2017 National Day of Prayer

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WIZS 1450 AM and wizs.com broadcast the Day of Prayer Service at City Hall.  There is a Facebook Live video of part of that service at facebook.com/wizsradio.  WIZS also broadcast the local version of the 66th Annual National Day of Prayer Rally at 7 p.m. in the gym at Southern Vance High School.  The entire prayer rally is available at facebook.com/wizsradio.

2017 National Day of Prayer information courtesy of The First Baptist Church of Henderson, NC in partnership with The Vance County Minster’s Community Partnership and South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church.

 

Oxford Prep Claims First Varsity Baseball Conference Championship

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With the regular season over, the Griffins finished 14-10 overall and 11-1 in conference play, clinching their very first baseball conference championship.  The Griffins took another step forward in the young program’s history.  Last year, in the first season of varsity play the team finished 12-12 overall and 3rd in the conference.  The Griffins will likely earn a 4 seed in the Mideast Pod of the 2017 NCHSAA 1A Baseball Playoffs, where they will host a home playoff game on Wednesday against an opponent TBD.

Some of the highlights this year include a victory over Northern Vance, beating conference rivals Louisburg and Granville Central in the same week clinching the conference championship, and earning the right to host the first home playoff game in program history.  The Griffins were led by Senior Garrett Reaves with 6 pitching wins, Junior Trey Reese with 3 pitching wins and hitting .380, Freshman Ben Hester hitting .383 with 3 HRs on the year, and Senior Timari Perry hitting .356.

Town Talk 05/04/17

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Cooperative Extension with Jean Bell 05/04/17

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Oxford Prep Middle School jumps into Softball with an undefeated inaugural season

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The Griffin’s Middle School softball team finished their inaugural season unbeaten.  “We are very proud of this team.  We go from not being certain if we have enough interest to actually have enough play, to having a history making season,” says Head coach Joe Don Cooper.  When Cooper and Assistant coach Eddie Blake opened try outs, they only had 12 young ladies interested in playing.  Coach Cooper remarked “this team is an example that overall great attitudes and work ethic breeds success.”

Plagued with some injuries early on, the Griffins adjusted quickly and blended inexperience with veteran softball players.  The coaches credit defense as a major factor for the success this season.  The defense was led by 8th grade standout Pitcher Jordan Dunn, as she partnered with 7th grade catcher Charly Cooper to create a very formidable battery.  Dunn only gave up an impressive 2 earned runs all season.   Solid and consistent play by veteran 8th grade players Emily Faucette, Claire Yancey, and offensive powerhouse Logan Privette (led the team in batting average) coupled with the effort and attitude of the cast of support players: Jaci Crute, Cayton Seivert, Averi Seivert, Ahlori Long, Laci Oettinger, Hallie Boone, and Ashlyn Roberson made for an incredible first season in Middle School softball.  Cooper stated “It’s really awesome to be a part of a team that when these girls look back 10 to 15 years from now when talking about Oxford Prep Softball, they can say ‘Hey, I was on the first ever middle school softball team there …and … We were undefeated!’”

The team finished 10 – 0 on the season and earned key victories against Falls Lake Academy and Vance Charter.  Oxford Preparatory School will join the Central Carolina Middle School Conference, with local emerging rivals Falls Lake Academy and Vance Charter School.

News 05/04/17

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Oxford Prep Continues Golf Success

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On Wednesday, April 26th the Oxford Preparatory School Varsity Golf Team concluded their stint in the Tar Roanoke Athletic Conference with not only finished the regular season with a Team Championship but won the Conference Tournament as a team. The team has achieved both honors for the last two years, which is quite a feat as this is only the second year of the existence of the team. In addition, 3 of the total 6 TRAC all conference player positions went to Senior Noah Greenway, Sophomore Jacob Bliss, and Sophomore Adam Sizemore. Freshman Wesley Aitken just missed all conference honors in 7th position.

