Granville Chamber, Health System to Welcome New Teachers

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— Information courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce | Ginnie Currin, Executive Director ~ 919-693-6125 ~ ginnie@granville-chamber.com

Save the Date for Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s New Teacher Welcome Event on Tuesday, August 13, 2019.

The event will take place from 3 until 5 p.m. in the cafeteria of The Masonic Home for Children, 600 College St. in Oxford.

Sponsored by the Granville Health System, new teachers from Falls Lake Academy, Granville County Public Schools and Oxford Preparatory School will be welcomed to the community.

Donated items for 85 teacher gift bags are appreciated. Suggestions for gift bag items include office supplies, notepads, small notebooks, binders, pens, pencils, wipes, tissues, hand sanitizer, etc.

Meet and greet new teachers, enjoy conversation and refreshments.

Chamber members are invited to bring a table and share information about your business.

Those interested in having a business display or donating gift bag items should contact one of the Chamber’s office locations – 124 Hillsboro Street in Oxford/Wanda, 919.693.6125, wanda@granville-chamber.com or 1598 Highway #56, Butner/Toni Anne, 919.528.4994, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com.

McGregor Hall Announces Audition Dates for ‘Shrek the Musical’

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McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center announces audition dates for “Shrek the Musical” directed by Mark Hopper.

Choose to audition either Saturday, August 17 at 10 a.m. or Monday, August 19 at 7 p.m. Callback auditions will be held Wednesday, August 21 at 7 p.m.

Auditions will be held onstage at McGregor Hall. They will consist of a cold read and musical material that will be taught as part of the audition. You may choose to bring 16 – 32 bars of a prepared piece (not required).

Performances will be October 24 (two daytime school performances), October 25 & 26 at 8 p.m., October 27 at 2 p.m., November 1 & 2 at 8 p.m. and November 3 at 2 p.m.

Visit McGregor Hall’s Auditions page (click here) for more information or email markhopper@mcgregorhall.org.

We can’t wait to meet McGregor Hall’s Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, and Lord Farquaad!

Granville County Public Schools

2019-20 School Year Marks Big Changes for GCPS

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

Another school year has come and gone, and a new one awaits for the students of Granville County!  We are open for business and accepting enrollments at all schools! We have so many different educational environments, programs and instructional models; any family can find the right fit with us.

In addition to the academic achievement of students, this year’s main focus for our Board of Education and Administration will continue to be on the safety, health and welfare of our children.

In partnership with our County Commissioners, the Sheriff’s Department and the Creedmoor Police Department, the strong School Resource Officer presence in our schools will continue. Efforts to improve the physical security of our campuses also continues with new video surveillance systems, new perimeter fencing, new locks and entryways, along with increased safety training for all staff.

Air quality monitoring continues, with every school being tested by an outside independent laboratory, with results posted to each school’s website for public review.

Anti-bullying and anti-drug, alcohol and tobacco campaigns will be in full effect this school year as well.

A new mobile app will provide students, parents and staff tools for communication concerns related to the well-being and emotional health of our school communities. We will continue to support the social-emotional learning of students through our social worker, counselors and our new Parent University.

You would be correct in thinking that school begins in August – but not for everyone!  In fact, three of our campuses have already started school!  They operate on a dual-calendar, offering both a traditional and ‘year-round’ option to families.

West Oxford Elementary, Butner-Stem Elementary and Butner-Stem Middle School all provide families a modified school calendar in which students avoid the long summer break. While the total number of school days doesn’t change, the vacation time is split up during the whole year, after every 9 weeks of school. More than 350 of our students had their first day back on Monday, July 15!  No summer slide for them!

There is lots in store at other schools across the district this year. Granville Academy is beginning its second year, offering a blended online and face-to-face model for students K-12. The first school of its kind in the state, these students physically attend school only two days a week and receive instruction virtually the other part of their schedule. This is a fantastic option for families who have unique situations, or for those parents who want to be intimately involved in their student’s schooling.

Many home school families, in both our county and surrounding counties, have been flocking to this innovative and non-traditional model.  Early indications show high levels of academic success for the students participating, and other school districts from across the state are inquiring how they can duplicate our home-grown model.

