MAY 2010

Eric Becoats Is New DPS Superintendent

The Durham Public Schools Board of Education has appointed Dr. Eric J. Becoats as the new Superintendent of Durham Public Schools, effective July 1.  Read more. . .

Business Advisory Council Meets at Innovative, Small High School

A productive and informative meeting of the Superintendent’s Business Advisory Council was held in mid-April at Hillside New Tech High School.  Read more. . .

From the Interim Superintendent

This is the last Community EdLink for this school year, and my last to you as interim superintendent.  Read more. . .

Legislative Delegation Meets with DPS Officials

Members who represent Durham in the House and Senate met with the DPS Board of Education Chair and Vice-Chair and Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer and finance officials at a breakfast on April 20.  Read more. . . 

Durham’s Early College High School Recognized for Innovation

The Josephine Dobbs Clement Early College High School at NCCU was one of 31 “Pioneering Schools of Innovation” recognized at a statewide banquet on April 22.  Read more. . . 

2010 Graduation Schedule Now Available

As the school year begins winding down, it is time for seniors to begin preparing for graduation! Read more. . .

Durham Community Supports BookMark

Durham Public Schools has been working hard with its community partners to make the BookMark program more successful than ever! Read more. . .

Corporate Battle of Bands to Benefit DPS Students

DPS students stand to greatly benefit from the annual Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands on May 15.  Read more. . . 

APRIL 2010

BookMark Hits the Web

BookMark, Durham Public Schools’ initiative to place books in the hands of children over the summer, is moving ahead toward the early June distribution.  Read more . . .

From the Interim Superintendent

We have finally experienced some blue-sky days and warmer weather after a rather bleak and especially long winter.  Read more . . .

Cuts Looming for DPS Budget

Durham Public Schools is facing staff cuts as the district deals with what could be $20 million in reductions from state and local sources for the 2010-11 school year.  Read more . . .

Duke Sponsors Regional Spelling Bee

DPS is grateful to Duke for bringing back an activity that generated great excitement among our elementary and middle schools.  Read more . . .

Corporate Battle of Bands to Benefit DPS Students

DPS students stand to benefit from the annual Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands on May 15.  Proceeds from this unique fundraiser will support Operation Literacy.  Read more . . .

DPS Wants Our Community Members to “Count”

The 2010 Census is under way! The U.S. Census Bureau has the difficult task of counting every single person in the US, and DPS wants all of our community members to count. Read more . . .

Take Action for Healthy Kids

Approximately 20 parents, educators and community members gathered on March 15 to discuss ways to advocate for students to be healthier.  Read more . . .

MARCH 2010

Rotary Supports Neal Book Project

The Rotary Club of Durham has formed a very promising partnership with Neal Middle School to encourage students to read.   Read more . . .

From the Interim Superintendent

Kudos to our students, staff, parents and community partners for shivering your way through one of the coldest winters in memory.   Read more . . .

Spelling Bee Generates GREAT Interest

Can you spell Congratulations? Well Durham Public Schools' Spelling Bee finalists sure can!  Read more . . .

Superintendent Search Update

The applications are in and now the Board of Education members are considering which candidates to interview for the position of Superintendent of Durham Public Schools.   Read more . . .

Budget Planning Under Way

Community support for the 2010-11 budget will be needed more this year than ever.    Read more . . .

Audience Thrilled at Evening of Entertainment

Ask anyone who attended the February 20 Evening of Entertainment and you will hear how “thrilled” they were with the evening’s performance.    Read more . . .

Realtors Learn More about Schools

More than 100 realtors braved the sleet and cold to participate in the annual DPS Information Session.    Read more . . .

Realty Signs on to Help BookMark

Urban Durham Realty is now collecting books for BookMark and serves as a drop-off location for donations of new and used books for BookMark.  Read more . . .

Kayla’s Closet Prom Dress Collection

Bring your gently-used dresses and accessories to Kayla’s Closet and the store will give them to middle and high school girls to wear to their school dances and prom at no cost.  Read more . . .

Bagel for a Book: Bruegger’s Supports BookMark

Bruegger’s Bagels had a unique promotion in January to collect books for DPS elementary students through the BookMark project.  Read more . . .

From the Interim Superintendent

The new year brought new beginnings for Durham Public Schools.  We said farewell to Superintendent Carl Harris in December.  Read more . . .

DurhamCares Offers Great Way to Support DPS Teachers

DurhamCares is providing a matching grant for classroom projects of teachers who apply to DonorsChoose. Read more . . .

Board Hears Input Regarding Next Superintendent

The Board of Education has heard from staff and community members regarding the experience and skills they want in the next Superintendent.  Read more . . .

VITA Free Tax Prep Site Opens at Staff Development Center

The VITA site at the DPS Staff Development Center is open for free tax preparation services from now until April 15.   If your family earned less than $49,000 this year, take advantage of the FREE tax preparation services at a VITA site in the community. Read more . . .

“An Evening of Entertainment” DPSSF Fundraiser

Hundreds of talented students from schools across the DPS district will be featured in “An Evening of Entertainment,” a fundraiser for the DPS Scholarship Foundation.  Read more . . .

'Orange' Ya Glad We Have GSK?

Where can you build a bookcase, plant a tree, paint a playground and hold a tarantula all in one place? E.K. Powe Elementary School, that’s where!  Read more . . . 

