The Wake County school board approved tonight placing enrollment caps at 17 schools for the 2013-14 school year.

The elementary schools that are affected are Brooks, Cedar Fork, Fuller, Holly Grove, Farmington Woods, Hunter, Joyner, Lacy, Mills Park, Underwood, Walnut Creek and Wiley. Caps would also affect the elementary school grades at Hilburn Drive Academy, and Apex, Garner, Heritage and Holly Springs high schools.

Unless that school is already capped for this school year, newcomers who still move in after this late date can get in for the rest of the school year. But you've got a big problem, unless you already live in the school's attendance area, if you want to begin attending this fall.

Enrollment caps, school budgets and bell schedules are among the things the Wake County school board will deal with today.

During the work session, this handout shows that school administrators will recommend placing enrollment caps for the 2013-14 school year on 17 schools. This is based on how crowded those schools are after the declaration of base, magnet school and first transfer application periods.

Nine of the 17 schools already at the cap figure, meaning families who hadn't moved in by a set date can't attend this fall. The cap would go into effect at the other eight schools when they hit their cap figure.

UPDATE

A revised document presented today shows that 15 of the schools are already at their cap figure. Only Farmington Woods Elementary and Holly Springs High aren't there yet.

Shinica Thomas cites her many years of being involved in her children's schools and her passion for helping students learn with why she should be appointed to the District 1 seat on the Wake County school board.

In Thomas' application, she writes that she understands firsthand the need for family involvement having served for the past 10 years in school PTAs and booster groups for her two teenage sons. She's now the parent representative for Heritage High School on the District 1 Board Advisory Council.

"To say that I have a vested interest in this school system is putting it mildly," Thomas, 39, a Democrat from Wake Forest, writes. "It is important to me that community members are engaged in strong relationships and meaningful opportunities in our school system to help foster its success."

The Wake County school board gave preliminary approval today to some changes to the 2013-14 student assignment plan.

Board members said they're listening to parents as they dropped some proposed node changes and changes in calendar options. The Durant Trails and Bedford residents who had been lobbying for changes should be happy.

The changes are:

SEE UPDATE AND CORRECTION AT END OF POST

Cap 8 All-Conference baseball, 2012

Coach of the year: Ed Hall (Wakefield)

Player of the Year:Vance Vizcaino (Wakefield)

Co-Pitcher of the Year:Sean Ross (Leesville) & Lee Yates (Wakefield)

Half of the field at the Bobby Murray Invitational, hosted by the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, is from the Cap-8 Conference. The other half includes teams like East Wake, Wake County Homeschool, Fuquay-Varina, Athens Drive (defending champ) and Person.

The Cap Eight conference tournament finals featured two Broughton vs. Millbrook matches.

While the top-seeded Millbrook girls handed the Caps a loss, the 2-seed Broughton boys defeated the Wildcats.

Here is the story from both championship games.

Here is a photo gallery from the boys championship.

Here is a photo gallery from the girls championship.

The Cap Eigth 4-A conference season resumed this week after a number of teams participated, and performed well, in holiday tournaments. As we begin the new year, here are my power rankings for the boys side:

Millbrook (10-4): The Wildcats have played the toughest schedule of anyone in the Cap Eight. That should led Millbrook to succeeding in the conference season where the Wildcats will be the team everyone is gunning for. Shi’Chee Moore (pictured left) has proved to be the best point guard in the conference. If the Wildcats can continue to turn teams over, they’ll win a lot of games.

Wake Forest-Rolesville (10-2): Give a lot of credit to first-year coach Mickey Bissette. He has the Cougars believing in his system and themselves. The Cougars gave Garner its first loss – and this is the same Trojan team that won the premier Holiday Invitational tournament. The Cougars rolled off eight straight wins after a 66-61 win over Wakefield. Will Perry and Jordan Ayscue are making WF-R a real contender.

The Cap Eigth 4-A conference season resumed this week after a number of teams participated, and performed well, in holiday tournaments. As we begin the new year, here are my power rankings for the girls side:

Millbrook (13-1): Coach Chris East said his entire team cried last week when the Wildcats fell to Charlotte Myers Park in the championship game of the Holiday Invitational. That’s a good sign. Millbrook had dominated every team it faced before that game, and now East shouldn’t have to worry about his Wildcats getting complacent. Briana Day played well in the tournament, but Millbrook should play better with Ryan Flowers and Katelyn Mitchell returning from suspensions.

Sanderson (9-3): The Spartans are near the bottom of the standings, but no one should overlook this team. Derricka Lewis (center of photo) is averaging 13 points a game and has improved her play from last year. Bria Gibson has also being solid with 10 points a game. Sanderson defeated Athens Drive for the third time this year to win the Athens Drive Invitational Tournament.

Holly Springs had three chances to score the winning basket in its game Thursday night against Heritage. And the third time was the charm.

Here is the video as Golden Hawks senior Brock Hall collects the offensive rebound and hits the game-winner with just more than four seconds left for a 55-54 non-conference win.