Blog: Wake County March 1 school board meeting

The Wake County Board of Education discusses its 2011 legislative agenda at its board meetings Tuesday, March 1, 2011.

Posted 11:43 p.m. Mar 1, 2011 — Updated 4:11 a.m. Mar 2, 2011

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Wake County Board of Education discusses its 2011 legislative agenda at its board meetings Tuesday, March 1, 2011. Among other items on its agenda are approval of bell schedule recommendations for the 2011-12 school year, a review of the school system's policy on student behavior and discussion of the policy that only allows the school board chairperson to vote in meetings when there is a tie.

7:30 p.m. – 2011 Legislative Agenda

The board moves to approve the 2011 legislative agenda with a few changes.

One is to exclude an item supporting existing rules and regulations by the State Board of Education and the North Carolina School Athletic Association on students participating in public school athletic programs. The reason is that some of the rules and regulations have changed.

It also includes adding an item on allowing the school board chairperson to vote during meetings.

An earlier recommendation by Keith Sutton to include recommendations from the Public School Forum of North Carolina failed. Some board members only wanted some of the recommendations to be added to the agenda.

7:15 – Employment Recognition Initiative – “Pride in WCPSS”

This is a new initiative that will recognize school employees who show their pride in the school system.

Board members and the superintendent’s leadership team will award “pride pins” for employees that help the school system in ways often not visible to the public and do their jobs with a high level of pride.

7 p.m. – Board recognizes magnet schools

Fifteen Wake County schools were recently named by the Magnet Schools of America as Magnet Schools of Excellence or Magnet Schools of Distinction for 2011. Those schools are:

2011 National Magnet Schools of Excellence:

Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary School

Bugg Creative Arts and Science Magnet Elementary

Farmington Woods International Baccalaureate PYP Magnet Elementary

Joyner Center for Spanish Language/International Baccalaureate PYP Magnet Elementary

Millbrook International Baccalaureate PYP Magnet Elementary

Ligon Gifted and Talented Magnet Middle

2011 National Magnet Schools of Distinction:

Brooks Museums Magnet Elementary

Underwood Gifted and Talented Elementary

Washington Gifted and Talented Elementary

Martin Gifted and Talented Magnet Middle

Garner International Baccalaureate MYP/DP Magnet High

Southeast Raleigh Leadership and Technology Magnet High

Wake Early College of Health and Science

Honorable Mention:

East Garner IB-MYP Magnet Middle

Wiley International Studies Magnet Elementary

These schools were selected from more than 2,000 magnet schools across the country based on criteria that includes innovative instructional strategies, student achievement, diversity goals and parent and community involvement.

6:15 p.m. – Public comments

Fifteen people are signed up to speak, many on student achievement.

5:45 p.m. – Board meeting gets under way

5:15 p.m. – Back to the legislative agenda

There are questions from Sutton about whether the Senate legislative deadline has passed.

There is discussion about whether to submit the agenda as is and revise it at a later date but no decision.

4:45 p.m. – Grading practices

The board hears an update on a review of the district’s grading policy. The review started about three years ago at the request of school administrators.

The purpose of the review is to ensure there is consistency in grading practices among all schools.

Among the questions asked during the review have to do with when to give students extra credit, if students should be punished with reduced grades for academic dishonest.

4:30 p.m. – 2011 Legislative Agenda

The board takes a look at a draft of its 2011 legislative agenda.

Board member Keith Sutton mentions recommendations released Monday by the Public School Forum of North Carolina as "food for thought," when looking at the 2011 legislative agenda.

Among those recommendations, Sutton brings up the ideas of longer school days and extending the school year by 10 days.

Margiotta says the recommendations are things that can be implemented without the approval of the Legislature, but they should be considered for funding reasons.

4:15 p.m. – Discussion of Board Policy 1200 "Duties of Officers"

The school board’s Policy Committee reviewed Policy 1200, regarding the duties of the board chairperson.

The current policy doesn’t allow the chairman to vote unless there is a tie. A change of the policy would require a change of local legislation.

The concern by Board Chairman Ron Margiotta and other board members is whether the board chair is fully representing his or her district if he or she isn’t participating in the vote.

Margiotta says it’s about being able to send a message to not only his district but the entire community about his position on issues.

Some board members point out that he could still make his positions known but still not vote. Margiotta says he tries to stay out of the discussion as a chairperson.

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