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County Manager, Michael Felts Participates in NCACC Regional Meeting on Child Welfare

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2018

Greensboro, N.C. – This week, Michael Felts, Granville County Manager participated in a regional meeting on child welfare hosted by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. The meeting is part of NCACC President and Durham County Commissioner Brenda Howerton’s initiative, “100 Counties: Helping Our Children Thrive,” which focuses on identifying ways for county government to make a positive impact in children’s lives.

“It is important that the children in Granville County are given the opportunity to thrive. Whether it is by promoting physical activity, bringing health services, providing programs to help improve reading proficiency, or advocating for the needs of children in the custody of Social Services, local government is in a unique position to bring together partners to meet these goals.” – Michael Felts

The purpose of the regional child welfare meeting was to bring together county commissioners, managers, and representatives from county Departments of Social Services to deepen the understanding of the state’s current system of child welfare and county responsibilities. It also provided a forum to discuss actionable county-level data, best practices, and the 2017 Family/Child Protection and Accountability Act (Rylan’s Law), sponsored by North Carolina Senator Tamara Barringer. A similar meeting will also be held in Edgecombe County in February.

Speakers included representatives of NC DHHS, UNC School of Government, and the NCACC, with panel discussions led by county and social services attorneys and child welfare staff.  Counties also heard from Senator Barringer, a foster parent, who provided a personal video message to meeting attendees linked here.

As part of the meeting, attendees also had the opportunity to provide comments for the Social Services Regional Supervision and Collaboration Working Group, which is the group established by Rylan’s Law to make recommendations to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. President Howerton, along with Kevin Austin, NCACC First Vice President and Chair of the Yadkin County Board of Commissioners, Robert Woodard, Chair of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, and Page Lemel, Transylvania County Commissioner, serve as members of this working group on social services.

About the NCACC: The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) is the official voice of all 100 counties on issues being considered by the General Assembly, Congress and federal and state agencies. The Association provides expertise to counties in the areas of advocacy, research, risk management and education and leadership training.

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Feb 1 and Feb 6, 2018 Full Days

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This is an important message about calendar changes due to inclement weather. The Board of Education will finalize official changes to make up lost instructional time at their regular meeting on February 5. However, we can plan for three changes to our schedule as of today. Last Monday January 22 was changed from a teacher workday to a full day for all students. Thursday, February 1 was scheduled as an early release day for all schools, but will now be a full day for all students. And Tuesday, February 6 was scheduled for an early release day for elementary schools, but will now be a full day for all students. These three changes will help make up some of the lost instructional time, but additional changes will be proposed and announced following the February 5 Board of Education meeting. Thank you.

—
Dr. Stan Winborne
Executive Director of Operations, Human Resources,
Communications, and Safety
Public Information Officer
Granville County Public Schools

Connect NC Bond renovation projects at VGCC planned for 2018

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— courtesy VGCC

Vance-Granville Community College is gearing up to begin renovations that will improve masonry rooflines, walls and bridges at the Main Campus using the funds allocated by the Connect NC State Bond.

Renovations to restore, repair and waterproof masonry will be placed out for bids in April with work scheduled to begin in May, according to a report delivered to the VGCC Board of Trustees at its bimonthly meeting on Monday, Jan. 22.

Trustee Donald C. Seifert, Sr., chair of the board’s Building Committee, reported that funding will come from $1 million of the funds allocated by the Connect NC Bond passed by North Carolina voters in March 2016. A remaining balance of $69,000 from county resources that has been used for structural renovations to roofs and masonry will also be available for the project.

Bids will be going out in March for the renovation of 3,200 square feet of space in the college’s newest building, Building 10, to accommodate a practical simulation lab for the Basic Law Enforcement Training, Fire/Rescue and Emergency Medical Services programs housed there. Connect NC bond money will be combined with a private donation to complete the project. The renovation may provide an opportunity for the college to expand the training it offers for public services.

At the Franklin Campus in Louisburg, the Welding Technology lab is being renovated to add eight welding booths with plans to complete that project this month. A demonstration area in a Welding classroom, adjacent to the lab, will be renovated and ready for use this summer. This project is being funded with Connect NC bond money.

In a general discussion on the college’s services to the community, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president, cited efforts to help area business and industry.

For example, she noted, the college met with leaders of a new industry, Mako Medical Laboratories, to address their educational needs.

