KVA Lower School Students participate in Pen-Pal Project
Marcia Harntess’ elementary school art students at Kerr-Vance Academy recently participated in a Pen-Pal Project with students from Trujillo, Spain. The project was organized while Mrs. Hartness’s family was in Trujillo for the wedding of her son, Sean, who is a graduate of KVA and the University of Charleston. Sean’s bride, also an elementary teacher, arranged for students in her former school to correspond with their counterparts here at KVA.
The first shipment of handmade Christmas cards arrived last week and included picture postcards of Trujillo with handwritten messages from students. KVA students enjoyed receiving the handwritten correspondence that they could keep for years and show off to their family and friends.
Vance County Schools support staff to benefit from State’s Merit Bonus Pay
The Vance County Board of Education approved their local plan for the distribution of the State’s Merit Bonus Pay for the 2016-17 school year last night at their December 12, 2016 meeting.
In the State budget for this fiscal year only, districts across the state received allocations to implement a district level merit bonus plan for non-educators. Vance County Schools received $106,000 to be used exclusively for this purpose. Non-educators are those staff members who are not paid on the state certified salary schedules and are not school administrators (Teacher Assistants, Bus Drivers, Maintenance, IT Technicians, Child Nutrition, Custodial, Office Support, School Technical Support, and Central Services Support). The law required each school district to develop a plan for the use of these funds meeting the minimum criteria for distribution set by the state.
The most restrictive requirement by the state was that the bonus could not be distributed across the board to eligible employees.
Vance County Schools (VCS) formed a task force comprised of staff that represented all the groups eligible for this merit bonus. The task force worked to develop the district’s plan that would provide a meaningful and fair merit award to eligible employees, ranging from $750 to $1000, for the top 10% of the performers in each non-educator group. With the Board of Education’s approval of the plan, staff will work in January to identify staff members eligible to receive the bonus based on the criteria in the plan.
A copy of the full plan can be found on the district’s website at www.vcs.k12.nc.us. For questions please contact Jennifer Bennett, Assistant Superintendent for Business & Finance, jbennett@vcs.k12.nc.us.
Hunter to attend first Board of Education Meeting Tonight
Clementine Hunter will attend her first meeting as a new member of the Vance County Board of Education on Monday, December 12, in the Vance County Schools’ Administrative Services Center.
Hunter was officially sworn in to office on December 5, by the Honorable Judge Henry Banks, who also administered the oath to Dorothy Gooche and Ed Wilson. Gooche and Wilson were re-elected in November to their seats on the board of education.
Hunter replaces Emeron J. Cash Sr. on the board. Cash chose not to seek re-election in the November 2016 election and is retiring from the board after 24 years of service to Vance County Schools’ students and educators.
A resident of Henderson, Hunter has experience as a teacher assistant and substitute teacher with the Morris School District in New Jersey. She also has worked as a substitute teacher with Vance, Granville and Warren county schools. Her volunteer work in this area includes: Free Clinic Board member; Area Christians Together in Service (ACTS); Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA); and participation in local theater.
She has a master’s degree in education and training and is continuing studies in pursuit of a doctorate degree in education.
Hunter says as a board of education member she wants to help maintain and develop quality education through programs of inclusivity, diversity and the challenges of global education readiness for present and future generations of learners in Vance County. She sees her role as a board member as a way to help advance the organization of education while partnering with learners, parents, educators, school staff, business leaders, civic leaders, religious leaders and law enforcement officials.
VGCC offers seminar on starting a new business in the New Year
The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center is offering a free seminar for local residents whose New Year’s resolutions include starting a small business.
“So You Think You Want to Start a Business” is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, from 6 until 9 p.m., in room 7109 (Building 7) on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County.
The seminar, led by instructor Bob Moore, is designed for individuals who are thinking about starting and operating their own business but wonder if they have the personality, drive, creativity, adaptability, and other talents or attributes that are associated with successful entrepreneurs.
During this seminar, attendees will honestly assess themselves in order to discover their strengths and weaknesses. The seminar will also incorporate various exercises and role-playing activities that illustrate realistic challenges encountered by entrepreneurs. Attendees will be given the opportunity to present their business ideas, and they will be shown various ways to determine if the idea is feasible and viable. After attending this seminar, if an attendee makes the decision to move forward, they will be strongly encouraged to register for seminars offered by the VGCC Small Business Center.
A graduate of Fayetteville State University, Bob Moore is a longtime small business owner and serves as director of the Small Business Center at Robeson Community College in Lumberton. He was honored as the Small Business Center Director of the Year for the entire North Carolina Community College System in 2013.
For more information and to reserve a seat in this free seminar, contact Small Business Center director Tanya Weary at smallbusiness@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3240.
Registration can be completed online at www.vgcc.edu/schedules/small-business-center.
Kerr Vance Academy Holds Annual Grandparent’s Day Program
On Tuesday, November 22, Kerr Vance Academy held its annual Grandparent’s Day Program. The event began with a prelude – students playing selected songs on piano, followed by the KVA Junior Band performing “The Nutcracker”.
The program also included student speakers, a special video celebrating grandparents, and songs by students in the Lower School.
The KVA Show Choir concluded with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.
The program was organized and directed by music teacher, Ms. Valerie Montjoy.
Vance County Students Receive Honorable Mentions from NC School Boards Association
Students in Vance County Schools were recognized with Honorable Mention awards for work submitted in competitions at the 47th Annual N.C. School Boards Association Conference in Greensboro, November 16-18.
Southern Vance High School students, under the direction of Career and Technical Education teacher Angela Cusaac, earned Honorable Mention for their video entry “What’s Super About Public Schools” in the high school video competition.
The 30 to 45-second video depicted various scenes of students and staff members at Southern Vance and promoted the diversity and achievements of the school.
Daniela Gomez Gervacio, Elizabeth Black and Amelia Ramirez, all fourth graders at Aycock Elementary School, received Honorable Mention in the elementary poster competition. Each of their colorful posters followed the theme “What’s Super About Public Schools” and illustrated programs and activities in their school. They are shown from left in the accompanying photo holding their posters.
The Southern Vance and Aycock students will be recognized during the Vance County Board of Education meeting on Monday, December 12.