Tag Archive for: #VANCECoProud

Vance County Schools Press Release

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Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

July 27, 2016

A “Meet and Greet” event will be held on Thursday, August 25, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Civic Center at Vance-Granville Community College to provide an opportunity for students, parents and community members to meet Debbie Hite, the new principal at the Vance County Early College High School.

The public is invited to attend.

STEM now accepting applications

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Vance County Schools is now accepting applications for STEM Early High School for grades 7 and 8 for the 2016-2017 school year.

STEM is an innovative early high school that focuses on science, mathematics, engineering and technology. All students are provided with a laptop computer and work collaboratively in an environment that encourages high levels of problem solving through the use of engineering principles and creativity.

Limited space is available for students.

Applications will be accepted through July 27 at the school on the campus of Northern Vance High School or at the Vance County Schools Administrative Services Center at 1724 Graham Avenue in Henderson.

Applications are available on line at www.vcs.k12.nc.us.

Decisions regarding acceptance will be made prior to August 5, 2016.

New Principal Named at Northern Vance High School

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Andrew Markoch has been named as the new principal at Northern Vance High School.

The Vance County Board of Education officially appointed Markoch to his new position during a special meeting Wednesday night.

Markoch will join Vance County Schools after serving as an assistant principal at Wake Forest High School in Wake Forest and the principal of the school’s Ninth Grade Center. He has been an administrator at the school since July of 2003.

Markoch, who lives in Rolesville, is a graduate of the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. He received a bachelor’s degree in music education from the university in 1988. He also earned a master of arts degree in educational administration from Akron in 2001. In May of 2003, Markoch completed course work for principal licensure, with a focus on curriculum, at the University of Akron.

During his time with the Wake County Public School System in Wake Forest, Markoch has had extensive experience in management and school leadership. He facilitated the academic growth of a comprehensive high school in Wake Forest focusing on the instructional and social development of students as they adjust from middle school to high school. From 2007 to 2011, he worked with educators in the Ninth Grade Center as its on-site principal and was responsible for implementing the vision and operation of the center from its origins as an academy to a full-fledged school operating as part of a comprehensive high school. He then worked with faculty leaders to plan and facilitate the center’s move from an off-site location to become an on-site program serving ninth graders at the high school. The Ninth Grade Center continues today as an on-site facility.

In his capacity as principal of the Ninth Grade Center, Markoch notes that he has encouraged a school culture that is achievement based, student centered and data driven, while welcoming parents and stakeholders as an integral part of the school environment.

(From Vance County Schools Social Media)

Henderson Middle School Uniforms

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Students who attend Henderson Middle School will be required to wear school uniforms for the 2016-2017 school year following action by the Vance County Board of Education on June 13.

The board approved a recommendation by Superintendent Anthony Jackson that the school be allowed to require the uniforms based on information shared by Principal John Hargrove and school staff members.

Hargrove and his staff presented a detailed report to the board members on how they sought staff and parent input during the planning for student uniforms, the advantages of having student uniforms and what the uniforms will include.

Hargrove noted that in a survey process, carried out over several weeks, parents of students overwhelmingly favored the requirement for student uniforms. He also explained that student uniforms are $10 to $15 cheaper than regular clothing per outfit and will eliminate any stigma or differences among students, thus improving discipline and the overall environment for students at the school.

The student uniforms will consist of white, royal blue or light blue knit shirts (with collars) and khaki, navy blue or black pants. All students must wear shirts tucked in and belts at all times. Certain shoes, which include solid-colored white, black or brown shoes, must be worn at all times by all students. The shoes can be loafer, lace-up or buckle shoes (for girls).

Henderson Middle joins Pinkston Street and L.B. Yancey elementary schools in requiring students to wear uniforms.

(Vance County Schools Press Release)

Pendergrass To Attend NC Governor’s School

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Connor Pendergrass, a rising senior at Northern Vance High School, has been selected to attend the prestigious North Carolina Governor’s School program this summer.

Pendergrass is the only student from Vance County Schools selected to attend the summer residential program this year. He was chosen to participate in the program based on his high academic achievements.

He will attend the Governor’s School west campus at Salem College in Winston-Salem.

Pendergrass will participate in the enrichment program June 19 through July 27. He will live on the campus of Salem College during his participation. During his Governor’s School experience, he will focus on studies in mathematics, but also will be exposed to a wide range of liberal arts instruction and discussion with leading educational instructors and top high school students from across the state.

Students in the Governor’s School program also attend the program on the east campus at Meredith College in Raleigh.

Pendergrass is the son of Chris and Lisa Pendergrass of Henderson.

(Vance County Schools Press Release)

#VANCECoProud Graduation Ceremonies Inside

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Commencement ceremonies for members of the Class of 2016 at Northern Vance, Southern Vance and Western Vance high schools will be held in the schools’ gymnasiums this weekend.

Since each ceremony will be held in the gymnasiums, seating will be limited. Graduating seniors will be given tickets for their family members to attend. No one will be admitted to any of the commencement ceremonies without a ticket.

All three commencement ceremonies can be viewed live online through the Vance County Schools’ website at www.vcs.k12.nc.us. Those who want to view the ceremonies online should go to the school system’s website homepage and click on the appropriate school’s graduation live feed on the top left side of the page.

