[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6603389,"mediaKeyId","3000290-13f28efa143c418e8f12f57ae3a5d974","parentId",3000290,"title","Community partners tell Wake County board: local groups hold social capital the district needs","audioSeconds",1494,"startMs",3856000,"endMs",5350000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000290-13f28efa143c418e8f12f57ae3a5d974&start=3856&end=5350","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3000290-13f28efa143c418e8f12f57ae3a5d974/thumbnail_3856000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6603389/North-Carolina/Community-partners-tell-Wake-County-board-local-groups-hold-social-capital-the-district-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6603389-343f2cbcf253d4ee763a370debea9195/orig.mp4?Expires=1775179679&Signature=R1aG9YRB8ly7zWdJ4UDt3ChF90~HotiDnoNLDS2FMyLAZuqaN2~9AmDMnra9K3~y~0-uOzsCBksID1OeMb~vVXAGNsvxiiK~ETiKy8Oi51P3o4PeI0wm8KWyPdUYWcPOvjA9d6AMYwEvV2rCYEWxCVTrVb2d8H~JFcFOMrMDMpyOwOi6wzgRXKTzCsSrQHL8DkeFxKzX2qrUBDyxdx5xOIPkozdUwyXwydtOGhVM2rw9uF-X3stKyvHGnNcvdikmK8PL-DFVRH99OhU0Q809b2KYR2Ph4wzEafHh9~yuK2ak0ZplT4uPQ~3gL8ihFHaqO4K9ShRPW1dsS20bZxM4vA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wake County Schools","date","2025-04-15T19:32:32.717Z","article","Community partners and a university researcher urged the Wake County Public Schools board to deepen partnerships with neighborhood organizations that already hold local trust and social relationships, offering examples of street-level prevention, mentoring and family support programs.

Dr. Terrence Ruth, a professor at NC State who worked with local groups, framed his remarks around the subsidiarity principle — the idea that issues should be addressed at the most local level capable of resolving them. He said the district’s size is an asset, but that very size can make it difficult for a large institution to perceive local dynamics visible to grassroots leaders.

\"There’s a level of trust these individuals have in their community that Wake County Public Schools can never have,\" Dr. Ruth said, arguing that the district should act as a convener and connector rather than supplanting community organizations.

Representatives from Team Truth 919 and a neighborhood program called Keshe Kite described work in Southeast Raleigh: mentoring, Teen Talk Tuesday peer-support sessions, clothing and sneaker drives, and neighborhood events intended to build relationships and reduce violence. Tim Prince, Tyrone Hinton and Scotty Barnes said their organizations frequently work directly with students, families and occasionally with school and hospital staff to prevent violent escalations and to provide ongoing mentorship.

Examples offered included coordinated responses to incidents involving students, discreet support for families, and community-led events that attract residents without government presence. Presenters said those local connections make it possible to prevent crises that might otherwise surface as suspensions, arrests or emergency-room incidents.

On partnership models, presenters recommended a different approach than a simple contract-for-service: they suggested the district support organizational development and capacity building — for example, by connecting community groups to organizations such as Leadership Triangle or United Way to strengthen governance and reporting capacity so grassroots groups can scale or sustain their work without losing local authenticity.

Board members and staff praised the work and asked for follow-up on concrete models for engagement. Board members emphasized the need to balance community autonomy with district transparency and public‑fund accountability. Dr. Ruth and community leaders agreed that an appropriate model would treat the district as a convener and funder-of-capacity rather than as a direct operator of community programs.