Still riding high from their accomplishment, the Griffin golfers consisting of Noah Greenway, Jacob Bliss, Adam Sizemore, Wesley Aitken, and Junior Christian Furr rolled in to Washington, North Carolina for the 1A East Regional Competition on Monday, May 1st.  After a disappointing showing finishing in third at the Regional last year, just making it through to the NCHSAA State Tournament the team was looking to make an improvement on their showing. They did just that taking the Championship as a team and advancing once again to the 1A Men’s State Chamionship, however, this time as Conference and 1A East Champions. The team will compete against all 1A team and individual qualifiers at Whispering Pines Country Club in Whispering Pines, NC on May 8th and 9th.

Rick Kenner, M.A.A.Ed.

 

SSG (Ret), US Army

NIAAA Registered Athletic Administrator

NFHS Certified Interscholastic Coach

Visual Art Instructor

 

Oxford Preparatory School

6041 Landis Rd

Oxford, NC, 27565

Animal Kingdom Show 05/03/17

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Town Talk 05/03/17

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GCPS Passes Budget, Includes $2.78 million in Budget Cuts

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Tuesday, May 2, 2017

For Immediate Release

On Thursday, April 27, the Granville County Board of Education approved the budget for the 2017-2018 school year.  This year’s budget process was particularly difficult as the Board faced both increased costs and projected decreased revenues, which made necessary substantial cuts in personnel and program expenditures.  As a result, this budget includes more than $2.78 million dollars in total cuts from the previous year’s budget.

Specific areas where these cuts have been made include a reduction of the leadership positions in Central Services, including the elimination of two director positions and that of the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Operations, which will be made vacant by the retirement of Dr. Gillespie after July 1, 2017.  The following positions and job duties will be reorganized as a result of these changes:

 

Staff Member Current Position Title New Position Title and Responsibilities Effective July 1, 2017
Betty Crute Pre-K Coordinator Retired
Nancy Russell Principal, Creedmoor Elementary School Pre-K Coordinator
Ann Grey Newcomb Director of Professional Development Principal, Creedmoor Elementary School
Helen Lindsey Principal, CIL School Guidance Counselor
Calvin Timberlake Director of Innovative Services Principal, CIL

District Athletic Director

Driver’s Education Coordinator

 
Dr. Tonya Thomas Director of Middle Schools & AIG Director of Professional Development,

Student Services, &

AIG Services
Beth Cook Director of Testing & Accountability, The Arts Director of Testing & Accountability,

The Arts &

Community & Volunteer Coordinator

 
Dr. Lela Baldwin Director of Elementary Education,

Federal Programs &

Afterschool Programs

 Director of Elementary Education,

Federal Programs,

Afterschool Programs &

McKinney-Vento Coordinator

 
Dr. Stan Winborne Director of High Schools, CTE & Public Information Officer Director of Secondary Schools (6-12),

Career and Technical Education &

Public Information Officer
Dr. Vanessa Wrenn Director of Instructional Technology Director of Instructional Technology &

District Webmaster
Russell Dixon Student Information Coordinator &

District Webmaster

 Student Information Coordinator &

Student Transfer Coordinator

 

 

Additional cuts will be made in funding for Technology, Granville Online, teacher substitutes, and Central Services general expense items.  Projected reductions in student enrollment will also result in an accompanying reduction of the allotment for teacher assistants, teachers, custodians, guidance counselors, clerical positions and assistant principals.  No specific positions have been identified as the department of Human Resources will seek to accommodate these cuts through attrition first.

Superintendent Howard and Board Chair Dr. Tom Houlihan issued a joint statement, saying “This budget proposal is the result of conscientious steps taken by the Board and administration to provide human and material resources needed while at the same time reducing our dependence on fund balance.  For four years the school district has made significant budget cuts in an effort to be financially responsible, particularly with declining student enrollment and the fiscal limitations that are brought on by negative state and national budget changes.”