The decision to hold the ceremonies indoors was made due to excessive rain and the poor condition of the fields, as well as the forecast for possible thunderstorms and rainy conditions on Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Western Vance High School will hold its commencement ceremony at 7 p.m. on Friday. The commencement ceremony at Southern Vance High School will be held at 8 a.m. on Saturday and the commencement ceremony at Northern Vance High School will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

(Information obtained in a Press Release from Vance County Schools.)

REVISED DATES FOR BUS DRIVER TRAINING

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The school bus driver training sessions provided by Vance County Schools have been rescheduled due to a conflict with the instructor’s calendar to Monday, June 27, through Thursday, June 30, at L.B. Yancey Elementary School.

Interested persons must attend the training on each of the first three days to receive certification. Vance County Schools will only be training individuals to drive school buses. The instructor will do retesting for those who need it on the fourth day.

The training sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at approximately 3 p.m. each day.

Those interested in participating in the training sessions must register five days prior to the sessions with the school system’s Transportation Department, located at 226 Welcome Avenue off Raleigh Road south of Henderson. For additional information, call the Transportation Department at 438-5012.

EOG Tests and Final Exams

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Students in Vance County Schools’ elementary and middle schools will be given N.C. end-of-grade tests Tuesday through Thursday of this week, with final exams for the school year administered at local high schools beginning on Friday.

At Northern Vance, Southern Vance and Western Vance high schools, testing will begin Friday, May 27, with first-period N.C. end-of-course, N.C. Final Exams and teacher made exams given from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Testing in the high schools will continue Tuesday, May 31, through Thursday, June 2, with the same tests being administered each day from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. On May 31, second-period exams will be given, on June 1, third-period exams will be given and on June 2 fourth-period exams will be given (end-of-grade, final exams and teacher exams). Career and Technical Education assessments by class period will be given each afternoon from 12:45 to 2:45 p.m. during the four days of testing. Make-up exams also will be given in the afternoon each day for those students who missed testing the previous day.

On June 3, the last day of classes for students, make-up exams will be given as needed.

School bus transportation and lunches will be provided for students each day.

Elementary and middle schools will follow their regular school day schedules each day during the high school testing times.

School Entry Controls at Six Pilot Schools

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Starting this past Monday, May 16, six Vance County Public Schools initiated a pilot program for building access.  The new Access Control System in place requires all visitors during the school day to identify themselves before being allowed into the school.

The schools include: Aycock, New Hope, L.B. Yancey, Henderson Middle, STEM Early High and Northern Vance High.

Visitors now have to enter the front main entrance of each school. Each visitor will be required to press a button on the new Access Control box (shown in the cover photo) near the main entrance door, say his/her name and why he/she is visiting plus show a valid photo ID on the camera on the box. School office personnel will respond once the button is pressed and will talk with visitors to get the required information. Visitors can then be “buzzed in” through the main entrance.

Anyone planning on visiting these six schools through the end of this school year is reminded that they must have their photo ID with them to enter the building. Arrangements can be made at the school to get photo IDs for those who do not have them.

School office personnel can help visitors with any questions about this new school entry system.

#VANCECoProud – New Access Control System

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New Access Control System Begins May 16 at Six Schools

Vance County Schools will pilot its new Access Control System at six schools beginning on Monday, May 16, 2016.

The Access Control System, custom made by top locksmiths Arlington, involves having all school entrances locked during the school day and requires all visitors to identify themselves at the school’s main entrance before being allowed to enter the building.

The system will be operational on May 16 at Aycock Elementary School, New Hope Elementary School, L.B. Yancey Elementary School, Henderson Middle School, STEM Early High School and Northern Vance High School.

The school system is using these six school sites to test the effectiveness and operation of the new school entry security system before it is implemented at all schools at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year.

The focus of the new Access Control System is to provide safety for everyone in our schools. While the implementation process may be somewhat inconvenient for visitors at the beginning, school system officials believe this new system will be worthwhile in ensuring the safety of all of our students, school system employees and visitors.

Beginning on May 16 at the six schools that are pilot sites, all school entrances will be locked after the arrival of students to begin the school day, and they will remain locked until student dismissal in the afternoon.

Throughout the school day, all visitors to these six schools must follow these procedures to enter the building:

  • All visitors at the schools will be directed to the front, main entrance of the school. This will be the only entrance available to visitors. Video systems will be operational at the schools, so that front office staff members can see all visitors as they approach the building.
  • Front office staff members will use access control to permit entry into the schools. School doors will be locked which will require that all visitors use the access control system to be “buzzed in” at the main entrance by office personnel.
  • At the front, main entrance to the school, all visitors must press a button on the access control box. Once school office personnel have responded, visitors must state their reason for entering the school prior to being admitted to the building.
  • Visitors will then be required to show some form of photo identification. This identification will confirm the visitor’s entrance into the building. Once inside the school, all visitors must go to the school’s main office to sign in for a visitor’s badge. All visitors are required to wear their visitor badge during the entire time they are in the school.

Signs at the main entrance of each school with instructions in English and Spanish will be clearly visible beside the access control box to all visitors as they approach the entrance.

For those visitors who do not have a valid photo identification card, officials at each school will work with individuals to get a photo and issue an identification card to them.

All visitors to these six pilot schools must remember to bring their photo identification with them each time they come to the school. No one will be admitted to the school without proper identification. There will be no exceptions.

Vance Couny Schools is asking for the complete cooperation of everyone in the community as the school system works through implementation of this new system.

(Press Release from VCS)