Some Wake County parents upset about their proposed feeder patterns have room for hope.
Wake Superintendent Tony Tata told school board members on Tuesday they're mindful of the situations at elementary schools that currently feed into multiple high schools. Since the new plan calls for one high school for each elementary school, the potential change in high school assignments has riled a number of families.
Tata singled out the example of North Ridge Elementary School, where about 44 percent of students eventually go to Millbrook High and 41 percent eventually go to Sanderson High. He said they're working to modify the feeder patterns for those kinds of cases.
"At the end of the day, folks who currently feed into Sanderson, for example, will be able to feed into Sanderson and we’re going to create the architecture to do that," Tata said.
James Overman, head of the student assignment task force, said only a few elementary schools fit the pattern of a North Ridge Elementary. But he added they're looking at feeder pattern revisions in general.
The final list of recommended feeder patterns will be presented to the school board on Oct. 4. The board could amend them.
One of the points repeatedly made during Tuesday's work session is that students who don't like their proposed feeder pattern can go through the choice process to try to go to a different school. They will have priority in the lottery if they request their closest school.
The operative word here is priority — not guarantee. There would have to be seats available at that school for the student to get in.
Comments
really
Sat, 09/24/2011 - 17:50 — livingncfunI
Latest Feeder Pattern Posted
Sat, 09/24/2011 - 15:54 — sam123456Well the new feeder patterns were posted on Friday. Unfortunately, Brassfield has not changed back to feed into their traditional feeder pattern of Wakefield Middle and Wakefield High schools. What this means is that many families will be pulled from the very schools that they have supported for almost a decade. Now we will have children at different middle and high schools than where siblings went to. Time is now getting short and we need to fight this -- beyon sending emails to the board, the superindent, the task force, etc does anyone have any creative suggestions on the best way to address this? Thanks in advance for your input!
Brassfield needs to go to Wakefield!
Sat, 09/24/2011 - 17:58 — livingncfunKeung,I just heard about this!!! How can Brassfield feeder pattern be changed -- we have always fed into Wakefield. My 4 kids attend WMS and WHS. Am I reading this right that my youngest would go to West Millbrook MS and Millbrook HS since my oldest middle schooler would be at the High schhol by the time my Brassfield student goes to middle school???? Keung, how can we convince the task force and school board to change this back? The commute would be horrible -- it is a least 25 min to Millbrook (in a car vs bus) vs 10 to wakefield.
Keep sending your comments
Sat, 09/24/2011 - 18:33 — KeungHui (author)Keep sending your comments to the school board and the student assignment task force to make the change. It's better to get it changed by the time it's presented Oct. 4 than to have to lobby for it to occur at the board level.
Re: Brassfield needs to go to Wakefield!
Sat, 09/24/2011 - 20:55 — livingncfunKeung, thank you so much for the comments!! Do you think they really listen to the emails. I have heard others say that they never receive a response. Thanks again!!!
To be fair, they get so much
Sun, 09/25/2011 - 08:30 — KeungHui (author)To be fair, they get so much e-mail that it would be hard to respond to each one. But they do notice when they get a large number from a particular group and ask staff about it. It still helps more when the board member(s) of the schools affected pushes for a change.
When will new feeder patterns be posted
Fri, 09/23/2011 - 14:29 — sam123456Hi. Does anyone know when the new feeder patterns will be posted on line. At the Millbrook meeting they had indicated that some type of white paper would be posted online on Friday. I just checked the assignment site and I do not see any updates. Thank you.
Brassfield?
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 10:55 — sam123456Keung, was the Brassfield feeder pattern identified as one that would be changed? Thank you.
The only feeder pattern
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:01 — KeungHui (author)The only feeder pattern cited by name was North Ridge Elementary. I honestly don't knowif Brassfield's current feeder is like North Ridge in having multiple high schools.
Brassfield Feeder
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:13 — sam123456Keung, thank you for the feedback.
In the case of Brassfield under the current proposal we are being forced to go to middle/high schools that are further away. As a neighborhood our children attend Wakefield Middle/High. Now many of us will be in a situation where older siblings go to Wakefield Middle/High but younger ones would go to West Millbrook/Millbrook. Also some could end up with high school students at two different high schools (I know that we can participate in choice - but there is gurantee that has been offered). This is extremely worrisome.
You would fit the general
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:45 — KeungHui (author)You would fit the general category they talked about how people who don't like their new feeder pattern could enter the lottery and have priority to go to your closest middle school or high school.
link?
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 14:22 — JSBinNCis the current proposal the one as of Sept 12th? (Brassfield - West Millbrook - Millbrook) if not - do you have the current link?
thanks...
The Sept. 12 list is still
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 15:24 — KeungHui (author)The Sept. 12 list is still the latest one posted online.
thank you...
Fri, 09/23/2011 - 10:47 — JSBinNCthank you...
Brassield
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:56 — sam123456Keung, thank you for the input. I know that this is now really a question for the assigment team but my concern and that of others is how will they base the lottery decision as there will be many children in this situation. How will they decide one child over another if they are similar distances, have siblings, etc. ?
The lack of transparency in
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 17:44 — NoRalNerdThe lack of transparency in administering this assignment model is going to be its downfall. I"m glad you're asking these questions.
It's related to a set of topics that Jennifer Mansfield has been discussing on her blog: www.voiceforequity.com
She's said in numerous forums that you can email her if you have specific questions. jennifer@mansfieldforwakeschools.com
The priority list wasn't
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 13:01 — KeungHui (author)The priority list wasn't changed from when it was the blue plan http://assignment.wcpss.net/under-consideration/blue/
They say it would be used if there were more applicants than seats.