Advocacy

Join us online for advocacy's first team meeting Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m.

Conn Advocacy Committee is having its first meeting online Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and we need you! Email advocacy@connpta.org for the online meeting link or with questions about how to get plugged in!

No experience is necessary to join Conn's Advocacy Committee. We welcome the advocacy-curious! Our team provides a safe space to learn how to advocate for the education, physical and mental health, welfare, and safety of all children at Conn.

We have many different types of roles available. Committee Chair Mike Nutt can also work with you to meet you where you are with your capacity and interest. 

May 27, 2024

Advocacy Committee Finishes Year with Praise from Commissioner Waters for Hearing Turnout

There was standing room only at the May 21 Wake County Commission Budget Hearing and Rally, where incoming Conn PTA president Austin Walther joined the Advocacy Committee, several other Conn parents and students, and dozens of school workers to speak out for a fully funded education budget.

At least 10 Conn parents came to two budget hearings, including a first time hearing attendee who remarked it was "powerful to hear individual voices." Another parent stated they wanted to get more involved. Advocacy team member Kellee Lewis delivered the remarks of yet another parent who wanted to speak but could not attend in person. Advocacy teammate Michelle Morris interrupted her birthday celebrations to deliver remarks at the hearing. Joe Vukina and Scott Morgan also delivered comments (read why male engagement is important for public schools).

The morning after the hearing, District 5 Commissioner Tara Waters (Conn's former WCPSS board representative) called Chair Mike Nutt to thank Conn for its exceptional representation at the meeting. Additionally, NCAE organizer Ryan Kelleher noted to Mike the power of parents showing up: "People in our debrief thought that was very different from last year and would make a huge difference to county commissioners." 

School system board members and staff attended the commissioners' final budget work session May 23. Video of that work session is here. The commissioners are scheduled to adopt a budget at their Monday, June 3 meeting.

Advocacy Seeks New Members

The Advocacy Committee is seeking new members to join us for summer planning and the 24/25 school year. New and returning members are also invited to serve as co-chairs with returning Chair Mike Nutt.

The Committee invites all caregivers and Conn staff to participate. We can design a role around your strengths and interests. Individuals with experience or interest in growing their skills in the following areas are especially needed: county and state PTA campaign coordination, organizing, participatory methods, note-taking, teacher and staff development and training, communications, WCPSS policy, tabling/talking, and special projects (investigating and leading new initiatives). 

We are a supportive, inclusive, consensus-driven team doing meaningful work. Email advocacy@connpta.org if you're advocacy curious, no commitment required! Mike will send you a copy of our orientation guide to get a better idea of the work we do.

May 12, 2024

Join Next Online Conn Advocacy Meeting Thursday, May 16, 2 P.M.

The Conn Advocacy committee will meet online Thursday, May 16 at 2 p.m. Topics will include planning for summer work and next year’s committee, as well as plans to close out this school year.

Attend Wake County Commission Education Budget Hearing And Rally May 21

Educators and supporters will rally and speak out at the County Commission's public hearing on the budget. Though the Wake County school board unanimously approved a budget requesting a $63.2 million increase in local funding, the Commission's initial proposed budget is $14.2 million short of the Board of Education's proposal. That means that essential components of what our schools need, including desperately needed raises for staff, maintaining onsite full-time substitutes in each building, and critically important behavioral support positions could all be on the chopping block. Our public schools need our help: come join WCPSS staff and parents to rally and speak out at the County Commission meeting to demand the resources our schools urgently need.

Legislative Updates And Resources For 2024 NCGA Short Session

The 2024 budget session is a short session that began in April and is scheduled to end by July 1. Public Schools First NC publishes a helpful Week in Review Summary of education-related bills filed in the NC General Assembly. Their Legislative Updates page also includes the legislative agendas of other advocacy organizations The NCPTA Advocacy Day to meet face to face with elected officials is May 15 (previous registration was required). 

Complete the WCPSS Family Survey

The school district encourages you to complete their family survey for each school where you have a student enrolled. Parents or guardians with more than one student enrolled at a school should only complete the survey for that school once. Please complete the survey by May 17. 

April 28, 2024

WCPSS School Board Sets 2024 Legislative Agenda for Short Session

• WCPSS wants state legislators to release $291 million in state funding to Wake County (out of the $5.6 billion total spending across North Carolina public schools through the court-approved Leandro Comprehensive Remedial Plan).

• WCPSS revised key language to ask state legislators to “prioritize public dollars to fully fund public schools, not private school vouchers”, which elicited discussions about school choice, school board members’ obligations to serve public school student families, not private school student families. 

