Wake County parents may want to consider becoming active PTA members in the future in case it can reduce the chances of their children being reassigned.

During the last board meeting, school board member Jim Martin talked about the "frank conversations" he had with parents at a recent tour of Dillard Drive Elementary School in Raleigh. He said it highlighted to him the need to consider the impact of reassignment on PTAs when they work on future assignment plans.

“It’s pretty clear that in many of our schools we need to look at where the PTA leadership in the schools comes from because we think a lot about reassignments as they impact families, which we need to and they really do," Martin said.

The funkiest little shop in Carrboro is getting temporary new digs.

PTA Thrift Shop will close the doors Friday at its 103 Jones Ferry Road location. It will open a temporary store Tuesday at 201 W. Weaver St., selling books, furniture, electronics and home decor.

The move clears the way for a November groundbreaking and the construction of 26,600 square feet of retail and office space in two buildings. The new campus will be about three times the size of the existing store with more parking. It will add seven new full-time jobs.

The $5.1 million project could take six to nine months.

The project is being paid for in part by nearly $360,000 in donations. Fundraising will continue through the grand opening in 2013.

“We are thrilled to be moving into this next step of our project. We know that our groundbreaking and construction will make the PTA Thrift Shop redevelopment project tangible for our community and we are grateful for the ongoing support,” said Executive Director Barbara Jessie-Black.

The store’s Elliott Road location also will launch expanded hours: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

The Wake County school board voted 5-4 tonight to give final approval to policy changes that cut back on the role of PTAs on board advisory councils.

Among the changes, board members no longer have to consult with the PTAs before nominating BAC members for each school. The policy also no longer says that BAC members should be placed on the boards of their local PTA.

Before the vote, some speakers urged the board to consider a compromise.

CORRECTED TO REMOVE REFERENCE THAT DULANEY WAS ON OLD STUDENT ASSIGNMENT COMMITTEE

It looks like the PTA won't officially have to be consulted when members are nominated to serve on Wake County school board advisory councils.

At the recommendation of school board member Deborah Prickett, the board agreed during today's work session to strike the language from the BAC policy saying that board members must consult with the principal and PTA before nominating members.

Prickett had initially wanted to remove the language about consulting with the principal too but agreed to only drop the section on PTA consultation.

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST

Click here to view what was approved on first reading.

The outgoing school board members left without throwing any real verbal bombs today as they were showered with awards and praise.

The outgoing board members spent much of their final comments thanking their families and school administrators. They also stood behind the decisions they made.

"Parents haven’t really liked what was done," said school board vice chairman Horace Tart. "But we always did what we did with the children in mind. That was the big picture."

The outgoing school board members are getting some love as they leave the board this month.

This afternoon, board member Patti Head received a National PTA Life Achievement Award "for her devotion and distinguished service to children and youth." They're supposed to surprise her at this afternoon's District 7 Board Advisory Council meeting.

You can expect similar accolades for her and the three other departing board members at tomorrow's school board meeting.

Here's another made-for-TV media event coming to you.

The school district has sent out a press release announcing that Superintendent Del Burns and school board chairwoman Rosa Gill will officially join the PTA on Tuesday.

At 2:45 p.m., prior to the regularly scheduled school board meeting, Burns and Gill will sign up with Wake PTA Council President Sarah Martin. According to the press release, they "are joining the PTA to show their support for Wake County families and students and to underscore the importance of family involvement in our children’s education."

There are more than 50,000 PTA members in Wake. The Wake PTA Council has its office at the district's Central Services Building at 3600 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh.