Wake County residents aren't hesitating to give their feedback on how Wake can save money in the face of next year's budget crunch.

As noted in today's article, Wake had 463 comments as of Dec. 16 to its online suggestion box. Four of the most commonly suggested ideas are going to four-day weeks, charging students to play athletics, encouraging veteran teachers to retire early and cutting administration more.

“If we get a single idea that’s worth considering, it’s been useful,” said school board member Keith Sutton, who had suggested creating the suggestion box. “We need to find out from the public what sacrifices they’re willing to make.”

Wake County athletics director will receive National Federation of State High School Association citation.

Wake County school officials are expressing surprise that the district was one of 12 nationally targeted for a federal Title IX complaint on Wednesday.

As noted in today's article by Tim Stevens, the National Women’s Law Center accuses the 12 school systems of failing to provide high school girls with equal opportunities as boys to play interscholastic sports. A big point of the complaint is that, citing 2006 data, there is a 11.8 percentage point difference between the percentage of Wake girls enrolled and the percentage of athletes who are girls.

Bobby Guthrie, Wake's senior administrator of athletics, said no one from the National Women’s Law Center had contacted him. He praised Wake's commitment to girls’ sports, citing the 24 N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A state championships won by Wake schools’ girls’ teams the last five years.

Wake County Schools athletics director Bobby Guthrie has been named
the national coach educator of the year by the National Federation of
State High School Associations.

The Wake County school system may loosen up the guidelines allowing student athletes to transfer to other high schools.

During today's school board policy committee meeting, committee chairwoman Debra Goldman raised concerns about the section in the board's transfer policy that says transfer students may not be allowed to participate in high school athletics. If you get a transfer, you could potentially be barred from playing athletics for 365 days.

That section of policy is meant to prevent high schools from competing with each other for athletes. There have been scandals at schools in other districts over the issue.

Could a potential 30 percent cut in extra-duty pay cause many Wake County school athletic coaches to give up their jobs?

As noted in today's article by Tim Stevens, high school athletic directors are worried that they'll lose some coaches, especially young ones, if the cut is made. School administrators and board members have stressed that the cut is only a proposal.

The cut in extra-duty pay would save $2.2 million as part of a list of $20 million in potential cuts should the state slash education funding by 3 percent next year. Gov. Bev Perdue has proposed a 3.8 percent education cut.

The love was flowing Tuesday for Rosa Gill at her last meeting as a school board member.

Gill was bestowed with awards and words of praise. Gill received several standing ovations from the audience.

A resolution passed by the board praised Gill for being a "dedicated member of the Wake County Board of Education, committed to a thoughtful process, willing to address difficult issues by involving and listening to others and unfailingly focused on the success of every child."

The election of new officers won't be the only thing that the school board does on Tuesday.

The board is scheduled to introduce a new policy on professional learning communities that will coincide with the weekly early dismissals that will start in July. Board members say they realize they still need to persuade parents that there is a valid reason for dismissing classes an hour early each Wednesday.

“It needs to be made clear to parents that work takes place those days," said school board member Lori Millberg at a committee meeting last week. "That teachers aren’t taking off to go to the doctor or to the beach. We know they’re not but we want parents to be sure of that too.