Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Frances Excited About Fall Sports at Vance County High

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“I was surprised at the offer,” new Assistant Athletic Director Christine Frances said about Vance County High School after they contacted her about the position. In fact, the position didn’t even exist until recently.  With Athletic Director Joe Sharrow also taking on the Assistant Principal’s job at the school the athletic programs needed an extra set of eyes and Frances was chosen.

Frances says that in addition to football, which kicks off Friday night, the school has women’s volleyball, cross country, women’s golf, men’s soccer and cheerleading either underway or about to be.

“Coaches are thrilled to be back to something close to normal,” she said. Many sports last year struggled during a season dominated by Covid. She said this year should be better and that it will “feel more like a sports season.”

Fans will be allowed to games this year but Frances stressed that social distancing as much as possible is one way to keep everyone safe. She also said masks should be worn particularly in the ticket and concession areas. Safety is a top priority of the school.

Frances also took a moment during her appearance on SportsTalk with Trey Snide to congratulate Joe Sharrow.  Sharrow was named as a NIAAA Certified Athletic Administrator this week.

For complete details and audio click play.

Henderson City Council Adopted FY 21-22 Budget with No Budget Sessions or Public Discussion

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— This story is in audio form only. Click Play.

TownTalk: Henderson Fire Dept. Holds Its Own Despite Challenges

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Firefighters, just like everyone else, have been affected by COVID-19 and the restrictions that have been in place for the last year and a half. But unlike so many other workers, firefighters can’t work from home or respond to fire calls virtually.

Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell said his department has faced challenges during the pandemic but he praised his team of firefighters for their loyalty and dedication to their jobs.

“We’ve seen a lot of turnover here recently,” Cordell told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk. Some staff have moved to jobs in related fields and others have decided to take a completely different line of work.

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After a dip in the number of calls at the onset of the pandemic, he said the department is again responding to an average of 250 calls each month – about 60 percent are medical-related and about 40 percent are fire and rescue calls.

Cordell said his firefighters get good information from the dispatchers, who know the right questions to ask to learn if anyone is COVID-positive that firefighters may come into contact with when they go out on a call.

“We treat everyone as if they are a positive case,” he said, and his firefighters will wear a mask when they are off duty and in public, just to make sure that everyone is staying safe.

As the fire department works to recruit and retain firefighters in the short-term, Cordell said he is hopeful that plans for construction of a third station in west Henderson also will come to fruition.

“We’re still on the table,” he said of the plans for the new station. He and others have been taking with developers and looking at different spots to purchase.

He also said plans to reorganize and reclassify some departments and positions within the department should be brought to City Council for consideration next month.

Battalion Chief Joel Bartholomew is leaving after 15 years of service to become director of emergency services in his native Warren County, a move Cordell called “bittersweet.” He called Bartholomew a loyal and dedicated employee, and added “watching him develop and grow has been a blessing and an honor.”

One step toward “normal” for the department involves Capt. Lee Edmonds, who works with fire prevention education. The pandemic put the brakes on firefighters getting into schools to talk with children about fire prevention. With the start of school just around the corner, Cordell said everyone’s looking forward to restart the “Read A Book With A Firefighter” program. Firefighters read with kindergartners, help them with homework and just enjoy time with young learners.

Cordell said he has a great team who is working hard every day “to keep our feet grounded and trucks staffed and moving to help the people of Henderson.”

LEAP Grants Awarded for the 2021-2022 Year; Funded by VCPSF & Mako Medical

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— submitted by Vance County Schools

Learning Extending Actual Performance, also known as Leap Grants, were established through the Vance County Public School Foundation as a way to assist teachers in goal oriented projects to extend and enrich the lives of our students.

This year, we were fortunate to have Mako Medical match the $5,000 that the Vance County Public School Foundation earmarked for the LEAP grants, extending the ability to provide $10,000 in LEAP grants. A committee was formed to evaluate the applications, with all names and schools redacted. Each application was reviewed carefully and looked over with fidelity to ensure that those being awarded met all of the criteria and goals. After careful evaluation, 5 projects were selected to receive a 2021-2022 LEAP Grant.

Vance County Schools is extremely grateful for both the Vance County Public School Foundation and Mako Medical for making this possible!

