-Press Release, ATD Network and Vance-Granville Community College
Vance-Granville Community College today announced it has joined Achieving the Dream (ATD), a network of more than 220 colleges in 41 states dedicated to improving student success.
As an ATD Network institution, VGCC will innovate to implement, align, and scale cutting-edge reforms, work with ATD coaches to build institutional capacity and connect with peers to foster learning and share information, according to college and ATD officials.
“We are already making a difference in the lives of students,” said Dr. Levy Brown, Vance-Granville’s vice president of academic affairs. “Now as a college, it is time to take the next step in our work to improve student learning and success.” Dr. Brown is the leader of the college’s ATD Core Team.
Dr. Joanne Bashford, left, and Dr. Linda Hagedorn of Achieving the Dream make a presentation to Vance-Granville Community College’s administration, faculty and staff at the college’s fall convocation in the Civic Center on Main Campus. VGCC today announced it has joined the network of more than 220 colleges in 41 states dedicated to improving student success. (VGCC Photo)
“The strength of local and regional economies, our ability to rebuild the middle class, and the possibility that a new generation will achieve their goals depends on community colleges,” said Dr. Karen A. Stout, president and CEO of Achieving the Dream. “Colleges that join the ATD Network show an exceptional commitment to becoming the kind of institution that will lead the nation into the future.”
“Achieving the Dream will serve to accelerate and advance Vance-Granville’s ongoing efforts to assist students in achieving their goals,” said Dr. Gordon Burns, VGCC’s interim president. “Participating in Achieving the Dream with its holistic approach to student success will result in Vance-Granville identifying college strengths, prioritizing areas needing improvement and systematically determining and implementing actions that will lead to greater numbers of students and graduates achieving their personal and career goals.”
ATD offers a capacity-building framework and companion self-assessment that allow colleges to pinpoint strengths and areas for improvement across seven institutional capacities in areas such as leadership and vision, teaching and learning, and data and technology.
With the capacity framework as a guide, ATD’s approach integrates and aligns existing college success efforts and offers valuable support in preparing for accreditation, fostering conversation about goals, and making bold, holistic institution-wide changes because initiatives that don’t reach most of a college’s student body have not shown strong results.
A team from Vance-Granville and teams from the other colleges joining ATD this year met in June to plan for the launch of their ATD work, which will initially focus on student learning and success.
Dr. Joanne Bashford and Dr. Linda Hagedorn were on VGCC’s Main Campus on Thursday and Friday to meet with the Core Team, administration, staff and faculty for Vance-Granville’s launch of the initiative. Dr. Bashford serves as a Higher Education Services Consultant and Leadership Coach for ATD. Her career in community colleges spans 25 years and includes serving as the President of Miami Dade College’s InterAmerican Campus, a diverse campus of 19,000 students located in historic Little Havana, until retiring in 2017. Dr. Hagedorn is Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, International Programs, Student Services, Diversity and Equity, and Community Program at Iowa State University and a data coach for ATD. As an Achieving the Dream Data Coach, Dr. Hagedorn has been consulting with community colleges since the initiative’s inception and is currently working with six community colleges.
ATD Network colleges report data using metrics that answer critical questions about who attends college, who succeeds in and after college and how college is financed. To advance goals of social mobility and equity, the metrics provide information on how low-income and other underserved students fare. These metrics are categorized into performance metrics, efficiency metrics and equity metrics at points during the student experience from access through post-college outcomes.
As colleges in the new cohort progress, they may apply to participate in initiatives supported by philanthropic funding and managed by ATD. These initiatives help incubate new ideas that help colleges refine practices based on evidence of what works and allow ATD to disseminate knowledge to the broader network and the field. New initiatives address the challenge of engaging adjunct faculty more deeply as key members of colleges’ workforces and implementing degree programs using only open educational resources (OER).
Achieving the Dream, along with more than 100 experienced coaches and advisors, works closely with ATD Network colleges to reach more than 4 million community college students.
