Butner-Stem Middle School celebrated Kindness Week recently by sending ValenKIND messages to each other. Students and staff completed 368 ValenKIND messages, according to information from the school and from Dr. Stan Winborne, Granville County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for Operations & Human Resources and public information officer.
Each ValenKIND contained a message of kindness and support that were sent to students, and was one way to support students while they are learning remotely.
“It was really fun to play cupid this month and spread a little cheer. It was touching to see the kind messages students wrote to each other and their teachers,” said Raisse Ward, a BSMS guidance counselor. It’s really obvious that we have built strong relationships with our students,” Ward said.
Jan Leiner, Career Technical Education (CTE) teacher at the middle school, said she received several ValenKIND messages from students and colleagues, and she said she especially appreciated the expressions of support as a way to offset the stress of remote learning and teaching. Students and staff were able to create a valentine like pictures with personal messages to another person, Leiner explained. “Each day I would find a new post and it warmed my heart to receive such kind and wonderful posts,” she said.
The kindness activity is one example of efforts that BSMS has undertaken as part of a school-wide effort to meet student needs during the school year. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs, including the ValenKIND activity, as well as another program to help teachers build relationships with their students.
Teachers lead Restorative Practices activities and Second Step lessons for 20 minutes each weekday as a way to help them get to know their students.
Apryl Holbert, 8th grade math teacher, said she enjoys Morning Meetings, “Morning Meetings are a great way to get to know my students, especially while we are virtual! I love that they will be open and share their opinions. It is really cool to see that I have things in common with middle schoolers and it gives me insight on how to keep them interested in my class!”
The BSMS campus also gets visits from a therapy dog named Riley as part of the SEL program. Riley is a therapy dog with PetPalsNC and visited the school each week before students moved to remote learning. During the pandemic, Riley, with the help of his human partner Cathy Allen, sends the students weekly updates on what he’s been up to. Allen is a retired teacher with Granville County Public Schools.
Camirra Williamson reads his letters weekly. Williamson is a Project Lead the Way teacher at BSMS and said she enjoys reading the letter. “They are like a nice pick-me-up during this quarantine and winter weather! His little stories are cute and fun,” she added.
Until students can return to in-person learning, Riley visits virtually with students. Bradley Bullock, a student in Christeanna Friend’s 6th grade English Language Arts class, said “I like that he is always adorable and makes me feel happy and calm.”
A therapy dog is a dog that has completed training and assessments and receives a certification to work as a team with its handler to help children and adults.
Riley visits groups of students and enjoys the company of some students in individual sessions. Students have learned about how to care for a dog and they enjoy reading to him.
WIZS Local News 2-22-21 Noon
/by Bill HarrisWIZS Your Community Voice — 100.1 FM / 1450 AM
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Downtown Oxford Sponsoring “Mum’s Morning Out”
/by WIZS StaffA group of downtown Oxford businesses is sponsoring “Mum’s Morning Out” on Saturday, Feb. 27 which will include a spring fashion show, raffles and giveaways. Seating is limited, so purchase tickets soon to participate in this fun-filled event.
Tickets are $5 and are available at Oxford City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street. The fun begins with check-in at 9 a.m. at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Oxford, where participants can enjoy a mimosa while they get a peek at upcoming spring fashion trends for the whole family. Local merchants Nan’s and CSquared are supplying the clothing for the “Runway Fashion Show.”
Following the fashion show, participants will be able to review a program of downtown offerings, in-store raffles and giveaways and spend a little time shopping downtown. Northern Point Realty invited the group to visit its office at 10:45 a.m. for “nibbles and an adult beverage.” Northern Point Realty , located at 139 Hillsboro St., also is sponsoring a raffle basket for $100 in “Downtown Dollars.”
In addition to the $100 raffle, The Home Decorator Shoppe is sponsoring four flower giveaways and the Downtown Economic Development Corporation will raffle off two $50 Downtown Dollars certificates. Raffle winners must be present to collect their prize.
Ticketholders also will pick up a sure-to-please swag bag of goodies.
Space is limited to 25 at the fashion show, but other events at individual retailers should be available throughout the day.
Sponsors of the event are:
Home Decorator Shoppe
Northern Point Realty
Granville Health System
Steel Magnolias Salon
CSquared
Aycock Rec Locker Rooms Closed TFN
/by John C. RoseLooking A Job – Look Here Before Feb 25
/by Laura GabelIt’s a job seeker’s market, according to a local NC Works official who announced a couple of upcoming opportunities that could lead to employment.