The college will begin meeting the needs of the newly announced industry through its Histotechnology and Medical Assisting curriculum programs, she said, with plans to add a Medical Laboratory Technology curriculum.

Mako, a Wake County-based medical diagnostic testing company, announced in November a decision to expand with the location of a facility in Henderson and the eventual creation of more than 150 jobs. The company is locating in the former Harperprints building with an initial 30 to 50 jobs, according to the announcement last fall.

“Our Histotechnology and Medical Assisting programs will be a great start for them,” she added. “We’ve been able to sit down with them. We had about 10 of our employees with the college meet with their senior leaders and talk about how they are going to grow and how Vance-Granville can serve them.”

“It’s a great company,” she added. “I think we are very fortunate to have them.”

In other action:

• In her report to the board, Dr. Williams highlighted recent accomplishments and opportunities at the college, citing in particular recent efforts of VGCC’s Pharmacy Technology students leading service projects to provide relief to people in the Caribbean who were affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria and a partnership with police and a pharmacy in Creedmoor for a drug collection event for people to dispose of outdated and unused prescription drugs. Similarly, Dr. Williams noted, college students collected school supplies and books for children affected by domestic violence, citing a service project by the Alpha Sigma Chi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.

• The board gave approval to Mid-Year Amendments to the 2017-2018 Budget as presented by Trustee Abdul Rasheed, chair of the Budget Committee. The adjustments were made to account for $1,834,568 in carryover funds from the previous year and grant funding.

• In the reports of the Curriculum Committee, chaired by Trustee Barbara Cates Harris, approval was given to a course to be offered at correctional facilities in Butner, Bunn and Manson, and an Accountability and Integrity Plan for Workforce Continuing Education was approved by the board.

• Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., chair of the board’s Investment Committee, reported on continued growth of the college’s investments.

• An informational report on new employees, retirements, resignations and changes in positions was provided by Trustee Sara Wester, chair of the board’s Personnel Committee.

Board of Trustees Chair Danny W. Wright presided over the meeting.

The Board of Trustees will hold its next regular meeting on March 19 at the Main Campus.

— VGCC —

Granville Crime Stoppers

Granville County Crime Stoppers Jan 2018 Crimes of Month

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TO: News Media

FROM: Granville County Crime Stoppers

DATE: January 24th, 2018

SUBJECT: BREAK & ENTERING/LARCENY/VANDALISM

Sometime between Wednesday, October 26th, 2017 and Tuesday, November 8th, 2017 an unknown person or persons unlawfully went upon private property of a residence located off Winston Way, Creedmoor, NC and forced entry, which caused criminal property damage. A 55” Samsung flat screen television was criminally removed from the property.

Sometime between Saturday, December 17th and Monday, December 19th, 2017 an unknown person or persons unlawfully went upon private property off Maple Lane, Stem, NC and criminally removed a Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun and ten rounds of ammunition from the glove compartment of a vehicle.

If you have information concerning these incidents, please contact the Granville County Sheriff’s Office at 919-693-3213 or call Crime Stoppers 919-693-3100.

THE GRANVILLE COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS AUTHORIZED THE PAYMENT OF A REWARD OF UP TO $1,000 FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST/INDICTMENT(S) OF PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CRIMES. IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION CONCERNING THESE CRIMES OR ANY OTHER SERIOUS CRIME(S) IN GRANVILLE COUNTY. YOU ARE ASKED TO CALL THE GRANVILLE COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS IN OXFORD AT 919-693-3100.

VGCC hosts lecture series on the brain

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— courtesy VGCC

Vance-Granville Community College will offer a series of free, engaging lectures on the human brain, and the community is invited to attend.

Phil Dixon, a resident of Oxford, will present the series, entitled “Using Your Brain for a Change,” starting with the first session on Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, in the small auditorium in Building 2 on VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County. In this introductory lecture, Dixon will take a look at how the brain works generally and what it is made of.

In his later talks, Dixon will focus on “Your Brain on its Own” on Tuesday, Feb. 27, and “Your Brain with Another Person” on Tuesday, March 27. These sessions will also begin at 10:30 a.m. in the small auditorium.

Dixon describes himself as being “passionate about the brain – everyone’s brain!” He spends much of his time reading the latest research about the neuroscience of the brain, and determining how that research can be translated into practical application in our daily lives. In particular, Dixon is deeply involved in the application of neuroscience to leadership and management issues such as Executive Coaching, Leadership and Management Development, Change Planning & Management, Culture Change, Recruitment and On-Boarding.

