Education - WIZS

15 Local Educators Complete Vance Co. Teacher Executive Institute Program

March 29, 2019/by WIZS Staff

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

An outstanding group of 15 educators with Vance County Schools were honored during the evening of March 28, for their successful completion of the Vance County Teacher Executive Institute (TEI) program for the 2018-2019 school year.

They were each presented framed certificates for completion of the program.

An audience that included the educators’ special guests and each of their principals gathered to recognize their achievements.

Those educators honored included: Angela Cusaac of Vance County High School and the school system’s Teacher of the Year; Christine Francis of Vance County High School; Davia Johnson of Vance County Middle School; Sherrie Evans-Bailey of AdVance Academy; Oscar Suarez of Early College High School; Tammy Barrow of STEM Early High School; Jessica Ayscue of Aycock Elementary School; Patricia Harris of Carver Elementary School; Kristy Martin of Clarke Elementary School; Pat Hughes of E.O. Young, Jr. Elementary School; Cherie Dixon of L.B. Yancey Elementary School; Taylor Evans of New Hope Elementary School; Jhaneille Downer of Pinkston Street Elementary School; Kimberly Holtzmann of Dabney Elementary School; and Vanessa Davis of Zeb Vance Elementary School.

The Vance County Teacher Executive Institute graduates for 2018-2019 include, from left, Jessica Ayscue, Tammy Barrow, Pat Hughes, Sherrie Evans-Bailey, Oscar Suarez, Patricia Harris, Jhanielle Downer, Davia Johnson, Cherie Dixon, Taylor Evans, Kristy Martin, Kimberly Holtzmann, Vanessa Davis, Christine Francis and Angela Cusaac. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Katie Eddings, a teacher at Lee County High School and the current N.C. North Central Region Teacher of the Year, was the featured speaker for the event. Eddings talked with the honored educators and guests about her passion for teaching and urged them all to focus on developing positive relationship with students. She also asked them to use their commitment to children to push for positive changes in public education and our society today.

The Vance County Teacher Executive Institute has been offered to local public school educators since 1993. The program is presented each year by the Vance County Public School Foundation and the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce. Vance County Schools is a sponsor and partner for the program. TEI is a professional development program for public school teachers, counselors and media specialists. It is designed to bring local educators and business leaders together to form strong relationships so that they can work together for the betterment of our students and future leaders.

Corporate sponsors this year for Teacher Executive Institute included: Duke Energy, Satterwhite Point Marina, Walmart Distribution Center #6091, KARTS, Quick Print, Vance County Farm Bureau, J.M. White Funeral Service, Henderson Family YMCA, The Daily Dispatch, Golden Skillet, Maria Parham Health, Chick-fil-A of Henderson, Wayne and Susan Adcock and Barnett Properties.

Dabney Elementary Students Welcome Baby Chicks Into Their Classrooms

March 29, 2019/by WIZS Staff

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Four weeks ago second graders and their teachers at Dabney Elementary School welcomed chicken eggs into their classrooms. Now, they have baby chicks hopping around in their incubator containers.

The learning experience has been a great one for the students and a truly collaborative effort among the four second-grade teachers.

Second-grade teacher Kerianne Owen began the project and got her colleagues, Kimberly Holtzmann, Trish Burroughs and Ellen Harris, to join in. The eggs were donated by a local farmer and the project was sponsored through the Vance County 4-H, with lots of help from Lina Lue, the local agricultural extension agent.

The students can easily answer questions about the process, including how they rotated the eggs three times a day for 21 days and made sure the eggs were always kept warm in the incubators. They can discuss how the chicks made their way out of their eggs and how they have changed in the few days since they hatched.

The chicks’ journey at Dabney Elementary is coming to an end. This week, they will be taken home by Owen and Holtzmann, who plan to raise them on their farms.

“The children have been so excited through this whole process,” Owen said. “Each day, they would come into the classroom and go over to the incubator to say hello to the chicks, even when they were still inside their eggs. Once we saw them starting to peck their way out of their shells, the students’ enthusiasm really went up.”

“This has been an amazing learning experience for our students,” Holtzmann added. “We as teachers have learned, also. It was quite a bit of work to care for the eggs, make sure they were turned enough times each day and kept warm enough. Now that they are out of their shells, the children have learned how to feed them and give them water.”

Of course, the students have given all of the chicks names. They’ve watched them go from “wet gooey messes” as one student described as they hatched, to now “furry” cute things ranging in color from dark brown to yellow.

The students say they will be sad to see the chicks leave their classrooms, but they’re looking forward to Owen and Holtzmann sharing pictures of the chicks as they grow into adult chickens.

Kerianne Owen, a second-grade teacher at Dabney Elementary, watches with four of her students as nine baby chicks move around in the incubator in her classroom. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Kimberly Holtzmann holds one of the 10 baby chicks in her classroom as some of her second graders take turns petting the chick. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Vance Co. Elementary Schools to Host Pre-K, Kindergarten Registration Events

March 28, 2019/by WIZS Staff

-Information courtesy the Vance Co. Schools’ Facebook Page

All 10 Vance County Schools’ elementary schools are hosting pre-kindergarten and kindergarten showcase events April 1 – 5, for registration for the 2019-2020 school year!

