News

WakeEd Partnership Launching Community School Supply Drive July 12th

Collected items will stock the shelves at Tools4Schools, WakeEd’s Free Classroom Supply Store for Teachers RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization committed to supporting staff and students in the Wake County Public...

WakeEd Partnership Announces 2023 Stars of Education Honorees

Tom Bradshaw to receive Vernon Malone Friend of Education Award, Six New Inductees Join Wake County Public Schools Hall of Fame RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization committed to supporting teachers and students in...

WakeEd Partnership and Wake County Public Schools Kick Off Summer Career Pathways Program

RALEIGH, N.C. — Career Accelerator, WakeEd Partnership’s career pathways summer program developed in partnership with Wake County Public Schools, kicks off today - Tuesday, June 20 – and runs through Wednesday, June 28. Nearly 500 rising 10th – 12th graders will...

Triangle Leaders Join WakeEd Partnership Board of Directors; Emma Browning of Paradox Consulting Partners Elected Board Chair

RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization that supports public schools in Wake County, announced today that Emma Browning, Managing Director of Paradox Consulting Partners, has been elected Chair of its Board of Directors....

WakeEd Partnership Awards Scholarships to Local Student Athletes

Scholarships Totaling $12,500 Given to Students from Apex High School and Green Hope High School RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization committed to supporting teachers and students in the Wake County Public School...

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Investor Spotlight: BASF

For innovation to happen, we need people who understand our customers’ needs and challenges, as well as the ability to use creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and STEM training to come up with solutions for our current and future needs.

WakeEd Wednesdays

WakeEd Wednesdays is a video series produced to simplify many of the complexities of North Carolina’s largest school district, the Wake County Public School System. With more than 180 schools, 160,000 students, and 11,000 teachers, WCPSS has a major impact on all Wake County residents regardless of whether they have children enrolled in the schools.

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Report: Teachers have the greatest impact on inspiring students to pursue STEM careers

There’s been a lot of buzz in recent years about exposing more K-12 students, especially girls and minorities, to STEM career fields. These fields are particularly male dominated, and they are among some of the highest-paying professions lately. However, the barriers...

Why Grade-Level Reading Matters

Being able to read on grade-level by the third grade can change a child’s life. For five years, WakeEd Partnership’s Partners Read program has placed mentors into Wake County Public Schools to read with developing first and second grade students and has provided...

Several plans emerge to pay for statewide school construction and renovation

With four competing proposals, it is very likely North Carolina will have a plan for school construction by the end of this year’s legislative session. How it will be funded and how much Wake County might receive when everything is final is anybody’s guess at this...

Intern Profile: Hannah Naylor

Hi, I’m Hannah Naylor, a senior at Meredith College majoring in Mass Communication and Public Relations, with minors in Professional Writing and Presentation Media, and Sociology. While at Meredith I have served in leadership positions with Lambda Pi Eta Honor...

It’s Time for a Productive Conversation About Honoring Educator Professionalism

Regardless of the profession and above all else, employees want to feel respected and valued. How that respect and value is measured differs across the industry spectrum, but some common themes occur in all areas such as meaningful and productive work, adequate...

Slowing Enrollment Growth Emerges as Opportunity for WCPSS

A national trend has caught up with Wake County Public School System that has caused district leaders to change the way they think about the future.The U.S. birth rate has declined in recent years, and it hit a 30-year low in 2017, according to...

Funding is Key to Achieving Success for Public Schools in 2019

Looking back over 2018, it was a good year for advancing good public education policies. Teachers received another raise, a compromise was reached which will reduce class sizes in kindergarten through third grade, and most importantly Wake County voters overwhelmingly...

WakeEd Urges Voters to Support the WCPSS Bond Referendum on Nov. 6

The schools will be built no matter what. The schools will be built If the bond referendum passes, and taxes will go up if the bond referendum passes. The schools will be built If the bond referendum fails, but taxes will go up even higher if the bond referendum...

September 2018 BTLN Kickoff

Wake Beginning Teacher Leadership Network kicked off its 2018-2019 sessions with a great opportunity to dive in and network! We began our night with some yummy pizza catered by Papa Murphy’s and the room was buzzing with teacher’s checking in about how the school year...

Three Ways to Improve North Carolina School Report Cards

The recent release of the North Carolina public school performance report cards is a timely reminder that school grading is here to stay, so our state has a responsibility to make sure the formula is adequate and the grading system is equitable. North Carolina’s...

