Positive News in Vance County Schools Press Release

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VANCE COUNTY SCHOOLS MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON STATE TESTS, SCHOOL PERFORMANCE GRADES AND REPORTS THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE IN THE DISTRICT’S HISTORY

The state of North Carolina formally released accountability data from the 2015-2016 academic year today.  The Vance County School System is pleased to report improvements on state assessments, the elimination of all schools designated with a school performance grade of an F, and of significant note; the highest graduation rate in the history of our school district.

On state assessments, Vance County Public School students’ improved on 100 percent of the end-of-grade subtests administered in grades 3-8. These results indicate that the district is significantly closing the gap between its students’ performances compared to students from across the state.

Improvements ranged from 0.4 percent in grade 7 mathematics to a high of 15.8 percent in grade 8 science. Of significant note is the 28 percent and 21 percent improvement in Math 1 (a high school course) at Eaton-Johnson and Henderson middle schools, respectively. End-of-course data from our high schools continue to lag behind state averages and will require our continued focus and a deliberate plan of improvement.

School Performance Grades are determined by a formula which includes a school’s overall proficiency on state assessments and students’ growth.

Vance County Schools is further pleased to announce that during the 2015-2016 school year, 62 percent of the schools received a school performance grade (SPG) of A, B or C.  We are extremely excited to announce the district’s first school to earn the school performance grade of “A” (Vance County Early College High School). No schools received a performance grade of “F”.  This is the first time since the inception of SPG’s that we have reached this milestone. As a result, Vance County Schools no longer meets the states definition of a “low-performing” school district.

Schools earning a SPG of “B” are Aycock Elementary School and STEM Early High School. Schools earning a SPG of “C” are Carver, New Hope, Clarke, Dabney, Pinkston Street and Zeb Vance. Schools earning an SPG of “D” are Eaton-Johnson, Henderson, E.M. Rollins, E.O. Young Jr., L.B. Yancey, Northern Vance High and Southern Vance High.  Western Vance High School is an alternative school and does not receive a School Performance Grade.

We are equally excited to report that the district’s four-year on-time graduation rate has improved by 4.4 percent from 77.5 percent to a record high of 81.9 percent.  This represents the highest graduation rate in the history of our school system. This compared to the 85.8 percent graduation rate at the state level, represents the smallest gap between the district and the state in many years.

The Early College graduation rate was 100 percent, up from 89 percent the previous year. The cohort graduation rate in 2015-2016 increased at Northern Vance and Southern Vance high schools. The graduation rate at Northern Vance rose to 83.4 percent from 77 percent and the graduation rate at Southern Vance increased to 82.5 percent from 81 percent. Western Vance High had a four-year cohort graduation rate of 90.5 percent.

State standards also measure student growth on state end-of-grade and end-of-course tests administered to students in grades 3-12. Among Vance County Schools in 2015-2016, there were nine schools that either exceeded or met expected growth standards.

“I am pleased with the progress that we are making,” said Dr. Anthony D. Jackson, superintendent of Vance County Schools. “It is clear that we are moving in the right direction. While we celebrate the accomplishments, it is important we remain focused on improving the quality of our school system, the rigor in our classrooms and the preparation of all students for the colleges or careers of their choice. There is much work to do.

“I want to thank and commend our teachers, teacher assistants, administrators, bus drivers, cafeteria employees and all who support what happens daily in our classrooms for a job well done, the community for embracing our vision for a better school system and our parents for partnering with us to provide the best education possible for their children,” he added. “Our commitment remains to provide a system focused on Excellence…without Excuse! I am confident that our best days are ahead and that we will continue to make progress. As always, I am Vance County Schools Proud… and today, I hope you are as well.”

Kerr Tar Council of Government Update 08/31/16

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VGCC recognizes 22 Medical Assisting students at Pinning

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Vance-Granville Community College held a pinning ceremony for its 2016 Medical Assisting program graduates on Aug. 5 at the college’s Franklin County Campus in Louisburg, where the program is conducted.

As VGCC’s program is nationally accredited, the graduates are now eligible to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants’ (AAMA) certification examination to become Certified Medical Assistants.

