WakeEd Partnership

09/04/2026

A backpack can make a big difference. 🎒❤️

A huge thank you to Cornerstone Building Brands for bringing their team together to stuff backpacks with school supplies for Tools4Schools!

These backpacks will go to Wake County Public School System teachers to keep in their classrooms for students who need them — making sure a child who arrives without a new backpack or basic supplies can have what they need to start learning.

Thank you, Cornerstone, for helping us make sure teachers are ready when a student needs a little extra support.

09/03/2026

WakeEd Partnership is proud to support the 2026 Wake County School Bond.

Taking care of our public schools means taking care of the buildings students and educators depend on every day. The bond would help renovate aging schools, replace critical systems like HVAC - very important! - improve safety and build new schools where additional capacity is needed.

Learn more at VoteYesWakeSchools.com.

09/03/2026

Last night was Part 2 of WRAL TV's excellent look at the merger of Raleigh City Schools and Wake County Schools 50 years ago. Our President Keith Poston is featured in this segment and article along with Wake County Public School System Superintend ent Dr. Robert Taylor.

“If you want to look at what's made Wake County so successful, why families move here, why businesses invest here, the growth that we've had here, I would certainly put the Wake County Public School System right up there, along with our universities and Research Triangle Park, as a key piece of it,” Poston said.

Still, Poston and other leaders are wondering if the commitment of the past 50 years will live on in the next 50 years. “Are we willing to keep that commitment?” Poston said. “Are we willing to keep investing in paying our teachers? Are we willing to keep a focus on keeping the community together?”

The success of the Wake County Public School System hinges on not just marketing itself as the best choice for families, but proving it, too, education leaders say.

09/02/2026

Very proud of the students and staff at the Wake County Public School System

The academic proficiency rate across all grades and tested subjects increased from 64.4% in 2025 to 68.2% in 2026, our highest proficiency rate since 2012.

09/02/2026

Thank you WRAL TV for sharing this important story and talking with two of our state’s very best in Dudley Flood and Bill McNeal. We need to learn from those who came before us.

The decision to merge county and city schools set up what is now known as the Wake County Public School System, the biggest district in the state and one of the biggest in the nation.

09/01/2026

The boxes keep arriving — and we couldn't be more grateful! ❤️

Our summer supply drive has wrapped, and now companies like Trinity Partners are bringing in everything they collected.

We’re still counting, but it’s already clear our community stepped up in a BIG way for Wake County teachers this summer!

The summer drive has wrapped, but Tools4Schools collects supplies year-round to keep our shelves stocked for Wake County teachers: https://wakeed.org/tools4schools/

09/01/2026

🚗 Test drives turned into classroom support! ✏️📚

This summer, Johnson Subaru of Cary found a creative way to support Tools4Schools — donating $20 for every test drive during their special Test Drive for a Cause event.

Those test drives added up! This week, Johnson Subaru stopped by Tools4Schools to present us with a $1,000 check to help provide free classroom supplies to Wake County Public Schools teachers and students. 🎉

It’s a great example of a local business finding a fun way to engage its customers while investing in our public schools.

Thank you, Johnson Subaru, for putting teachers and students in the driver’s seat! ❤️🚗

09/01/2026

🌟 Meet our 2026 Stars of Education award winners!

We’re thrilled to announce two extraordinary members of the Wake County Public School System community:

⭐ Izabella Marek, a senior at Green Hope High School, is our 2026 Emerging Star Award recipient presented by Delta Dental of North Carolina. An accomplished student, artist and leader, Izabella has gone beyond her own success to create opportunities for other students — including launching a nonprofit booster organization to help classmates overcome financial barriers to participating in DECA.

⭐ Teresa T. Brown, school counselor at Mt. Vernon Middle School, is our 2026 Star Among Us Award recipient presented by Coastal Credit Union. For more than two decades, Teresa has been a tireless champion for students and families. And when a bus driver shortage threatened students’ ability to get to school? She earned her commercial driver’s license and drove the bus herself.

Izabella and Teresa each will receive a $5,000 award and will be honored at our Stars of Education Gala on November 9.

We can’t wait to celebrate them! 🌟

Read more about our 2026 Stars: https://wakeed.org/2026/09/01/wakeed-partnership-announces-2026-stars-of-education-student-and-educator-award-winners/

08/31/2026

Look at all those supplies! 📚✏️🖍️

Thank you to Adapt Chiropractic- Raleigh, NC and everyone who contributed to their summer supply drive. Every item will make its way into the hands of a Wake County Public School System teacher and ultimately into a classroom.

Don't forget Tools4Schools is open year round to serve WCPSS teachers, so while our Summer Supply Drive is really important, we also need donations year-round. Learn how to suport here: https://wakeed.org/tools4schools/

08/31/2026

This one is pretty special. ❤️

Meet Summer Squad, created by four Apex Friendship High School students — Sri Sahasra Manoj, Ardra Ragesh Nair, Misha Bijith and Nandini Goel — who decided they wanted to make a difference for teachers and students in their community.

As part of their work this summer, they raised funds to support our Tools4Schools Summer Supply Drive and help us purchase the supplies teachers request most. Last week, they visited Tools4Schools and presented us with an incredible check for $1,300! 🎉

We love seeing students take an idea, turn it into action and give back to their own community. Thank you, Summer Squad, for stepping up for Wake County Public School System teachers and classrooms! ❤️📚✏️