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Mod Note: These posts have been split off from the "When will students go back to school?" thread
IMO, It's really time to split the Wake school district into more than one district, as they used to be (up until 1976, Raleigh City and Wake County were two different districts, and definitely would have different "snow" schedules--because it always seemed that the other district got more snow days than the one you were in!). The MAIN reason for the sometimes-gobsmacking snow policy is that they have to think of far-flung areas of the county and their safety on the roads, even if 90% of the rest of the county is fine. At least multiple districts would allow a little leeway, not to mention you wouldn't have just one school board dealing with the unchecked growth of WCPSS in the past decade or so.
But, I don't think it will ever happen, because no district wants to get "stuck" with the poor/urban neighborhoods; they all want to affluent suburbs. This is part of the reason they merged 35 years ago in the first place. But, just how big can one district get without imploding on itself?
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 02-03-2010 at 07:20 PM..
IMO, It's really time to split the Wake school district into more than one district, as they used to be (up until 1976, Raleigh City and Wake County were two different districts, and definitely would have different "snow" schedules--because it always seemed that the other district got more snow days than the one you were in!).
I have only been in the Triangle for about 5 years now and will say that this is the first time school has been cancelled this long b/c of snow. Splitting up a district for something that doesn't happen very often just isn't a feasible idea that I would go or vote for.
In this situation, I think letting the principal of each school make the decision about school would be helpful. We live in the southern part of our county and the roads have been okay. It seems senseless to close down a whole district when only a few schools are affected.
I have only been in the Triangle for about 5 years now and will say that this is the first time school has been cancelled this long b/c of snow. Splitting up a district for something that doesn't happen very often just isn't a feasible idea that I would go or vote for.
I certainly wasn't suggesting that snow days are the WHOLE reason I think multiple school districts would be advantageous! Mostly, the county population is growing so fast and we are already one of the largest school districts in the nation (and I don't think that's a good thing, when you look at the other large ones such as LA). It's unlikely to happen, anyway, but if it did, at least ONE byproduct would be more "localized" snow closings.
In this situation, I think letting the principal of each school make the decision about school would be helpful. We live in the southern part of our county and the roads have been okay. It seems senseless to close down a whole district when only a few schools are affected.
That can be tough, too, as the principal doesn't always live near the school, so isn't up to par on the immediate roads - i.e. Cary HS principal lives in Wake Forest!
The population is clustered toward the center of the county so many schools would have kids in rural areas that were not plowed.
Part of why we movwed is that we were looking for lower taxes, and we liked the efficiency of WCPSS.
Up north my town had 7 school districts. That means 7 superintendants & their staffs = 7 times the $. And snow days? A logistical nighmare, with 7 different decisions on closing, delayed openings, all announced at different times ....
It's not just "here." I know things are often done by cit up north--I lived in MA for a while. Throughout the south you will find schools are districted by county, not city. Partly this is because the south was, for so long, rural and agricultural and there just weren't enough kids to support "city" schools (esp. when there were so few cities). Think back to 40 years ago and Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Wake Forest, were hardly able to sustain their own school systems.
I didn't like the way many things were done when divvied up by town or city up north. I hated the fact that my husband worked TEN MINUTES from my house (2 towns over) and it was a long distance phone call. I hated the fact that wealth would be concentrated heavily in towns with good schools, driving up real estate so that middle class people couldn't afford to buy. Cops in one town were very clannish and a small-town mentality seemed to rule despite booming populations and lots of "outsiders." There was a lot I loved about MA but the splitting up of the towns for every service was really wacky to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wheelsup
Serious question why is it "wake county" and not done by city here? Back in NH schools were open/closed based upon city conditions.
What other areas have split their school system? They only other one I know of is Chapel Hill/Carrboro & Orange County.
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