UPDATE
We wanted to update you on the next steps following the BOE meeting regarding closure and consolidation.
You can watch the full meeting here. But the TLDR is at timestamp 4:01-4:09 where the motion to table the consultant until the 11/19 BOE meeting is made. In between now and then, city lawyers will take the consultant proposal and break it into phases, and this new proposal will go before the board on the 11/19 meeting.
The Watts Advocacy and Equity Committee is holding an emergency zoom call at 8pm on Wednesday (11/11) to address next steps. If you'd like to join, please email me directly and I'll send you the link.
However, if you can't make it to the Wednesday meeting, we are proposing three next steps:
Ensure strong turnout from Watts parents, teachers and community at the 11/19 meeting
Do our own research on the impacts of consolidation, solutions to issues like under enrollment, etc
Email the Board of Education with your questions, concerns ahead of the 11/19 meeting. The email to the BOE is: boe@dpsnc.net
The Advocacy Committee invites all of Watts to tonight's Board of Education (BOE) meeting at 5:30. The agenda is published here. Please note that closure and consolidation is item 2.F for tonight's agenda.
The contracted consulting team listed in the agenda is MGT Impact Solutions run by Trey Traviesa, founder of a K-8 charter school with experience in leading banking, financing, and fortune 500 companies. One big thing to note about him is that he was involved in The Foundation for Florida's Future---which is a leading architect of Florida's massive voucher program, which allows public tax dollars to fund private school tuition.
The more people who can join and/or share their questions with the board the better. Your opinions and ideas matter! Paige will be speaking as a Watts parent and if you want to speak as well or just attend please email her and I. She's cc'd on this email. This is in the top 3 concerns for Watts families coming out of the survey and we will be tracking this as it develops.
Here's the info on where to attend and how to view:
The Board of Education Work Session is Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Fuller Administration Building, Board Room, 511 Cleveland Street, Durham, NC 27701.
The meeting will be viewable on YouTube at http:// bit.ly/DPSBOELiveYoutubeLink . Public Comments will be allowed in-person only on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.
Individuals who wish to address the school board will have between one and three minutes for their comments; they may sign up on-site.
If you need interpretation services, please email MutilingualResourceCenter@dpsnc.net by Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 5:00 pm.
Let us know if you have any questions. Also, our family can provide childcare for up to 3 kids if you need it, so email me if this helps.