Social Services to Offer Heating Assistance for Eligible NC Residents

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The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will begin accepting applications through county social services departments for the state’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program on Monday, Dec. 2, 2019.

Households including a person aged 60 or older, or disabled individuals receiving services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services who have a life-threatening or health-related emergency due to a lack of heating, are eligible to sign up for assistance Dec. 2 – 31, 2019.

All eligible households may apply from Jan. 2 – March 31, 2020 — or until funds are exhausted.

“This funding can help assist eligible individuals and families with their heating expenses during the winter months,” said David Locklear, Deputy Director of Economic and Family Services in the Division of Social Services. “We want to ensure families are healthy and safe during some of the most difficult times of the year.”

The federally funded program helps households with low incomes with a one-time payment made directly to their heating vendor to offset the high cost of keeping their homes warm.

To apply, individuals should contact their county department of social services (PDF). Applications will be accepted until funds are exhausted.

To be eligible, a household must:

  • Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria
  • Have income equal to or less than 130 percent of the federal poverty limit; for example:
  • For a household of one, a gross monthly income of $1,353.00.
  • For a family of four, a gross monthly income of $2,790.00.
  • Have resources, such as saving and checking accounts or cash on hand, at or below $2,250
  • Be responsible for their heating cost

For more information on the program and eligibility, visit https://www.ncdhhs.gov/assistance/low-income-services/low-income-energy-assistance.

Oxford Christmas Parade

Town Talk 12/04/19: Granville Plans Busy Weekend With Parades, Shows & More

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Angela Allen, director of the Granville County Tourism Development Authority, appeared on WIZS’ Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m. to discuss a few of the many weekend holiday events happening in Granville County.

Granville Little Theatre’s FrUiTCaKes

The Granville Little Theatre will present FrUiTCaKes, a Christmas production, at the Oxford City Hall Auditorium on December 7 & 8, 13-15, 2019.

Mix together a batch of fruitcakes, three dozen Christmas trees, 10,000 outdoor Christmas lights, a chickenpox epidemic, two southern spinsters, an estranged old man, a lost cat named Tutti Frutti and a Christmas hog named Buster, and you’ve got the recipe for a fun-filled and touching evening of holiday cheer.

A moving story of alienation, understanding and reconciliation, FrUiTCaKes provides audiences with a heaping helping of holiday warmth and Christmas cheer.

Oxford Christmas Parade and Lighting of the Greens

A magical night is planned this Friday, December 6, 2019, for the 14th Annual Lighting of the Greens and Christmas Parade sponsored by Downtown Oxford Economic Development Corporation (DOEDC), the City of Oxford and partner Granville Health System. Events are scheduled from 4 until 9 p.m. in downtown Oxford.

The Christmas parade will take place rain, snow or shine, so please plan accordingly.

Event Schedule:

4 – 6:30 p.m. – Vendor Market opens

5:30 p.m. – Line up begins for parade participants

6:30- 6:45 p.m. – Welcome and opening comments

6:45 – 6:50 p.m. – Lighting of the Greens

7 p.m. – Parade starts

The parade will start on Belle Street, travel down Williamsboro Street, then Hillsboro Street, and end by taking a right on McClanahan Street to the Public Works Parking lot. Please note that there will be no parking in the Public Works parking lot (127 Penn Avenue) on the evening of the event.

Butner Christmas in the Park

Butner Gazebo Park – 416 Central Avenue in Butner.

This is a beautiful evening, which includes a children’s time of visiting with Santa, Christmas music and entertainment, a reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and the official lighting of the town’s Christmas tree.

Children can visit with Santa from 5 until 6:45 p.m. Program begins at 7 p.m.

Delrayno Baptist Church’s “A Journey Back to Bethlehem” Live Nativity

Delrayno Baptist Church – 1315 College Street in Oxford.

Enjoy a reenactment of the first Christmas with a drive-through nativity scene featuring actors and live animals. Nightly performances December 7-9 from 6 – 8:30 p.m.

For more information on these and other Granville County events, please visit www.visitgranvillenc.com.

