OPS Swim off to Regionals

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— picture and text submitted by Rick Kenner, M.A.A.Ed., Athletic Director OPS

The Oxford Preparatory School swim team finished its regular season on Friday, January 26th on a high note with the OPS Men winning the conference championship. The OPS team is now preparing to go to the 1A East Regional meet on Saturday, Jan 3, at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary, from 8 a.m. – 12 noon.

The team qualified for 1 women’s relay (200 yd medley) and 3 men’s relays (200 yd medley, 400 yd fly, and 200 yd free). Competing in the relays for the men are Caleb Hunt (Sr), Whitt Daniel (Sr), Robert Hopper (So), Jack Hopper (Fr), Ethan Holloway (Fr), and Ronnie Murray (Jr). The final relay team for the women has not been set yet but in contention are Camden Ross (Jr), Maecy Ross (So), Sydney Landers (Jr), Katie Stock (So), Misty Holloway (So), Kara Ray (Jr), and Brooke Woodcock (Fr).

Individual qualifiers from the team are Camden Ross (50 yd free) and Robert Hopper (100 yd fly and 200 yd free).

News 01/31/18

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Home and Garden Show 01/30/18

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GCPS Looks to Punish Those Involved in Intolerable Acts at Jan 26 Game

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According to a press release issued by Granville County Public Schools and Dr. Stan Winborn, Public Information Officer, the school system is working closely with law enforcement to investigate an incident this past Friday, January 26, 2018, at a Varsity Girls Basketball game.

The press release provided to WIZS News is listed below in its entirety.

GCPS Athletic Event

We expect safe and respectful decorum from our students, staff, parents and guests to our schools at all times. There are consequences when individuals choose not to live up to this standard.

We also expect all student athletes to conduct themselves with dignity, sportsmanship and respect for others. Their behavior is a reflection of their school and our district, and as such, they should consider themselves role models for other students, and will be held to a higher standard.

The senior administration and school administrators of Granville County Public Schools are working closely with law enforcement officials to thoroughly investigate an incident that occurred at the Varsity Girls Basketball game this past Friday evening between JF Webb High School and Granville Central High School. Video footage, still photos and eyewitness accounts are all being reviewed as part of this process.

The behavior of the students and spectators who participated in these acts of disruption and violence is absolutely unacceptable, and will not be tolerated. Individuals will receive consequences according to the discipline policies of Granville County Board of Education, The North Carolina High School Athletic Association, and NC criminal law. All players who left the bench will be suspended for at least the next four games, and will receive additional in-school disciplinary consequences. Both teams will forfeit the January 26 game; the NCHSAA will likely impose additional consequences on the school, including playoff suspensions and possibly a fine. The school system also reserves the right to bar individual spectators from future sporting events and other school activities based on disruptive or unsafe behavior, after a review of the incident footage.

The safety and security of our students, staff and community in our schools is our absolute priority. This extends beyond the school day and across all school-related events, including athletics. Additional security and law enforcement presence will be considered for subsequent events.

Appropriate student conduct is the foundation of a positive, nurturing learning environment. We also expect our community to support us in this effort. We will continue to work closely with our partners in law enforcement to take all available measures to ensure these expectations are upheld in the future.

Two Fatalities in Monday Evening Accident, Jan 29, 2018

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According to the investigating Trooper with the North Carolina Highway Patrol, two people died in this accident early Monday evening.  Norman Soloman, 67, of Warrenton and Jason Plummber, 47, of Middleburg. Both men were riding in a Buick passenger car.  The two occupants of a Toyota were transported to Maria Parham with non-life threatening injuries.  It happened just outside the Henderson City Limits on Norlina Road, where Old Norlina Road intersects near the old Freeze Maid location.  The driver of the Buick attempted a left turn onto Old Norlina Road.

Consolidation Conversations Well Underway for Vance Co. Middle and High Schools

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By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer for Hire

Community conversations regarding the potential consolidation of Henderson and Eaton-Johnson Middle Schools and Northern Vance and Southern Vance High Schools began last Thursday, January 25 and continue through the end of February.

The Vance County Board of Education, Superintendent Anthony Jackson and school system staff are seeking community input on the potential of consolidating both middle schools and high schools as a result of declining student enrollment across the district and to increase financial sustainability.

The proposal includes consolidating Henderson Middle and Eaton-Johnson Middle School for the 2018-19 school year and Northern Vance and Southern Vance High School for the 2019-20 school year.

According to Terri Hedrick, public information officer for Vance County Schools, there is no current plan of which particular school buildings would be closed by this consolidation. “All plans, including which school buildings would remain in use, are open for discussion. Nothing is set in stone. No final decisions have been made,” said Hedrick.

