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NC Public School Students Not Returning to Classroom This School Year

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-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper today announced that North Carolina K-12 public schools will continue remote learning through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Cooper was joined by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson and the Chair of the State Board of Education Eric Davis for the announcement.

“School buildings will stay closed to students for this school year, but school isn’t over,” said Governor Cooper. “The decision to finish the year by remote learning was not made lightly, but it is the right thing to do to protect our students, teachers and communities. This is a difficult time for many children and parents, and I am grateful for all the educators, administrators, support staff and parents who have gone the extra mile to keep children learning.”

Cooper underscored the needs for schools to continue to provide school nutrition programs now and into the summer, and to be looking ahead and planning for when it is safe to re-convene schools in person. This includes how to get students back on track, especially those who have not been able to access remote learning or were already behind when schools closed to in-person instruction.

To help students without home internet access online learning opportunities, Cooper today announced a partnership to equip more school buses with Wi-Fi. School buses with Wi-Fi will travel to areas that lack internet so students can turn in assignments, download materials, and connect with teachers. AT&T is providing 100 hot spots, Duke Energy Foundation is providing 80, and additional partners are expected to join the effort.

State public health officials are developing safety guidelines for schools to follow when classes are able to convene in person, as well as guidance for summer camps and other groups that use school facilities.

BUDGET

Cooper also released a recommended budget plan to invest $1.4 billion in emergency funds to help North Carolina respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding for this proposal would come predominantly from the state’s share of the federal CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) and would be appropriated by the North Carolina General Assembly in its upcoming session.

The budget package is intended to fund immediate needs in three main areas:

  • Public health and safety
  • Continuity of operations for education and other state government services
  • Assistance to small businesses and local governments.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every North Carolinian. This emergency funding proposal makes strong investments in public health, schools, local governments and small businesses to respond to this unprecedented crisis,” said Cooper.

Governor Cooper and State Budget Director Charlie Perusse worked with state agencies, local governments, and other stakeholders to identify what immediate COVID-related needs were unmet by existing federal and commercial assistance to build a budget proposal that is responsive and responsible.

Key investments from this proposal include:

  • $75 million to support testing, tracing and trends analysis as well as have the Personal Protective Equipment needed to help North Carolina move into Phase 1 of easing restrictions;
  • $78 million for school nutrition to continue to serve as many as 500,000 meals a day to children who depend on these meals to meet basic nutrition needs typically met in school;
  • $75 million for rural and underserved communities and health care providers that are particularly hard hit by COVID-19;
  • $243 million for public schools to enhance remote learning and get ready for the next school year in a “new normal.” Funds are a joint request from DPI and the State Board of Education.
  • $52 million to the UNC system and private colleges to help with remote learning and COVID-19 impacts;
  • $300 million to assist local governments, distributed based partially on population and partially on acute need.

“We know that people are hurting, businesses are struggling, and local governments are facing severe shortages. That’s why we have to act now to get resources in the hands of people and organizations that provide vital support,” said Cooper.

Governor Cooper and State Budget Director Charlie Perusse have been in discussions with leaders of the North Carolina General Assembly for several weeks to develop a consensus COVID-19 budget package that can be approved swiftly when the legislature returns next week. Elements of this package have already been announced as having consensus support, including a significant investment in an already operating bridge loan program for small businesses through the Golden L.E.A.F. Foundation.

“This plan is a first step, and while it may not have all that North Carolina needs moving forward, I present it in the spirit of compromise and consensus so that we can get relief to families fast,” said Cooper.

Find a slideshow summary of the budget recommendation.

Read more about the full budget recommendation money report and provision list

Jerry Edmonds

Town Talk 04/07/20: Edmonds, VGCC Focus on ‘Hire Education’

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Jerry E. Edmonds, III, vice president of Workforce Development and Community Engagement at Vance-Granville Community College, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Serving in this new position since the fall, Edmonds supports economic development for the region and oversees training programs that respond to community needs and prepare students for workforce success.

In addition, Edmonds leads the development of VGCC partnerships with businesses and government agencies and coordinates outreach and marketing.