Perry Memorial Library Announces Fall Schedule for Youth Programs
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy the Perry Memorial Library website
Perry Memorial Library, 205 Breckenridge St., Henderson, announces their fall lineup of youth programs. Fall programs run September 17 – November 29, 2018, and include:
Totally Tweens – Ages 8 – 12, Mondays @ 5 p.m.
Story Explorers – Ages 5 – 11. Tuesdays @ 5 p.m.
Books & Babies – Ages Birth – 2, Thursdays @ 10:45 a.m.
Mother Goose Storytime – Ages 2 – 5, Thursdays @ 11 a.m.
LEGO Fun Club – Ages 5 – 13, Thursdays @ 4 p.m.
August is program planning month for the library; youth programs resume Monday, September 17.
City of Oxford to Conduct a Smoke Test on Sewer System
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy the City of Oxford website
McGill has been contracted by the City of Oxford to conduct a smoke test survey beginning Wednesday, August 29 through Friday, September 14, 2018, and will be ongoing until completed. The smoke test survey may be delayed by the occurrence of a heavy rain event.
A smoke test survey will assist inspection crews in locating breaks and defects in the sewer system. Non – toxic smoke will be introduced into a manhole and forced down the sewer lines with the use of an air blower. Smoke will escape from the system at any point where there is an open break in the line.
For example, smoke may rise from the ground in yards, stream banks, storm drains, etc. Smoke will also escape from all manhole lids, vents on building roofs, cleanouts, and from underneath buildings if poor plumbing exists. Be advised that smoke can enter your home, office, or place of business. The smoke is harmless to humans, pets, food and material items.
The smoke is:
NON-TOXIC, NON-STAINING, HAS A SLIGHT ODOR, WHITE TO GRAY IN COLOR, AND CREATES NO FIRE HAZARD.
You do not have to be on site during testing!
It is advisable to pour a gallon of water into every sink, tub, and floor drain that is NOT subject to everyday use. This will fill the p-traps and prevent smoke from entering the building.
If you have questions, please feel free to call:
Engineering/Project Manager– Amy Ratliff –919-603-1113
McGill/Project Manager– Bill Roark – 919-378-9111
Franklin Co. Finance Dept. Nationally Recognized for the Nineteenth Year
/by WIZS StaffPress Release, Franklin County
For nineteen years, Franklin County’s Finance Department has been recognized nationally for their excellence in financial reporting. Once again, the team has achieved the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. The Finance Department was recently notified by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) that its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report was awarded the Certificate of Achievement. The Certificate of Achievement is awarded by the GFOA of the United States and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). Attainment of the certificate of the achievement represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.
For additional information, contact Franklin County Finance at (919) 496-3182 or visit www.franklincountync.us. The Finance Office is staffed by Interim Director Chuck Murray, Lisa Medlin, Tracy Stevenson, Samantha Sanchez, Regina House and Heidi Braswell.
Franklin County Government is committed to effective and innovative public services for all Franklin County citizens and businesses.
West End Community Watch to Hear from Maria Parham, Tues., Aug. 21
/by WIZS StaffInformation courtesy Claire Catherwood, West End Community Watch
The West End Community Watch will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 21, 2018. This group always meets in the Fellowship Hall of the West End Baptist Church, 619 Dabney Dr., Henderson. All are invited, regardless of where they live.
The speaker for the evening will be a representative of the management of Maria Parham Health. As usual, police will be present to give recent police activity reports and hear concerns from those present.
Please write it on your calendar and plan to attend. All are welcome.
Joy In The Lord Baptist to Hold Gospel Singing, Sat., Aug. 18
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Rev. L.T. Harris, Joy In The Lord Baptist Church
Joy In The Lord Baptist Church will hold a gospel singing featuring “The Oak Grove Boys & Stephanie” from Elm City, NC.
on Saturday, August 18, 2018, at 6 p.m.
The church is located at 1238 Debnam Ave., Henderson, NC.
Everyone is welcome.