There will be two sessions held at each school – one session in the morning and a second session in the afternoon/evening to accommodate parents’ schedules.

The pre-kindergarten and kindergarten showcase times include:

Aycock Elementary:
April 3: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
April 4: 2-6 p.m.

Carver Elementary:
April 1: 2-6 p.m.
April 5: 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Clarke Elementary:
April 3: 4:30-5:30 p.m. and 5:45-7 p.m.
April 4: 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Dabney Elementary:
April 3: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 4: 2-6 p.m.

E.M. Rollins Elementary:
March 25-29; parents welcome during and after school

E.O. Young, Jr. Elementary:
April 2: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2-6 p.m.

L.B. Yancey Elementary:
April 3: 2-6 p.m.
April 4: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

New Hope Elementary:
April 1: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 2: 2-6 p.m.

Pinkston Street Elementary:
April 3: 2-6 p.m.
April 4: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Zeb Vance Elementary:
April 3: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
April 4: 2-6 p.m.

Third Annual Arts Alive! to Showcase Vance Co. Students’ Talent

March 26, 2019/by Kelly Bondurant

Terri Hedrick, public information officer for Vance County Schools, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the school systems’ upcoming Arts Alive! event. Arts Alive! is open to the public and will be held at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson on Saturday, April 27, 2019.

The third annual Vance County Schools event will showcase the talents of students in a variety of art forms including painting, drawing, dancing, singing and performance. All grade levels – from Pre-K to 12^thgraders – will be represented.

Parents, students, family members, educators and the community at large are invited to view over 200 pieces of student artwork that will be displayed in the McGregor Hall Gallery.

Jordan Lewis (left) and Anna Ventura (right), both students at Vance County High School, are shown wearing their Arts Alive! 2019 t-shirts and their Arts Alive! buttons. Jordan designed the artwork for the buttons and Anna designed the artwork featured on the t-shirts. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Andrew Markoch, director of the arts program for Vance County Schools, said viewers and audience members are in for a treat. “We are encouraging students to submit their best work and pushing the phrase ‘gallery quality.’ Some of the things I’ve seen have been absolutely incredible.”

In addition to the art gallery, approximately 20 performing acts ranging from large to small groups of vocalists, musicians, dancers and more will entertain on McGregor Hall’s stage beginning at 7 p.m. on April 27.

Tickets are available for purchase at McGregor Hall’s box office beginning at 3 p.m. the day of the event. Tickets for adults and children are $5 each; all seating is general admission.

New this year will be a series of “master classes” offered the morning of the event by Hill’s Music Shoppe, Ballet Arts All Stars and Wolf Trap Education.

Master classes are free of charge and will either be offered at McGregor Hall or at nearby facilities.

For more information on each class or to register, please visit the Vance County Schools website by clicking here. Information regarding the master classes is located near the top of the VCS homepage.

To help support VCS’ art programs and to spread awareness of the Arts Alive! event, t-shirts are on sale now through April 3 at all Vance County schools for $10. The purple shirt features a colorful, inclusive design created by Vance County High School junior Anna Ventura.

Ventura, who was interviewed as part of the Town Talk segment, said she wanted to represent all forms of art in her design – including drawing, music and dancing. “Art helps me express myself; you get better with practice and over time.”

Fellow VCHS student, Jordan Lewis, was chosen as the Arts Alive! lapel button design winner and said he has always enjoyed drawing as a form of expression and creativity.

Ventura and Lewis were among the many Vance County students who submitted their original artwork ideas for the t-shirt and button contest.

Other students completed an audition process for the evening performance portion of the event.

According to Markoch, all 15 Vance County public schools were represented in auditions with judges narrowing the field down to the final acts, representing nine schools.

To hear the interview with Terri Hedrick, Andrew Markoch and the VCHS students in its entirety, click here. The VCS segment begins at the 11:30 mark.

Vance Co. Schools Announces Upcoming End-of-Year Activities

March 25, 2019/by WIZS Staff

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County schools have a variety of events planned as this school year enters its last two months of instruction and activities with our students.

More events are being planned, but below are a few that are currently scheduled:

April 10, 9-11:30 a.m. at Dabney Elementary – second-grade students attend presentations made by local firemen
April 12, 8:30-11:30 a.m. at Zeb Vance Elementary – Career Day event for students with representatives from several local businesses on hand
April 24, 5-6:30 p.m. at the Henderson Country Club – the school system’s annual Volunteer/Business Partner Recognition Reception
April 27, Arts Alive Talent Showcase at McGregor Hall – master classes for students from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; students’ artwork on display beginning at 3 p.m.; show featuring at least 20 performing groups or individuals, all students in our schools, begins at 7 p.m.
May 20, 6:30 p.m. – our school system honors our top high school graduates at our “Evening of Academic Excellence” in the Civic Center at VGCC
May 23, 6 p.m. – Class of 2019 graduation ceremony for Early College High School in Civic Center at VGCC
June 6, 6 p.m. – Class of 2019 graduation ceremony for AdVance Academy in McGregor Hall
June 8, 9 a.m. – Class of 2019 graduation ceremony for Vance County High School in the gymnasium at Vance County Middle School
June 12, 6 p.m. – our school system’s annual Retirement Banquet at the Henderson Country Club

VGCC to Offer Open House at All Four Campuses

March 22, 2019/by WIZS Staff

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College will hold an Open House on Saturday, April 6, 2019, from 9 a.m. until noon, at all four of its campuses.