Three other schools are undergoing significant transformations as well. JF Webb High School is busy planning for the merger of the School of Health and Life Sciences in 2020-21. All of the current Biomedical Science courses offered through JFW HLS will continue, with plans for expanded offerings in Career and Technical Education programs, as well as college-level courses offered through VGCC.

Under the leadership of Principal Rice, not only are academics getting an overhaul, but the school itself is also receiving significant facility upgrades, which will go nicely with the improved mascot logo, boasting that Warrior Pride!

Northern Granville Middle School is full of activity in preparation for the merger with Mary Potter Middle School this fall.  The added enrollment helps boost the number and variety of elective course offerings for all students, which will now include Spanish, Art, Music, Chorus, Agriculture Education, Technology Education, and a NEW Minecraft Coding and Video Game Design class with a whole lot of other brain games wherein students would be encouraged to find out Wordscape answers.  Principal Williamson is also planning a wide range of clubs and other enrichment activities for students beyond the regular curriculum.  Exciting times to be a Knight!

Stovall Shaw Elementary is also buzzing with activity this summer in preparations for the merger of students from Joe Toler Oak Hill Elementary. In addition to the new classrooms, instructional programs and electives being planned by Principal McGhee, the school also continues its theme of “Healthy Active Students,” providing a focus on the physical and emotional well-being of students.

Also worth noting are improvements to the entire entrance/drive/parking area of the school, which is being completely redone.  This much-needed upgrade will help ease congestion and traffic concerns, providing a safer experience for all when visiting the school.

Lots of other exciting opportunities are expanding and evolving at schools across the district as well. Mt Energy is entering their second year as a “School of Character,” providing an environment that focuses on leadership and giving back to the community.

Wilton Elementary School continues to offer “The Leader in Me” program, for which they received statewide recognition last year.

West Oxford Elementary School offers the “Global Focus” program, giving students a taste of world cultures and experiences, expanding their perspectives of the world.

CG Credle Elementary offers the “Leadership and Wellness” program, and Granville Central High School continues to offer its focus on STEM-related electives for all students through advanced college-level coursework.

GC Hawley Middle School marches forward with an impressive offering of elective and advanced courses for their students, and Early College keeps pushing the bar higher each year by offering DUAL degrees (high school diplomas AND an Associate’s Degree) to their students.

South Granville High School receives much-needed facility upgrades and delivers that special “Viking” experience to students, leading the way in athletic championships and club activities.

Creedmoor Elementary School of the Arts and Tar River Elementary School round out the offerings with special instructional programs to foster creativity and leadership respectively, meeting the needs and interests of diverse learners.

For all of our newest elementary students, be sure to mark your calendars for an all-day, special Kindergarten Kick-Off at the Granville Athletic Park on July 30. Lots of fun planned for families, along with helpful information and registration forms available!

Finally, efforts continue district-wide to ensure we have the best possible staff in every classroom and in every position across the district. Professional development for all staff will continue to focus on personalized learning and student engagement, making sure that students are invested in their schooling, and are motivated and see value in what they learn.

Recruiting talent also remains a top priority, and the district looks forward to the warm welcome given to our new teachers in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce this August.

Superintendent Alisa McLean offered her thoughts on the direction of the school district, explaining, “Our commitment to the whole child and their quality of educational experience in GCPS – from the environment in which they learn to the individuals from whom they learn; it is ALL important. As such, there is a great deal of work occurring this summer to train, align, clean up, fix, repair, install and simply do what is necessary to ensure Granville County Public Schools is not one of the best but is THE best academic choice for families in our community. Options are contemporary and available; and moreover, our educators are second to none. The Board of Education and I are truly devoted to our motto of being ‘Committed to Excellence and Achievement for All!’”

‘Music on Main’ Series to Continue With ‘Carolina Soul’

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-Information courtesy Oxford NC, Historic Downtown’s Facebook page

Downtown Oxford’s “Music on Main” series will continue with a performance by “Carolina Soul” beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 26, 2019.

Streets around downtown will begin to close at 2 p.m.

There will be a kid-friendly food vendor and Kona Ice. Families are invited to come out and enjoy time together.

Make sure to bring a lawn chair and your dancing shoes!