“The position of workforce and community engagement is a relatively new combination of functions,” Edmonds said. “Our president, Dr. Rachel Desmarais, was certainly futuristic in her assessment that community engagement would be more and more a part of our community college function.”

Workforce development is what has been traditionally referred to as continuing education, Edmonds explained, and includes public safety, short term healthcare courses such as CNA and phlebotomy, and the college’s new truck driver training, among other programs.

The VGCC Small Business Center also falls under the Workforce and Community Engagement umbrella and has become more visible to the public and business community in recent weeks with the economic repercussions of COVID-19 closures.

Sheri Jones, director of the Small Business Center, appeared on WIZS Town Talk last week to discuss her work with local businesses during the health crisis, which has included assistance with small business loan information.

Along with the Small Business Center, VGCC offers customized training programs specific to the local area. Edmonds admitted that not everyone in the community has been aware of these services in the past, a task that he sees as part of his and his team’s role in marketing the college.

“Marketing is an area that we really have to do a little better job as a community college system in getting the word out about the great programs and great work that we do on a daily basis,” Edmonds stated.

Echoing a sentiment shared by Desmarais in previous WIZS interviews, Edmonds said the system is doing just that by focusing on workforce development with individual community colleges training residents for local employment opportunities.

“The NC Community College System has recently embarked upon a marketing campaign with the tagline that North Carolina community colleges are all about ‘Hire Education’ to use a play-on-words’ of ‘higher education,’” said Edmonds. “At the end of the day, all of our programs, be they on the continuing education side or be they on the curriculum side, seek to give students a living wage employment.”

To hear the interview with Edmonds in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

VCS Announces This Week’s Remote Learning Pickup, Meal Distribution Dates

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-Information courtesy Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools announces that the next remote learning packets are available for pick up for those students opting to use the paper/pencil version. Pick up will be on Wednesday, April 8 and Thursday, April 9, 2020, from 11 a.m – 1 p.m. and from 4 – 6 p.m. from your child’s school.

If students are completing their work through Google classroom, they may continue through that platform and will not need to pick up a remote learning packet.

It is time to begin the process of student course selections and registration for the upcoming school year. The High School Curriculum Handbook and Middle School Course Description Guides are on the Vance County Schools website. Students should begin reviewing these catalogs and making notes about course selections, as school counselors will be in contact.

Meal distribution sites have been added for this week. Meals will be available for pick up April 7 – 9 from the following sites: Aycock Elementary, Clarke Elementary, EM Rollins Elementary, EO Young Elementary, New Hope Elementary, Pinkston Street Elementary, Zeb Vance Elementary, Vance County Middle and Vance County High.

Pick up times will continue from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the designated days.

McKoon, E.O. Young Principal, Completes Distinguished Leadership Program

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-Press Release, NCPAPA

Marylaura McKoon, principal of E. O. Young Elementary School, recently completed the Distinguished Leadership Program (DLP), a year-long leadership development program for practicing school principals designed and provided by the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principal’s Association and sponsored by the North Carolina Alliance for School Leadership Development (NCASLD.)

Pictured left to right: Dr. Thomas Williams, Interim Exec. Director — Public School Forum, Marylaura McKoon, principal of E. O. Young Elementary School, and Dr. Shirley Prince, Executive Director, NC Principals and Assistant Principals Association. (Photo courtesy VCS)

The Distinguished Leadership in Practice Program (DLP) uses a non-traditional professional development model that is aligned to the performance evaluation standards adopted by the State Board of Education for North Carolina’s school leaders. This unique cohort-based program is designed to limit principals’ time away from their schools by allowing them to attend face-to-face sessions once every other month while accessing on-line assignments, materials and coaching in between face-to-face sessions.

Principals engage in a series of authentic activities throughout the year-long experience that are designed to build the capacity of their schools and their own capacity as “Distinguished” school leaders.

“The leadership of the school principal is by far one of the most important factors in school quality. By completing this very rigorous program, our DLP graduates have demonstrated their commitment to continuous improvement by working to improve their leadership skills as they simultaneously improve their schools. We are proud to include them in the ranks of successful DLP completers,” said Dr. Shirley Prince, NCPAPA Executive Director.

