Newcomer to Wake County Public Schools?

Newcomer One-Stop Info Center WCPSS Home >> Newcomer
Getting Started in WCPSSSchools
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Download the WCPSS Student Handbook in English or Spanish
Curriculum Information
WCPSS Connections (Curriuculum)

NC Standard Course of Study
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Newcomer DVD
Getting Started

System Overview

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Finding your new school

Magnet Schools
Year Round Schools: In Wake County, the demands of rapid growth have led the School System to place 49 of its 156 schools on a multi-track year-round schedule. If you're not familiar with what a multi-track year-round schedule means, a short primer is available.

Welcome to the Wake County Public School System! WCPSS schools offer a variety of academic and support programs to challenge your student to be prepared for the 21st century. If you cannot find an item or have further questions, please contact us.

As a newcomer to system, you need to:

1.Register your child for school
You can't do anything else until your child is registered with WCPSS. Instructions and forms for registering children of all ages are available.

2.Determine how your child will get to school
The Wake County Public School System provides bus transportation to students living more than one-and-a-half (1.5) miles from school and to students with special needs. If your child qualifies to ride a bus to school, you and your child need to understand the rules for school bus riders. You also need to understand how to petition for a different school bus stop if you are unsatisfied with your assigned one.

3.Familiarize yourself with the magnet program
WCPSS offers a wide variety of magnet school programs offering innovative approaches to learning (Creative Arts and Sciences, Gifted and Talented, Active Learning & Technology, International Baccalaureate, Leadership, Montessori, Museums, and Year-Round programs, for example). Entry into these programs is by lottery. You should familiarize yourself with the available programs to determine if there's one particularly suited to your child.

4.Understand how WCPSS assigns students to schools
WCPSS is North Carolina's largest school district. In recent years, Wake County's school population has grown by thousands of new students each year. As a result, WCPSS is constantly opening new schools and it has had a direct impact on where many children attend school. In the past, student assignment was a yearly decision aimed at filling new schools, reducing crowding at existing schools, minimizing bus rides and promoting diversity goals. This year for the first time, the Board of Education approved a three year assignment plan for 2009-2012. By using better technology to predict growth and information from our school construction program, this new plan will provide families with more advanced notice of school assignments for their students.

5.Download the forms for athletic participation (Middle and High School Students)
If you are the parent of a middle school (grades 6-8) or high school (grades 9-12) student, you must fill out and submit the appropriate forms before your child can participate in WCPSS athletic programs.

6.Learn about the system-wide early dismissals every Wednesday.(PDF File)
If your child requires special education or other services, please check out the Student Services part of the Newcomer Resource Center.