Superintendent Jackson Implementing Innovation #VANCECoProud
New school superintendent Dr. Anthony D. Jackson has hit the ground running with many new and innovative ideas in the works for Vance County Schools. These ideas put into motion will focus on ensuring that all children receive the absolute best education they can receive while attending the Vance County Public School System. Two major ideas involve safety and instructional changes at schools.
As a top priority, the system will focus on improving safety in all of our schools. Beginning next school year, all schools will be equipped with state-of-the art access control equipment at the main entrance. This will require all school visitors to show ID, and to state their business, prior to being allowed in. Additionally, for the first time, state certified School Resource Officers (SRO’s) will be assigned to each of the middle and high schools in the system.
The district is also launching an alternative program for students who have had disciplinary problems or not met success in the regular school program. The focus of the program is to support students as they work to develop the skills needed to return to their regular learning environment. Dr. Jackson believes that students who misbehave should face consequences for their actions but should still be afforded the opportunity to continue their academic progress while working to address the reasons they were suspended from their school in the first place.
Dr. Jackson said, “We don’t want kids to go home and just sit around. This doesn’t correct or even come close to addressing what caused them to be sent home in the first place. We want the issues to be addressed and we want students to learn from the consequence, so that they may return to school a better student and hopefully a better person. We want them to grow as individuals.”
To support parents, the district is also planning to open a Parent Support Center this fall. The Parent Support Center will serve as a central place for parents to support one another with resources and training to help them navigate the school experience. A special feature of the Parent Support Center will be parent training. This training – Parenting Partners – will be delivered by other parents going through the training. It is designed to help parents develop the skills and access the tools to best help their children.
Dr. Jackson is also a big advocate of the arts. Jackson said, “I was surprised to find that we were not offering music and art in all of our elementary schools.” As a passionate believer in the power of the arts, Jackson understands that in order for students to realize the importance of music, art, and theatre they must be exposed to these art forms as early as possible.
He promised parents that “music and art will be offered in all elementary schools next year, and in all middle and high schools the following year.” He also hopes eventually to incorporate drama into that equation. He said, “McGregor Hall in Downtown Henderson is a great asset to the community and our children. We have a responsibility to begin building the next generation of lovers and patrons of the arts to sustain and keep this community treasure alive and viable”.
When asked what the greatest challenges for our school system are, Dr. Jackson said he felt that mindset is the biggest obstacle. Three major mindset obstacles are “getting people to really believe that we can change, celebrating what we’re already doing well, and coming to consensus on what needs to be done to make positive change happen.”
Dr. Jackson comes from a background of 28 years as an educator. He started his career as a teacher in Wake County teaching vocal music at Enloe High School and Sanderson High School. He was an assistant principal at Sanderson High School and Leesville Road High School before becoming the principal at Durham High in Durham, NC, Mt. Vernon Middle School and Glen Lea Elementary School in Richmond, VA followed by serving as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Arts and Technology Academy Public Charter School in Washington, DC.
He served in several senior leadership positions at the district level prior to being selected as the superintendent of the Henry County Public Schools in Martinsville, VA. Dr. Jackson also served as superintendent of the Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools in Rocky Mount for four years prior to coming to Vance County this past August. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from East Carolina University, a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from N.C. Central University and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dr. Jackson feels that his greatest strengths lie in implementing innovation to support student learning and challenging the status quo to improve systems and outcomes.
Staff Writer for WIZS
Wendy’s of Henderson to Close: Remodel
Not to worry, the Wendy’s in Henderson will be back in the burger business in a few months.
Wendy’s will re-open its completely renovated restaurant at 1516 Dabney Drive in June if all goes well. The Henderson restaurant will be Tar Heel Capital Wendy’s, twentieth location to re-open with this new design in the Carolina’s.
This restaurant features an innovative interior and exterior design that is very different from what Wendy’s customers are familiar with. This restaurant design is part of a comprehensive brand transformation to reinvent the Wendy’s restaurant environment – from food innovations, to building design and even new packaging.
This contemporary building features large windows and an open, bright dining room with available seating at booths, tables, lounge style seating, and even a Wi-Fi bar. When you come into the restaurant you will see there is a new ordering process, Flat Screen TV’s, a fireplace, Coca-Cola Freestyle self-serve soda machine, which is very different from the basic seating and interior of the prior building.