At the January 8 board meeting, it was reported that enrollment in Vance County Schools has continued to decline, from 6,848 students for the 2012-13 school year to 5,980 students in the current 2017-18 year.

According to Hedrick, this decline in numbers is due to multiple factors including the increased number of choices when it comes to education. “Students and parents have more choices as to where they attend school in Vance County. This includes private schools, charter schools and home schooling. Students can also go outside of the county to attend charter or private schools as well,” said Hedrick.

In addition to the increased number of educational choices outside of the public school system, research has shown Dr. Jackson and his staff that birth rates in Vance County have been declining in the last few years and that fewer families living in the county have school-age children. “All of these factors play into the discussions we are having on the possible consolidation of two middle and two high schools,” said Hedrick.

Projections indicate that the consolidation of the middle schools could save the district an estimated $1 million annually, with the high school consolidation saving approximately $1.4 million.

The consolidation proposal projects a reduction of 19 positions at the middle school level and 25 positions at the high school level, plus operational and monthly costs for facilities no longer needed.

The board emphasized that if this proposal moves forward, savings created by the consolidation will be given back to the school system to support students, staff and program offerings. Hedrick indicated that these savings could be used for additional funding of advanced placement and honor courses, technical educational courses, athletics, clubs and fine arts programs amongst other areas.

The proposal is not expected to affect any of the district’s 10 elementary schools, the STEM Early High School or the Early College High School located on Vance-Granville Community College’s Main Campus.

The first two community conversations to discuss the proposed consolidations were held Thursday, January 25 at the Administrative Services Center located on Graham Avenue and at Henderson Middle School. According to Hedrick, approximately 120 people attended the first two meetings with the majority of the comments being positive and in support of the consolidation. “We were pleased with the large turnout and heard a lot of positive feedback and answered a lot of questions,” said Hedrick.

Additional public meetings will be held as follows:

Tuesday, Jan 30- Administrative Services Center at 10:00 am

Wednesday, Jan 31- Northern Vance High School at 6:30 pm

Monday, Feb 19- Southern Vance High School at 6:00 pm

Monday, Feb 26- Eaton-Johnson Middle School at 6:00 pm

Each session lasts approximately 90 minutes and includes a 30-minute presentation from Dr. Jackson followed by smaller group discussions. According to Hedrick, the group discussions are driven by the questions of the public in attendance and have included a range of topics such as academics, staffing, transportation and athletics/extracurricular activities.

Feedback from these conversations will be presented, along with a recommendation, at the Board of Education meeting on Monday, March 12.

 

 

 

News 01/30/18

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Need for Increased Workforce Among Hot Topics at The Vance County State of Healthcare Forum

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By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer for Hire

Community leaders and state health officials met Tuesday, January 23 in the Civic Center of Vance-Granville Community College for an early morning breakfast and to share updates on the state of healthcare in Vance County. One common theme amongst the speakers was the urgent need of an educated workforce to meet the demands of healthcare in both the local area and in the state of North Carolina.

The forum, titled The Vance County State of Healthcare, was hosted by Maria Parham Health and included opening/closing remarks and guest introductions from Robert F. Noel, Jr., MD., a general surgeon in his eighteenth year of practice at Maria Parham.

Bert Beard, the chief executive officer of Maria Parham Health, was introduced by Noel as the first speaker. “Healthcare is something that effects everyone and has been in a constant state of change, which can cause confusion and concern for the people we serve. Our goal for the State of Healthcare program is to bring important information about the healthcare industry and those industries that work with and impact healthcare to our community. We value our partnerships in our community and in our industry and appreciate help in getting important information to our communities,” said Beard.

Beard spoke about population health, the shift in healthcare trends from a hospital-centered focus to a community-centered focus. He explained that hospitals could no longer focus solely on what was happening inside the hospital building, but must expand the focus to the health of the entire community.

Beard also shared updates on Maria Parham’s acquisition of the former Franklin Medical Center, which will be known as Maria Parham Franklin. The emergency department will be one of the first areas to reopen with a slated date of summer 2018. Imaging services including CT, MRI, ultrasound, x-ray and mammography are also scheduled to reopen along with the outpatient lab and a 13-bed geriatric behavioral unit. A new 20-bed unit is scheduled to open in 2019.

Stephanie McGarrah, vice president for public policy for the North Carolina Hospital Association, provided an overview of the healthcare industry in NC, the economic impact on NC health systems and NC workforce challenges.