Town Talk: Garrison Discusses DHHS Move, Medicaid – 07/15/19

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In the continuing discussion about the proposed move of The Department of Health and Human Services administrative offices to the Triangle North Corporate Park in Granville and Vance Counties, NC House 32 Representative Terry Garrison says, “If we can get true bi-partisan support on the relocation, I think that provides the greatest opportunity for sustainability.”

Garrison says the majority of the people in the House 32 district have asked him to “vote against the veto on the one hand, but on the other hand, those persons who have been my staunch allies and those who have been in the trenches and have been my front-line workers and sergeants for the campaign of a democratic party, each one of them has strongly advised me to sustain the Governor’s veto, not to override the Governor’s veto.”

Garrison has been told to his face, he said, that his allies plan to run someone against him if he does help override the Governor’s veto.

That type of pressure speaks to the level of pressure Garrison is under, both locally and from Raleigh. And from his Town Talk interview (listed in full below), one conclusion you could draw is that he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.

Garrison is under a lot of pressure with this, and he said, “I want these jobs to come here as much as anyone, perhaps more than anyone.”

Another conclusion and Garrison agrees, the DHHS move is being used as a pawn in a chess game. So much so, Garrison indicated he thought if it were back to the days in North Carolina that the Governor did not have veto power that the State would already have an approved budget and much of this DHHS move may have never come about.

Along those lines, politics got us here and politics is the only way out.

As the Town Talk interview begins, the first two questions are:

WHY NOT JUST VOTE TO OVERRIDE THE GOVERNOR’S VETO OF THE BUDGET, WHICH IS THE GUARANTEED WAY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO LOCATE IT’S ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES IN GRANVILLE COUNTY?
YOU’VE SAID YOU WANTED TO NEGOTIATE THE MATTER OF MEDICAID EXPANSION SOME. WHAT WILL MEDICAID EXPANSION DO FOR THIS AREA THAT THE JOBS AND GROWTH OF DHHS MOVING TO THE TRIANGLE NORTH PARK WILL NOT DO?

Children’s Theater Camp to Perform ‘The Lion King, Jr.’ at McGregor Hall

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PART OF THE ROSEMYR CORPORATION HENDERSON REC PLAYERS 2019 SUMMER SEASON:

The Henderson Rec Players’ first-ever summer theater camp for children and youth will culminate in performances of Disney’s “The Lion King, Jr” at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center.

Three Performances: July 26, 27 at 8 p.m., July 28 at 2 p.m.

Featuring songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, the show tells the story of a young lion, Simba, and the rocky road to inheriting his father’s kingdom.

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)

August ‘Alive After Five’ Set for Downtown Creedmoor; Volunteers Needed

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The Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s second Alive After Five event of 2019 will be held Thursday evening, August 15, from 5:30 until 8:30 pm in the parking lot at VanNess Chevrolet, downtown Creedmoor.

Join the Chamber as we celebrate our 16th year of AA5 events with incredible entertainment and concessions provided by Chamber members – Chick-fil-A, Williamson’s Country Store and Grill, Coca-Cola and Long Beverage.

Music will be provided by the popular “The Attractions Band,” which originally formed in 1965 when “a group of teenagers from Burlington formed a local band in the basement of a music store.”

The band went on to  “open for and were the backup band for well-known performers such as ‘The Tams,’ Clifford Curry, Jimmy Ruffin, ‘The Fifth Dimension’ and ‘The Platters.’”

As the group’s members headed off to college and to the Vietnam War, the original band fell apart.

During the summer of 1999, and after 30 years, a reunion of the band was organized and once again, “The Attractions” were all together.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Chamber staff Toni Anne Wheeler and Wanda Garrett are recruiting volunteers to assist in several capacities for the AA5 event – check-in table, Coca-Cola wagon and beverage stations. Volunteer times are 5 to 7 p.m. and 7 until 9 p.m. A free t-shirt to be worn while volunteering is “yours to keep.”

Please contact a Chamber office to volunteer – Toni Anne Wheeler @ 919.528.4994, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com or Wanda Garrett @ 919.693.6125, wanda@granville-chamber.com.

The Chamber looks forward to seeing everyone August 15!