To hear Allen’s interview in its entirety, including information on additional upcoming events, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Granville County Public Schools

NC Restart Schools: Four Schools in GCPS ‘Reboot with Version 2.0’

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

Since early 2016, the North Carolina State Board of Education has provided a little known option for schools that face challenges in ‘making the grade’. A state-designated “Restart” status provides a mechanism for select schools across the state to adopt charter-like flexibility as it relates to operations and staffing.

Under this state policy, a school may apply for ‘restart’ status and begin the process of implementing additional flexible and innovative ideas to help improve the academic performance of its students. Some examples of this flexibility include changes to the school’s calendar, daily schedule and instructional hours.

A school may also consider looking at different models for staffing the school, including different employee contracts, educator licensure requirements and types of positions assigned to the school.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this status allows for increased flexibility as it relates to funding and budgets, which can have benefits for some schools in certain situations. It is important to note, however, that there are no additional or separate funds made available to these schools.

Currently, there are 148 schools across the state that have been granted this designation. Granville County Public Schools now has four schools in the process of applying for this special state-approved flexibility: Creedmoor Elementary School, West Oxford Elementary School, Butner-Stem Middle School and Northern Granville Middle School.

GCPS Superintendent Alisa McLean explains the rationale behind the decision to move in this direction, saying, “Applying for restart status is really about making sure we have all the tools at our disposal to increase academic performance in these schools. It’s not so much about having to do more, but rather just being able to do things differently. Our Board of Education understands that in today’s shifting challenges in public education, we must have the flexibility to address each school’s individual needs. The restart model will provide some options for us that were previously unavailable, and I am excited about the new opportunities for our students and their families. Really, it’s a chance to ‘reboot’ and take it to the next level – I see it as version 2.0 for these four schools. I’m thrilled they have this opportunity!”

These four schools have committed to a planning period prior to implementing the new options, which will include an important window for stakeholder input. Not only does the school staff need to build consensus and plan of action, but the parents and community need to be involved as well.

Dr. McLean further explained, “It is critical that the school drive this innovation and change. Our principals, teachers and parents must work together to choose what works for their students. Much like the regular school-improvement process, this restart implementation is about choosing ‘what fits’ for them – this is not a scenario in which I or our Board of Education will mandate certain changes, but instead work with our schools to provide support and guidance in the process.”

So far, the district has had several planning sessions to make sure state policies and guidelines are fully understood. Applications are being developed and plan to be submitted early during the new year.

The 2020-21 school year will likely be a planning year for these schools, with perhaps a few key operational changes being made incrementally. “The idea is to enact these changes carefully and deliberately, and make sure the school is 100% on board. We don’t want to rush this and place burdens on a school that already faces challenges,” said Dr. McLean.

While NC is only three years into this new school status, there are other states across the country that have been exploring models that provide greater flexibility to the public school structure. While no conclusive research has been published analyzing these flexibility models, schools do appreciate having more control and say over how their schools are run.

NGMS Principal Dr. Williamson shared her perspective, stating, “If we are going to compete against charter schools, private schools and homeschooling, then we should be allowed to play by the same rules. Getting this increased flexibility presents some exciting possibilities for us. I am excited about working with our staff and community to take NGMS to the next level. I will put our public schools up against any organization out there. As we like to say in GCPS, we are on the move!”

Reminder: Raleigh Ringers to Bring Holiday Cheer to McGregor Hall This Fri.

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center will be filled with the sounds of the holidays this Friday, December 6, 2019, with a special one-night performance by The Raleigh Ringers. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

As seen annually on UNC-TV!

The Raleigh Ringers’ holiday handbell concert runs the gamut of song selections from old yuletide favorites to Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” score and other sounds of the season.

Tickets may be purchased by:

DROP-IN: 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, N.C. Monday – Friday 1:30 – 5:30 p.m

CALL: (252) 598-0662 (M-F 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.)

CLICK HERE: www.McGregorHall.org  (Use the eTix official site, online fees apply)

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Former Early College Student Credits VGCC for Success

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-Information courtesy Vance-Granville Community College

Oneisha Rebecca Leonard came to Vance-Granville Community College in 2011 as a Granville Early College High School student. “I was a good student, with mostly A’s and B’s, but I was not as focused on school as I should have been until I began taking classes at Vance-Granville,” Leonard recalled.

She said that because of her college classes, “I became more focused on my future.”