McGarrah explained that while NC’s population continues to increase rapidly-the state was the ninth most populous in 2014-it ranks an abysmal thirty-second in the nation in terms of overall health. According to McGarrah, sources show that Vance County is considered amongst the most vulnerable of populations in the state with higher levels of poverty and higher levels of citizens without a high school diploma.

North Carolina hospitals and health systems have the unique challenge of serving all people, including the most vulnerable. “The health care industry is trying to determine how to address all health factors, including social determinants of health,” said McGarrah.

Another major issue facing the healthcare industry is that the demand for healthcare workers is outpacing the supply. McGarrah stated there are several contributing factors to this problem including the maldistribution of healthcare workers across the state, high level of worker burnout and new occupations being created by the emerging population healthcare model.

Vance-Granville Community College President Dr. Stelfanie Williams and Dr. Levy Brown, the vice president of academic affairs at VGCC, addressed the college’s role in helping educate the next generation of healthcare workers. According to Brown, VGCC currently offers 15 programs in curriculum and continuing education related to various aspects of the healthcare industry with the majority of graduates finding employment at Maria Parham Health or other local healthcare systems.

Williams acknowledged the unique challenge VGCC faces in keeping up with rapid changes in the healthcare industry, but cited Maria Parham Health and Vance Co. newcomer Mako Medical Laboratories as valuable partners in training an educated workforce.

Mark Benton, the deputy secretary for health services for the Department of Health and Human Services addressed the issue of Medicaid and the impact of North Carolina not expanding the joint federal-state insurance plan.

According to Benton, the state has since sought a revised waiver to the federal oversight agency to transform the Medicaid program. The goal is to have the first phase implemented by July 2019.

Benton also addressed social determinants of health and the devastation of the opioid crisis and stated that the DHHS “envisions a North Carolina that optimizes health and well-being for all people by effectively stewarding resources that bridge our communities and our healthcare system.”

The buffet style breakfast was provided by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation. Beard emphasized the importance that Triangle North Healthcare played in making The Vance County State of Healthcare possible and thanked Executive Director Val Short for being instrumental in the planning of the forum.

VGCC schedules leadership series for nonprofits

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— courtesy VGCC

The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center is offering a new series of free seminars that provide essential management skills for leaders of nonprofit organizations. The “Packing Your Toolbox for a Strong Nonprofit” series is presented in partnership with the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, a regional grant-making organization that was established in 2011 as the successor to the Maria Parham Healthcare Foundation.

The six seminars include “Leadership Development for Nonprofit Organizations,” on February 8; “How to Write a Business Plan — The Most Important Part of Starting a Nonprofit,” on February 22; “Financial Management for the Nonprofit Organization” on March 8; “Developing Your Nonprofit Board” on March 22; “Fundraising 101 for Your Nonprofit” on April 5; and “Finding & Writing Grants” on April 19.

Each session will begin with lunch at 12:30 p.m. and will end by 3 p.m. The series will be held in room 7109 (Building 7) on VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County. The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation will cover all costs of this series, including tuition, lunch and reading materials.

Melissa Driver Beard of Driving Force Relations, who has served as executive director for several nonprofit organizations, will be the instructor for four of the sessions. Ed Ormsby, former director of the Small Business Center at Edgecombe Community College, will teach “How to Write a Business Plan,” while Karen Kennedy, Community Development Manager for the City of Sanford, will teach the final session on grants.

Participants in the leadership program will be required to become clients of VGCC’s Small Business Center, which is free of charge.

Small Business Center Director Tanya Weary said that these seminars will be particularly helpful to new executive directors or new volunteer leaders for nonprofit organizations. Space is limited for each seminar. The deadline to register is Jan. 31.

For more information, contact Tanya Weary at smallbusiness@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3240.

Registration can be completed online at www.vgcc.edu/schedules/small-business-center.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.  This is not a paid advertisement.)

GCPS Spring Showcase 2018

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— WIZS has been asked to announce the following information which was supplied by GCPS

The GCPS Spring Showcase 2018 allows you to experience a customized guided tour, by appointment only, of all Granville County Public Schools.

Who?

  • All residents of Granville County are invited to attend daytime custom tours of each of our school facilities.  Come visit our schools while they are in session!
  • Experience teaching, learning and all the fun and excitement our schools have to offer FIRST HAND!
  • Principals, Teachers and school staff will be on hand to answer any and all questions!

When?

  • ALL High Schools – February 6
  • ALL Middle Schools – February 20
  • ALL Elementary Schools – February 27

How & Where?

  • BY APPOINTMENT ONLY…Please call any school to schedule a special daytime tour of the facilities and see the school day IN ACTION!