Vance Relay for Life To Proceed Friday 3p-12a at SVHS

The Relay for Life of Vance County is scheduled to proceed as planned Friday, according to Jon Charest, a community manager with the American Cancer Society.  He said this was a local decision made by the local committee.

Rain will not be an issue.  If there is lightning, that changes things for safety reasons.  WIZS will have the latest.

WIZS 1450 AM and wizs.com, along with updates on facebook.com/wizsradio and twitter.com/wizsradio, will broadcast live from the event.  This year’s RELAY will be from 3:00 p.m. Friday until 12:00 midnight at Southern Vance High School.

The following is straight from the Relay for Life of Vance County Facebook Page and is published with permission:

Just one day till Relay For Life of Vance County! We are still planning on having the event despite the rain.

The weather forecast has changed every time we’ve looked at it so this was a hard decision to make. We are hoping for no thunderstorms because if we have lightning then we need to cancel. So please keep an eye on the weather. Plan to be with us even in the rain. If you see lightning then please either don’t come out or head to your vehicle if you are at the event. We will announce any updates during the event as needed.

If we endure a little rain for Relay For Life that will be a minor concern compared to the struggle our cancer patients are going through and our survivors have been through during their fight against cancer. We encourage you to invite your friends and family to the event. Just ask people to dress accordingly and bring an umbrella.

Teams are welcome to begin to set up at the track today after 5 PM. Setup on Friday can begin anytime after 9 AM. Remember that no vehicles will be allowed on the track after 2:30 PM or depending on the weather.

Two Vance County Schools assistant principals complete FRL

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

May 10, 2017

Nowell Brooks and Alice Hinson, both assistant principals with Vance County Schools, have successfully completed a year-long participation in the Future-Ready Leadership (FRL) development program for practicing assistant principals.

Brooks is an assistant principal at Northern Vance High School and Hinson is the assistant principal at the AdVANCE Academy at Western Vance High School.

Both have been administrators in Vance County Schools for several years. Brooks also has been an assistant principal at Henderson Middle School and E.M. Rollins Elementary School. Hinson was a long-time teacher at Eaton-Johnson Middle School. She also has been an assistant principal at Eaton-Johnson and Northern Vance High School.

The FRL is provided by the N.C. Principals and Assistant Principals’ Association and is aligned to the performance evaluation standards adopted by the State Board of Education for North Carolina’s school leaders. Through this cohort driven model, assistant principals participate in six face-to-face sessions held in Raleigh and engage in assignments, projects and readings designed to build the capacity of their schools and their own capacity as “Future-Ready” school leaders.

 

News 05/11/17

Economic Development Show 05/10/17

Eaton-Johnson Names New Principal

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

May 10, 2017

Travis Taylor, who has extensive experience as a high school and middle school principal, has been named the new principal at Eaton-Johnson Middle School.

Taylor was approved as the school’s new principal by the Vance County Board of Education at its meeting on May 8.

He joins Vance County Schools after serving as the principal of Carver High School in Winston-Salem, since 2014.

“We are extremely pleased to have Mr. Taylor join our team,” said Dr. Anthony Jackson, superintendent of Vance County Schools. “We look forward to him providing excellent leadership to the Eaton-Johnson Middle School staff, students and community.”

Taylor’s previous positions as principal have been at Lexington Senior High School in Lexington, the Southern School of Engineering in Durham and East Lee Middle School in Lee County. Taylor also has experience as an assistant principal and science and math teacher with Durham Public Schools.

He was named the Lexington City Schools Principal of the Year in 2013. He also was named the 2012 Principal of the Year by the N.C. Association of Scholastic Activities for increasing student participation in scholastic activities and competitions.

Taylor earned his bachelor’s degree in middle school education from N.C. Central University and his master’s degree in school administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He will assume his duties as principal at Eaton-Johnson on July 1.

 

News 05/10/17

Home and Garden Show 05/09/17

Henderson Collegiate to hold groundbreaking for High School

Henderson Collegiate High School
Groundbreaking Ceremony
Friday, May 26, 2017
2:00 – 3:00 pm
1071 Old Epsom Road, Henderson, NC

You’re invited! Please join us to celebrate the groundbreaking for our new high school facility!

RSVP by emailing mflowe@hendersoncollegiate.org

Congressman Butterfield talks with VGCC students

U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, who represents North Carolina’s first congressional district, visited the main campus of Vance-Granville Community College on April 17, during a tour of his district while Congress was in recess. At the college, the congressman met with Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president, along with a group of five students: Jesse Edwards, Camden Jones, Evan O’Geary and Latessa Wilkerson, all of Henderson; and Francis Scotland of Oxford. The congressman was accompanied by Reginald Speight, his district director.

