WakeEd Partnership

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

Corporate partners like Plexus Corp. make our work possible supporting Wake County Public School System teachers and students. Thank you!

We are proud to recognize our Raleigh Design Center team (RDC), who recently participated in the WakeEd Partnership's inaugural Tools4Schools Summer Supply Drive Competition! By placing 2nd overall and earning a spot on the Dean's List, our team made a direct, positive impact for local students and school districts across the county.

This project was led by our RDC interns, showcasing our commitment to Building Belonging and Growing our People values. By bringing our team together to provide classroom supplies, our interns gained hands-on leadership experience and deepened their connection to our culture and community.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this meaningful event, and to WakeEd Partnership for making a difference in our communities.

Hey Wake County Public School System Educators! Join the North Carolina Courage as they take on Denver Summit FC for Educator Appreciation Night!

A special offer, just for you, includes:
*Discounted tickets to the last home game on Sunday, November 1st at 5pm
*$20 in Courage Cash to use on concessions or merchandise
*Automatic entry to win a $200 Classroom Wish List Grant

We hope to see you there as we celebrate educators across the Triangle at First Horizon Stadium! Scan the QR code to grab your tickets or click here https://tickets.nccourage.com/offers/6891?utm_source=Grassroots&utm_medium=digital&utm_campaign=2026+Single+Game+Tickets&utm_content=WakeEd

🎓 Dean’s List: West Shore Home!

With 1,031 points in our Tools4Schools Supply Drive Competition, West Shore Home earned a well-deserved place on the Dean’s List!

Thank you to the West Shore Home team for collecting supplies and helping us keep Tools4Schools stocked for Wake County teachers throughout the school year. 👏

🏀 Meet a 2026 WCPSS Hall of Fame inductee: Lawrence Dunn

Student-athlete. Army veteran. Teacher. Coach. Mentor.

Lawrence Dunn’s remarkable story began at Berry O’Kelly High School in segregated Raleigh, where he helped lead his basketball team to conference, district and state championships before earning a four-year scholarship to NC A&T. After serving in the United States Army, he returned home and began more than three decades of service to Wake County Public School System students.

His coaching career included championship baseball and basketball teams at Garner High School — including the undefeated 1978 girls basketball state champions — before he became the inaugural men’s basketball coach at the newly opened Athens Drive High School. He finished his career with 445 victories and generations of student-athletes whose lives he helped shape.

On November 9, we're proud to induct Lawrence Dunn into the WCPSS Hall of Fame in the category of Athletics.

Come celebrate Coach Dunn and all our 2026 Stars of Education!
🎟️ Sponsor Stars, reserve a table or purchase individual tickets:
WakeEd.org/Stars

🎓 Dean’s List: Parker Poe!

Congratulations to Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, which earned a spot on our Tools4Schools Supply Drive Dean’s List with 1,218 points!

Every notebook, pencil, marker and classroom essential collected helps teachers spend less of their own money providing what their students need.

Thank you, Parker Poe, for supporting Wake County educators! 🍎
The competition may be over, but the need continues — your support helps keep Tools4Schools stocked for teachers all year long. Visit https://wakeed.org/tools4schools/

🎓 Dean’s List: Fo Guang Shan Temple / Buddha’s Light International Association NC!

Our friends at Fo Guang Shan Temple, North Carolina came through once again for Wake County teachers and students, earning 1,613 points in our Tools4Schools Supply Drive Competition!

We’re grateful for their generosity — and for their continued commitment to supporting our public schools. Thank you! ❤️

And while the Summer Supply Drive Competition is over, the need isn’t — we rely on community support all year long to keep the Tools4Schools shelves stocked for teachers. Learn how you can help at https://wakeed.org/tools4schools/

🎓 Dean’s List: Plexus!

A big shout-out to Plexus Corp., one of our 2026 Tools4Schools Supply Drive Dean’s List honorees!

Plexus collected an impressive 2,683 points worth of school supplies to help Wake County Public School System teachers and students start the year strong. Thank you to the entire Plexus team for showing up for our public schools! 👏

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

Better learning environments start with the basics.

Safe schools. Reliable heating and cooling. Enough space to learn. Buildings that support students and teachers every day.

The 2026 Wake County School Bond would help renovate aging schools, replace critical building systems, improve safety and security and build new schools where additional capacity is needed.

Learn more at VoteYesWakeSchools.com

👏 Excellence deserves recognition!

Congratulations to our 2026 Supply Drive Competition Excellence Award recipients!

Pendo, Wake Dems Downtown Area and Children's Lighthouse of Raleigh each collected 200+ points worth of supplies and donations for Tools4Schools.

Our first-ever competition was about making something important a little more fun — while bringing even more of our community together to support teachers. These organizations answered the call!

Thank you for being part of a record-breaking summer for Tools4Schools!