Readers of this blog will definitely be interested in what former Superintendent Bill McNeal and former school board member Tom Oxholm have to say in their new book.
"A School District's Journey to Excellence: Lessons From Business and Education" is primarily geared toward school administrators. But as noted in today's article, Wake residents will be interested in what they say about topics such as diversity, reassignment, the school transportation fraud case and the value of the business community.
For instance, McNeal and Oxholm credit the business community with getting the bond passed in 2006.
"Passing this bond would require a tax increase and the critics fought hard to defeat the referendum," they write. "In the end, the critics were over-matched — we had business on our side.”
They discuss it further when citing the value of Friends of Wake County in lobbying the public to support bonds. They said the group helped counter critics who tried "to cause an uninformed voter to think that maybe it would be safer to vote "No" so as to send the school leaders a message."
"The school district’s leaders saying it was 'for the children' did not resonate with voters in 1999," they write. "In 2006, what worked was telling the voters that the schools had to be built and that bonds were the cheapest way to pay for it. Of course, getting out that message cost approximately $500,000 of privately contributed funds. Thank you, Friends of Wake County."
Their take on the lingering impact of the school transportation fraud case will probably draw some reaction.
"While our public rightfully held us accountable and rightfully demanded that no such event occur again, our response to the fraud did much to bolster the public’s confidence," they write. "Evidence of this is that the superintendent’s second in command at the time of the fraud is now superintendent of the district, in part, on the strength of how he and the district handled the fraud investigation and pledged to improve school district accountability."
There are plenty other interesting tidbits in the book, which McNeal said took 3 1/2 years to complete.
BTW, they'll hold a book signing at 7 p.m. on July 30 at Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh.
Comments
Funny how none of those
Wed, 07/16/2008 - 09:06 — Anonymous (not verified)Funny how none of those specialized programs/magnet programs make it down here to the southern part of the county. But then our kids are all going to Wake Tech, aren't they..... I'd like to know how the BOE members can sleep at night knowing the blatant discrimination (based on geography) they are perpetuating with their policies.
Off Topic
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 21:36 — choice4allBefore I go on a rant could someone verify that Lori Millberg has children and if so do they go to WCPSS? Thought I heard somewhere her children go to private. Anyone listen to her on the Lumaye show today with Ron?
BOE member children
Tue, 07/15/2008 - 20:28 — Kent Misegades (not verified)All three of the Millberg's children attend/attended East Wake High School in Wendell where the Millbergs live.
I wonder were they ever
Wed, 07/16/2008 - 06:43 — bigwinnieI wonder were they ever reassigned or forced to go year round?
She has at least one
Tue, 07/15/2008 - 08:20 — NCBoyMommyShe has at least one Daughter (Becca) who graduated from East Wake School of Health Science this year.
http://www.easternwakenews.com/schools/story/2603.html
Yes, it's fiction, but...
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 17:21 — Kent Misegades (not verified)Of course this will be a white-washing of reality, and I doubt it will make the best-seller list. I have ordered the softcover version at $28.95 and look forward to reading it. If it's anything like past statements made by Mr. McNeal and his supporters, it will be easy to refute its claims with facts. Have a look at the "Editorial Review" of the book on Amazon. All are members of the McNeal fan club. Don't look for comments though from his customers, i.e. parents of Wake County; there aren't any. KM
except for the discussion
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 18:51 — bigwinnieexcept for the discussion forums underneath! :+)
Perhaps a demonstation is......
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 14:12 — WuptdoI see a wonderful opportunity to have a little protest at the Quail Ridge Bookstore. A few folks, a few signs, and maybe flyers with some of the real TRUTH. I know that Pope McNeil has always had a little trouble with that concept of truth, hence, that is why only "yes" people were promoted under his papacy.
Perhaps after meeting some real parents, we can do coffee at Fresh Market or drinks at (name eludes me)??????
if there would SERIOUSLY be
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 16:25 — bigwinnieAnd the criticism came from....
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 10:18 — Bob_SconceThe core supporters of the school district -- those most in favor of bonds -- ought to be the parents of kids in school. Unfortunately, the board's policies alienated these parents to the point that it took half a million dollars to overcome the negative effect.
If the school board paid more attention to that "message" that people wanted to send, bond referendums would be a lot easier.
The price of the book tells you
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 09:22 — David Lee (not verified)who will pay for it. Administrators will use taxpayers' money to buy this book to learn how to snooker their own school district's customers. Heck, it's be cheaper to tell them to just bookmark www.wcpss.net.
Hopefully they'll use Amazon and save at leat a few taxpayer dollars:
http://tinyurl.com/rosecoloredglasses
The New Bible
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 07:20 — Anonymous (not verified)Are you kidding me with this book? What a bunch of BS. Who is writing the counter book? Is this the new WCPSS Bible that they will require all staff to read and live by? To fall to their knees and praise THEM for their words of wisdom? Words we should all take as gospel truth and of the utmost divinity?
I am going to go throw up! With $63.00 I can buy a 1/2 tank of gas or stock up on the long list of "teacher wish list" items I was handed... baby wipes (Please, the plush ones), Magic Erasers ($4.00 a box), tissues, toilet paper, pencils, crayons, pens, paper plates, utensils, Lysol, Clorox wipes, dry erase boards, blah blah blah blah.......yeah, we have a great school system!