One of Wendy’s core values, created 40 years ago by our founder Dave Thomas, is “Quality is our Recipe,” we feel that this core value is represented by our new restaurant design, and evidenced by the launch of several innovative items, such as the 4 for $4 meal deal and the recent Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken sandwich with Ghost Pepper Fries. These brand enhancements are exciting to us and we look forward to sharing these with our guests from the Henderson area.
About Wendy’s
The Wendy’s Company is the world’s third largest quick-service hamburger company. The Wendy’s system includes more than 6,500 franchise and company restaurants in the United States and 27 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. The Wendy’s in Henderson is owned and operated by Tar Heel Capital Corporation, a 72 unit Wendy’s Franchise with restaurants throughout the Carolina’s.
(This Press Release was used with Permission by Tar Heel Capital)
Brunnhoelzl Wins NWSMT Race; Thaxton, Bowling Split LMSC Twinbill
George Brunnhoelzl III picked up his second win of the season on the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Saturday afternoon, winning the South Boston 150 at South Boston Speedway.
The West Babylon, New York resident took the lead from Andy Seuss with 26 laps to go and sped to a 1.237-second win over Burt Myers of Walnut Cove, North Carolina.
Seuss, of Hampstead, New Hampshire, finished third, with Kyle Bonsignore of Bay Shore, New York and Danny Bohn of Freehold, New Jersey rounding out the top five finishers.
There were six lead changes among four drivers, with Brunnhoelzl leading 68 of the race’s 150 laps.
Brunnhoelzl averaged 77.060 mph in the race that was slowed by three cautions that consumed 14 laps.
Thaxton, Bowling Top Field In Late Model Stock Car Division Twinbill
Defending South Boston Speedway NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division Champion Matt Bowling of Ridgeway, Virginia and South Boston, Virginia resident Austin Thaxton split wins Saturday in twin 75-lap NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division races.
Bowling now has won three of the season’s first five Late Model Stock Car Division races at South Boston Speedway, with Thaxton having won the other two.
Thaxton started fifth in the first race and took the lead from Bobby McCarty of Summerfield, North Carolina on lap 49 and survived two restarts in the last four laps to hold off McCarty for the win.
Defending NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Lee Pulliam of Alton, Virginia was battling McCarty for second place on the final lap when contact between the two cars sent Pulliam’s car into a spin in the second turn, forcing the oncoming cars behind him to have to scramble to avoid hitting him.
Former NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia avoided Pulliam’s spinning car and finished third, with Mark Wertz of Chesapeake, Virginia and Danny Willis Jr. of South Boston, Virginia rounding out the top five finishers.
Pulliam’s car was not damaged in the mishap, and he recovered to finish 13th.
Bowling started eighth in the second race after having finished in that spot in the opener, and threaded his way through the pack to take the lead from four-time NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Philip Morris of Ruckersville, Virginia on lap 63.
With no cautions to hinder the action the rest of the way, Bowling held on and sped across the finish line .760-second ahead of Morris to take the win.
Pulliam started 13th in the nightcap and raced his way to a third-place finish, with Thaxton finishing fourth and Landon Huffman rounding out the top five finishers.
There were four lead changes among four drivers in the first 75-lap race and three lead changes among four drivers in the second 75-lap race.
Garnett Wins Hornets Division Race
Todd Garnett of Drakes Branch, Virginia took the lead from Kevin Currin of Chase City, Virginia on the fifth lap and won Saturday’s 15-lap Budweiser Hornets Division race.
Kenny Mills of Alton, Virginia finished second, with Drew Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia, Currin and Justin Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia completing the top five finishers.
Next Race At South Boston Speedway
An action-filled seven-race card will be featured when NASCAR racing returns to South Boston Speedway Saturday night, April 16, with the NASCAR Late Model 100 racing program.
A 100-lap race for the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors headlines the seven-race card that includes twin 25-lap Limited Sportsman Division races and twin 15-lap Pure Stock Division races. Fans will also see a 50-lap Modified race and a 15-lap Hornets Division race.
Registration opens at 2:30 p.m., pit gates open at 3 p.m. and practice will start at 4 p.m. Grandstand gates open at 5:30 p.m., qualifying starts at6 p.m. and the first race gets the green flag at 7 p.m.
Adult General Admission tickets are $10 each, with youth ages 7-12 admitted for $5 and kids ages six and under being admitted free with a paid adult.
For additional information about the NASCAR Late Model 100 racing program or any other events at South Boston Speedway, please visit the speedway’s website at www.southbostonspeedway.com or telephone the speedway at 434-572-4947 or 1-877-440-1540.