Two more Wake schools to become magnet schools next year

Five eastern Wake County schools are adding “design” focuses to their existing or new magnet programs.

Families can apply to send their children to these and other magnet programs next year through Jan. 25.

The design theme is intended to have students “imagining, designing, creating and testing out user-focused solutions,” according to a school system news release. The schools are making changes now and have five years to fully implement them.

Creative problem-solving will be extra useful for students once they enter the ever-changing and technologically accelerating job market, Magnet Senior Director Kimberly Lane said.

Two schools will be adding magnet themes for the first time.

East Wake Magnet High is starting an iTech and Design theme that will allow students to earn credits from Wake Technical Community College while still in high school.

Wendell Magnet Middle will add a Design and Creative arts theme, which will include advanced studies in science, technology, engineering and math.

Three schools are changing their magnet themes and including design.

Wendell Magnet Elementary is changing from a Creative Arts and Science theme to a Design and Creative Arts theme, focusing on creative problem-solving.

Zebulon Magnet Elementary and Zebulon Magnet Middle schools will add design and advanced studies in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). That will be on top of their existing Gifted and Talented magnet theme. The elementary school is adding a STEM lab and “advanced equipment.”

The school system recently received a $14.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to fund the design programs.

All of the schools are in the county’s eastern half.

The school board approved applying for the funding in February, realizing the schools were under-enrolled and facing competition from charter schools opening up in those areas.

The school system has dozens of magnet schools from elementary school through high school with different themes, including arts and sciences, for elective courses. While some families may be automatically assigned to a magnet school, families must apply to participate in the magnet programming at those schools.