It's looking bleak right now when it comes to determining how Wake will be impacted by the expected state budget cuts.
As noted in today's article, the end of the school year on Wednesday for traditional-calendar schools marks the start of a period of uncertainty. Hundreds of teachers will likely not be rehired. Electives, arts and AP courses are being cut for this fall.
Also add in several year-round schools that are requiring families to change tracks as they collapse whole tracks or individual sections.
There are some folks who are unhappy right now because they can't take the AP courses and non-core courses they wanted.
"Schools will be offering what they must offer," said Supt. Del Burns. "They'll look at the requests [for non-core courses] and see what they can offer."
That's what happened at Cary High, according to Principal Doug Thilman.
Thilman said the influx of new students from growth and reassignment led to more core courses that need to be offered this fall. He said that squeezed the other courses he could provide with only 95 percent of the positions able to be filled.
Thilman said he had to drop, at least for the fall semester, several AP courses and drama classes. The school is now sharing a drama teacher with Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School instead of having a full-time person.
A new group called the Wake Arts Equity Organization was formed to protest cuts in arts programs.
What might be scarier is that Burns is warning that more changes could be in store after the school year starts.
"The principals are working with the very best information we have," Burns said. "They don't want to have to reorganize after the school year starts. But this may be one of those years that we've never seen before."
Click here for a letter from Burns that was sent to parents last week warning about the potential changes.
Imagine having to change teachers, tracks and class schedules after the first day of school.
Comments
YR tracks
Fri, 06/12/2009 - 10:11 — ronniepunkinOnce a school collapses a track - it should operate as a traditional school. If a track is gone, there is no capacity gain and it's cheaper to operate a traditional school. Also there are many schools where the tracks aren't even which also is a waste of money. If a school has 8 classes of 1st graders and they are arranged with 3 classes each on tracks 1 & 4 and 1 each on tracks 2 & 3, the school is wasting capacity. As tracks 1 & 4 are more popular, it pleases the parents more, but wastes taxpayer money. If in a year round school, your child is not changing classrooms every track out, the school is wasting capacity.
The details
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 20:29 — dsmallsSo basically, you're telling you don't really have your facts straight, but that should be OK, since you weren't *intentionally* misleading people?
The line items on that page clearly state where those funds are used.
The page in the budget
Fri, 06/12/2009 - 07:12 — Eric_BThe page in the budget truthBtold is referring to is the "Budget by Object Code" section which gives the communications numbers (basically telecommunications, postage, mobile phones, etc.) for the entire district.
wsca_09 and I are referring to the budget for the Communications Division which performs PR functions and clearly does have a budget of $5.5 million. Clear enough?
Look at the page 44. The 528.0 months of employment alone should tell you that the $5.5 million cannot be going to pay the phone bills!
"The 528.0 months of
Fri, 06/12/2009 - 07:29 — AngelaW"The 528.0 months of employment alone should tell you that the $5.5 million cannot be going to pay the phone bills! "
sheesh, and even if it WAS, that would be a whole OTHER story about waste.....
Education secretary to visit Cary
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 18:39 — AngelaWhttp://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1565451.html
please tell me he's not getting paid to speak....
One more point. It sure
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 18:29 — momof2goodboysOne more point. It sure would be nice if the schools could take this opportunity to get rid of the teachers who have been the worst at the school for years. Those who I have to wonder why they continue to want to teach since they appear to dislike everything and not want to actually teach. Those that have been reported year after year as not doing their job. Not just those who are newest or happen to have the wrong kind of contract. Wishful thinking I guess.
Discontinuing MYR would save
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 18:15 — Big_PictureDiscontinuing MYR would save $2.4 Million + per year. Hmmmm
That'd be too logical!
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 20:27 — g88ky07That'd be too logical!
Poor things
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 10:49 — MomknowsbestNot all schools have the same "robust" electives. North Garner Middle only offer the very basic unlike schools in Apex and Cary.