Desiree Brooks, business services manager of the Workforce Development Board of the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments, said participants interested in work at Altec can register for an event that will begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25.
Altec, which builds bucket trucks, has a facility in Creedmoor in southern Granville County.
A second opportunity scheduled for Thursday is the Triangle Virtual Regional IT Career Expo, Brooks said. A group of area workforce development groups is hosting this event, which will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There are many opportunities in the Kerr-Tar region for jobs in the IT field, she said. A job may not be working for an IT company, but there are businesses hiring for IT-related jobs, she said. “We’re all coming together for a common need,” she said.
We all share the same goals – to improve workforce, not just in our area, but across North Carolina,” she said.
This virtual career fair is for employers who are looking for workers as well as for job seekers, she said. Register for this event online at events.kerrtarworks.com or phone 919.693.2686 to get assistance or to learn more about either event.
Therapy Dog Riley Assists GCPS Social-Emotional Learning Programs
/by WIZS StaffButner-Stem Middle School celebrated Kindness Week recently by sending ValenKIND messages to each other. Students and staff completed 368 ValenKIND messages, according to information from the school and from Dr. Stan Winborne, Granville County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for Operations & Human Resources and public information officer.
Each ValenKIND contained a message of kindness and support that were sent to students, and was one way to support students while they are learning remotely.
“It was really fun to play cupid this month and spread a little cheer. It was touching to see the kind messages students wrote to each other and their teachers,” said Raisse Ward, a BSMS guidance counselor. It’s really obvious that we have built strong relationships with our students,” Ward said.
Jan Leiner, Career Technical Education (CTE) teacher at the middle school, said she received several ValenKIND messages from students and colleagues, and she said she especially appreciated the expressions of support as a way to offset the stress of remote learning and teaching. Students and staff were able to create a valentine like pictures with personal messages to another person, Leiner explained. “Each day I would find a new post and it warmed my heart to receive such kind and wonderful posts,” she said.
The kindness activity is one example of efforts that BSMS has undertaken as part of a school-wide effort to meet student needs during the school year. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs, including the ValenKIND activity, as well as another program to help teachers build relationships with their students.
Teachers lead Restorative Practices activities and Second Step lessons for 20 minutes each weekday as a way to help them get to know their students.
Apryl Holbert, 8th grade math teacher, said she enjoys Morning Meetings, “Morning Meetings are a great way to get to know my students, especially while we are virtual! I love that they will be open and share their opinions. It is really cool to see that I have things in common with middle schoolers and it gives me insight on how to keep them interested in my class!”
The BSMS campus also gets visits from a therapy dog named Riley as part of the SEL program. Riley is a therapy dog with PetPalsNC and visited the school each week before students moved to remote learning. During the pandemic, Riley, with the help of his human partner Cathy Allen, sends the students weekly updates on what he’s been up to. Allen is a retired teacher with Granville County Public Schools.
Camirra Williamson reads his letters weekly. Williamson is a Project Lead the Way teacher at BSMS and said she enjoys reading the letter. “They are like a nice pick-me-up during this quarantine and winter weather! His little stories are cute and fun,” she added.
Until students can return to in-person learning, Riley visits virtually with students. Bradley Bullock, a student in Christeanna Friend’s 6th grade English Language Arts class, said “I like that he is always adorable and makes me feel happy and calm.”
A therapy dog is a dog that has completed training and assessments and receives a certification to work as a team with its handler to help children and adults.
Riley visits groups of students and enjoys the company of some students in individual sessions. Students have learned about how to care for a dog and they enjoy reading to him.
Henderson-Vance Industrial Park Phase 3 Plans Continue to Move Forward
/by WIZS StaffVance County Manager Jordan McMillen said the county has received an offer to purchase a tract of land in the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park. If approved, Phase 3 of the industrial park could be one step closer to being implemented.
“The county has a competitive offer for purchasing land to continue the expansion of this industrial park,” McMillen said in a written statement to WIZS.
The offer of $275,000 is to purchase a two-acre tract which the county bought in 2018.
If the deal goes through, the potential buyer’s plans include construction of an office-type building that could be used for retail tenants or flex space.
The commissioners heard the offer to purchase at their February meeting and, providing no upset bids are received, the commissioners would consider approving the sale at the March 1 meeting, McMillen said.