(Reporting based on presentations by Dr. Terrence Ruth, Tim Prince, Tyrone Hinton and Scotty Barnes at the Wake County Public Schools community engagement meeting.)","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-04-15 Community Engagement Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Community leaders and NC State faculty told the Wake County board that partnership models should empower grassroots organizations, not simply contract them; presenters described hyper-local outreach, youth mentoring and nontraditional prevention efforts that operate where district systems sometimes lack visibility.","taxTitle","Wake County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14083,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6603394,"Wake County equity office details student-led programs, educator leadership and new initiatives",1500,112000,1612000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000290-13f28efa143c418e8f12f57ae3a5d974&start=112&end=1612","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3000290-13f28efa143c418e8f12f57ae3a5d974/thumbnail_112000.jpg","/articles/6603394/North-Carolina/Wake-County-equity-office-details-student-led-programs-educator-leadership-and-new-initiatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6603394-f938de3ea3e05b3156f06f9d46c1db01/orig.mp4?Expires=1775179679&Signature=HJ-iTuXz37k~NkqpsCc6kyFtrJPcU6R9j~eWYvZqV4JaHuCSvPHjOawLQUeE7hwIqWOCY-PVxia7wy1H~Oj3HqJ1ExwGEG5zryAALm4AxQ056kpwKMpy6~nJo1dyl0YQZOpAznP-YHu-cwSMZjkHMXj--rx2-z0TYVw~ksqOu97tkwqO6TFHznh1wbvzjv0bDbKISDEN5PTteUQpdPkYLOks8jdPQK9n~EOSynCYOqvO7xhlMWU3JB5x6eTz72baampwWKGSm4soDE5SyJCyv0cu5yu9N1lXdenZb6EsRd7y6cDZOJJLxu7YWz7bCc9iRGxtjZB2i7Qpu1AckuGLTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wake County Public Schools Office of Equity Affairs presented a summary of student and educator engagement programs designed to build leadership, close opportunity gaps and connect students to community resources.

Dr. Janine Perry Campbell, director of the office of equity affairs for student and educator engagement, and Crystal Johnson, senior administrator, told the committee the office aligns its programs to the district strategic plan and North Carolina school-improvement indicators.

Programs described

- Ignite (high school): A three-year high school engagement program that trains five student leaders per participating school to identify an equity challenge and develop a practical solution. The office said past Ignite projects have included a student-created “Knight Scholar Zone” after-school tutoring/decompression space and a school clothing closet to support career-club participation. An end-of-year showcase and banquet for cohort announcements were planned for May 19.

- SPARK (middle school): A new middle-school engagement program scheduled to begin in fall 2025 with an initial pilot in the Northwestern area; the office said applications are open and cohorts will receive training, enrichment and a final showcase.

- LEAD (educator leaders): Leaders for Engagement, Advocacy and Development builds educator capacity through professional learning, including a December face-to-face session and monthly virtual meetings. The program includes participants from schools and central services and aligns work to North Carolina standards for school leaders and district policies.

Student-developed initiatives and examples

The office highlighted student-created projects, including CleanDrip — a school-based laundry assistance program intended to provide discreet laundry services and vouchers, partnered with community providers such as the Uplift laundry truck (based in Durham) and local laundromats. The office said CleanDrip is designed to protect student dignity while addressing attendance and participation barriers tied to access to clean clothing.

The Wake County Speech and Debate Initiative was presented as a district pilot to expand debate teams to schools without competitive programs. Presenters said the program secured external funding to pay teacher stipends, registration and transportation costs; they named the AJ Fletcher Foundation as a funder (a $15,000 grant) and said a smaller grant was received from a local foundation. A separate research partnership with NC State was described; presenters said they received a Spencer Foundation grant to support student-created accountability metrics, but the presentation contained inconsistent amounts for that grant and did not provide a single verified figure during the meeting.

Partnerships and grants

Presenters listed partnerships with NC State University, the AJ Fletcher Foundation and other local organizations. They said NC State is taking student researchers to a national education research conference, and that grants have supported stipend payments, travel and program costs. Specific grants cited in the presentation included $15,000 from the AJ Fletcher Foundation and $500 from a local fund referenced in the presentation; the Spencer Foundation support was described but the amount was not consistently stated on the record.

Impact examples

Dr. Perry Campbell said a LEAD teacher facilitated a professional development session that reached 80 faculty members and — according to the presenter’s calculation — could affect more than 600 students through classroom improvements. Other student projects described by speakers included initiatives around menstrual product access, translation training for office staff and clothing closets that expanded from high school to middle school.

Quotes and attribution

\"Ignite has helped me grow as a leader, speak up about equity, and connect with students across the district,\" a student presenter said in a recorded testimony about her Ignite experience. Presenters emphasized the programs are districtwide and intended for all students: \"There is no protective persons or one group that is targeted for our programs,\" the presenters said.

Next steps and board questions

Board members asked about inclusion of education support professionals (ESPs) in LEAD; presenters said principals select team members from school-improvement teams and agreed to specify that ESPs can be included. Members also asked for details on how the district will scale the programs, measure impact and market successes more broadly. Presenters said they are writing additional grants and will report program results at future committee meetings.