This program is offered in Chapel Hill and serves principals in all eight regions of the state.

The North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals’ Association (NCPAPA), in existence since 1976, is the preeminent organization and state voice for principals, assistant principals and aspiring school leaders. NCPAPA represents 5,000+ members from across the state and serves as the state’s principal affiliate of the N.C. Association of School Administrators (NCASA), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Participants recently completed the Distinguished Leadership Program (DLP), a year-long leadership development program for practicing school principals designed and provided by the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principal’s Association and sponsored by the North Carolina Alliance for School Leadership Development (NCASLD.) (Photo courtesy VCS)

Vance Co. Schools Meal Pick Up Schedule for Week of March 30 – April 3

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-Information courtesy Vance County Schools

Spring Break for Vance County Schools is scheduled for March 30 – April 3, 2020.

Meal pick up will take place on Tuesday, March 31 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. This will be the only meal distribution for the week and will include multiple meals.

Pick Up Sites for Spring Break Week include:

  • Clearview Church – 3485 US-158 Bus.
  • Divine Habitation Ministries – 227 Orville St.
  • First Baptist Church – 205 W. Winder St.
  • First Methodist Church – 114 W. Church St.
  • Gang Free – 940 County Home Rd.
  • Island Creek Baptist Church – 950 Stagecoach Rd.
  • New Life Baptist Church – 2174 Vicksboro Rd.
  • Salvation Army – 2292 Ross Mill Rd.
  • West End Baptist Church – 619 Dabney Dr.
  • Dickies Grove Baptist Church – 2996 Faulkner Town Rd.
  • South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church – 905 Americal Rd.
  • New Sandy Creek Baptist Church – 1699 Weldons Mill Rd.
  • Crossroads Pentecostal Holiness Church – 5256 Vicksboro Rd.

VCS is grateful for the churches and organizations assisting with these efforts to ensure our students’ needs are met over spring break!

Vance County Schools Logo

VCS Updates: School Buildings to Remain Closed Through May 15

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools continues the journey through COVID-19 and how it is impacting not only our education system but our families as well. We learned today that the Governor is mandating that school buildings remain closed for students through May 15, 2020.

Remote Learning

The Vance County Schools Remote Learning platform and many resources are available on our district website for students Pre-K through 12th grade. Students have a variety of ways to receive instruction: learning packets, online or a blended model of the two. We are working with each individual student’s situation to ensure we are meeting their needs academically.

An opportunity to pick up new packets, as well as drop off completed ones will be provided after Spring Break. Each school will send out instructions on this process. If you have any questions about your child’s remote learning, please contact the school for further guidance.

Meal Distribution

Meal pick up continues this week, Monday through Thursday (March 23 – 26) from 11 a.m – 1 p.m. Pick up sites include Aycock Elementary, EM Rollins Elementary, Zeb Vance Elementary, New Hope Elementary, Vance County Middle and Vance County High.

Spring Break

As a reminder, Spring Break will be from March 30 – April 3. During that time, we have coordinated with several churches and organizations for meal distribution to take place on March 31. Please check our website for updates on pick-up locations.

Events/Facility Rentals/Athletics

Due to the Governor extending the executive order for the closure of school buildings, all school and district-wide events scheduled now through May 15, 2020, are canceled. Arts Alive, previously scheduled for April 25, 2020, is postponed, with the hope to reschedule.

Additionally, all facility rentals are canceled during that time and athletics will remain suspended until at least May 18, 2020.

Office Hours

Vance County Schools is continuing to work to ensure we are available for our families as we face the impacts of COVID-19. To curb the spread of the coronavirus, we are moving towards conducting business with minimal personal contact. Every school office and district office will continue to be available by phone from 9 a.m.  -4 p.m. We apologize for the inconvenience but safety continues to be a priority for our district.

We will continue to keep our families up-to-date with the latest information. We realize that things are not easy at the moment for many in our community, but we are committed to doing all that we can for each and every child. As a reminder, should you have any questions or concerns about remote learning, meals, the calendar or other issues, please reach out to your child’s school.