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 08/13/18
/by CharleneTown Talk 08/13/18
/by LarryNews 08/13/18
/by LarryNews 08/10/18
/by LarryVGCC Joins Achieving the Dream to Improve Student Success
/by WIZS Staff-Press Release, ATD Network and Vance-Granville Community College
Vance-Granville Community College today announced it has joined Achieving the Dream (ATD), a network of more than 220 colleges in 41 states dedicated to improving student success.
As an ATD Network institution, VGCC will innovate to implement, align, and scale cutting-edge reforms, work with ATD coaches to build institutional capacity and connect with peers to foster learning and share information, according to college and ATD officials.
“We are already making a difference in the lives of students,” said Dr. Levy Brown, Vance-Granville’s vice president of academic affairs. “Now as a college, it is time to take the next step in our work to improve student learning and success.” Dr. Brown is the leader of the college’s ATD Core Team.
Dr. Joanne Bashford, left, and Dr. Linda Hagedorn of Achieving the Dream make a presentation to Vance-Granville Community College’s administration, faculty and staff at the college’s fall convocation in the Civic Center on Main Campus. VGCC today announced it has joined the network of more than 220 colleges in 41 states dedicated to improving student success. (VGCC Photo)
“The strength of local and regional economies, our ability to rebuild the middle class, and the possibility that a new generation will achieve their goals depends on community colleges,” said Dr. Karen A. Stout, president and CEO of Achieving the Dream. “Colleges that join the ATD Network show an exceptional commitment to becoming the kind of institution that will lead the nation into the future.”
“Achieving the Dream will serve to accelerate and advance Vance-Granville’s ongoing efforts to assist students in achieving their goals,” said Dr. Gordon Burns, VGCC’s interim president. “Participating in Achieving the Dream with its holistic approach to student success will result in Vance-Granville identifying college strengths, prioritizing areas needing improvement and systematically determining and implementing actions that will lead to greater numbers of students and graduates achieving their personal and career goals.”
ATD offers a capacity-building framework and companion self-assessment that allow colleges to pinpoint strengths and areas for improvement across seven institutional capacities in areas such as leadership and vision, teaching and learning, and data and technology.
With the capacity framework as a guide, ATD’s approach integrates and aligns existing college success efforts and offers valuable support in preparing for accreditation, fostering conversation about goals, and making bold, holistic institution-wide changes because initiatives that don’t reach most of a college’s student body have not shown strong results.
A team from Vance-Granville and teams from the other colleges joining ATD this year met in June to plan for the launch of their ATD work, which will initially focus on student learning and success.
Dr. Joanne Bashford and Dr. Linda Hagedorn were on VGCC’s Main Campus on Thursday and Friday to meet with the Core Team, administration, staff and faculty for Vance-Granville’s launch of the initiative. Dr. Bashford serves as a Higher Education Services Consultant and Leadership Coach for ATD. Her career in community colleges spans 25 years and includes serving as the President of Miami Dade College’s InterAmerican Campus, a diverse campus of 19,000 students located in historic Little Havana, until retiring in 2017. Dr. Hagedorn is Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, International Programs, Student Services, Diversity and Equity, and Community Program at Iowa State University and a data coach for ATD. As an Achieving the Dream Data Coach, Dr. Hagedorn has been consulting with community colleges since the initiative’s inception and is currently working with six community colleges.
ATD Network colleges report data using metrics that answer critical questions about who attends college, who succeeds in and after college and how college is financed. To advance goals of social mobility and equity, the metrics provide information on how low-income and other underserved students fare. These metrics are categorized into performance metrics, efficiency metrics and equity metrics at points during the student experience from access through post-college outcomes.
As colleges in the new cohort progress, they may apply to participate in initiatives supported by philanthropic funding and managed by ATD. These initiatives help incubate new ideas that help colleges refine practices based on evidence of what works and allow ATD to disseminate knowledge to the broader network and the field. New initiatives address the challenge of engaging adjunct faculty more deeply as key members of colleges’ workforces and implementing degree programs using only open educational resources (OER).
Achieving the Dream, along with more than 100 experienced coaches and advisors, works closely with ATD Network colleges to reach more than 4 million community college students.