Wake County District Court Calendar

September 22, 2023 Roberson

Wake County Public Schools students on the traditional calendar return; What parents need to know

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina’s largest school district is welcoming the majority of its students for the first day of class in the 2023-2024 school year.

Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is made up of nearly 200 schools, 159,000 students and 20,000 teachers and staff members.

One of the most challenging issues facing WCPSS this year remains staffing — and specifically staffing bus drivers. The district said it is beginning the year around 300 drivers shy of being fully staffed. Because of that, the district has revamped all of the bus routes in an effort to make things more efficient.

WCPSS said — even without a single currently employed driver missing work and with the new bus routes — on average 3,000 students will be late to school every day. Some are expected to arrive 30 minutes late; some are also expected to arrive home late. Weeks ago, bus drivers asked parents for patience as their main priority is the safety of their children.

Click here to review the updated routes.

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School Lunch

Due to the rise in food costs and supply, meals have increased by 25 cents. A full-price meal at elementary school will now cost $3.25. Middle and high schools will increase to $3.50.

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Immunizations

All students must have the required vaccines 30 days after school starts. Here’s a look at the NCDHHSS list of required immunizations by grade level

Other resources for parents and students

Wake County Schools leadership changes

Catty Moore, who spent 34 years working in the district, including the last five as superintendent, retired at the end of July.

Dr. Robert P. Taylor will step in as Moore’s replacement on Oct. 1. He earned his Master’s and Doctorate degrees from Fayetteville State University and was most recently the superintendent of the Mississippi State Board of Education. Before that he spent nearly a decade as the superintendent of Bladen County Schools in the North Carolina Sandhills.

In the interim, Dr. Randy Bridges is leading the district. He spoke with ABC11 about goals and implementing WCPSS’s five-year strategic plan.

SEE ALSO | What to know as students in Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville head back to the classroom