• WCPSS revised key language to ask state legislators to “permit local school calendar flexibility to align with local school calendars with community college calendars…” Historically leadership in the NC general assembly has opposed this action, despite support from 150 co-signers in both the NC House of Representatives and NC Senate. 

WCPSS 2024-25 Superintendent's Proposed Budget – Next Steps

• Two public hearings were held in April for the public to provide input on the proposed budget of $702.6 million, which reflects a proposed increase of $58.3 million to sustain current operations.

• After WCPSS school board members approve the budget, the budget proposal will be presented to County Commissioners on May 15, 2024 for consideration. More public hearings will be held in May and June.

• County Commissioners will approve the budget to include appropriations for WCPSS in June 2024.

Wake NCAE asks for parent and ally support for higher wages

• In a message to parents and allies, Wake NCAE says "our students are in danger of losing historic numbers of staff. As public school workers, parents and community, we know what it will take to stabilize our schools, and now we need decision-makers to understand. On March 19th, 60 Wake NCAE members attended the school board meeting delivering over 3,000 petition signatures from our coworkers stating our need for an increase in the local supplement for all staff (4.5 percent for certified staff and 4.0 percent for non-certified staff) in this budget. As of now, this increase in the local supplement is still NOT in the budget, so it is time we turn up the pressure before the May 21st public hearing." 

• Sign and share their community and parent petition to WCPSS Superintendent, Board of Education, Wake County Board of County Commissioners here.

April 7, 2024

“NC General Assembly should pay”: Takeaways from Public Hearing on Superintendent’s Proposed Budget

• At last week's public hearing on the WCPSS Superintendent's Proposed Budget for 2024-2025, virtually all board members emphasized the need to significantly increase pay for teachers and employees, and called on the NC state legislature, rather than the Wake County Commission, to pony up. Mr. Hershey stated, “I hope they [NC state legislators] understand this cannot be 2-3% pay increases; we need 20-30% increases. We are last in the southeast [in terms of teacher pay]. I encourage people to look up the numbers. This is not a red vs. blue issue; we need to rise to the occasion to pay our staff, especially with companies moving to Wake County who need trained employees. We don’t need to add Wake County taxes to the backs of our residents.” 

• Ms. Lynn Edmonds echoed Mr. Hershey’s sentiments, noting that NC public schools lose teachers and staff to bordering states who pay better. Several teachers who spoke at the public hearing reported that many colleagues have to work 2-3 extra jobs just to make ends meet. 

• WCPSS school board review Dr. Taylor’s proposed budget which asks for $58.3 million more than last year’s budget, in light of federal pandemic funding coming to an end. 

• Members of the Wake Chapter of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) demand that a 4% pay increase for classified and certified personnel - that was originally promised in the multi-year plan - be included in next year’s budget.  

Recommendations from the House Select Committee on Education Reform Report to the 2024 Session: Change School Performance Grading System

• In the bipartisan committee’s report, schools should be graded according to more than just students’ test scores; the recommended system should account for other factors such as chronic absenteeism from school, intra/extracurricular activities, career or college readiness, among others.

• The report also found that teacher compensation has not kept up with the rising cost of living in North Carolina nor government employee pay. 

Rep. Rice Promotes District 4 Board Advisory Council Meeting April 22, 6pm

Toshiba Rice’s First District 4 Board Advisory Council Meeting will be held on Monday, April 22 at 6p at Knightdale Elementary School. The agenda includes Student Achievement Through Equity speaker Dr. Will Chavis, Superintendent for Equity Affairs and a farewell to our former board representative, Tara Waters. Please RSVP if you plan to attend by April 18.

From Bills to Advocacy: Advocacy Skills Training April 17, 6pm

North Carolina Association of Educators will offer From Bills to Advocacy, an advocacy skills training on Wednesday April 17, 6 - 7:15 p.m. Learn what's happening in the North Carolina General Assembly, and the policies impacting public education across the state, and develop the advocacy skills needed to restore the promise of public schools and democracy in NC.

March 24, 2024

Rep. Rice Promotes District 4 Board Advisory Council Meeting April 22, 6 p.m.

Toshiba Rice’s First District 4 Board Advisory Council Meeting will be held on Monday, April 22 at 6p at Knightdale Elementary School. The agenda includes Student Achievement Through Equity speaker Dr. Will Chavis, Superintendent for Equity Affairs and a farewell to our former board representative, Tara Waters. Please RSVP if you plan to attend by April 18.

At the March 19, 2024 school board meeting, Ms. Rice emphasized that community engagement is a priority for her as our District 4 Representative and strongly encourages families to commit to playing an active role at BAC meetings. A website with a signup link is forthcoming.