NCAE Presents Key Award to DPS

The North Carolina Association of Educators presented DPS with its 2010 NCAE Excellence in Equity Award. Read more . . .

 Business Council Meets at City of Medicine Academy

BAC members got a taste of what it is like for students at the City of Medicine Academy, one of DPS’s nontraditional, small high schools.   Read more . . .

From the Superintendent

Fall is a time for festivals, and there is no shortage of them here in Durham, especially from our partners who support the work we do.  Read more . . .

Middle-Schoolers Crowd Mall to Check Out Careers

Some 2,000 students, parents and school staff members took part in the 4th Annual Career EXPO.    Read more . . .

Soccer Kids of America Comes to Durham

Soccer Kids of America, a free afterschool soccer program, was held this fall at three Durham elementary schools.  Read more . . .

Haircuts Offered at Holton Career Center

Holton’s Barbering Program is now cutting hair Monday through Friday between the hours of 2 and 4 pm in room 1103 of the Holton Career & Resource Center.  Read more . . .

DCIC Forms Promising Partnership with Holton

Holton Career and Resource Center construction and design students are going to be quite busy this year, thanks to Durham Careers in Construction.    Read more . . .

Business Advisory Council Honors Principals for Schools’ Progress

The Superintendent’s Business Advisory Council hosted a reception and awards presentation on September 14 to honor principals and their leadership teams for progress on scorecards that measure school progress towards goals.  Read more . . .

Bill and Melinda Gates Visit DPS

Microsoft Corporation Chairman Bill Gates, left, and his wife Melinda made a surprise visit to the Durham Public Schools Performance Learning Center on September 24.   Read more . . .

From the Superintendent

More than one month into our school year and things are very busy!  There already have been several key activities that let us know how much support we have from our community.  Read more . . .

Kitchen Table Conversation Draws Big Crowd and Generates Great Ideas

Approximately 200 parents, students, staff members and community members attended the first Kitchen Table Conversation for 2009-10 on September 15.   Read more . . .

District Releases First State of System Performance Report

Durham Public Schools has released a State of the System Performance Report, and the results overall look positive for the district.   Read more . . .

President’s Cabinet Member Chooses Southern to Speak

Southern High School was among a handful of schools to be visited by members of President Barack Obama’s Cabinet during his address to the nation’s schoolchildren on September 8.  Read more . . .

Superintendent Speaks at Annual Realtors’ Meeting

Superintendent Carl Harris spoke at the annual Membership Luncheon of the Durham Regional Association of Realtors on September 17 at Hope Valley Country Club.  Read more . . .

Holton Career and Resource Center Opens!

Balloons, speeches, refreshments and tours all were a part of the ribbon-cutting for Durham’s newest school that also serves as a health and recreation center.   Read more . . .

From the Superintendent

I trust our community and business partners have had a fun-filled, safe and relaxing summer and are refreshed and ready to work with us as we face one of our more challenging years. Read more . . .

Business Council Focuses on Key Areas

The Superintendent’s Business Advisory Council held its first meeting of 2009-10 at the new Holton Career & Resource Center.  And, the Center was not the only thing new about the meeting.  Read more . . .

DPS and DAE to Hold Kitchen Table Conversation

African-American males have been identified as the group most in need of support to improve academic success.  DAE and DPS are developing a proposal for a national grant  and input is needed into the proposal.  Read more . . .

CMA Students Try Out the Real Thing

When Duke Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. Victor Dzau visited the City of Medicine Academy in September he was most impressed with the students and staff.  Read more . . .

Teachers Fan Out to Gain Input

Teachers from Durham are meeting with small groups of parents, business leaders, faith representatives and others to get input into the topic of helping African-American males achieve academic success.  Read more . . .

New Teachers Welcomed to Durham

Members of the Superintendent’s Business Advisory Council and other Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce businesses extended hospitality to the new teachers by way of gift bags filled with useful items.  Read more . . .

County to Donate Computers to Students

Responding to the call to provide Durham Public Schools students with computers in their homes, Durham County Government has formed a partnership to meet the need of deserving students.  Read more . . .

Crayons 2 Calculators Encourages Business Involvement

This innovated program started by college students gives away supplies to DPS teachers.  Read more . . .

Business, Civic and Other Community Groups Urged to Provide Books for Elementary Students: Leave Your Mark…BookMark!

There is a great new way for business, civic and other community groups to leave their mark on the future by providing books for elementary students, some of whom may not have books in the home. Read more . . .

From the Superintendent

Spring is in full force, which means it’s time to prepare to say farewell to another group of DPS graduates.  Bittersweet, yes, but then again, it’s why we all work together as hard as we do, right?  Read more . . .

Kitchen Table Conversation Focuses on Kindergarten Transition

DPS and Durham’s Partnership for Children are collaborating on a Transition to Kindergarten plan to foster a smooth transition for children and families from early childhood into kindergarten.  Read more . . .

Graduation Schedule

Tassels start turning for a couple of our small high schools in May, while our traditional high schools and more small high schools will graduate in June.   Read more . . .

Durham Bulls Middle School Honor Roll

Not many middle school students get the opportunity to run the bases in a professional baseball stadium – unless you’re on the Honor Roll in Durham Public Schools!  Read more . . .

Durham Public Schools Spring Art Show at Northgate Mall

Come see some of the great things that are happening in the art classes throughout Durham Public Schools in one convenient location - Northgate Mall.  Read more . . .