Oxford Board of Commissioners’ Regular Meeting Scheduled for Tues., Aug. 14

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-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall.

Agenda items include:

Recognition – August Yard of the Month – Randy Witt.

Presentation from Charlie Yokley with McAdams regarding the UDO creation.

Presentation from Reed Barton and Bill Dowbiggin with CDM Smith regarding the work that is taking place at the Kerr Lake Regional Water Treatment plant.

Consider approving a contract with WithersRavenel for providing PE design services for Phase II & III for the CMAQ project.

Call for a public hearing to be held at the regular Board meeting for September 11, 2018, for the rezoning request of 2309 Highway 96 of approximately 86-acre parcel from Industrial – 1 (Prime Industrial) to R-8 (1 & 2 family residential).

Consider carrying over $19,000 that was in the HPC budget for the Mary Potter Grant application FY 18.

2017 B Water & Sewer Engineering Services with McGill.

2019 Resurfacing Engineering Services with WithersRavenel.

 

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Board of Education to Meet in Called Session, Tues., Aug. 14

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Granville County Board of Education will meet in a called meeting on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, 5:30 p.m. at the Board of Education Administrative Offices, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.

The board will also meet in a closed session for Personnel/Attorney-Client Privilege in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11 (a)(6), 143-318.11 (a)(3), 143.318.11 (a)(5) and Section 115C-321. The next scheduled Board Work Session for the Board of Education will be held on Monday, August 20, 2018.

Dywanda Pettaway, Clerk to Board of Education

Dr. Jackson, Vance Co. Schools Superintendent, Discusses System’s Progress

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Dr. Anthony Jackson, superintendent of Vance County Schools, was on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the current status of the school system and plans for the future.

Beginning his fourth year with the school system on August 1, Jackson said Vance County schools are “nowhere near where we can be, but we aren’t where we were.”

Jackson said his model has been, and continues to be, giving the community a choice when it comes to educational practices. Citing the Vance County Early College and the year-round E.M. Rollins Elementary School calendar, Jackson believes “choice” is the key to educational success. “A one-size-fits-all model no longer serves a community,” Jackson said. “We need to have discussions with the School Board about offering different choices moving forward.”

The Early College, located on Vance-Granville Community College’s Main Campus in Henderson, has served the community for 12 years and has the distinction of being one of the highest performing schools in the state.

“I would stack our Vance County Early College up against any school in this state,” said Jackson. “They were voted one of the top schools in our country by US News & World Report, as were several other early colleges in our area.”

Another “choice” school, E.M. Rollins Elementary has seen enrollment soar since adopting a year-round calendar. “Year-round at Rollins has been a tremendous success for our community and we’ve seen tremendous academic gains in the school. Enrollment has nearly doubled – from 200 students to now pushing 400 students,” Jackson said.

Also on Jackson’s plate has been the massive undertaking of consolidating the former Eaton Johnson Middle and Henderson Middle schools and Northern Vance High and Southern Vance High schools by the start of the 2018-19 school year on August 27.

The new Vance County Middle School will open in the former Northern Vance High School location this fall, while the new Vance County High School will be housed in the former Southern Vance High School building.

“Staff from all of the consolidated schools have come together beautifully and have been training together all summer,” said Jackson. “We are one community.”

According to Jackson, the sentiment of “one community” is echoed in the recent events of the new Vance County High School football team. The former Viking and Raider rivals have now combined to form the Vipers and will play, at least this year, in the 2-A Conference.

To ease that transition, a recent lock-in was held to build camaraderie and allow the players “to get to know one another better.”

The Vipers have also participated in a recent meet-and-greet at Chick-fil-A in Henderson and will play in a jamboree on Saturday, August 11 to demonstrate their skills to the community.

“I was so pleased to see so many community members and parents come out [to Chick-fil-A] and tell the players that we are behind you this year,” Jackson said. “Coach [Darry] Ragland has done an inspiring job of coaching these young men and taking the mantle.”

The progress of the athletic department, as well as additional information and specifics on academic progress and performance, will be discussed in Jackson’s “State of Our Schools” address in September.

“The ‘State of Our Schools’ address is part of my five-year plan,” said Jackson. “This year’s address will include information on improvements in graduation rates, programs offered to the community, improvement in teacher turnover rates and reduction in suspension and dropout rates.”