The 22 graduates being honored included Heather Harwood and Kimberly Richardson, both of Castalia; Amanda Newton and Shatory Yarborough, both of Franklinton; Jenny Clark, Tonya Henderson, Kenia Puga-Gomez, Stephanie Ranes and Adrienne Robertson, all of Henderson; Ashley Kittrell of Kittrell; Brittany Blacknall, Jessica Crudup, Jodi Hess, Regina Hicks and Lindsay Ward, all of Louisburg; Julius Glasper of Oxford; Kayla Hutson and Samantha Patterson, both of Stem; Brittany Ray and Denise Six, both of Wake Forest; Kelly Tharrington of Warrenton; and Dallas Glover of Youngsville.

Program Head/instructor Donna Gardner served as the mistress of ceremonies. Student Regina Hicks provided the invocation.

Franklin County Campus Dean Bobbie Jo May made welcoming remarks, congratulating the students and thanking their supportive families and friends who had gathered to celebrate the graduates’ success.

“We are all so proud of you, and we’re grateful that you have allowed the VGCC Franklin Campus family to assist in your education, inspiring and supporting you in meeting all of your goals,” May told the class.

Samantha Patterson, who led the graduating class as president of the VGCC Student Association of Medical Assistants chapter, was the featured speaker.

“Our studies at Vance-Granville Community College have culminated in this day, and will echo in our futures,” Patterson said. “Some of us will be working; some going on to pursue an associate’s degree; some may still be trying to figure things out, and that’s okay, too. Therein lies the beauty of life, and, more specifically, life in this country. We have the freedom to pursue our own dreams, but let us not be so caught up in ourselves that we forget those that we pledge to serve. After all, we are Medical Assistants. We are the extra sets of hands, eyes, and ears for our providers. We are advocates for our patients. We are a vital part of the team that makes the medical office work. Let us consider the needs of others as we work to fulfill our own.”

Gardner presented each graduate with his or her pin, signifying that each had successfully completed the course of study and was prepared to enter the growing Medical Assisting profession. As they were pinned, VGCC Dean of Health Sciences Angela Thomas read reflections from the graduates about their educational experiences and their career aspirations. Instructor Patrice Allen then led students in reciting the creed of the American Association of Medical Assistants.

Dr. Angela Ballentine, VGCC’s vice president of academic and student affairs, rounded out the ceremony with concluding remarks. “You have wisely chosen a profession in which you can make a difference in the lives of others, and in which there are a variety of career opportunities,” Ballentine told the class. She encouraged all graduates to maintain high standards as professionals and to become lifelong learners. “I know that you will continue to succeed and make us proud as VGCC alumni,” Ballentine said.

Student Tonya Henderson gave the benediction.

With their one-year diplomas in hand, many graduates are continuing their education to complete the two-year associate degree in Medical Assisting. For more information about Medical Assisting, call the Franklin Campus at (919) 496-1567.

Thirteen Graduate from Leadership Vance 2016

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Thirteen business leaders graduated Tuesday, August 2nd from the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program during its 27th annual graduation at the Henderson Country Club. Since the program began 27 years ago, over 300 people have graduated from the program, which is designed to enhance community leadership by offering participants knowledge and awareness of opportunities and issues facing Vance County. The program provides a series of educational and participatory experiences as well as opportunities for dialogue and relationship building. Topics covered include education, human services, local and state government, healthcare, public safety, business, history, team building, and leadership lessons. The purpose of the program is to identify, educate, challenge and honor a select group of Vance County citizens who have demonstrated an aptitude for leadership.

Henderson-Vance Chamber President John Barnes and Chamber Membership Director Annette Roberson were on hand to congratulate the leadership graduates. Barnes on behalf of the Chamber’s Board and staff welcomed and congratulated the participants on completing the program. Roberson commended the graduates for enriching their awareness of Henderson and Vance County’s community and business resources. She encouraged each of the participants to take the next step and get involved, taking an active leadership role, in the community and to stay in touch with each other.

From the first meeting to the Graduation Ceremony, students are informed, engaged and encouraged to make a difference in their own personal, individual way. We visit organizations and institutions during the five-months, challenging participants to listen, learn, teach, think and do with an expanded, broader vision of the paths to take to move our community forward and to better the quality of life for all its citizens.

“We are proud that our Leadership Vance Program provides opportunities for those in our business community to cultivate and enhance their leadership skills and abilities. Equally important, the program gives participants a unique perspective to the many aspects of our community and encourages service to the community beyond work obligations,” said Membership and Program Director, Annette Roberson.