Our first educator honored is for a project entitled, Operation Ukulele! Operation: Ukulele! is a project for a class set of twenty-five ukuleles that involves the entire student population of Aycock Elementary (K-5). A class set of ukuleles will not only increase the knowledge, wealth, and importance of learning an instrument but it will also strengthen sight-reading and rhythmic skills week after week! My classroom instruction not only enhances because of them, but as a result, music classes immerse themselves in collaborative music ukulele ensembles! Congratulations to Mr. Matt Moore of Aycock Elementary.

The second educator being awarded is for a project known as Fitness Drumming. Fitness Drumming is a highly engaging, non-traditional fitness activity. Students use rhythm sticks or drumsticks to drum out beats and patterns on stability balls while also performing exercises. It is a great way to get student’s heart rates up while also having fun improving coordination with musical beat and rhythm development. The cross curricular activity incorporates music and physical education. Congratulations to Mr. Dan Sandlin of Dabney Elementary.

The next educator awarded is for the Angelfish Bloggers project. Angelfish Bloggers welcome writers “under the sea” to learn the process of writing as a vital part of communicating. This theme will promote the joy of organizing topics and information to develop digital platforms to communicate clearly and coherently as 21st Century learners. Blogging will be a primary publishing platform along with emails, Google docs, and Google slides. The Simplify Writing Comprehensive Writing Program will be the primary tool of assessment and daily instruction along with a few mentor texts splashed in to keep students engaged and “swimming with the flow”! Congratulations to Mrs. Rachel Brown of Aycock Elementary!

Our next awardee is for a project entitled Modern Spaces, which is the alignment of researched based best practices and innovative technological tools in the classroom, maximizing student achievement. This project will foster an environment of inquiry and ultimately improve students’ achievement in English Language as they prepare for college & career in the 21st century. Ultimately, as a modern teacher, teaching has to be about helping students make connections to the real world and there is no better way to help them to do that than through the use of instructional technology. Congratulations to Ms. Marsha Harvey of Vance County High School.

Our last awardee is for a Modern Physical Learning Environment project. The goal of this project is to transform a classroom from an old-fashioned, teacher-centric space to a versatile, functional, modern learning environment by replacing student desks with a set of tables and chairs that connect and separate to adapt to varied learning tasks and modalities. Congratulations to Peter Hasselberg of Vance County High School.

We are excited for each of our awardees and how their projects will make a difference in the lives of our students!

JF Webb Student’s Artwork Selected For NACo 2022 Calendar

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A local teenager’s artwork has been chosen from entries submitted from across the country for a 2022 calendar that will be distributed across the country by the National Association of Counties (NACo).

Brim Royster, a junior at J.F. Webb High School, is one of 18 winners selected from a pool of entries submitted through local county governments across the nation. The “I Love My County Because…” art competition, sponsored by NACo, was held for students in grades 1 through 12, who were asked to explain in words and in art why “their county matters.” Royster’s entry depicts his strong family connections in the area.

J.F. Webb High School art teacher Ophelia Staton was recently notified of the selection, according to a statement from Lynn Allred, Granville County’s public information officer.

“I am so excited for Brim and for our art program,” Staton said in the statement. “We have some talented students, and this recognition means so much for our school and – of course – for Brim. We are very proud of him. His talent is sure to take him very far.”

Students from J.F. Webb, Tar River Elementary and Creedmoor Elementary submitted artwork for the 2021 competition, which was introduced this year as part of the “Counties Matter” campaign. All entries are currently on display at the Harris Exhibit Hall of the Granville County Historical Society Museum, 1 Museum Lane in Oxford.

In addition to being featured in the NACo calendar, Royster will receive prizes and a certificate, as well as having his artwork published in the NACo newspaper “County News,” which is distributed to county members in all 50 states. More than 3,000 U.S. counties are active NACo members, including Granville County Government.

“Granville County was well represented in this contest,” said Sue Hinman, chair of the Granville County board of commissioners. “We thank all the students who participated, as well as the art teachers who submitted entries on behalf of their students. We are also grateful to Granville County Public Schools, who assisted us in this project.”

TownTalk: Vance County Fireworks and Classic Cars

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Fall is just more than a month away, and its arrival ushers in several events sure to interest locals and tourists alike.

Pam Hester and Norman Dickerson shared details about the upcoming Labor Day fireworks and the 19th annual downtown classic car show and the two tourism development authority representatives said plans are shaping up for a couple of great shows for the whole family.

The Labor Day fireworks show is set for Saturday, Sept. 4 at Satterwhite Point on Kerr Lake.