Before he began studying and teaching others about the brain in 2002, Dixon worked in the information technology field – including a stint at Apple – worked in organization development and management consulting, and was the CEO of a commercial real estate firm. He has worked in the private and public sectors, has established and grown a number of consulting firms and has lived, worked and/or taught in over 20 countries.

In 2009, he had the opportunity to study for a master’s degree in Consulting and Coaching for Change in England at a program run jointly by HEC Paris and Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. He has published several articles about the brain, and is a frequent and international speaker on the topic of brain-based leadership.

The series of three sessions is presented by VGCC’s Office of the Endowment. “We were excited to be introduced to this gentleman who has this expertise and vast experience and to discover that he is now living in the local area,” explained VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson. “Our Endowment Office sees this as another great opportunity for the college to be a valuable resource to the community we serve. We invite our students, our faculty and the community at large to join us for Phil’s fun, informative presentations.”

In the past, the Endowment Office has sponsored two series with Bill Barker portraying Thomas Jefferson.

For more information on this series, call Eddie Ferguson at (252) 738-3264.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

Families Living Violence Free

FLVF: 6-Week Domestic Violence Class Begins Feb 6, 2018

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— courtesy FLVF

Families Living Violence Free has another six-week class on domestic violence.  Beginning February 6, 2018 on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m.

Attend to one class or as many as you can. If you complete all six, you will receive a certificate of completion.

It will take place at the offices of Families Living Violence Free at 125 Oxford Outer Loop, Oxford, NC.

Call 919-693-3579 to register or register online at www.flvf.org.  Call by 4 p.m. if you need a sitter for class time.

WEEK ONE: UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: POWER & CONTROL

Objectives:

  • To understand what domestic violence really means
  • To learn the different types of domestic violence
  • Why some people are abusive
  • How abusers gain control

Peggy Roar

Adult & Empowerment Services

Sexual Assault Advocate & PREA Coordinator

Families Living Violence Free

125 Oxford Outer Loop Road

PO Box 1632

Oxford, NC 27565

Email: Proark@flvf.org

Office: 919-693-3579

Crisis: 919-693-5700

Hispanic Crisis 919-690-0888

N.C. Community College President of the Year Dr. Stelfanie Williams

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— courtesy VGCC

Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of Vance-Granville Community College, has been named President of the Year for 2018 by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges. She is the first leader in VGCC history to receive the honor.

The President of the Year Award, sponsored by Wells Fargo, was established by the State Board in 2001. This award encourages, identifies, and rewards outstanding leadership and commitment to the community college mission among the presidents of the 58 institutions of the North Carolina Community College System.

“My fellow trustees and I are delighted that the State Board of Community Colleges has recognized Dr. Williams for her visionary leadership,” said Danny Wright, chair of the VGCC Board of Trustees. “Our entire region has been blessed to have Dr. Williams lead Vance-Granville Community College to new heights of excellence by embracing innovation and fostering strong partnerships. She serves our institution, our community and the state of North Carolina with warmth, humility and a passion for student success. This award is a well-deserved honor for Dr. Williams and reflects positively on the entire Vance-Granville team.”

College leaders nominated Williams as part of a competitive selection process in which an eight-page narrative is submitted and candidates are interviewed by an awards committee. The awards process emphasizes accomplishments that presidents have led in the past three years at their institutions – demonstrating broad community partnerships, improving services through technology, workforce education, economic development, advocacy at the local and state levels, long-range planning, innovation in program development and supporting professional development for college employees, among other criteria.

Williams became the sixth president of VGCC in 2012. Since then, she has focused the college on a “Vanguard Vision” strategic plan that addresses educational excellence, continuous improvement, employee and student engagement in college life, and institutional stewardship. Under her leadership, the college has added seven curriculum degree programs, including Mechatronics Engineering Technology, which provides training for advanced manufacturing careers. That program has been supported by some of the largest grants in the college’s history — part of the $40 million in grant funding (including a record-setting, in-kind donation from Siemens PLM Software) secured since 2013. Williams also helped initiate the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Alliance (AMSTA) with the Career & Technical Education high school programs from the four public school systems in the college’s service area.