Vance Co. Schools Announces Meal Schedule for March 23-26

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-Information courtesy Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools served 15,220 meals the week of March 16 – 20, 2020. Despite school taking place virtually, VCS is committed to taking care of our students academically and emotionally, as well as by providing meals.

Meal Schedule for March 23 – 26

Meals will be distributed each day Monday, March 23 – Thursday, March 26 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the following locations:

    • Aycock Elementary
    • EM Rollins Elementary
    • New Hope Elementary
    • Zeb Vance Elementary
    • Vance County Middle
    • Vance County High

Meal pick up will be drive-thru. Meal units that are passed out Monday – Wednesday will include two meals – lunch for that day and breakfast the following morning. Thursday distribution will include two breakfasts and two lunches.

We have a blended model of learning in place for our students as we navigate COVID-19, which can be found on our website at www.vcs.k12.nc.us under Remote Learning.

For students who may be feeling depressed, anxious, sad and/or lonely during this time, crisis counselors are available to help by calling 1-844-772-9669. In the event of an emergency, always call 911!

VCS will continue to update you all with the latest information as it becomes available.

 

 

 

VCS: Remote Learning Packet, Laptop Pick Up; Meals Continue Next Week

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-Information courtesy Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools is continuing to work for our students and community to ensure we are meeting their needs. Today we had 2,039 Remote Learning packets picked up throughout our district! Over the course of the last two days, we have handed out 14,796 meals, which is the equivalent of 4 days of food for each child who picked up meals!

As we move forward, we want to send a few reminders:

Meal distribution will continue again next week. We will get that information out through Blackboard calls and social media.

Remote Learning packets may be picked up on Thursday, March 19 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. or 4 p.m.- 7 p.m. If you already picked up your child’s packet, you do not need to come again. Remote Learning packets are available for all elementary schools (PreK-5th), VCMS (6th-8th) and VCHS (AFM, English 4, Biology).

Questions or concerns? Whether it is about meals, learning packets, or anything else, please contact your child’s school.

5th Grade Laptop Deployment Information by School

Laptop deployment will be at each individual school. Fifth-grade parents should report to their child’s school at the designated time.

Thursday, March 19, 2020, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Pinkston Street Elementary
New Hope Elementary
EO Young Elementary
Carver Elementary

Thursday, March 19, 2020, 1 – 4 p.m.

Aycock Elementary
Yancey Elementary
EM Rollins Elementary

Friday, March 20, 2020, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Dabney Elementary
Zeb Vance Elementary
Clarke Elementary

A technician will be onsite (at each school) with the necessary paperwork for completion by parents/students.

To stay up to date with the latest information, go to www.vcs.k12.nc.us.

Vance Charter School Announces K-8, High School Curriculum Info.

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-Information courtesy Vance Charter School

As you know, Gov. Cooper issued an executive order closing all NC public schools for students from March 16 through March 30. After advisement from the NC Department of Public Instruction, Vance Charter School has enacted the following schedule to help continue the learning process for our students:

Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17 are designated Required Teacher Workdays. No instructional obligations will be expected for our students these two days.

Wednesday, March 18 will be our first distance learning day. Distance learning days will extend through March 30. We will give you more information on instructional expectations before Wednesday.

Report Card Night is canceled for this Thursday evening. If you do not have access to PowerSchool, you may pick up your child’s report card at Vance Charter on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, Junior and Senior families, Herff Jones will still be on campus Thursday evening from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. to distribute class rings and graduation items.

Finally, we are still planning on maintaining Spring Break as scheduled. If the need arises to alter spring break, we will communicate this to you as soon as possible. More information will follow in the coming days. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.

K-8th Curriculum Information

While there is no ideal situation when it comes to delivering distance education, we are making plans to support instruction for an entire K-12 campus. This is why for now, we are giving priority online instruction to high school students as we assess technology availability for all of our students.

Vance Charter School will begin distance education on Wednesday, March 18 through Monday, March 30. Teachers in grades K-8 have prepared review packets that can be picked up from school on Wednesday, March 18 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Teachers will be available via email during this short-term school closure to answer questions that you or your child may have. We will not be using an online platform for students in grades K-8 for these short-term instructional days (March 18 – March 30).