Ms. Rice thanks Conn Magnet Elementary for inviting her and her son to STEM night. In her words, “the students were so dapper” and her son was thrilled to see our very cool book dispenser!

WCPSS School Board Passes Safer Gun Storage Resolution

WCPSS School Board unanimously passes a resolution for Safer Gun Storage, which focuses on education, awareness, and tools to prevent gun violence. 

• According to Chair Heagarty, this resolution is just a start and is an initiative based on conversations and partnerships with law enforcement, mental health leaders, gun safety advocates, and the WCPSS community. 

• The Be Smart campaign offers handouts on how to ask about secure gun storage at friends’ and families' houses, how to talk to children about guns, and a secure storage toolkit for gun owners.

From Bills to Advocacy: Advocacy Skills Training April 17, 6 p.m.

North Carolina Association of Educators will offer From Bills to Advocacy, an advocacy skills training on Wednesday April 17, 6 - 7:15 p.m. Learn what's happening in the North Carolina General Assembly, and the policies impacting public education across the state, and develop the advocacy skills needed to restore the promise of public schools and democracy in NC.

New Conn School Board Representative Sworn In

Toshiba Rice was sworn in as Conn’s District 4 Wake County Board of Education representative February 20. Read her application letter (.pdf). The Advocacy Committee is inquiring about Representative Rice's process for serving on the District 4 Board Advisory Committee.

Other News

• On February 20, 2024 the Wake County Board of Education voted to join a lawsuit against several large social media companies for mental health harms. Watch the presentation to the Board, the Board’s questions, and the vote here.

• Public Schools Week is Feb. 26 to March 1 and Public Schools First NC wants to know why our public school is AWESOME! Email them at info@publicschoolsfirstnc.org so they can share our Conn pride during Public Schools Week!

• In person early voting continues now through March 2nd at 3 p.m. Be a public education voter and find out where candidates stand with the nonpartisan PSFNC Education Position Questionnaire.

• Take action: Urge Congress to Participate in Public Schools Week Feb. 26 – March 4

District 4 Board Member to Be Interviewed and Selected Feb. 13

Seven people applied for the vacant District 4 school board seat left by Tara Waters, who was appointed to the Wake County Board of Commissioners in January. The board will interview candidates Feb. 13, then vote to select a candidate. The candidates’ applications are attached to the meeting’s agenda on Simbli. The interviews will be publicly viewable on the WCPSS YouTube channel. The new board member will be sworn in on Feb. 20. They will serve the remainder of Waters’ term until December. A representative to fill the seat will be elected in November.

WCPSS’ Lead with Love – Love the Bus Week

This week (Feb 12-16) is Love the Bus Week! Be sure to show your local bus driver some extra love, and recognize them by tagging #wcpsslovesthebus and #connelementarypta. 

Black History Month: Black Trailbazers in NC and WCPSS

At this month’s school board meeting, WCPSS School Board Chairman, Mr. Heagrty, recognized several African American trailblazers in our NC and Wake County school system history: Dr. Bob Bridges, Senator Vernon Malone, Ms. Cliffornia Grady Wimberley, among many more. Last year, WCPSS School Board made history again with three black members serving on the Board in the same term.

February 4, 2024

Sign up to attend a School Board meeting

We encourage you to speak at School Board meetings on an issue that is important to you! The Conn PTA Advocacy Committee is looking for volunteers to commit to attending or speaking at Board meetings. We want to have one Conn caregiver or teacher at every WCPSS Board meeting. 

To coordinate volunteers, we are using this Wake County PTA Council Sign Up Genius form. Adding your name to this schedule DOES NOT SIGN YOU UP TO SPEAK AT THE BOARD MEETING. The Sign Up Genius is only to coordinate the schedule of volunteers. WCPSS opens the speaker sign-up link on the day of the meeting and must be submitted separately. Sign up to speak at https://www.wcpss.net/Page/3727

WCPSS gives some incomplete and confusing information about how to participate in Board Meetings. This guide by the Advocacy Committee seeks to fill in gaps, provide context, and point out hard to find information. It is not a substitute for becoming familiar with the official procedures. 

If you would like help crafting a 3 minute (maximum) speaking piece or want help with editing, please reach out to advocacy@connpta.org at least 48 hours in advance.

If you prefer not to speak, your moral support through attendance would be greatly appreciated!

Registration deadline approaches, ID required for upcoming primary

Other news

• Safer Internet Day (Feb. 6, 2024) is an international education and awareness-raising effort, celebrated in over 100 countries. National PTA will release a webinar Smart Digital Parenting: Navigating Screens with Children & Teens on Safer Internet Day. Sign up here to receive a copy and suggest program topics. National PTA provides other resources to empower your families to use technology more safely.