Oneisha Leonard, former Granville Early College High School student, is pictured on her May 2019 graduation day from Winston-Salem State University. (Photo courtesy VGCC)

Leonard said that VGCC prepared her for the next level of education by helping her hone not only her academic skills, such as writing papers and doing research but also her time management skills. Eventually, she transferred to Winston-Salem State University.

“Vance-Granville gave me the tools I needed to succeed in college by preparing me for what to expect and what was expected of me,” Leonard said. “My instructors at Vance-Granville were, and still are, some of the best instructors I have ever had.”

She credits her academic experience at VGCC with setting the stage for her to make the dean’s list every semester at the university. She also became a student leader, as a member and chapter president of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society. “I also presented at the South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference this past November in Birmingham, Alabama, where I gave a presentation on my research on post-colonialism and psychoanalytic theory as it related to western colonization,” Leonard said.

With her VGCC credits and preparation, Leonard was able to graduate a year early from Winston-Salem State University in May 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in English. Now, she is preparing to attend graduate school. But she still appreciates where her higher education began, saying, “I would like to thank Vance-Granville Community College for all they have done for me, while I attended and after I left.”

Granville County Logo

Filing Period for 11 Granville County Seats Now in Progress

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-Information courtesy Granville County Government

The Granville County Board of Elections has announced that the filing period for 11 seats for the 2020 election is now in progress. Local offices up for election include County Commissioner seats for Districts 1, 3, 4 and 5; Board of Election seats for Districts 1, 2 and 6; and Register of Deeds.

Seats for N.C. House District 2 and 32, as well as N.C. Senate District 22, are also up for election.

Interested candidates must file before Friday, December 20 at noon.

For more details, please visit https://www.granvillecounty.org/…/board-of-elections-annou…/ or call the Board of Elections office at 919-693-2515.

NC Community College Educators Attend Regional Seminar at VGCC

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College recently hosted a regional seminar for educators from a number of North Carolina community colleges on the subject of “active learning.” The event was presented through a partnership with the National Institute for Staff & Organizational Development (NISOD) at The University of Texas at Austin and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).

Earlier this year, VGCC was one of just 10 colleges across the country that were selected to host one of these credit-bearing regional seminars, which support faculty use of evidence-based teaching practices.

“It was great to see talented faculty members expanding their knowledge to enhance teaching, learning and the student experience,” remarked VGCC Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success Dr. Levy Brown.

Laurie Pendleton, the Executive Director of Assessment at ACUE, served as the presenter for the training. “I really enjoyed helping faculty at Vance-Granville Community College and colleges throughout the area engage in learning to fine-tune their use of active learning strategies,” said Pendleton, a veteran teacher and professional development specialist.

Active learning is generally defined as any instructional method that engages students in the learning process, with activities that emphasize interaction, participation and critical thinking.

“It is always exciting to work with faculty who are so invested in the success of their students, and I look forward to hearing how the participants bring these research-based practices back to their students,” Pendleton added. “Vance-Granville Community College was an exceptional host, and both NISOD and ACUE appreciate their careful planning, participation and support throughout the day.”

Petra Kohlmann, Partnership Director for ACUE, also participated in the seminar at VGCC. “It was a pleasure to be with faculty at Vance-Granville Community College, as well as ACUE and NISOD colleagues, as we learned together about ways to engage students in large classes through active learning techniques,” Kohlmann said. “Being part of a ‘classroom of instructors’ is always an invigorating experience, and I look forward to more opportunities to share ACUE’s research-backed teaching practices with Vance-Granville.”

Edward J. Leach, the Executive Director of NISOD, thanked VGCC faculty and staff for their help co-hosting the event. “VGCC has raised the bar when it comes to providing an excellent learning experience for Seminar participants!” Leach said.

Granville County Public Schools

Four GCPS Principals Receive School Performance Bonuses

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

The following Granville County Public Schools principals have been recognized and awarded monetary bonuses by the State of North Carolina for their school’s outstanding academic performance in the 2018-2019 school year:

  • Jackie Harris – Granville Early College EXCEEDED GROWTH TOP 10% ($10,000)
  • Janita Allen – Granville Central High School EXCEEDED GROWTH TOP 10% ($10,000)
  • Sheila Atkins – Wilton Elementary School EXCEEDED GROWTH TOP 20% ($2,500)
  • Lisa Tusa – South Granville High School MET GROWTH TOP 50% ($1,000)

In the 2017-18 budget year, the General Assembly of North Carolina created a salary bonus structure for principals and select teachers across the state whose students academic growth performance met certain criteria, including the school’s previous academic performance and the individual employee’s school assignment.

