2010
FIRST NON-PARTISAN ELECTION
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First Non-Partisan Elections
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School Board elections are changed by law from partisan to non-partisan elections in large part due to advocacy efforts by CHANGE: “Communities Helping All Neighbors Gain Empowerment.” This results in the first and only WS/FC Non-Partisan School Board Election in 2010 and a significant increase in candidates.
2013
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Having served for 19 years, Superintendent Martin retires. The Board appoints Dr. Beverly Emory, the first woman Superintendent of Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County Schools.
FIRST
WOMAN
SUPERINTENDENT
2015
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Local community public education advocacy groups in Winston-Salem (e.g., Coalition For Equity In Public Education) begin pushing for ESSA-related policies in WS/FCS.
EQUITY ADVOCACY
ESSA REPLACES NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT
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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), passed during the President Obama Administration, replaces the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. ESSA provides federal funding to better ensure the equity of all students.
2016
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NAACP President Ike Howard and other community leaders continue to speak out about investment in urban schools. There have been discussions regarding the replacement of Ashley Academy, which was dropped from a proposed $325.8 million bond package, although the school is described as one of the most overcrowded elementary schools.
ASHLEY ACADEMY DROPPED FROM BOND PACKAGE
STUDENTS OF COLOR RECEIVE
$23 BILLION
LESS IN FUNDING
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School funding disparities: According to the nonprofit EdBuild, districts that predominantly serve students of color received $23 billion less in funding than mostly white school districts in the United States in 2016, despite serving the same number of students.
2018
FIRST BLACK
WOMAN
CHAIR WS/FC BOARD ED.
MEET MALISHAI WOODBURY >
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Malishai Woodbury becomes the first African American woman to chair the Winston Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education.
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The Forsyth County Department of Social Services building is officially The Walter Marshall Building. The building bears his name, and a plaque in his honor was unveiled. Walter Marshall was a WS/FCS Board of Education Member from 1992-to 1997 and was later appointed to the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners.
MOLD AT ASHLEY ELEMENTARY
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Discovery of mold at Ashley Elementary and health concerns becomes the basis of a federal Title VI Complaint under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that cites discrimination.
ESSA STATE PLAN
EXCLUSIONARY DISCIPLINE
BY RACE
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On June 5, 2018, the U.S Department of Education approved the North Carolina Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) state plan.
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In March 2018, the North Carolina State
Board of Education reported on the use of
suspension, expulsion, alternative
learning program placements, disciplinary
reassignments, and corporal punishment
during the 2016-17 school year.
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Black students were more likely to be
suspended than white students.
2019
WS/FCS MOST SEGREGATED IN THE STATE
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A4E fought and pushed for WS/FCS District to create an Equity Office with the intent of pushing the District to operate in an equitable way. In October of 2019, the WS/FCS District hired Dr. Effie McMillian
as the Executive Director of Equity, Access, and Acceleration.
CLIMATE, CULTURE, + EQUITY COMMITTEE FORMED
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The article, “Why Are Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Still Segregated?” referenced a study by ProPublica citing the Winston-Salem /Forsyth County School district as among the most segregated in the state.
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Chair, Malishai Woodbury forms a Climate, Culture, & Equity Committee to help guide the writing and adoption of the first WS/FCS Equity Policy and the School Choice Special Committee to evaluate the decades-old WS/FCS School Choice Assignment Plan.
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Climate, Culture & Equity Committee. Dr. Karen Roseboro, Instructional Superintendent, WS/FCS, provides an overview of equity plans utilized in other districts. Based on The Committee on Racial Equity, key areas presented are desegregation related to school assignment; Discipline Disparities; Opportunity/Achievement Gap, Overrepresentation of students of color in special education, Access to rigorous courses and programs, Diversity in teaching, and Culturally Responsible Pedagogy.
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Community groups, including, Hate Out of Winston, have advocated for mandatory African American history classes within WS/FCS. However, the Forsyth County School Board of Education voted 7-1 against the proposed African American History class, stating more time and more data would be necessary. Instead, the Board approved an infusion program to include African American studies. The member favoring the class noted an infusion program is already in existence; thus, the vote is an enhancement.
DR. KENNETH SIMINGTON BECOMES INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT
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Dr. Emory announces resignation on February 8th and Dr. Kenneth Simington, who has spent approximately 30 years in education with WS/FCS, becomes Interim Superintendent. Beginning March 1. Dr. Simington served as deputy superintendent since 2016 and previously served as assistant superintendent for instructional and student services and chief academic officer.
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Dr. Simington announced retirement at the end of his contract on August 31, 2019
< MEET KEN SIMINGTON
FIRST BLACK WOMAN
SUPERINTENDENT
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Dr. Angela Hairston is sworn in as Superintendent of Winston Salem/Forsyth County Schools. She is the first African American and the second female to serve the district as Superintendent.