GCPS Traveling Book Bus to Bring Summer Reading Opportunities

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

As a way to keep students reading during these weeks before traditional calendar schools begin, the Book Bus, our GCPS version of a bookmobile, will travel to neighborhoods and read with our students.

Students will have access to great book selections as well as the opportunity to borrow a book to read between visits.

There are even options for adults to read while their children are reading!

Please see the flyer below for dates, times and locations.

VGCC Small Business Center to Offer Free QuickBooks, Financial Classes

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-Information courtesy Sheri Jones, Director, VGCC Small Business Center

The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center is offering two free, three hour classes entitled “Quick Start Bookkeeping with QuickBooks.”

The classes will be offered on Wednesday, July 31, 2019, at the times and locations as listed below and is being taught by Semone Brisson, an Accountant and QuickBooks Consultant of Brisson’s Accounting out of Salisbury, NC. A description of the classes content is below and registration is required.

If you, your members or someone you know could benefit from these classes, please forward the following information and registration links to them.

The links can also be accessed from our website at https://www.vgcc.edu/coned/small-business-center/#schedules.

CLASS DESCRIPTION

1)  “Quick Start Bookkeeping with QuickBooks”

This informative seminar is geared toward the novice bookkeeper and QuickBooks user. An accountant and QuickBooks consultant will show you how to set up and use QuickBooks desktop software for everyday accounting tasks in the simplest, most efficient way possible for your company or non-profit.

Topics include:

  • Setting up a company file quickly
  • Understanding and designing financial statements
  • How items and classes work
  • When to use receivables, payables and bank feeds
  • What is a “set of books” and how does it work?
  • What bookkeeping practices do I need?

This seminar will benefit both QuickBooks desktop and online users. It is not intended to be a “step-by-step hands-on class” and does not require a book. Questions are welcomed and encouraged.

“Quick Start Bookkeeping with QuickBooks”
Wednesday, July 31 from 6 – 9 p.m.

Kerr Lake Country Club – 600 Hedrick Dr. Henderson, NC 27537

Registration Link:  https://www.ncsbc.net/workshop.aspx?ekey=530390033

2) “Understanding Financial Statements”

Maintaining and understanding financial information is critical to running a profitable small business. This three hour seminar helps small business owners focus on using key financial reports to understand and operate their businesses. The seminar also explains how small business owners can use their financial statements to identify potential problems before they become serious threats to the business’ survival.

“Understanding Financial Statements”

Wednesday, July 31 from 1 – 4 p.m.
Vance-Granville Community College, Bldg. 7 – 200 Community College Road Henderson, NC  27536

Registration Link:  https://www.ncsbc.net/workshop.aspx?ekey=530390035

Thornton Library to Welcome Author Wiley Cash

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

The Richard H. Thornton Library will host a book discussion and book signing by award-winning author Wiley Cash at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, 2019.

Cash is a New York Times bestselling novelist who has penned several works, including ‘A Land More Kind Than Home’ and ‘This Dark Road to Mercy.’

The Richard H. Thornton Library will host a book discussion and book signing by award-winning author Wiley Cash at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, 2019. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

His newest book ‘The Last Ballad,’ is set in 1929 in the Appalachian foothills of North Carolina. Considered to be a “moving tale of courage in the face of oppression,” Cash’s newest work tells the story of a single mother’s struggle for her rights in a textile mill, which is inspired by actual events.

The Minnesota Star-Tribune calls this latest work “powerful and poignant… Cash’s third and best novel,” while the Library Journal calls Cash “a promising young voice in southern fiction.”

Cash serves as the writer-in-residence at the University of North Carolina-Asheville and teaches in the Mountainview Low-Residency MFA (Master of Fine Arts) program. He is co-founder of the Land-More-Kind Artists Residency and is founder of the Open Canon Book Club.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina-Asheville and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the author resides in North Carolina with his wife and two young daughters.

This event is free and open to the public.

The Richard H. Thornton Library is located at 210 Main Street in Oxford and is one of four branches of the Granville County Library System. Other branches are located in Creedmoor (South Branch), Stovall and Berea.

For more details about this event and other scheduled library programs, call 919-693-1121 or visit https://granville.lib.nc.us/.