For more information about Leadership Vance, please contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 252-438-8414.

VGCC Culinary Arts student reflects on national competition

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Dustin Gregory of Oxford, a student in the Culinary Arts program at Vance-Granville Community College, is back on campus after representing not only his school but the entire state of North Carolina in a nationwide competition.

Gregory competed at this summer’s SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. He qualified for the competition by winning the top prize in Culinary Arts at the state-level SkillsUSA conference in April, and became the first student from VGCC to take part in a national SkillsUSA contest.

As one of 27 culinary competitors from across the nation, and the only one from a North Carolina college, Gregory was given a box of ingredients and specific rules to follow as he created a soup, salad and two entrees in a limited amount of time. His dishes, all prepared in a little more than five hours, started with a tomato soup topped with a poached egg. His salad included mixed greens with fried chicken livers and a honey Dijon vinaigrette. Gregory said that the requirement to use chicken livers seemed to “stump” many of the competitors. “I put it on the salad, and I wasn’t the only one,” he noted with a laugh.

The two entrees he prepared were airline chicken with roasted potatoes and haricots verts, followed by beef shank braised in a demi-glace with a mushroom au jus sauce, couscous and lentils, and sautéed squash with red pepper. In the end, Gregory did not medal, but he viewed the experience as a positive one. “I’ve always liked competitions,” he said. “It can only make you better, and it builds character. Just to be able to make it to that level, to represent your school and your state, is a really good feeling.”

Gregory was accompanied to Louisville by his Culinary instructor, Chef Teresa Davis, as well as VGCC Dean of Business & Applied Technologies Angela Gardner-Ragland, Public Services department chair Steven Hargrove, Business Technologies department chair Spring Tucker, Applied Technologies department chair Keith Shearon and Cosmetology program head Tomeka Moss. “We are so very proud of him,” Gardner-Ragland said. “It was a great experience that he can put on his resume.  He represented VGCC and the state of North Carolina very well.”

“Everyone from Vance-Granville was very supportive,” Gregory said. Davis, in particular, helped him prepare after they arrived and learned what ingredients he would have to use, but she could only watch during the actual competition. Gregory not only had to compete in the skills competition but also had to take written tests, in which he used the knowledge he has gained in his two years as a VGCC student.

Gregory expressed his appreciation to US Foods and other friends of VGCC who made donations to help sponsor his trip to the conference.

With his VGCC Culinary classes complete, Gregory is currently finishing up some general education courses on a part-time basis, with plans to graduate in 2017. Meanwhile, he continues to work at the award-winning Angus Barn restaurant in Raleigh as a sauté cook. Gregory is thinking about continuing his education to complete a bachelor’s degree in the culinary field. “I originally enrolled in this program because I wanted to open up a restaurant on the coast,” he said. “I’d still like to be my own boss, but right now, I’m focused on my education. The higher your education is, the more things will fall into place.”

SkillsUSA is a partnership of secondary and post-secondary students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA chapters help students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations excel. Among the benefits to VGCC students are opportunities to participate in competitions, which are designed by industry experts and showcase the nation’s top career and technical education students.

For more information about the Culinary Arts program, contact Chef Davis at davist@vgcc.edu or (919) 690-0312.

First VGCC student inducted into NC A&T Nursing partnership program

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Jonathan Carlock of Henderson made history on Aug. 8, as he became the first Vance-Granville Community College student inducted into the “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN) program. He and one student each from Davidson County Community College and Guilford Technical Community College have started their journeys as members of the first cohort in the new partnership between the community colleges and North Carolina A&T State University.

At the induction ceremony, held in Proctor Hall on the university’s campus in Greensboro, the A&T School of Nursing embraced the three students, who will be simultaneously enrolled at their community college and the university. They will earn associate’s degrees in nursing over three years (while also taking A&T courses online) and then continue for one year of additional courses at A&T required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

“We are very fortunate in North Carolina to have such fine systems of education, and I believe that the RIBN program represents the best of collaboration between our community college system and the university system,” Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, said at the induction ceremony. “I commend our faculty and staff, as well as those at our sister institutions and at this fine university who have worked together to make this a reality.”