Where did you get the
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 22:30 — ApexterWhere did you get the impression that Cary/Apex schools have such a wonderful selection of electives?
I don't see electives specifically listed on either school's website, so I just compared the non-core teachers to compare the offerings between North Garner MS and Apex MS.
North Garner's teachers are shown at:
http://northgarnerms.wcpss.net/modules/content/index.php?id=3
Apex Middle's are at http://apexms.wcpss.net/index.php/electives
Both schools offer Business/keyboarding, Life Skills, ESL, Band, Chorus, and Art. North Garner has Dance, while Apex MS has drama/chorus. Apex MS used to have Orchestra. (This tradition follows from the time when WCPSS liked to at least offered the pretense of equity by scattering "equity magnets" at the outer edges of the county, where it was acknowledged that it was too far for residents to practically travel to the Raleigh magnet schools. At that time, Apex Elementary had an orchestra class, and its students passed along to orchestra programs in the middle and high school.) Apex MS has two additional career exploration programs, with woodworking and small engines, and Spanish. Frankly, I'm surprised that North Garner doesn't have a foreign language. North Garner has a great deal more intervention and special ed teachers than Apex.
For comparison, I looked up the offerings at Ligon and Martin. While looking up Ligon's electives for comparison, I came across this line:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligon_Middle_School
" Unlike most middle schools, who only have ten or so electives, Ligon
has about 300 electives. Students can take three electives per quarter,
unless they are taking semester-long, or year-long electives."
And here's a link to the 26 page PDF listing Martin Middle's electives: http://martinms.wcpss.net/pdf%20docs/CATALOG%200910.pdf
If you're looking for "robust" elective schedules, Cary and Apex is not the direction you should be looking.
Keung--Will there be a list
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 09:47 — jenmanKeung--Will there be a list of courses and programs that are being eliminated this year? I would be very interested in seeing what got cut from each school.
It's a school by school
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 09:48 — KeungHui (author)It's a school by school decision so a districtwide list is unlikely. I'm not dying to call all 150+ schools individually.
I am guessing if what gets
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 10:20 — user1234I am guessing if what gets cut is important, you will hear about it. I hope there is some fairness to the process and everyone has to share in the pain.
Let me get this one,
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 09:45 — g88ky07"Also add in several year-round schools that are requiring families to change tracks as they collapse whole tracks or individual sections."
it's more like, in many cases, FORCED track changes! But, at all cost let's make sure we keep these schools FYR so that families can continue to be hammered with the BS the schools, their leaders and this ridiculous system FORCE upon us! Not to mention the MASSIVE waste of money and loss of teachers when we COULD convert the schools back to a traditional calendar and save both!
"What might be scarier is that Burns is warning that more changes could be in store after the school year starts."
Our principal has warned us that tracks could VERY likely change again after the year starts! Del's letter isn't scary, Del is scary! And, where's our letter? We haven't received this letter!
I also might add, and ask, what about the 800 million in tax hikes JUST approved by the State? They are quoted as saying this HIKE will save 50% of the 10,000 teacher's jobs, so now only 5,000 will be let go with no class size increases for K-3. So if this is correct, sounds to me like they've got 1/2 the battle whipped and the "scary" future isn't so scary Del!
Why $4.5 Million for PR?
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 07:06 — wsca_09I would like an explanation from WCPSS as to WHY are they cutting teachers and programs when a $4.5 MILLION line item for "Communications" (Public Relations) was in the proposed '09-'10 budget?
If a school system is doing what is should, on all levels, it should not need to spend a single dime on PR. The success of its students and satisfaction of its parents would speak for themselves.
Elephant in the livingroom
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 14:29 — SDR256You know this as well as I do, Wsca09, but just so we can all chime in to the chorus together, the REASON is because WCPSS is more concerned about protecting the image of the system than it is about education and children. The reason is that maintaining that the approach is flawless - maintaining that is paramount, over children, over taxpayers, over education. Its terrible, no one wants to believe its true, but what more proof do we need?