There will be a DJ providing music during the afternoon and several food vendors will be on hand, including Jerry’s Hotdogs, Peyton’s Place and Frostbites, Hester told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. Vendors should be ready for customers by the middle of the afternoon, and “as soon as they’re set up, they’ll be ready for business,” Hester said.

Dickerson said the fireworks display probably will begin around 8:15 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.

The July 4 fireworks show was pushed to Labor Day this year because of the uncertainty of when COVID-19 restrictions may be lifted and Dickerson said it’s been almost 20 years since there’s been a fireworks show for Labor Day. State park weekend gate fees are $7 per vehicle.

Hopefully, the recent heavy rains brought by tropical storms won’t create too much of a problem with the lake level. Dickerson said the lake is at 301 feet, just a little above normal.

If water levels are a problem, “we have a backup shoot site, so we’ll be ok,” he said.

Hester said she is trying to look at the rescheduled date in a positive light: “We gave the people of Vance County three different events to go to, because we weren’t doing it on the same night,” she said. “We’re going to make the best of it and have a great celebration” on Sept. 4, she added.

Then in mid-October, a different type of celebration returns to downtown Henderson with the 19th annual Show, Shag, Shine and Dine event. Hundreds of classic cars line the streets for folks to admire on Saturday, Oct. 16.

Hester said there has been a lot of interest in the event, which will kick off on Friday, Oct. 15 with a cruise-in at Kerr Lake from noon to 4 p.m., and then it’s on to Southern Classic Cars on Horner Street in Henderson from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“We’re having lots and lots of phone calls,” Hester said. “People are ready to come out and go to a car show.”

Registration for the car show, which is for any make and model 1988 and older, is $20. For owners who want their vehicles included in the judging, the fee is $25. Registration is Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. “We had a huge turnout in 2019,” Hester said. “I think the judges were worn out by the end of the day.”

Listen Here for Full Audio about the Vance County Tourism fireworks and Show Shine Shag and Dine.

Three Help Local Education Shine for More Than a Moment

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Each year Vance County Schools presents a community partner the Shining Moment in Education Award.  This year it’s times three, and when you read the names, it will be fairly self explanatory.

The local public school system stated on its web page (vcs.k12.nc.us) and through its Public Information Officer Aarika Sandlin, “We are extremely grateful for all that Maria Parham Health, Granville-Vance Public Health and NC Pediatric Associates are doing to keep our students, staff and community safe through the pandemic. These organizations have collaborated with VCS, doing vaccination clinics since January of this year.”

Vance County Schools has stated time after time that it believes in working with the community and developing partnerships with civic, business and community partners.  The purpose of the Shining Moment in Education Awards is to celebrate “partners making an impact on a larger scale.”

Partnership and collaboration have allowed VCS to continue to vaccinate individuals locally.

The next vaccination clinic will take place on August 31, 2021 at Vance County Middle School from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.  No appointment is necessary for anyone age 12 and up.

Vance County EMS Joins New Pediatric Care Training and Research Program

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— News Release, UNC School of Medicine

HENDERSON, North Carolina – Vance County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has been selected to join the Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinators Plus (PECC+) Program, an advanced pediatric training and education program developed by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine in partnership with the NC Office of EMS and funded by the EMS for Children Innovation and Improvement Center.

Twelve EMS agencies throughout the state of North Carolina were selected following an application and interview process for the highly selective program. The PECC+ Program representative for Vance County EMS is Kris Talley, FTO-Paramedic and Assistant Shift Supervisor, who will serve as the Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator (PECC).

The PECC+ Program will provide specialized pediatric training, educational opportunities, and other resources to Vance County, including online educational courses for individual providers working in Vance County EMS. Regular program participation earns Vance County EMS a monthly stipend that will be used towards local pediatric care needs.

The PECC+ Program has partnered with ESO Solutions, North Carolina’s EMS data management system, to develop performance feedback tools that utilize real-time field data to promote quick turnaround on performance review and improvement. These state-of-the-art tools are currently only available to the twelve participating PECC+ Program agencies.

In late July, PECCs gathered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina for a full-day educational Summit where they prepared for their PECC+ role by attending seminars on specialty topics in pediatric care and engaging in hands-on training with both live actors and simulation tools.

Talley is eager to begin his role, stating, “The reason that I was interested in becoming a PECC is the ability to bring training and knowledge back to my department. I love learning and I love teaching, so it seemed like a great fit to be able to expand not only my knowledge of pediatrics but those in my department as well.”

The PECC+ Program officially begins on September 1st and will run for two years.