N&O Article: Wake Schoold Still in a Bind!

[raleighjayne]

That still isnt equitable. All schools high school included have to convert. Then no one can complain because everyone is treated equal.

I didn't go into all the details of the original plan but since high schools are very difficult to operate on a multi-track schedule, the plan was to have them go to a 'modified' or single track year round schedule similar to SE Raleigh HS. Magnets were also going to go on the modified rather than the true year round, although I think that all the magnets except GT could go true year round as well.

Anyway, the idea was that the modified calendar would have more days off in common with the most number of tracks. I think its 6 or 7 weeks off in the summer with the other weeks taken during the year.

I still would have been ok with that because EVERYBODY would be making that sacrifice. I could deal with my kids being on two different calendars for MS and HS for a couple of years if I knew that everybody was being asked to do the same. This was also under the assumption that we needed YR conversions for capacity and that it was going to save us money.

Its ok if you still don't agree with my view or if you think that solution still wouldn't be fair. I'm not arguing with you, just clarifying the original plan and explaining my thoughts on it. :-)

[jln69]

I thought I would post this for people who are interested in applying for a traditional calendar seat. I registered today so here is the process:

Having one child in Middle on a traditional and 2 in High School on a traditional, we thought it would be best to send our youngest 4th child entering kingergarten traditional as well.

I registered at our year round base today. I told them I wanted traditional. They told me that the deadline was tomorrow. Confused that I thought Judge Manning's ruling was that you didn't have to go YR and I wondered what would happen to those parents moving in after tomorrow so I asked. They said that if the judge's ruling isn't overturned they will send out letters to those people asking if they want to stay.

Anyway, they told me that they would enter my information in the system today and tomorrow I would have to go online and apply for a traditional seat just like you do for a magnet. So that is what I will do tomorrow.

They also told me that I would probably get a letter rejecting my traditional seat. They also said not to worry because if the judge's ruling isn't overturned they will send me a letter to consent or not to consent to YR. If the judges ruling is overturned, then nothing will happend and I will stay at the YR base I just registered at.

Talk about a confusing. What a mess.

There has to be an easier way than this. I've been happy with the wake schools and my children have been also. They have been receiving a sound education and still do.

After what they just told me today, I think maybe they should just have it the way it used to be. Choose year round if you want it BUT they should let you have it and not deny it to you like it has been. Open all new schools both traditional and year round and let everyone choose and not be denied. By denying year round to people who want it leaves the YR schools undercapacity and not opening some new schools on traditional leaves the traditional schools overcapacity. This will probably never work because of the F&R and busing policy.

Anyone else have any suggestions to alleviate all of this. It is just too frustrating for parents, schools and even the Board I'm sure and is completely unecessary IMO.

[raleighjayne]

I agree. Its a mess the way they have it now.

[saturnfan]

One good one. Folks, stop moving here until WCPSS can catch up.

[raleighjayne]

saturnfan--yes, the growth is crazy in this area. However, WCPSS has year round schools that are incredibly underenrolled that they WON'T let people into because they aren't the right demographic. That is what I have a problem with. Don't *itch and moan that there aren't enough traditional seats when there were over 1000 people who wanted YR but were denied last year. Of course we would still not have enough seats, but it sure would put a dent in it AND more importantly, it would make me believe that the school system was doing everything it could to alleviate the problem. Instead they just want to blame it all on the judge's ruling.