Student growth is measured by the state’s adopted analysis software, EVAAS, which is a product of SAS Analytics based in the Research Triangle.

Through EVAAS, student growth is determined by the amount of academic progress that students make over the course of a grade or class. Students enter grades and courses at different places; some have struggled while some have excelled.

Regardless of how they enter a grade or course, students can make progress over the course of the school year. In this way, students and schools can be measured using complex statistical analysis of state test scores, which provide measurements and designations of growth.

Currently, the state uses the growth score of a school as 20% of the letter grade for that school, and proficiency scores for the remaining 80%.

The State of NC has just recently released information on which principals will be awarded bonuses.

Brummitt and Hicks Earn Certification from NENA

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

Granville County’s Emergency Communications (9-1-1) Director Trent Brummitt and Training Coordinator Stacy Hicks have been certified by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).

ENP Certification is a tool that establishes benchmarks for performance, signifying competence in the field. Those who successfully complete certification demonstrate a mastery of the knowledge required for emergency number program management, help raise industry standards, and confirm their commitment to the 9-1-1 profession.

Granville County’s Emergency Communications Director Trent Brummitt (left) and Training Coordinator Stacy Hicks (right) are now ENP certified. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt)

Candidates must meet eligibility requirements, complete an application (after an approval process) and pass the ENP exam. Once certification is earned, the credentials must be maintained by fulfilling re-certification requirements every four years, or passing the exam again prior to the re-certification deadline.

The Emergency Communications Center is under the direction of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office. All telecommunicators are certified through the N.C. Sheriff’s Education and Training Standards Commission, as well as being certified as Division of Criminal Information (DCI) terminal operators through the State Bureau of Investigation.

In addition, telecommunicators are certified and trained in Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), which enables them to give pre-arrival first aid over the telephone and in Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD), which enables them to gather scene-specific information to relay to responders.

In addition to the required certifications, Brummitt and Hicks are now two of 84 certified ENP’s (Emergency Number Professionals) across the entire state.

State Highway Patrol

 State Highway Patrol Promotes Thanksgiving Holiday Traffic Safety

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-Press Release, NC Department of Public Safety

The State Highway Patrol will be on the roadways this holiday season looking to stop dangerous driving before potentially life-changing collisions take place. The SHP joins roadway users across North Carolina in hopes of a safe and happy time for giving thanks with family and friends.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), over 49 million people will travel by automobile across our nation. In anticipation of the increased number of vehicles that will travel here in North Carolina, troopers will be out in full force with the goal of reporting zero fatalities.

“This holiday season is a special time for many across our state,” said Col. Glenn McNeill Jr., commander of the State Highway Patrol.  “We as an agency will work tirelessly to keep this a joyous time for families and not one marred by the loss of a loved one from a traffic collision.”

The NCSHP will once again participate in the Care Across America I-40 Challenge, a joint campaign among eight states along the I-40 corridor. The campaign will take place on the busiest travel days of the holiday, kicking off on Wednesday, November 27 and concluding Sunday, December 1. During the event, troopers will patrol I-40 with the ultimate goal of ensuring safe travel.

Motorists can assist with safe travel by following a few simple tips:

  • Don’t Drive Distracted: Place cell phones on Do Not Disturb Mode and keep both hands on the wheel at all times.
  • Always wear a seat belt: No matter the time of day or your seating position, a seat belt should be put on before starting your travel. 
  • Never drive while impaired: Use one of the many safe alternatives to driving after consuming, plan ahead to ensure a safe end to the evening.
  • Maintain a safe speed and reduce speeds during inclement weather. Remember the speed limit is set for ideal driving conditions.
  • Check traffic conditions throughout North Carolina before starting your travel at DriveNC.Gov

Motorists can assist the SHP by contacting *HP (47) if they observe dangerous driving.