(Reporting based on presentation by Dr. Janine Perry Campbell and Crystal Johnson and student testimony at the Wake County Public Schools community engagement meeting.)","Wake County Public Schools’ Office of Equity Affairs outlined programs to build student and staff leadership — Ignite, LEAD and a new SPARK middle-school cohort — highlighted student projects such as CleanDrip and a new district speech-and-debate initiative, and described partnerships with universities and foundations.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":80,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":83,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6603399,"Wake County outlines April family-engagement summit; board asks for clearer outreach",730,842000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000290-13f28efa143c418e8f12f57ae3a5d974&start=112&end=842","/articles/6603399/North-Carolina/Wake-County-outlines-April-family-engagement-summit-board-asks-for-clearer-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6603399-1c656d599fe29371d7064b40537afd24/orig.mp4?Expires=1775179679&Signature=PfA4T3yMbW1gFmqPFlfMmOrwNcJlCHgBlYxdI-hyWVBnuUh3-WxPSwKmNv1NVrFBgg3Ot3gG~UHiDoOnlW3k2U6E9wWQyrqtdriVz1Ylj006PhBPqTPFy3mQWKjrePZHCAox0lWmH90jAvtgmlE0-1A3m9bC9U65Meswosd6IdlKW1OEPGwXSLoHXvuoyqJgS2emmCORSEhz0C5k3BI2TT6MAbwjW4DXef7E3ZTH9XgCF6G3JwS8ihAhyIN1X1s0C2NwwyG6fdhKPUGY9QycNwYgt0k1NAEZn852dbipUpZJKgB8ZsvdOWg2dcOxXXX4brTfPCeD081b4SEz6zlITg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wake County Public Schools officials said the district will hold a family and community engagement summit on April 26, with a launch event the evening of April 25, and asked board members to help spread the word.

Dr. Lee Ann Albert Keith, presenting at the board’s community engagement meeting, said the summit will include nationally known keynote speakers, a community showcase and sponsored refreshments. The launch event the evening of April 25 is scheduled at Marvel’s Museum; the main summit is set for The Summit at Capitol Hills, a larger community campus off Capitol Boulevard she said. Registration flyers were placed on the meeting table and are linked in the meeting materials.

Board members raised questions about outreach and clarity. One board member said the flyer confused the April 25 versus April 26 dates and asked whether families should attend one or both sessions. Dr. Albert Keith acknowledged that targeted messaging could be improved and said the district would add more clarity around dates and that the communications team plans additional targeted messaging and distribution to local media the week of the event. She said schools have been given a toolkit of flyers and suggested messages for principals and teams to use in school communications and that advisors and community advisory members had been asked to promote the event.

Board members suggested practical changes: listing a street address on promotional materials for families who might show up without registering; adding clearer descriptions of vendor and resource offerings so families know what services will be available; and asking town commissioners or local officials to help publicize the event. Dr. Albert Keith said she would add the address to materials, pursue targeted posts and noted the district welcomes suggestions and additional outreach partners.

On registration, Dr. Albert Keith said sign-ups are “higher than this time last year,” but the presentation did not include an exact registration count. She also said the district’s communications team intends to place notices with local media during the week of the summit and that families may attend even if they did not register in advance.

Votes at a glance

At the start of the meeting the committee approved its March 11 community engagement minutes. A motion to accept the minutes was made, seconded and carried by voice vote; the meeting record reports “Aye” with no oppositions. The transcript did not record the mover or seconder by name.

Why it matters

The summit is the district’s largest family-engagement event of the season and is intended to connect families with district programs, local resources and nationally recognized speakers. Board members framed clearer outreach and accessible messaging as essential to ensure families across Wake County know the event is intended for them.

What to watch

Staff said they will (1) update promotional materials to show the correct dates and a street address, (2) run additional targeted social media and school-level messaging, (3) share notices with local media the week of the summit, and (4) continue recruiting families and staff to participate. The district did not supply an exact registration total during the meeting.

(Reporting based on presentation by Dr. Lee Ann Albert Keith and board discussion at the Wake County Public Schools community engagement meeting.)","Wake County Public Schools staff told the board a family and community engagement summit will be held April 26 with a launch on April 25. Trustees pressed staff for clearer messaging, more targeted outreach and a street address on promotional materials; staff said registration is up from last year but did not give a specific count.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Community partners tell Wake County board: local groups hold social capital the district needs

Wake County equity office details student-led programs, educator leadership and new initiatives

Wake County outlines April family-engagement summit; board asks for clearer outreach