Jackson also expressed his appreciation to the school board and the community and said he hopes “one thing people will say about my tenure here is that we didn’t shy away from the hard stuff; we have those hard conversations.”

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Schools Parting With Chamber’s Teachers’ Breakfast; Will Hold Their Own

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools has a long, proud history of partnering with the Chamber of Commerce and the community at large to celebrate and support our newly appointed teachers at the beginning of each school year. Together, we have enjoyed many decades at the Annual New Teacher Breakfast, sponsored by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce, to welcome educators from far and wide to join our public school system and our communities. We have always enjoyed this exciting time of year together and are grateful for the generosity and outpouring of support for our staff and students.

This year, however, Granville County Public Schools staff recently learned that for the first time ever in the history of the Chamber-sponsored event, teachers and administrators from outside of our public school district would be attending and participating in the program for that morning, which was to be held in one of our elementary schools. This event would no longer be held to just support the educators of Granville County Public Schools but was to include a presentation to GCPS teachers from the leadership of a competing charter school that drains much-needed resources from our school district.

Charter schools are not part of the Granville County Public School system and are exempt from many of the requirements placed on public schools, including the requirements to provide meals and transportation, to employ only licensed teachers, and to accept and instruct any student who lives in the district.

This change in the nature of the event gave the Granville County Board of Education serious concerns about the message the event would send to our new GCPS teachers, in a time when recruiting and retaining qualified teachers is increasingly challenging for our public school system. After careful consideration and discussion, board members voted unanimously to not participate in the breakfast this year. This decision was a strong indication of support for our community’s public education system and sends a message that we fully declare our schools to be the first and best choice in education for all of the children of our county. The school system will instead sponsor a new teacher breakfast to welcome Granville County Public Schools teachers.

We hope that members of the community, local businesses, industry groups, and citizens will understand this need for our school board to take this position, and know that it does not reflect in any way on our tremendous gratitude toward their support of our schools and the prior support we have received from the Chamber. We are hopeful that over the next year we may be able to work with the Chamber to find a resolution to our concerns. Together, we can achieve excellence and achievement for all!

Davis-Royster Funeral Service Endows VGCC Scholarship

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Davis-Royster Funeral Service, Inc., of Henderson has endowed a new Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund scholarship to help area students pursue an education.

The Davis-Royster Funeral Service Academic Achievement Scholarship is named for the family-owned and operated funeral service that has been operating in Vance County since 1991. The company, founded by James H. Royster and owned by Mary Davis-Royster, provides a variety of funeral and memorial services and resources customized to meet the needs of families.

“We have demonstrated through our funeral business a commitment to service based on sensitivity and integrity,” said Mary Davis-Royster. “The people of our service area have been so supportive of us for nearly three decades. We want to give something back to these communities through this educational opportunity to show our appreciation.”

Members of the staff of Davis-Royster Funeral Service, Inc., celebrate their new scholarship with representatives from Vance-Granville Community College. From left are James H. Royster, founder of Davis-Royster Funeral Service; Mary Davis-Royster, owner; Paul Crews Jr., director’s assistant; Robert L. Wright II, funeral director; Dr. Stelfanie Williams, Vance-Granville’s president; the Rev. Richard Henderson, member of the VGCC Endowment Fund Board of Directors; and Eddie Ferguson, director of VGCC’s Endowment Fund. (Photo VGCC)

Through the new scholarship, preference will be given to students enrolled for nine credit hours or more in the Business Administration curriculum program at Vance-Granville. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 will be required.

“The leaders of tomorrow for our community are turning to Vance-Granville today and will be doing so for years to come to secure the education and skills training they need to run area businesses. Our scholarship will serve as an encouragement and a valuable means of support,” Mrs. Davis-Royster added.

Mrs. Davis-Royster also serves as the licensed mortician for the company, and Mr. Royster is the funeral service assistant. Also leading the staff are Paul Crews, Jr., who is the director’s assistant, and Robert L. Wright II, licensed funeral director and embalmer.

“We are appreciative of the extended Davis-Royster Funeral Service family for their support of Vance-Granville’s students,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president. “Their gift today will be meeting the needs of future business leaders for generations to come.”

