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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At Tuesday’s New Hanover County School Board meeting, members voted unanimously to conduct a districtwide climate survey of all employees. The board is working on some suggestions for questions, including topics such as discipline, safety, and overall morale.
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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.