WakeEd Partnership

10/13/2026

🚧 Big equipment. Big opportunities. Big career possibilities!

This week, students from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake & Johnston Counties got an up-close look at the many career pathways available at Sunrock Industries through a WakeEd Partnership Career Accelerator immersion experience!

From dispatch operations and asphalt and concrete production to touring a working rock quarry and experiencing employee safety training through virtual reality, students discovered just how many different careers help keep this industry moving.

♻️ Fun fact they learned: Asphalt is the most recycled material in America!

A huge thank you to Sunrock for opening your doors and to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County for partnering with us to make this experience possible.

Through our ongoing Career Accelerator programming, WakeEd is helping Wake County Public School System students explore career possibilities, connect with local employers and imagine their futures!

10/13/2026

🗳️ Wake County voters: Get to know your school board candidates!

Few elected positions have a greater impact on our community than our local school board. The decisions made by the Wake County Board of Education affect more than 160,000 students, thousands of educators and staff, and the future of our community.

That's why WakeEd Partnership and the Wake PTA Council have teamed up to host a series of 2026 School Board Candidate Forums, giving voters an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates about the issues that matter most to our public schools.

🎥 Three of our four forums are now available to watch on the Wake PTA Advocacy YouTube channel.

Watch the forums here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGeHefB_PiAg&si=NJ1p7euEp6vKWpUI

Both organizations are nonpartisan and do not endorse candidates. Our goal is simple: to help voters make informed decisions this November. Early voting starts October 15!

An informed vote is a powerful way to support our public schools!

10/12/2026

⭐ One night. Extraordinary people. A community that believes in public education.

On November 9, we'll bring together business, education and community leaders to celebrate the people who make Wake County Public Schools and our community stronger.

From outstanding educators and students to business and community champions, our 2026 Stars of Education have some remarkable stories to tell.

We'd love for you to be part of the celebration!

🎟️ Bring a friend. Reserve a table. Sponsor Stars.

Tickets, tables and sponsorships: https://wakeed.org/stars-of-education-gala/

10/09/2026

📚 Partners Read is back!

Today we kicked off another year of Partners Read at Farmington Woods Elementary School, bringing community volunteers and young readers together to build literacy skills, confidence and a love of reading!

Through this WakeEd Partnership program, community volunteers spend time reading with elementary students, helping build literacy skills, confidence and a love of reading. And the impact extends beyond the classroom! Each student receives 20 new books throughout the school year to build their very own home library.

Last school year alone, we put 13,000 new books into the hands of our Partners Read students!

❤️ We're proud that Partners Read now reaches roughly half of Wake County Public School System's 124 elementary schools!

And we'd love to grow even more! We're always looking for new volunteers AND additional WCPSS elementary schools interested in bringing Partners Read to their students.

📖 Learn more and get involved: https://wakeed.org/partnersread/

10/08/2026

🎓 Dean’s List: Optima Engineering!

We’re wrapping up our Dean’s List shout-outs with Optima Engineering PA, which collected 1,030 points in our Tools4Schools Supply Drive Competition!

Thank you to the Optima team — and to every organization, business, community group and individual who helped make this year’s supply drive such a success.

The competition may be over, but the need continues. You can support Tools4Schools and help keep our shelves stocked for teachers all year long: WakeEd.org/Tools4Schools

10/07/2026

Our friend Roary the North Carolina Courage mascot stopped by this afternoon!

10/07/2026

⭐ We’re just over ONE MONTH away from Stars of Education!

On November 9, hundreds of business, community and education leaders will come together at the Raleigh Convention Center for one of Wake County’s most inspiring evenings — celebrating the people who make a difference for our public schools and our community.

If you’ve been thinking about joining us, now is the time to reserve your table or tickets.

Bring your team. Invite a client. Gather some friends. And join us as we celebrate this year’s extraordinary Stars of Education.

📅 November 9 | 5–8 p.m.
📍 Raleigh Convention Center
⭐ Presented by Martin Marietta

Tables and tickets: WakeEd.org/Stars

10/06/2026

We want to send a huge shoutout and thank you to our friends at TriangleCIO for helping us restock our shelves with some of our most highly requested items!

WCPSS teachers and staff, haven’t shopped yet for Q1 or still have points to spend? Be sure to sign up for a shopping slot on one of our remaining Q1 shopping days:
• Wednesday 10/7
• Saturday 10/10
• Monday 10/12
• Tuesday 10/13
• Wednesday 10/14
• Tuesday 10/27
• Wednesday 10/28

10/06/2026

🎓 Meet a 2026 WCPSS Hall of Fame inductee: Drew Cook

Nearly three decades. More than 160,000 students. One career devoted to public education.

Drew Cook graduated from Garner Senior High School — and then came home to serve the school system that educated him.

Teacher. Coach. Assistant principal. Principal. District leader.

As WCPSS Assistant Superintendent for Academics, Drew helped guide instructional initiatives affecting more than 160,000 students, including the district’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the learning recovery that followed. A former WCPSS Principal of the Year and North Carolina Principal of the Year, Drew retired in 2025 after nearly three decades of service.

On November 9, we’ll welcome him into the Wake County Public School System Hall of Fame in the Education category.

Help us celebrate Drew and all of our 2026 Stars of Education.
🎟️ Sponsor Stars, reserve your table or purchase individual tickets today.
WakeEd.org/Stars

10/02/2026

Congratulations Dr. Roxann Sykes of Dillard Drive Elementary, Wake County’s new Principal of the Year!!

Meet Wake County’s 2026 Principal of the Year. She makes sure students are heard