Former Wake County Superintendent Del Burns apparently has a lot to say about the school system in his new book "Preserving the Public in Public Schools."

But, as noted in today's article, Burns' new book isn't officially about Wake. Instead, he writes about the fictional Crestwich Public Schools, which is Wake in all but name.

The book talks about Crestwich/Wake's merger, adoption of magnet schools, busing for diversity, student reassignment, the impact of a new majority sweeping into office and a lot of other things.

Will the new Democratic majority on the Wake County school board find their new "third way" of governing or will they act like the prior majorities that provoked such heated opposition?

As noted in today's article, the new members say they recognize the problems that dogged past Democratic and Republican majorities on the school board. They say they won't go back to acting like it was pre-2009 when Democrats were last in charge.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll find that third way where we’re strengthening our schools and not going backwards,” said new Democratic school board member Christine Kushner.

Will the Wake County school system get permission to only add three and not five more days to the 2012-13 school calendar?

As noted in today's article, the state Board of Education will discuss today requests from this list of 69 school districts and four charter schools for waivers for next school year. Most of the 73 requests are for full waivers, but Wake is asking for a partial waiver.

Under Wake's waiver request, the district would add three days. The other two days would be used as teacher workdays. Click here for Wake's proposed 2012-13 school calendars should the waivers be approved.

UPDATE

Based on the talk at the State Board meeting today, it's not looking like school districts will get waivers on Thursday.

Will Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo be able to turn things around today thanks to the help of some outside political advice she picked up after the runoff?

After Losurdo only picked up 40 percent of the vote on Oct. 11, the campaign reached out to Jack Hawke to be a consultant for the runoff. Hawke is a longtime figure in state politics, having been the former chairman of the state Republican Party, a former president of the conservative Civitas Institute and a consultant to presumptive GOP gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory.

"I knew we had to change things," Hawke said. "She was 10 points down (as of Oct. 11). I'm proud of what she's done but we had a lot of ground to make up."

Civitas Action is going after Wake County school board member Kevin Hill for his support of what critics derisively called "Wacky Wednesdays."

This new campaign mailer sent late last week shows Hill’s picture on a faux-Wheaties box with the word “Wackos." Beside his image is written the words "Kevin Hill wanted to keep Wacky Wednesdays."

"Kevin Hill voted to keep Wacky Wednesdays," says the mailer from the conservative advocacy group. "A policy that caused chaos, and extra expense for families."

Can you imagine Wake County school board member Kevin Hill as a hippie?

That's the approach in this new campaign mailer sent late last week by Civitas Action that works on the theme that Hill supports failed policies of the past. The group photoshopped an image of Hill wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt and making a peace symbol. It also shows a drawing of a VW bus.

"Just like shag carpet and leisure suits, Kevin Hill's policies were bad, and belong in the past," says the mailer from the conservative advocacy group.

Tuesday's District 3 runoff election between Wake County school board member Kevin Hill and challenger Heather Losurdo pits two very different candidates with differing life experiences and views.

As noted in today's article by Thomas Goldsmith, Hill is the long-time Raleigh resident and career educator who has made some decisions that he feels are data-driven even when they've been unpopular with constituents.

As noted in today's article, Losurdo is the relative newcomer who had a challenging childhood and early adulthood that she says has helped shaped her into a better person.

Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo is promoting her runoff endorsement from the Wake Schools Community Alliance in this new campaign mailer.

In the mailer, Losurdo quotes from the WSCA endorsement which had blamed incumbent Kevin Hill for "failing graduation rates," "600 teachers fired," "26,000 students reassigned," "'Wacky Wednesday' PLTs" and "mandatory year-round schedules." The mailer quotes how WSCA said Losurdo "has consistently supported neighborhood schools, advocated for the use of EVAAS" and "called for civility and consensus-building on our School Board."

"Wake County's Leading Independent Education Reform Organization Supports Heather Losurdo," says the mailer. "So should you."

The mailer is interesting considering how Losurdo's supporters were dismissive of the WSCA before the runoff when the group endorsed Jennifer Mansfield.

The North Carolina Republican Party is calling Wake County school board member Kevin Hill "unfit for office" in a recent campaign mailer.

Calling it a 2011 School Board Candidate Report Card, the state GOP gives Hill "unfit for office" grades on listening to parents, getting along with others and putting children first.  They also give him "F" grade on neighborhood schools, saying he "will revive forced busing."

He gets an "F" on Superintendent Tata for voting against hiring him. They also give him an "F" on common sense, saying he was "a leader in the Majority on the school board when 'Wacky Wednesday' and having school on Memorial Day were allowed."

"Summary" Kevin Hill is failing us," says the front of the mailer. Click here for the back of the piece.

A campaign finance report filed Monday shows that the North Carolina Republican Party has spent $10,858.23 in campaign mailers to help Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo.

One example is their "Wake County Voter's Guide for School Board," which says that Losurdo "supports using proximity as the #1 priority for the school choice plan, supports neighborhood schools, and believes in listening to parents." The mailer also says Losurdo "supports Superintendent Tata and his leadership effort" and "will use family friendly and common values on school board issues."

It says that Kevin Hill "will revive forced busing: voted against the Bi-partisan School Choice Plan" and "voted against hiring Superintendent Tata." It also says he was "a leader in the Majority on the school board when 'Wacky Wednesday' and having School on Memorial Day were allowed."

Click here to view the front of the mailer. Click here to view the back.