Erica Jastrow, the Nursing department chair for VGCC, placed a pin and “RIBN ribbon” on Carlock’s lapel as part of the ceremony.

Carlock is a Southern Vance High School graduate who first enrolled at VGCC in January, taking general education courses. He also has completed the Nurse Aide (CNA) I program at the college. “I’m excited about working with both A&T and VGCC to further my education, and I look forward to representing both of these schools as a member of the inaugural class of RIBN,” Carlock said. His career aspiration is to become a pediatric nurse practitioner. He already has volunteer experience in the pediatric unit at Duke University Hospital.

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Frostenia Milner, an adjunct clinical instructor and retired professor for the A&T School of Nursing. Milner helped develop the RIBN partnership with the three community colleges.

The North Carolina Piedmont RIBN initiative is one of nine such partnerships that have been launched in North Carolina since 2008 under the direction of the Foundation for Nursing Excellence (FFNE) to increase the educational preparation of North Carolina’s nursing workforce.

“Research shows that education improves patient outcomes, and we need 80 percent of practicing registered nurses at the BSN level,” Milner said. “This RIBN project is our strategy to get there.” She said that RIBN will efficiently produce more nurses across North Carolina holding both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. “This makes it easier to go from start to finish without having a lot of steps to take in between,” Milner said. She applauded the “visionary” leaders, faculty and staff at the community colleges for working well in collaboration with A&T. Then, Milner addressed the newly inducted students. “You, too, are visionaries, because you chose to take this path to get your BSN degree,” she said.

Others making remarks at the ceremony included Dr. Joe. B. Whitehead Jr., the provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs at A&T; Kathy Phillips, division chair for Health Sciences at GTCC; Dr. Mary E. Rittling, president of DCCC; Mae Mills, project coordinator for FFNE; and Tiffany Morris and Dr. Terry Ward, interim assistant dean and interim dean, respectively, of the A&T School of Nursing.

In addition to RIBN, VGCC has a partnership with A&T to allow graduates of its Associate Degree Nursing program to transition easily to the university’s four-year Bachelor’s program. For more information about Nursing at VGCC and bachelor’s degree options, contact academic/career coach Seletha Pherribo at (252) 738-3518 or instructor Heather Wilson at (252) 738-3393.

VGCC dedicates new building on Main Campus

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Vance-Granville Community College officially dedicated “Building 10” at a ceremony on Aug. 3, expanding the college’s Main Campus in Vance County to the west side of Poplar Creek Road while providing new space to train public safety professionals and other students.

The building will provide a new home for VGCC’s Emergency Medical Services, Fire/Rescue and Law Enforcement Training programs. Among the guests attending the dedication were county commissioners from Vance and Granville counties, who provided some of the funding for the renovation project, as well as public safety officials from all four counties served by VGCC.

Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, described the building as a renovated space that has been “significantly transformed from its original commercial state to be able to serve as a location for teaching and learning.” She said that the process was “a metaphor for what education does – it transforms lives. ‘Renovation’ is literally making something ‘new.’ We know that education and training – learning new skills – can renew lives, help us to see things in new ways, and breathe new energy into a community.”

Williams also expressed her appreciation to the local law enforcement, fire and emergency services agencies who partner with the college. “We are proud to work with and train all the professionals who save lives every day, often at great risk to themselves,” the president said.

In welcoming remarks at the ceremony, Deborah Brown, the outgoing chair of the VGCC Board of Trustees, said that “this dedication represents not only an extension of our Main Campus, but even more importantly, an extension of new opportunities for education and training for our community.”

Abdul Sm Rasheed, a member of the VGCC Board of Trustees and chair of the board’s Building Committee, formally presented the building to the college. “Building 10 is the first new building to be added to our Main Campus since 2003, and is being dedicated almost exactly 40 years since Main Campus first opened, in the summer of 1976,” Rasheed said. “The facility we dedicate today is a 16,000-square-foot building, of which 12,800 square feet have been renovated at this time, with the remainder to be adapted for use in the future.”

Rasheed explained that the building, and the land on which it sits, were purchased by the Board of Trustees in 2010. Renovation work on the building began in January 2016 and was completed in July. The Baxter Armistead Architecture firm of Wake Forest designed the renovated facility, while the general contractor was Riggs-Harrod Building of Durham.