• Feb. 14, 2 p.m.: De-Politicizing Family Engagement and Social and Emotional Learning. Explore de-politicizing family engagement and social and emotional learning and learn about how these policies and practices are interconnected in support of kids. Co-presented by National PTA and CASEL. Register now.

• Public Schools Week: Feb. 26 – March 1. Public schools are the backbone of our society, nurturing future leaders. Join us in recognizing Public Schools Week. For ways to get involved, visit PublicSchoolProud.org.

January 21, 2024

Attend Conn School Improvement Plan Meetings

The PTA Advocacy Committee invites  you to actively participate in the School Improvement Plan (SIP) Meetings that take place each month. Your involvement is crucial in shaping the future direction of our school, and we believe your perspectives and insights are invaluable.

SIP meetings are an opportunity to discuss and contribute to the ongoing improvement initiatives at Conn Magnet Elementary School.

Our School Improvement Plan (SIP), along with its associated meeting dates and times, is readily accessible on the school's website. To access this valuable information, simply visit the Conn Magnet Elementary School SIP page here or click on the “Our School” tab and select “School Improvement” on the dropdown menu. You will see team members, meeting dates and times, and a link to view the SIP with the following credentials. 

Username: GuestS15462

Special word: GuestS15462

To express your interest in attending these meetings, please email Principal Chidester. In your email, kindly mention your desire to participate in the SIP Meetings and include a comment on what you hope to get out of attending the SIP meeting. Your responses will provide Principal Chidester with valuable insights into the expectations and aspirations of our parent community.

No School on Primary Election Day, March 5, 2024

Wake County Board of Education voted to cancel school on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 to facilitate North Carolina’s state primary elections. Approximately 40% of schools serve as polling sites in Wake County, which raises safety concerns for students, staff, and voters alike. The deadline to register to vote in the primary is February 9. Click here for more information about the primary election and to see a sample ballot.

Applicants Needed for Vacant District 4 Position with Wake County School Board

Ms. Tara Waters was recently nominated to serve on the Wake County Board of Commissioners, leaving her seat as District 4 Representative vacant. This position serves most of southeast Raleigh. Instructions for applying can be found on the vacancy announcement. Read a story about the vacancy here. 

News and Resource Briefs

• Educator working conditions are student learning conditions. Join the North Carolina Association of Educators as a Community Ally to keep public schools strong and support teachers, drivers, staff, and other WCPSS workers!

• The next WCPSS Board Meeting is Feb. 6, 2024 at 5:30p. Save the date and speak up!

• Sign up for email alerts to take action on national PTA issues.

January 7, 2024

Announcing our first CONNversation Night! Please volunteer!

We are begining to plan a CONNversation Night for spring 2024 and we need your help! This will be an evening of facilitated conversation (and interactive stations for student input) about the most important issues facing our school. The Advocacy Committee planning group for CONNversation Night will determine: 

• how best to faciitate a meaningful community conversation

• which issue uncovered in our research (see below) would make a good conversation

• how to encourage non-PTA families and Conn staff to attend, and more

• what guest speakers or facilitators we might invite

Roles in the working group might include:

• childcare coordinator

• food logistics

• communications/marketing

• guest outreach

• family engagement to drive attendance

• the thing you'd like to contribute to make it a special community gathering!

The date and time of the event will be determined by the planning group. If you're interested in joining the planning group for this event, please let us know by emailing advocacy@connpta.org by January 14. 

Dec. 13 meeting regarding Conn PTA’s 2024 Advocacy priorities

Our Advocacy meeting on December 13th was a huge success! Thanks to the 36 respondents who took the time to complete our pre-survey and 22 attendees (including three Conn teachers/staff) who intentionally came together to share what they see as the most important issues facing Conn in 2024. This was a great first step in facilitating open dialogue and conversation among parents, teachers, and community members of Conn Magnet Elementary School and the PTA…but only a first step! 

Conn PTA Advocacy Committee sees a continued need for increased transparency, communication, and family engagement between school administration and parents/families regarding school policies, procedures, and decision-making. What follows are themes, notes, and action items from our December 13 meeting. Statements below should be taken as informal observations, not statements of fact by school personnel. 

Survey on the most important school-related issues

We distributed a survey asking parents and staff to identify and rank issues of concern before the meeting. The results of the survey and details of how the data were analyzed by the Advocacy Committee can be found here. These findings were used to spur discussion at the Dec. 13 meeting.