Her tenure has seen the second-largest private donor gift in VGCC history, as well as six consecutive highest-yielding annual golf tournaments for scholarships. With a focus on student success, the institution has improved completion rates, graduating the largest classes ever in 2015 and 2016. The most recent graduating class (2017) featured the largest number of associate’s degrees awarded in the history of the college.

She collaborated with North Carolina Central University to establish the “Eagle Voyage” partnership that now allows students with associate degrees to complete one of three bachelor’s degree programs without having to leave the VGCC campus. Meanwhile, the college has also partnered with North Carolina A&T State University through a program called “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN), in which students simultaneously enroll at VGCC and the university to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

In addition, Williams introduced a private donor-funded college promise program called the “VanGuarantee” in an effort to make college more accessible for students with the greatest financial need. The scholarship program has garnered national attention and was highlighted by the White House in 2016.

Williams has championed Vance-Granville’s embrace of technology to provide greater academic offerings and support to students. The “Vanguard Online Learning through Technology” (VOLT) initiative has made six degree programs available completely online.

Prior to leading VGCC, Williams served as faculty and in several administrative capacities at other North Carolina community colleges. She also currently serves as adjunct faculty for the North Carolina State University College of Education.

Williams earned baccalaureate degrees in public policy and Spanish at Duke University, a master’s degree in project management from Western Carolina University, and her doctorate in adult and higher education from N.C. State University.

Williams has served on a number of boards and is the current secretary of the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents. In 2014, she was awarded the I.E. Ready Distinguished Leadership Award by North Carolina State University. In late 2017, Williams was appointed to a pair of statewide panels that are focused on education issues: the “My Future NC” Commission and the Governor’s Commission on Access to Sound, Basic Education.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

Oxford Meeting of the Planning Committee Jan 24, 2018

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The Planning Committee for the Oxford Board of Commissioners will meet on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at 1:00 PM. The meeting will be in the First Floor Training Room, City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street.

The purpose of the meeting is to review Chapter 20 of the City of Oxford Code of Ordinances.

All those interested are invited to attend.

Cynthia Bowen
City Clerk
City of Oxford

Granville Chamber Banquet January 29th

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— News Release

GRANVILLE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE’S 76th ANNUAL BANQUET

MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2018; 6:30 PM

VANCE-GRANVILLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S CIVIC CENTER

Featured speaker:  Adrian H. Wood, PhD.: “TALES of an EDUCATED DEBUTANTE”

In celebration of 76 years, the Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors announces Adrian H. Wood, PhD., author of “Tales of an Educated Debutante” will be the featured speaker.  “She is a rural Eastern North Carolina mother of four – one with extra-special needs – past preschool teacher, nanny, children’s ski instructor, early interventionist, college professor, early childhood researcher, wife and full-time mama.  In writing after a twenty year hiatus, she offers personal glimpses where satire meets truth, faith meets irony, despair meets joy and this educated debutante escapes the laundry and finds true meaning in graceful transparency.”

The evening will once again include the presentation of the Chamber’s most prestigious award, the John Penn Citizen of the Year Award, recognizing outstanding community service.

A buffet dinner will be provided. Tickets are $40 each.  Corporate tables of 8, with reserved seating, are available for $300.00.  Corporate tables of 10, reserved seating, are available for $380.00.  Reservations  are required prior to the event.  Checks or credit card payments are accepted by contacting one of the Chamber’s offices –  919.693.6125/Wanda, wanda@granville-chamber.com or 919.528.4994/Toni Anne, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com.

Banquet sponsors are:  B B & T, CERTAINTEED, DUKE ENERGY; GRANVILLE HEALTH SYSTEM, HICKS AND WRENN, LLP, THE SCHOOL OF GRAPHIC ARTS and VANNESS CHEVROLET. 

Granville Co. Public Schools Info Jan 20, 2018

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— courtesy Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools were cancelled for all students and staff on Friday, January 19.

Please remember that Saturday is still scheduled to be a school day with an early release bell schedule. If we do have school on Saturday, all high schools students on traditional calendar will take final exams for 2nd period. Be on the lookout for communications from your school’s principal with more information.

We will also be communicating soon how these instructional days will be made up on future dates.

Please be safe, stay warm, and stay tuned for more updates.

Thank you!

—
Dr. Stan Winborne
Executive Director of Operations, Human Resources,
Communications, and Safety
Public Information Officer
Granville County Public Schools