Eddie Ferguson, the director of the VGCC Endowment Fund, added, “The funeral service has chosen a meaningful way to honor their legacy of decades of service to the community. We are proud they have chosen to partner with us to help our students succeed.”

The new scholarship will add to the more than 9,000 scholarships that have been awarded to students since 1982, funded by interest earned on the Endowment Fund and Scholarship Program. Scholarships have been established by individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff to assist deserving students. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business, industry or organization with a lasting gift to education. In the Fall of 2017, Vance-Granville awarded scholarships to 306 students.

For more information, the Office of the Endowment can be reached by calling Endowment Specialist Kay Currin at (252) 738-3409.

Rebuilding Hope Kids’ Construction Camp Concludes Another Successful Year

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-Information and photos courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

A total of 27 youth in third through sixth grades registered for this year’s Rebuilding Hope Kids’ Construction Camp held August 6-8.

Activities included electrical and plumbing, roofing, hanging and painting drywall and a take-home project. One block of time in Bible study helped students understand how to build a good reputation.

Pictured (from left) are volunteers J.H. Hamm, Dave Burns and Woody Woodland showing campers how to safely handle a nail gun. (Photo Rebuilding Hope, Inc.)

Volunteers Ed Blue and Richard Rogers help campers assemble their take-home project – a stool. (Photo Rebuilding Hope, Inc.)

Vance County Logo

Vance Co. Water Committee to Discuss Phase 3 Bids, Phase 1B – Thurs., Aug. 16

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-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Executive Assistant/Clerk to the Board, Vance County Board of Commissioners

Please be informed that Vance County’s water committee (Wilder, Brummitt, Taylor) is scheduled to meet Thursday, August 16, 2018, at 3:30 p.m. in the administrative conference room.

Topics to be discussed include:

  • Phase 3 Bids
  • Phase 1B
  • Base rate for larger meter sizes

All commissioners are invited to attend.

Granville County Logo

Granville Co. Human Relations Commission to Meet Mon., Aug. 13

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-Information courtesy Patrice Wilkerson, Administrative Support Assistant/Deputy Clerk, County of Granville

The Granville County Human Relations Commission will meet on Monday, August 13, 2018, at 7 p.m. at the Stovall Library at 300 Main Street, Stovall.

City of Henderson Logo

City of Henderson Finance Department Receives Highest Recognition

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-Press Release, Government Finance Officers Association

The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to City of Henderson by Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

An Award of Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to the individual(s) or department designated by the government as primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning CAFR.

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standard of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.

Government Finance Officers Association is a major professional association servicing the needs of nearly 19,000 appointed and elected local, state, and provincial-level government officials and other finance practitioners. It provides top-quality publications, training programs, services, and products designed to enhance the skills and performance of those responsible for government finance policy and management. The association is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices in Washington, D.C.

Granville County Chamber of Commerce

Granville Co. New Teachers’ Breakfast Canceled After 25+ Years Welcoming Educators

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

The following is a message from the Granville County Chamber of Commerce to Chamber members and media representatives:

Notice of Cancellation of the Annual New Teachers’ Breakfast

It is with deep regret that the 2018 Annual New Teachers’ Breakfast, which has been hosted by the Granville Chamber of Commerce for more than 25 years, has been canceled. The event was scheduled to be held on August 17, 2018, at Mount Energy Elementary School. The event was to be sponsored and catered by Granville Health Systems and gift bags were prepared for the new teachers by the Chamber membership.

The Chamber of Commerce received a statement from the Board of Education, who met Monday evening August 6, and unanimously decided Granville County Public Schools will not participate in the Chamber’s new teacher breakfast this year.

This breakfast has always been a long-standing event that is entirely coordinated by the Chamber and its members. The Chamber has always viewed this event as an avenue to welcome all new educators to our community and promote camaraderie with fellow associates along with community leaders. The Granville Chamber of Commerce wishes the very best of success to our new teachers this year and hopes that this annual tradition is reconsidered in the future.

Please call the Chamber office at 919-693-6125 or email wanda@granville-chamber.com with questions.

Sincerely,

Granville Chamber of Commerce

www.granville-chamber.com

919-693-6125

(This is not a paid advertisement)