Your child will keep their review packet until they return to school or until further instructions are sent.

We do have wonderful online resources for students to continue to practice their skills. I-Ready is an online resource that was purchased for students in grades K-8 to support individual learning in the areas of math and reading. If you would like for your child to continue to practice using I-Ready, we strongly encourage them to do so.

As communicated earlier, report cards will be available for pick up Thursday between 8 am and 4 p.m. if you do not have access to his information in PowerSchool. If you were unable to pick up instructional packets on Wednesday, these will also be available Thursday during report card pick up times.

High School Curriculum Information

Wednesday will be our first distance learning day. All teachers will be establishing communication with our students to ensure there are no connectivity challenges that will impede learning. Beginning Thursday, all students will begin receiving assignments for completion. To help our students be successful during this two-week period, we are operating under the following procedures:

Teachers will facilitate prior learned material only. No new learning standards will be presented at this time.

All teachers will have office hours from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Teachers will be available to respond to student needs in a timely manner. Students can contact their teacher through Google Classroom.

If families have internet connectivity problems, teachers will provide hard copy materials that will be available for pick up in our high school office.

Students currently enrolled in NC Virtual Public-School class will continue their classes as usual, unless otherwise told by their teacher.

For students taking VGCC courses, VGCC spring break has been moved to this week. Your classes will resume next week on Monday, March 23 in an online or hybrid format. Students need to check their VGCC email or the VGCC website for updates on a DAILY basis.

Please help us reinforce to your child how important this time is to continued learning; grading will continue to take place. We have one more quarter to complete this school year and it is up to all of us to make the best out of difficult circumstances. Thank you in advance for your patience, understanding, and support.

Vance Co. Schools: Remote Learning, Breakfast/Lunch, COVID-19 Updates

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools continues to maintain communication between the Department of Public Instruction, Governor Cooper’s office and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. We are working diligently to ensure we are meeting the needs of our students while adhering to the executive orders in place.

Calendar & Spring Break
All Vance County Schools will be closed for students from March 16 – March 27 in accordance with the Governor’s mandate. Spring Break will be adjusted in the calendar to take place March 30 – April 3.

Meals
Vance County Schools will provide meal packages beginning Tuesday, March 17. For the first couple of days, parents/caregivers/siblings may pick up two days worth of meal units, which includes two breakfasts and two lunches, at no charge for students. This is available for all school-aged children in Vance County, including public, private and charter schools.

Meals will be available at the following locations: Aycock Elementary, New Hope Elementary, EM Rollins Elementary, Zeb Vance Elementary, Vance County Middle and Vance County High.

Hours of operation will be from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Teaching & Learning
Remote learning and online instruction will begin Thursday, March 19. Learning packets will be available at your child’s school for all elementary and middle school students.

High School students enrolled in English 4, Biology and Advanced Functions will also have packets available at the high school. Packets can be picked up on Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. or on Thursday from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. They will also be available on the Vance County Schools website.

Students at STEM, Advance Academy and Early College High School should continue their online instruction. Additional learning packets for other subjects will become available at a later date.

Electronic Devices
School-owned devices will be available to high school seniors. Deployment of computers will be on Tuesday, March 17 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and on Wednesday, March 18 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Vance County High School. A schedule for device deployments for additional grades will be available at a later date.

Remote Learning Resources
Additional information and instructional resources will be made available on our webpage.

Staff Schedule
Monday, March 16 – Wednesday, March 18 will be mandatory workdays for staff.
Thursday, March 19 – Friday, March 27 will be flexible workdays for staff, with more information coming from district leaders.

We reserve the right to bring staff in on flex days as district leaders deem necessary.

We will continue to keep our families updated with information as it becomes available. This situation remains very fluid and ever-changing. We commit to you that we are working hard to meet the needs of our students and our community. Continue to follow the latest information on our website at www.vcs.k12.nc.us.

It is our intent to have staff in every school and our district office to answer questions from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Monday
through Friday. We appreciate your patience as we continue to work through this unprecedented situation.