WakeEd Board Adopts Resolution Supporting the WCPSS Bond Referendum

The Board of Directors of WakeEd Partnership through its President, Steve Parrott, today announces the adoption of a Resolution in support of the Bond Referendum on the November 2018 election ballot. Press Release Board Resolution WCPSS Return on Investment WakeEd is...

Law of Averages: There Are Better Ways to Measure Teacher Salaries Than State or National Averages

With the election season on the doorstep, it is reasonable to think that public school funding will be among the top issues raised at candidate forums, and specifically teacher pay will be one issue that is likely to receive the lion’s share of attention. Teacher pay...

Investor Spotlight: BASF

We encourage other businesses to partner with WakeEd and join in our effort to continue to provide the best possible education in Wake County. It truly takes a village and we all have a stake in our future.

Learning to Treasure Wild Ducks with IBM

There is a saying, “treasure your wild ducks,” meaning value the outside-the-box thinkers and those who will try new things to push the envelope. IBM strives to live by this philosophy as they implement Agile and Design Thinking.

Opening “Circuits” of Understanding with Wake Tech

Have you ever thought about learning as a circuit? Our Wake Technical Community College experience today involved us experiencing how electrical circuits are created.

Realizing Solutions with Plexus

Have you ever wondered where the Coke Freestyle machines at Wendy’s and Five Guys come from? Turns out they were partially designed by the company who hosted our first immersion day for elementary, Plexus.

Why is SummerSTEM Important for Beginning Teachers?

How is SummerSTEM helpful to a beginning teacher? This is a question that I am seeking to answer this week as I am fortunate enough to fully participate in SummerSTEM.

SummerSTEM Day Five: Wrapping it All Up

Takeaways were numerous when discussed today, and several themes stood out during reflection. The message from businesses during immersion days was a desire for both businesses and schools to form partnerships.

SummerSTEM Day Four: Tapping Into the Grid

What is “the grid”? While we talk about “the grid” all the time, and hear about it in the news, we are often unaware of the true meaning. During one SummerSTEM group’s day two of immersion, which I was able to join, educators teamed up with ABB to learn more.

SummerSTEM Day Three: Chasing Learning

Circuits, and 3D printers, and pharmaceuticals, oh my! Today, SummerSTEM partnered with Wake Technical Community College to understand more about some of the careers for which Wake Tech helps prepare students.

SummerSTEM Day Two: Teachers Need Field Trips Too

Did you know that Duke Energy has a water resources team that monitors the health of Harris Lake? I did not, until today when I was given the opportunity to join the site visit to Duke Energy.

SummerSTEM Day One: What’s Your Why?

What’s your why? This question is of vital importance in the education sphere and arguably in every business and industry. It drives every teacher and every student, whether known or unknown.

WakeEd Partnership Expands Board of Directors

WakeEd’s impact would not be possible without the support and leadership from WakeEd’s Board of Directors. This group of local leaders provides expertise, perspective, and a passion for public education that drives our organization forward. That is why we are excited to introduce nine new members, who have joined the Board of Directors in 2018.

Boarding Pass: Global Studies Through Student-Led Podcasts

Podcasts are more popular and prolific than ever, and the educators at Stough Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh wondered how they could be used in the classroom. Better still, could creating a podcast become a useful learning tool itself?

Four NC Communities Receive National Honors for Literacy Initiatives

The national Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) is recognizing four North Carolina communities for measurable progress on key indicators of early school success. Read Charlotte in Mecklenburg County; Chatham Reads in Chatham County; Growing Moore Readers of Moore County and WAKE Up and Read in Wake County reported progress in 2017 for children from low-income families toward at least one CGLR indicator: school readiness, school attendance or summer learning.

Investor Spotlight: Martin Marietta

Undeniably, education is a critical building block in any community foundation. Highly effective teachers equipped with the skills and technology needed to optimally develop our students into future leaders, engaged business civic-minded people and a well-informed citizenry are necessary for community improvement and growth. WakeEd promotes this mission in the Wake County community and Martin Marietta is proud to partner in its efforts.

Belt-Tightening Forcing Tough Choices for WCPSS

The Wake County Public School System is preparing for the 2018-19 school year by looking at ways to reduce its budget after revenue sources come up short.

Live from the 2018 Education Policy Summit

The Wake County Beginning Teacher Leadership Network (BTLN) is a teacher-led young professionals network that aims to empower and retain beginning teachers in the Wake County Public School System. This week, Christina Spears and America Moreno represented BTLN at the...