Dr. Angela Ballentine, VGCC’s vice president of academic and student affairs, described the facility. She said Building 10 will include classrooms and labs dedicated to the three public safety fields, plus faculty offices, a computer lab, and a general classroom that may be used for a variety of purposes, including continuing education for local businesses and industries.

“The students who learn and train in Building 10 will be men and women of diverse ages and backgrounds,” Ballentine said. “They will be firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians, law enforcement, corrections and detention officers, of all levels of experience. They will be our friends and neighbors who turn to Vance-Granville for new opportunities and for professional development throughout their careers.”

VGCC Dean of Continuing Education Dale Fey, whose division provides EMS, Fire/Rescue and in-service law enforcement training, and Dean of Business & Applied Technologies Angela Gardner-Ragland, who oversees the Basic Law Enforcement Training program, unveiled a dedication plaque that will be installed in the building in the future. The plaque lists VGCC officials, members of the Vance and Granville County boards of commissioners and members of the North Carolina General Assembly who represent the two counties. State funds paid for the bulk of the renovation project.

The invocation for the ceremony was provided by Board of Trustees member Danny Wright, who will soon succeed Brown as chair. Herb Gregory, the board’s vice chair, offered the benediction.

Home and Garden Show 08/09/16

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Home and Garden Show 08/02/16

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VGCC Scholarship established in memory of nurse Priscilla Brooks

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A new scholarship is being established at Vance-Granville Community College in memory of Priscilla Brooks, a longtime licensed practical nurse in Granville County. Brooks passed away suddenly on Jan. 13, 2016, at age 75.

“Priscilla was a great nurse and a problem-solver, inside and outside of the doctor’s office,” said John W. Watson, Jr., an attorney and the son of one of the doctors for whom Brooks worked. “More than anything, Priscilla enjoyed connecting with the people around her, whether they were patients, Duke medical students or the young nurses who attended to her in later days.”

Friends and family members established a memorial scholarship fund after her death and have collected more than $4,000. More contributions are needed to fully fund the scholarship, so that the college will be able to award it to students regularly. The ultimate goal is to raise $50,000, and an anonymous donor has pledged to match $5,000 in new contributions. The new scholarship is intended to assist VGCC Nursing students.

“Priscilla’s desire for nursing became evident early in life,” according to Ella Schmit of Oxford, one of Brooks’s three younger sisters. “One day, a large open truck carrying a troop of Boy Scouts accidentally turned upside down in front of her home and threw children all over the front yard, up and down the highway…. Priscilla and her mom ran out the door and Priscilla, at only 13 years old, immediately ran from one child to the next, helping them and treating them as best she could. It was apparent even then that she was a real nurse at heart.”

Determined to become a nurse, Brooks graduated from Stem High School with honors and went on to the Mary Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in Raleigh. She worked at a couple of hospitals, finally going to work for Doctors Watson and Tarry in Oxford. “She stayed with them for years, and she always called them ‘her’ doctors,” Schmit said. “When Dr. Watson retired, Dr. Eugene Day took over his practice. Priscilla continued to work for Dr. Day. She adored him and continued to give from her heart. She cared for her patients and doctors.” Patients, meanwhile, sometimes considered Brooks to be “one of the doctors,” Schmit recalled.

Brooks eventually retired after more than 40 years in nursing, but kept helping people all the way to the end, Schmit recalled. She was always caring and showing concern for people outside of the doctor’s office, tending to the sick in their homes. “She helped people stricken with Alzheimer’s to be able to stay at home as long as possible and assisted the elderly, making sure their medicines were correct, that they had proper nutrition, and that they felt safe,” Schmit said. She also loved to help children, who, like her family, called her “P” for short. “Priscilla wanted to make a difference in the world, and she truly did,” her sister said. “She was a confidant to so many people, and I am proud to call her my sister.” Brooks left behind a daughter, Lisa Jones, who resembles her mother in her appearance and in her compassionate heart, Schmit added.

“This scholarship will be a lasting way to honor and remember Priscilla’s incredible legacy of compassion and excellence in health care, and it will help VGCC Nursing students to follow in her footsteps,” said VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson.

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 8,500 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education.

For more information or to make a contribution to help fully endow this scholarship, call Kay Currin at (252) 738-3409. Contributions may be mailed to the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund at P.O. Box 917, Henderson, NC 27536.