5.5 million (that's FIVE as iit turns out) - now that will buy you a lot of propoganda.
And yet....and yet - the sticky proof is in the pudding.
70% of at-risk children are failing and administrators are driving around in new sports cars (won't name names). Del Burns makes more than the Governor. There are 20 employees, including 4 or 5 directors and 5 or 6 secretaries that report to Dulaney in Growth Management. And he makes six digits. Now, just WHO is this diversity policy benefiting again? Looks like the appearance of it is working very well for administrators - good job! Maybe they can get more book deals from outside Wake County.
If it were actually working, and we had 100% graduation rates like KIPP schools, they wouldn't NEED the PR budget. It would sell itself!
How many teachers would 5.5 million pay for?
Dad, While I am sure the
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 10:17 — truthBtoldDad,
While I am sure the thought of vasoline is very exciting to you, when I saw wsca's post I went to look it up for myself. On WCPSS' website the've posted the budget document and wsca is clearly wrong.
On page 119, there is a Communications item for $4.7 million, but it covers telephones, cellphones, telecommunications systems, and postage--not PR as far as I can see.
wsca, you knew you were posting "untruths" it doesn't help your organization's credibility nor that of your candidates when you try to fabricate the facts to fit your agenda.
Shame on you
Come to our meeting next Thursday in Knightdale!
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 13:09 — wsca_09It will give you a chance to (apologize) and to meet some of our members and to assess our motives for yourself. One thing you will learn about me, Kristen Stocking, is that I never intentionally tell an "untruth." Ever.
Before you make a judgement, perhaps you should ask more questions. We have asked many budget questions of the WCPSS and continue to wait for their responses. If they choose not to answer, then we are forced to assume that they are hiding facts??
Look again...
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 12:33 — Eric_BLook in the budget again, truthBtold. Look at page 44, "Organization Charts and Strategic Plans". On that page you will see:
Communications
Resources:
Months of Employment: 528.0
Operating Budget: $5,597,871
A few pages later, on page 58 we get a description of what the Communications Division does:
"The Wake County Public School System Communications Department serves as a communications resource for all departments and schools within the system. The department utilizes a variety of strategies and tools to effectively communicate with individuals and groups who have an interest in our system including the news media, employees, students, parents, newcomers, members of the community and government entities."
Sounds like it is exactly like wsca_09 describes and the $$$ total is even higher than the original comment stated. I think you owe an apology for making assumptions.
Budget links
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 12:47 — Eric_BHere are links to the budget for anyone who would like to verify this for him or herself:
http://www.wcpss.net/budget/2009-10-bpb/
http://www.wcpss.net/budget/2009-10-bpb/2009-10-bpb.pdf
Vulgarity
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 10:48 — Dadof3What's exciting is the notion of a WCPSS that works with, not against, the parents. "Vasoline" was merely (poor taste) hyperbole for the sentiment many of us parents experience. Nevertheless, it was vulgar; my apologies.
No... can't be
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 09:07 — Dadof3If this is true, we simply need to rename the budget item "vasoline."
if the N&O can bring down
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 09:54 — AngelaWif the N&O can bring down the top people at NC State, why do they continue to overlook the massive wasteful spending of WCPSS??? payola there too?
N and O- we're waiting..............
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 18:23 — momof2goodboysGood point Angela! If the N and O would even just scratch the surface so that the average Wake Co. citizen knew what was going on with the board and the $ they spend so irresponsibly, there would be some heads rolling- maybe even sooner than later!!! N and O???? When will you step up to the plate?
probably when they break
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 18:30 — AngelaWprobably when they break ties with with WEP, in other words, never......
oh yeah, that's true. One
Thu, 06/11/2009 - 18:43 — momof2goodboysoh yeah, that's true. One can only dream!