Rachel Keith
Reporter/HostRachel is a graduate of UNCW's Master of Public Administration program, specializing in Urban and Regional Policy and Planning. She also received a Master of Education and two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and French Language & Literature from NC State University. She served as WHQR's News Fellow from 2017-2019. Contact her by email: rkeith@whqr.org or on Twitter @RachelKWHQR
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On Monday, Chief Financial Officer Ashley Sutton sent a memorandum about local budget restrictions to the district’s principals, senior leadership, and directors.
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Last month, the New Hanover County Schools Turn Around Task Force, a group created to support the district’s lowest-performing schools, heard from around a dozen parents. Top concerns included proposed job cuts and supporting student mental health and multi-language learners (MLLs). Politicians have paid a lot of lip service to parents’ voices — so will they be listened to?
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After the New Hanover County School district's administration proposed a newcomer school, significant pushback shelved the idea. But the conversation left the idea of who would be served by such a school fairly abstract.
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On Wednesday, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released draft figures about school personnel attrition for the 2022-2023 school year. So, how did the Cape Fear region districts fare?
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In honor of Sunshine Week — an annual event focused on government transparency and reporters who work to hold governments accountable for being open to the public — WECT, Port City Daily, and WHQR took a look at warrants and domestic violence protection orders. WHQR also took a closer look at a new policy aimed at giving New Hanover County school board members first crack at public documents — something that definitely isn't in keeping with the spirit of Sunshine Week.
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At Thursday’s New Hanover County Schools budget work session, the Board of Education said they’re still working on their submission to the county commission — which they hope to send by April 15. They’re asking the county for $107 million for operating expenses and capital costs ($8.7 million).
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In honor of Sunshine Week — an annual event focused on government transparency — WECT, Port City Daily, and WHQR explored the world of warrants. These are public records, except when they're not — and that's not the only potential source of confusion.
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Last week, the New Hanover County School Board passed policy 2320: Compliance with Open Meetings Law. The vote was 4-3 with members Stephanie Kraybill, Stephanie Walker, and Hugh McManus dissenting. However, public accountability experts say some parts of the newest policy run afoul of public records law.
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On Tuesday, March 12, education advocates in New Hanover County held a rally drawing attention to the district’s multi-million dollar budget shortfall. The crowd called on officials to invest more in public schools.
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Earlier this year, a Superior Court judge dismissed a case brought by a student against Cape Fear Community College and several other organizations, which alleged she was treated unfairly. But court documents, recordings, and interviews with the student show there's much more to the story — including evidence that CFCC both took action to remove two employees who were involved and tried to keep the initial complaints from media and the public.