It is important to remember that this survey was not a representative sample; many voices were not heard at this first meeting or in this survey. The Advocacy Committee is committed to providing more inclusive opportunities for conversation in the future. We need all parents at the table to effectively speak up on behalf of all children at Conn Magnet Elementary. 

In no particular order, the top priority advocacy issues based on survey results were to:

• Limit class size and increase instructional assistant (IA) staffing

• Provide inclusive learning environments for all students

• Increase school safety

• Improve PTA diversity and accessibility

• Improve teacher recruitment, retention, and working conditions

The survey results were used to initiate thoughtful discussion, but the meeting was intentionally designed for open-opened conversation. The following topics organically emerged.

Large 4th and 5th Grade Class Size (3rd Grade Parents) 

There is a large group of ~30 parents with 3rd grade students who are concerned about, and actively advocating to reduce, the large class sizes for 4th and 5th grade students. Parents observe that over 100 students in the 3rd grade are expected to be assigned to three 4th and 5th grade classrooms, resulting in ~34 students per classroom with one lead teacher. By law, K-3rd grade classrooms have class assignment limits of 21 students, but there is no NC law regarding 4th and 5th grade class size. Ms. Chidester does not plan to hire another teacher or create another classroom. This issue is not specific to this student cohort, as the 2nd grade cohort is large as well.

• For more information, please contact Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Harris at 919-600-9887 or Edparker703@yahoo.com.

• Ms. Chidester will address the class size issue at the next Conn PTA Board meeting on January 11 at 6:30p. All PTA Members are welcome! Register here.

• Liz Harris met with Dr. Ashburn, Central Area Superintendent, on Friday 12/15 to discuss class size at 4th and 5th grade level

More Detail

• Ms. Hentz is an example of this – she came on as a new 2nd grade teacher, and then got her own 2nd grade classroom the following year. Ms. Chidester is looking to hire another 3rd grade teacher in the same way.

• There is a new digital librarian as of Friday 12/15, so hiring is happening. Nobody was aware of this.

• The school has a budget that Ms. C uses to pull different positions. New tech teacher/Ms. Hentz were not budget issues; the issue is finding good candidates. Hiring one teacher could take away 3 IA teachers. As it stands, the budget does not allow for the hiring of an additional teacher. If money is used to fund more general ed teachers, which positions would be cut?

Where can the PTA help?

• The PTA can provide more information about this issue and help with message crafting – What can the district do, what can Ms. C do, what can the PTA do, etc. to set up the kids and the teachers up for success 

• PTA messaging around this issue should be broadened; the ask is for more support such as encouraging volunteers, hiring more instructors, IA staff, a cap for this age group, etc.

• PTA should craft this message so that it doesn’t harm the other classes (don’t pull another teacher). 

• Attending this meeting was merely another avenue to bring this group of concerned parents to the forefront for PTA in general

• Provide resources/references that the Committee can share with concerned parents to inform families on legislation/current law; who has decision-making authority to hire staff, etc.?

• Mike Nutt can follow up with Ms. C depending on how January 11 meeting goes

• What is the number that Ms. C wants to stay below for 4th and 5th grade class size?

General School Administration’s Hiring Procedures, Processes and Communications

The large class size discussion raised a broader concern regarding increased transparency, accessibility around school processes about hiring and involving teachers in the conversation. The best way to engage teachers (particularly the 4th and 5th grade teachers) and hear their voice is through Mr. Gridley, who does a good job of inviting teachers to different committees and liaisons with the PTA. 

• How can we amplify all teacher voices with class sizes/working conditions? 

• It’d be helpful to have teachers and parents on the same page. Teachers (“T” can sometimes be left out of the PTA.)

PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports), PURR Expectations, and Social, Emotional, Behavioral Learning

One parent expressed concerns about the school’s use of PBIS/PURR, because it has backfired. It has become a popularity contest for her two kids, and PBIS/PURR may break down along lines of race, SES, different household norms, neurodiverse students, etc.

• Can the school consider more equitable approaches to managing student behavior, such as conscious discipline? Make it more equitable by providing tokens for books?

• Ms. Pierce offered to share the parent’s concern with the PBIS committee, connect this parent to Conn’s PBIS Committee to better understand the school’s perspective on PBIS, and consider changes to this approach. 

Where can the PTA help?

• PTA advocacy committee can write a report that flags this issue (and others) as concerns from parents and says we will work with e.g. Wellness Committee for the best way to advocate for PBIS/nutrition issue.