Dr. Williams informed students that Butterfield has represented the first district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2004. “He is a longtime public servant with a background in the law, and he wants to hear about your experiences at VGCC and what your plans are,” Williams told the students at the outset of the meeting. “It’s my pleasure to be with you today and to talk with you about your future and about what I can do to assist this institution and you individually to achieve your goals,” Butterfield added.

Butterfield said his district includes all or parts of 14 counties, including Vance, Granville and Warren. The congressman is no stranger to VGCC, having spoken at several events over the years, including commencement exercises in 2014. Butterfield praised the North Carolina Community College System as one of the best in the country, and VGCC as one of the outstanding community colleges in the state. He is a member of the Community College Caucus in Congress.

The congressman discussed a wide range of issues, including the federal budget and the need for the two parties in Washington to work together. Butterfield urged students to educate themselves on the major public policy issues of the day and then to make their views known to their elected officials.

He asked the students to talk about their respective career aspirations. O’Geary and Jones are interested in careers in the arts, Wilkerson in sports management, Scotland in electrical engineering and Edwards in nursing.

“This was a great opportunity for these students to speak with a sitting congressman, because we want VGCC students not only to learn about their academic areas, but also to be well-informed, productive citizens,” Dr. Williams said.

–VGCC–

 

Two FCS Elementary Schools Welcome New Principals

Louisburg, N. C. — On Monday evening, the Franklin County Board of Education named two new principals for the upcoming 2017 – 2018 school year. Caroline Linker has been selected as Principal of Youngsville Elementary School and Melissa Richardson has been named Principal of Franklinton Elementary School. Both will begin their new posts on July 1st.

Linker currently serves as the Assistant Principal of Bunn High School, where she has worked with the school’s administrative team to build a culture of trust and advocacy. Prior to working for Franklin County Schools, Linker worked as a School Director for Teach for America in Northampton County Public Schools and as a High School Math Teacher for Halifax County Schools. She also served as a Transition Team Leader for Teach for America throughout eastern North Carolina.

Superintendent Dr. Pascal Mubenga is confident that Linker has what it takes to build upon the success of Youngsville Elementary School for years to come, saying he worked with her during his time at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and he’s been very impressed with her work this year at Bunn High School.

“Ms. Linker is a strong and ambitious instructional leader,” he says, adding “I’m confident that she will work together with the community, teachers, and students to continue to improve Youngsville Elementary as we tackle new challenges.”

Linker is a product of North Carolina State University’s prestigious Northeast Leadership Academy (NELA), where she graduated with a Master’s of School Administration. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Organizational Communication from NCSU. She received her Teaching Certificate in Secondary Mathematics from East Carolina University.

Linker looks forward to the new opportunity, saying “I can’t wait to begin building partnerships and positive working relationships with teachers, staff, students and community members as we work together to ensure that all students succeed.

“Our future is so bright and it will take us all working together to achieve our goals of high student achievement, a dynamic culture of high expectations, and a strong community in and outside of our school,” she added.

FES Welcomes a New Leader

Melissa Richardson currently works as the Principal of Hollister Elementary School in Halifax County. When she began working as the Principal of Hollister Elementary in 2013, the school was designated as low-performing by state officials. In just three years and under her leadership, Richardson has seen 44% growth in student achievement – a 33.5-point increase in the school’s proficiency composite – and the school has gone from an “F” designation on the North Carolina School Report Card to a “C.”

Richardson says she is excited to start her new journey with Franklin County Schools and she looks forward to the community’s support in providing a world-class education for her students.

“Together we will continue to develop an academic program that is challenging and rewarding for students, staff and community,” she says.

Superintendent Mubenga rests assured that Richardson’s experience at Hollister Elementary will prove to be a vital component in the success of Franklinton Elementary School, a school that’s been working its way out of low-performing status throughout the year.

“Our district staff has provided a tremendous amount of support to Franklinton Elementary this year, and I’m very excited to welcome Mrs. Richardson to the team so that we can maintain this momentum,” he said.

Prior to serving as Principal at Hollister Elementary, Richardson worked as an Assistant Principal, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Site Coordinator, and as an Elementary School Teacher in Halifax County Schools. In 2012, she also completed her Master’s of School Administration through North Carolina State University’s NELA Program and was recently recognized as Halifax County Schools’ Principal of the Year. Richardson holds her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from Shaw University.

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Patrick Glace

Director of Communications

Franklin County Schools