The property is part of the industrial park, located at the corner of Bearpond Road and Commerce Drive. The properties committee, which includes commissioners Dan Brummitt, Leo Kelly and Gordon Wilder was “directed to meet and review draft restrictive covenants for not only the 2 acre tract, but also for the 82.5 acre tract that the county owns as well,” McMillen said.
Phases 1 and 2 of the industrial park have restrictive covenants in place from 1995, he added, and said the plan is to put similar covenants in place for Phase 3.
The properties committee met this week.
WIZS Local News Audio 02-19-21 Noon
/by John C. RoseClick to Listen to Local news Audio.
WIZS Your Community Voice — 100.1 FM / 1450 AM
PRESENTED IN PART BY OUR SPONSOR DRAKE DENTISTRY
Local News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.
“TownTalk” Airs on WIZS M-F at 11 a.m.
“The Local Skinny!” Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.
$5,000 Reward for Info About Obviously Discarded Dead Dogs Along Pool Rock Road
/by WIZS StaffThe Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society is offering a $5,000 reward for information about the bodies of two dogs found Wednesday along a Vance County roadside.
Vance County Animal Services responded to a call at the 600 block of Pool Rock Road, where the officer found two animal crates – each containing the body of a dog. The wire crate was covered with a tarp and the second crate is beige plastic.
RCAPS President Brandon Boyd stated that the $5,000 reward is offered “to anyone with information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for this horrible act.”
The dog found in the wire crate, a male, was described as white with black markings. The dog found in the plastic crate, also a male, was described as a brown brindle.
Please contact the Vance County Animal Service office by phone at 252-492-3136 or contact Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society of Henderson NC via Facebook, Instagram or Email at info@rcaps.org with any information.
In the statement, Boyd said “Ruin Creek Animal Protection of Henderson NC fights every day for the rights and welfare of animals and with the support of the Vance County Animal Services Chief Frankie Nobles and the entire VCAS staff along with our faithful and gracious donors, we will continue to fight this and other cases and situations as we remain as committed as ever to make a lasting impact. We are the voice for these animals and we are determined to do everything possible to ensure that anyone who commits, contributes to or tolerates acts of cruelty or inhumane treatment of animals be brought to justice.”
SportsTalk 02-18-21 Coach Hunter Jenks Vance Co. HS FB
/by WIZS StaffWith high school football scheduled to kick off next Friday, Trey Snide talked with Vance Co. Vipers head coach Hunter Jenks to discuss the game against Chapel Hill to begin the football season. Despite having fewer players than last year’s squad, Jenks says, “The kids have been fantastic. They’ve had great attitudes.” Jenks hopes that once in-school instruction returns on March 9th that the team will be able to add more players. With only seven regular-season games this year, it will be important for the Vipers to hit the ground running. “We have a good knowledge of the Chapel Hill team,” Jenks says. Film study has given the staff some insight into what Chapel Hill will bring to the field in Henderson next Friday night.
Like all other high school teams, Vance County has challenges. The team has only had two contact practices and must contend with replacing Samein Burwell at quarterback. “We have two players battling for quarterback,” says Coach Jenks. Jenks has not named a starter for the opening game but did say he hopes that whoever does start will be able to “step in and play to the best of their ability.” Additionally, Jenks said many players have had to fit practices around his player’s work commitments including students who work full time.
Originally, the Vipers were scheduled to have a scrimmage against Goldsboro tomorrow, Feb. 19th, but that has now been pushed back to noon on Saturday.
Once again, the Vipers welcome Chapel Hill for the first home game of the season on Friday, Feb. 26th. The game will be broadcast live on WIZS.
Granville County Chamber of Commerce to Close South Office
/by John C. RoseAccording to information received from the Granville County Chamber of Commerce, the south office in Creedmoor will close April 15, 2021.
The southern Granville office is located at 1598 NC Hwy 56, Suite 4, Creedmoor, NC, 27522.
The email correspondence said, “In order to more efficiently serve all of our members, the Chamber Board of Directors” announces it will consolidate the Chamber offices and relocate the “South Office operations to the Oxford Office,” which is located at 124 Hillsboro Street, Oxford, NC, 27565.
It is a belt-tightening measure in response to covid.
“The Granville County Chamber of Commerce seeks to promote a healthy economy with good business conditions, support good government, improve community relations and market services and programs for Chamber members. … We look forward to continuing to work alongside each of our chamber member businesses to make Granville County a great place to live and work,” the email announcement said.