Targeted Support & Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT)

One parent wanted to see status updates from the school, specifically literacy efforts, regarding Conn’s TSI status. Families received the TSI letter from Ms. Chidester at the beginning of the school year, but there’s been little to no communication about it since. School administration has begun holding School Improvement Plan (SIP) meetings as part of this program, but no parents have been made aware of SIP or the meetings.

• A tech librarian has been hired and will start this Friday 12/15, so the school has taken action to address literacy efforts.

• Conn received this letter/was identified as an Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) school based on EOG test scores (3rd-5th grade) that show certain subgroups (e.g. African American students) are underperforming/not meeting certain benchmarks and therefore are eligible for this additional support.

Where can the PTA help?

• What is the stated goal of this program? Have there been any updates? Can the Advocacy Committee get more information? What are the next steps? 

Advocacy – Community/School/All Students vs. Motivated PTA Members

One parent asked, “How do we advocate based on school needs vs. issues chosen by motivated PTA members?” If this conversation feels preliminary, it’s because it is. The Advocacy Committee has talked to Deuan, the PTA DEI Chair, PTA Chairs, etc, but we need to build trust to advocate more on behalf of the school/all students. All voices should be included. The Advocacy Committee’s hope is to continue to prioritize school gatherings that invite families to participate. 

• Providing childcare and free food at gatherings helps bring people together. Meals are a great equalizer. Dinner used to be served at literacy night and it was a hit, but perhaps funding for this event came from Title 1 which Conn no longer receives.

• Ms. Young and student services connect and strengthen voices of those not already at the space

Where can the PTA help?

• Advocacy committee has been in talks about putting on a dinner/CONNversation night. PTA thinks we should try as early as this semester to plan one.

• PTA can provide food for “just a day to come and communicate and engage in a conversation”. However, free food should not be paired with an event like stem night, literacy night, etc. because there is already strong attendance at these events

Sugar, Health and Wellness

Several parents expressed concern about the amount of sugar/candy that is given to students and asked if this was being done for behavior management. PTA Wellness Committee should address this. Rules are not being enforced, as teachers are not supposed to hand out candy as rewards to students. 

• Access to vending machine/candy is also an equity issue, as not all students can afford to buy candy/treats.

• Lunch volunteers see students throw away nutritious food, only to eat candy/sugary foods which is not good for their bodies, nor their ability to learn. 

Where can the PTA help?

• No feedback/discussion.

Next Steps

Was this meeting helpful?

Yes! Please do it again. Especially first-time kindergarten parents don't know what "top issues" should be, so it's helpful to hear what other parents are concerned about.

Conn PTA Advocacy Commitee’s Immediate Next Steps

The committee has already begun following up on action steps identified in the meeting.

• Research WCPSS’ wellness policy regarding candy in the classroom (see here)

• Bring issues raised to appropriate PTA committees

• Advocacy to bring issues raised to PTA leadership

• Advocacy to support/attend January 11 PTA Board meeting to hear Ms. Chidester discuss class sizes at 4th and 5th grade levels

December 10, 2023

School psychologists necessary for treating student trauma

After the fatal stabbing of a student at Southeast Raleigh High, the district has promised to review safety protocols. At a Special Community Forum at Southeast Raleigh High School held December 4 in response to the tragedy (watch here), it was clear that change is desired. As we consider what to do in the face of this tragedy, it is important to remember that students in our base zone have been traumatized. Conn and Southeast Raleigh High both enroll students from the Heritage Park neighborhood.

The North Carolina PTA Advocacy Chairs wrote and passed this school safety resolution in 2018. The statement “requests that districts add school psychologists to the staff, who can appropriately provide expert observations and address emerging mental health issues, and serve as crisis counselors, which can help create safer schools and more positive learning environments.” WCPSS provides this handout from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) explains more about their typical services.

The NASP “recommends a ratio of one school psychologist per 500 students in order to provide comprehensive school psychological services.” That would mean WCPSS’ 159,000 student district would have about 318 psychologists. In Wake County, there are 117 psychologists.

The bipartisan Senate Bill 448, the School Psychologist Omnibus, introduced last spring is designed to increase the pay for and number of school psychologists in the state. The bill is now in the Appropriations committee. Contact these committee members to request the bill be advanced to the Senate floor for a vote: District 14 Senator Dan Blue and District 15 Senator Jay Chaudhuri. 

Tara Waters accepts Wake County Board of Commissioners position

Conn’s school board representative Tara Waters has been selected by the Wake Democrats to fill the Wake County Board of Commissioners District 5 seat. This seat was left vacant by the late James West. The Democrat-led Commissioners will vote in January whether to accept the nomination.

