroom Alliance to travel to China this summer to teach in English immersion summer camps.  They leave June 25 to spend more than three weeks in China traveling and teaching English Immersion in a small fishing village called Haimen.

Principal Ken Proulx says you can follow the teachers’ journey on their blog: baizesmith.blog.com.  Proulx says the school is excited for the two teachers and for the experience they will bring back to the Holly Grove school community.

Thanks to Ken Proulx for sharing this story.

The Board of Education honored Eastern Area Superintendent Danny Barnes this month for his 35 years in public education, including 25 years at WCPSS. Barnes will retire at the end of June.

He began his career as a science teacher in Johnston County and worked his way up to become an area superintendent, a position he has held for the the past 14 years.

“I am most proud of the many opportunities I have had to serve the students, staff, parents, and communities that make up the Wake County Public School System, especially those in eastern Wake County. It has been an absolute honor to be a part of this great school district,” Barnes said.

Todd Wirt, the Wake County Public School System Assistant Superintendent For Academics, has been selected as one of the inaugural class of Aspiring Superintendent Fellows, the non-profit Strategic Leadership By Design announced today.

Dr. Wirt will be part of a diverse group of ten men and eight women selected for this new initiative to increase North Carolina’s pool of highly qualified top school district leaders. Seventeen fellows hold doctorate degrees or are currently pursuing one.

Wirt has served as a WCPSS Assistant Superintendent since 2012 and has been an educator for 14 years. He has worked as an executive director, principal in three different schools, assistant principal in two schools and teacher.

The two-year fellows program seeks to increase the number of well-prepared potential superintendents through experiential learning and executive coaching. The leadership development includes both a year-long series of seminars addressing topics such as cultural change within organizations and development of high-performing teams as well as state-of-the-art assessments that allow fellows to understand their specific development needs. The coaching component continues through the program.

The fellows program has been developed and is delivered by Strategic Leadership By Design, a non-profit led by Janice Davis, a former Deputy State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Granville County superintendent. Larry Coble, a former superintendent in four North Carolina school districts and executive director of the 15-district Piedmont Triad Education Consortium, is the fellows’ program leader.

Between 2010 and 2012, North Carolina school districts hired 54 superintendents. Of those hired, 43 were first-time superintendents. Aspiring Superintendent Fellows agree to apply for superintendent’s positions or positions leading to a superintendency after they complete the two-year program.

“In order for each child to leave school well prepared for life, public schools need top notch leaders.  This program addresses that need.  School systems are no different than other complex organizations that strive for high performance – highly effective leadership matters,” said Leslie Winner, executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, which supports the Aspiring Superintendent Fellows Program through its grant-making. “The fellows program fills a critical gap in North Carolina by assisting talented educators in acquiring the attributes, skills and motivation to lead school districts successfully.”

The Board of Education appointed several new leaders at its July 23 meeting.

• Angela Armstrong has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Wendell Elementary School.
• Kelly Bradshaw has been appointed as Principal at Swift Creek Elementary School.
• Mary Ciffone-Baker has been appointed as Assistant Principal/ Instructional Resource Teacher at Wakefield Middle School.
• Ari Cohen has been appointed as Principal at Leesville Road Elementary School.
• Patricia Edwards has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Sanderson High School.
• Joseph Guthrie has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Daniels Middle School.
• Vonda Martin has been appointed as Principal at Walnut Creek Elementary School.
• Terrance McCotter has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Sanderson High School.
• Edward McFarland has been appointed as Eastern Area Superintendent.
• Ronald Morin has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Yates Mill Elementary School.
• Cheryl Munn has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Reedy Creek Middle School.
• Briana Pelton has been appointed as Principal at Hunter Elementary School.
• Eric Pullen has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Mary E. Phillips High School.
• Quantina Sides has been appointed as Assistant Principal/ Instructional Resource Teacher at Wilburn Elementary School.
• Rodney Smith has been appointed as Assistant Principal/ Instructional Resource Teacher at Apex Middle School.