VGCC staff members and faculty will be available during those hours to provide information on the enrollment process, academic programs and student support services. Visitors will also be able to take campus tours.

The Summer 2019 term begins May 20, while the Fall 2019 semester starts on August 19.

Prospective students are encouraged to pre-register for Open House (and select the campus they plan to visit) at www.vgcc.edu/openhouse.

VGCC’s Main Campus is located at 200 Community College Road, Henderson (Exit 209 on Interstate 85, about midway between Henderson and Oxford).

The Franklin County Campus is located at 8100 N.C. 56., Louisburg (just west of Louisburg).

South Campus is located at 1547 South Campus Drive, Creedmoor (off of N.C. 56, between Creedmoor and Butner).

The Warren County Campus is located at 210 West Ridgeway Street (U.S. 158 Business) in Warrenton.

For more information on enrolling, call (252) 738-3234 or visit any campus.

Vance Co. Schools Approves Calendars for 2019-2020 School Year

March 21, 2019/by WIZS Staff

-Information courtesy the Vance County School’s Facebook page

The Vance County Board of Education approved the calendars for the 2019-2020 school year during the board’s March 11, 2019, meeting.

School calendars include the year-round schedule for E.M. Rollins Elementary School; the early start calendar for both Vance County High School and the Vance County Early College High School and the traditional calendar for all other Vance County public schools.

For the upcoming school year, Vance County High School will follow the same early-start calendar as the Early College High School with classes beginning on August 5, 2019. This early-start allows first semester exams to be scheduled prior to the Christmas break. The last day of classes for the early-start calendar will be Thursday, May 21, 2020.

View all of the approved calendars on the Vance County School’s website by clicking here.

Vance Co. Schools: Raven Burns Named New Family & Parent Liaison

March 20, 2019/by WIZS Staff

-Information and photo courtesy Vance County Schools’ Facebook page

Raven Burns is Vance County Schools’ new family and parent liaison advisor working with parents, educators and the community. She can be contacted in the Family Resource Center in our Administrative Services Center in Henderson.

Her main focus is to support parents of students in our 15 public schools. She can provide valuable resources to parents through the school system’s Family Resource Center and also serves as a line of communication for parents with school administrators, teachers, additional education professionals and more.

Mrs. Burns can offer resources from the Family Resource Center ranging from academic support for students, information about school programs and services, written and online materials about educational opportunities and even career information for parents.

Mrs. Burns can be contacted by telephone at (252) 492-2127 or by email at rburns@vcs.k12.nc.us.

Raven Burns has been named Vance County Schools’ new family and parent liaison advisor. She provides valuable resources to parents through the school system’s Family Resource Center and also serves as a line of communication for parents with school administrators, teachers and education professionals. (Photo courtesy VCS)

VGCC Presents 7th Annual Dinner Theater: ‘Company’ by Stephen Sondheim

March 18, 2019/by WIZS Staff

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

“Company” by Stephen Sondheim

Tickets for Seventh Annual Dinner Theater will go on sale March 25!

Check out the details below of what promises to be an evening of fun, food and fellowship in the great Vance-Granville Drama and Culinary Arts tradition and get your tickets at www.vgcc.edu/dinnertheater. The event, once again involving the collaboration of the VGCC Drama and Culinary Arts departments, is scheduled for the evenings of Thursday, April 25 and Friday, April 26, 2019, in the Civic Center on VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. each evening.

Sondheim’s musical is a sophisticated and honest look at modern adult relationships.

From musical theatre’s most renowned composer, “Company” is largely regarded as a trailblazer of the dark-comedy, modern-musical genre and the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Lyrics and Best Book.

On the night of his 35th birthday, confirmed bachelor Robert contemplates his unmarried state. Over the course of a series of dinners, drinks and even a wedding, his friends – “those good and crazy people [his] married friends” – explain the pros and cons of taking on a spouse. The habitually single Robert is forced to question his adamant retention of bachelorhood during a hilarious array of interactions.

“Company” features a brilliantly brisk and energetic score containing many of Stephen Sondheim’s best-known songs. The strength of the piece lies in its vivid yet real characters, meaning impressive technical aspects aren’t necessary to convey the story. It can be told as effectively with a cavalcade of automated set pieces as it can with a chair or two. Every audience member will see reflections of themselves in at least one of the characters onstage.

Betsy Henderson, VGCC’s Department Chair/Instructor of Humanities and Fine Arts, is the director of the play.

Tickets are $30 and are scheduled to go on sale on March 25. Audience members will be able to choose the table and specific seats they want at the same time that they buy their tickets online. Patrons are encouraged to purchase their tickets early in order to have the best chance of getting the seats they want for this year’s show.

For more information, visit www.vgcc.edu/dinnertheater.