Public school advocacy online training January 17

Do you want honest, accurate, safe, equitable and fully-funded public schools in North Carolina? Join the Public School Strong movement by attending their next training Wednesday, January 17, 2024, 7 – 8:30pm. Public School Strong is a great way to take your advocacy to the next level by joining a state-wide coalition. Recently, they delivered the results of a survey to Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt which showed support for strengthening our public schools.

November 26, 2023

Plug In!

• The next WCPSS Board Meeting is Dec. 5, 5:30pm. Email advocacy@connpta.org if you have questions about participating.

• The "Creating Inclusive Communities for LGBTQ+ Youth" workshop from National PTA’s 2023 LegCon highlights and shares strategies from state and regional PTAs working to establish safe, supportive and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ identifying youth. Learn more about LGBTQ+ inclusivity in PTA.

• Sign up for the National PTA Takes Action Network and respond to action alerts to reach your legislators on important issues and legislation.

• Note in the Pocket addresses clothing insecurity for WCPSS and other Triangle children. Their 3rd annual Shoesday 2023 campaign seeks to provide 1,785 pairs of shoes. District 4 Rep. https://givebutter.com/UNxbyl. When donating clothes, District 4 Rep. Tara Waters reminds us there are adult-sized children! 

• Purchase your official Wake PTA  ADVOCATE hoodies! Wake County PTA Council is committed to addressing equity among PTA units. All proceeds from the ADVOCATE campaign will be used to provide grants to struggling units in Wake County.

November 12, 2023

Join Our Advocacy Priorities Meeting

The Advocacy Committee wants YOU at the table to help determine our PTA priorities. How should the PTA be spending its money? What issues should we be focusing on to support our student families and school? Please join our strategic planning process at a virtual meeting December 13 at 8pm to discuss together. Sign up to join the meeting at connpta.org/advocacy.

11/7 School Board Meeting Report

WCPSS bus driver Ricky Albino attended the November 7 meeting of the School Board, along with two other drivers and NCAE members. Albino made several clear requests to address the bus driver crisis: bi-weekly pay, salary additions instead of bonuses taxed at a higher rate, and safer routes. 

Albino mentioned that many drivers have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, and the long hours mean they get less sleep and rest and suffer from fatigue behind the wheel. Including bonuses, a new full-time driver in Wake County might earn $38,600. For a family with two working adults and two children, the living wage in Wake County is about $60,008. 

After his comments, Albino and his colleagues spoke with Advocacy Committee Chair Mike Nutt about their need for parents to advocate for drivers. For example, the drivers said that school administrators do not follow through on behavior reports the drivers make. Some routes feel so dangerous that the drivers said they want security on the bus. They asked us to put pressure on the Board in school board comments and emails, because their plight hasn’t gotten enough attention.

At the last District 4 Board Advisory Council meeting, Chief of Facilities and Operations Mark Strickland said the district will need to try unique and novel approaches to address the gap in drivers, but drivers have been clear about what is needed to make the job more desirable. Email Strickland and District 4 Representative Tara Waters to advocate for WCPSS to address the needs expressed by our bus drivers.

Provide Feedback on Family Involvement Policy Draft by Nov. 15

The WCPSS Board of Education is creating a mostly new policy to address legislative requirements of S.B. 49, the “Parents Bill of Rights” aka “Don’t Say LGBTQ+” bill. News & Observer education reporter Keung Hui said this excerpt explains “how schools will handle parental notification before changes are made in names or pronouns by their children.”

The North Carolina PTA’s 2023 State Legislative Advocacy Priorities include supporting efforts to improve child “mental health & wellness.” Studies have shown a deadly crisis in the mental health of queer youth as policies around the country create oppression and an atmosphere of fear and hostility. A common complaint about S.B.49 is that it is in violation of Title IX (.pdf). 

School leaders, staff, families and community stakeholders should share their feedback on the policy here by November 15, 2023. 

Environmental and Sustainability Advocacy Talk

Thursday, November 16 at 1:00pm

Google Meet link: meet.google.com/dzv-xifs-uit

On Thursday November 16, please join the Wake County PTA Council Advocacy Committee as they host local sustainability advocate Marla Kasper at 1pm. We will learn about the ways climate change impacts our health, and ways we as school communities can advocate around sustainability to ease those impacts. We hope to see you there!

News Briefs

• Public School Strong training. Wednesday, December 6, 7 – 8:30pm. Do you want honest, accurate, safe, equitable and fully-funded public schools in North Carolina? Join the Public School Strong movement! A project of the HEAL Together NC coalition. 

