Meetings planned to weigh future of schools
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 8, 2015 1:46 PM
The new superintendent of Wayne County Public Schools wants to meet with parents and community members toward developing a strategic plan for the district.
Dr. Michael Dunsmore, who took over the role July 1, told the school board he planned to hold sessions at each of the district's high schools.
The hour-long meetings will afford parents an opportunity to be introduced to the new superintendent, as well as discuss goals of where the district hopes to be academically in the next five years.
"Over the past three months, I have been laying the groundwork for the development of a Strategic Plan that will move this district forward and garnering input from stakeholders has been a vital step in that process," Dunsmore said. "Since my hire, I have had the opportunity to meet with or hear from various district stakeholders, including school administrators, district personnel, parents, elected officials, base leadership, business leaders and community members.
"The purpose of these upcoming Strategic Plan Meetings will be to allow parents, as part of a more formal process, to share where they would like to see our schools in the next two to five years."
Beginning Monday, meetings will be held in each of the six attendance zones. Parents with students at Edgewood Community Developmental School, Wayne Academy, Wayne Early/Middle College High and Wayne School of Engineering are encouraged to attend the meeting for the attendance zone where they reside.
The format will be simple -- a brief overview of test scores in each respective community and an opportunity to entertain a few questions from the audience.
While the state lays out goals and objectives, Dunsmore said the hope is to customize the findings for Wayne County, with the information gathered to be compiled and incorporated in the district's strategic plan.
The following is the schedule for the information meetings, all starting at 6 p.m.
* Oct. 12 in Rosewood High cafeteria, pertaining to Rosewood elementary, middle and high schools
* Oct. 13 in Charles B. Aycock High cafeteria, covering CBA, Fremont STARS Elementary, Northeast and Northwest elementary and Norwayne Middle
* Oct. 19 in Eastern Wayne High cafeteria, for Eastern Wayne elementary, middle and high schools, Greenwood Middle, Meadow Lane Elementary and Tommy's Road Elementary
* Oct. 20 in Spring Creek High cafeteria, for Spring Creek elementary, middle and high schools
* Oct. 22 in Southern Wayne High cafeteria, for Brogden middle and primary, Carver Elementary, Grantham elementary and middle, Mount Olive Middle and Southern Wayne High
* Oct. 26 in Goldsboro High auditorium, for Carver Heights Elementary, Dillard Middle, Goldsboro High, North Drive Elementary and School Street Elementary.
The superintendent said he is looking forward to meeting parents and community members and gaining a better understanding of what they hope to accomplish as a school district.
"Once we have the entire plan done, we'll take it back out and share it with folks," Dunsmore said. "I want to have these meetings at least two times a year -- question and answer and do some different things.
"If people have concerns and questions, I want to hear what people have to say."
Dunsmore said his goal is to bring the formulated strategic plan to the school board by the first of the year.