• National PTA’s Legislative Conference (LegCon). Save the date! March 5-7, 2024. Theme: Share Power for Every Child. Call for workshop proposals. Application for Outstanding Advocacy Awards

• Coffee & Connections with Wake County PTA Council. Nov. 14, 9:30am. Transfer Food Hall, 500 E. Davie St., Raleigh. Looking to connect with other PTA leaders in the county? Have questions or concerns? Let's meet for coffee and talk PTA!

• Ask Me Anything with Wake County PTA Council Dec. 12, 7pm. Questions about nominating? Maintaining momentum? Hop online and ask the Wake Council anything! Register here for the virtual meeting.

• Happy Healthy Lifestyles Month! Visit PTA.org/HealthyLifestyles to support healthy lifestyles in your home!

• NCPTA Quarter 2 Virtual Leadership Academy. Join NCPTA on Saturday, November 18th from 10am to 12pm for their Virtual Leadership Academy! Come hear from guest speakers Representative Ashton Wheeler Clemmons and State Superintendent Catherine Truitt, and learn best practices for your PTA's audit committee. Register here.

November 5, 2023

WCPSS Board Meeting November 7

The WCPSS Board of Education meets next November 7 at 5:30pm. Speaking at a Board Meeting can be confusing and intimidating if you've never done it before, but the Advocacy Committee is here to help. We can let you know what to expect and discuss how to write your talking points. Click here for information about how to sign up to speak at the Board meeting. 

Next Advocacy Committee Meeting November 8

The Advocacy Committee will meet Wednesday, November 8 at 8pm. We’ll discuss ideas for a CONNversation night to increase family engagement and strategic planning for the Advocacy committee. All are welcome to join! Email advocacy@connpta.org for meeting information.

Voting Information

November 7th is Election Day for many towns in Wake County, including: Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell and Zebulon. Upcoming election information can be found in this Wake County Board of Elections Voter Guide.

There are new voter ID rules for voters in North Carolina - learn more here.

Find your sample ballot here - https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/sample-ballot

More information can be found in this Voter Guide provided by You Can Vote, a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to increase voter registration and voter turnout.

Board Advisory Council

The District 4 Board Advisory Council (BAC) held a meeting October 26 at Ligon Middle School and featured an introduction by new WCPSS Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor. 

Susan Pullium, the WCPSS Senior Director of Student Assignment, emphasized that the stability rules, approved for the 2023-24 school year, are more generous. All eligible students who have an assignment change can submit their request to stay at their current school and will have their request approved. Staff have been responding to parent input at this Frequently Asked Questions page.

Chief of Facilities and Operations Mark Strickland discussed ongoing issues hiring enough bus drivers in the county. He said we currently have 650 drivers and need another 300, and that we have fewer drivers now than on August 1. He said there is “noone in the bullpen” when a driver calls in sick because the 70 permanent full time substitute drivers are all currently assigned a route. A recent Friday had 80 “callouts” by drivers. 17 routes are scheduled to arrive late at their schools. Strickland said they are looking at data to see where problem areas are and will discuss the possibility of later start times. He said they need to “consider things we’ve never considered before” and that “we can’t buy our way out of this” problem.

The next District 4 BAC meeting will be November 30, 6 p.m. in Knightdale. Details to come.

October 22, 2023

Oct. 17 Board Meeting Hot Topic: 2024-24 Enrollment Proposal

On Oct. 17, staff members presented the second draft of the 2024-25 Student Enrollment Proposal to the Board of Education. Watch the presentation. Several parents at the Board Meeting expressed that no changes to reflect community input were made between the first and second drafts. The district is still collecting feedback through ThoughtExchange. 

In her opening remarks, Representative Waters marked the 1 year anniversary of the mass shooting in Hedingham by noting there had been no legislative response. She noted that firearms are now the leading cause of death for children. She encouraged parents to visit https://besmartforkids.org for guidelines on secure gun storage. The National PTA's position statement on firearms was last amended in 2021.

The Board approved the first readings of several policy updates designed to bring WCPSS policy into compliance with the NC Parents' Bill of Rights passed by the legislature this fall. Some parents thanked the Board for a "cautious" approach to implementation. For instance, local education reporter Keung Hui said "Wake isn't applying the law to elementary school library books." Changes to the policies are marked in blue in documents attached to the meeting agenda.

You Can Be an Advocate!

Purchase your official Wake PTA  ADVOCATE shirts! Wake County PTA Council is committed to addressing equity among PTA units. All proceeds from the ADVOCATE campaign will be used to provide grants to struggling units in Wake County.

Then wear your new ADVOCATE threads at an upcoming WCPSS Board of Education Meeting! The Conn Advocacy Committee would love to help you be a more effective advocate for your child. Please get in touch at advocacy@connpta.org with your questions and input!