Tag Archive for: #vancecountyboardofeducation

Dr. Destiney Ross-Putney Named VCS Superintendent; Will Begin New Job Aug. 1

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The Vance County Board of Education announced Tuesday that Dr. Destiney Ross-Putney will succeed retiring Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett, effective Aug. 1, 2026.

Ross-Putney already had been selected as interim superintendent when Bennett announced her retirement plans recently, but Board of Education Chairperson Ayana Lewis said Tuesday that the board had determined that she is “the right leader to guide Vance County Schools into its next chapter.”

Lewis said Ross-Putney has shown a commitment to instruction, leadership, innovation and student achievement. “More importantly,” she added, “she understands the unique strengths, challenges and opportunities that exist within our district.

“The board believes her vision, experience and passion for public education make her exceptionally qualified to lead our school district. We are confident she will continue building upon the progress that has been made by helping us move forward with purpose and excellence.”

Currently serving as the district’s chief officer of Instruction and Innovation, Ross-Putney is a graduate of Vance County Schools and began her career as a math teacher in 2008 at Northern Vance High School.

Since then, she has served in numerous instructional and leadership roles, including co-founder of STEM Early High, where she later served as assistant principal. She went on to serve as the Secondary Math Curriculum Specialist, Instructional Technology Facilitator, Executive Director of the Center for Innovation and Professional Learning, and most recently, Chief Officer of Instruction and Innovation.

Reflecting on her appointment, Dr. Ross-Putney said, “I’ve spent my career helping build opportunities for students in Vance County Schools. Now I’m honored to lead the district into its next chapter, with a deep respect for what we’ve accomplished together and an unwavering commitment to doing what is best for children.”

Vance County Board of Education Names Ross-Putney Interim Superintendent Effective Aug. 1

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— Information courtesy of Vance County Schools

Dr. Destiney Ross-Putney has been named interim superintendent upon the retirement of Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett on July 31. Ross-Putney, who currently serves as the Chief Officer of Instruction and Innovation for Vance County Schools, will begin her role on Aug. 1, according to information from VCS Chief Information Officer Aarika Sandlin. The appointment was made by the Vance County Board of Education.

A graduate of Northern Vance High School, Ross-Putney earned her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education and Master of Education in Instructional Technology and Computer Education from N.C. State University. She later received her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from High Point University. She holds a North Carolina Educator’s License in Instructional Technology Specialist (Computers), Mathematics (grades 6–9), and School Administration: Superintendent licensure.

Ross-Putney completed the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association Aspiring Superintendents Program in 2025 and was a finalist for the District Leader of the Year for Change Management through Modern Teacher.

“I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to serve as Interim Superintendent of Vance County Schools and to help maintain and continuously strengthen the important work happening across our district,” Ross-Putney said in a statement. “Vance County Schools is filled with dedicated staff, leaders, students, families, and community partners who care deeply about the future of this community, and I take the responsibility of building upon that foundation very seriously. I remain committed to ensuring stability, strong communication, and a continued focus on what is best for students as we move forward together.”

Possible School Closings, Consolidations Topic Of School Board’s Jan. 21 Special Called Meeting

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The Vance County Board of Education is holding a special meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21 to have a public hearing about the possible closing and/or consolidation of two of the county’s elementary schools.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Curriculum and Instruction area of the Vance County Administrative Services Center, 1724 Graham Ave., according to information from Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett and Board of Education Chair Ayana Lewis.

The most recent school consolidations came in 2018, when the school board voted to merge the two high schools and the two middle schools to form Vance County High School and Vance County Middle School. Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, the high school was located on the campus of the former Southern Vance High School and the middle school was located on the campus of the former Northern Vance High School.

Here’s the statement in its entirety:

Pursuant to the provisions of N.C.G.S. 115C-72 and N.C.G.S. 143-318.12 the Vance County  Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 in order to  provide a public hearing to discuss with the general public the proposed closing and/or  consolidation of New Hope Elementary School with another school, and also the closing and/or  consolidation of Carver Elementary School with another school, having in mind and taking into  account the welfare of the students to be affected by such closings and/or consolidations,  including providing information regarding which the said Board has in its possession relating to  the practical and best use of its present school facilities and the costs and maintenance of all its  facilities, and the use of same, and also considering geographic conditions, increase or  decrease in school enrollment, the inconvenience or hardship that might result to the pupils to  be affected by such closings or consolidations, the cost of providing additional school facilities in  the event of such closings and/or consolidation, and such other factors as the Board shall  determine to be germane. 

Said hearing shall be held on January 21, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Curriculum and Instruction area within the Vance County Administrative Services Center located at 1724 Graham Avenue,  Henderson NC, and the general public shall be afforded an opportunity to express their views regarding said proposed closings and/or proposed consolidations. 

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No Candidates So Far Filed For District 7 Board Of Education Seat

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UPDATE Dec. 17, 2025 — information courtesy of Vance County Board of Elections Director Haley Rawles

The filing period for the March 2026 primary election wraps up at 12 noon on Friday, Dec. 19, and so far, there are no candidates who have filed for the District 7 seat on the Vance County Board of Education.

“At this time, no candidate has come forward to file for the Vance County Board of Education, District 7. Individuals interested in filing for this seat must do so no later than Friday, December 19, 2025, at 12:00 noon,” according to information from Vance County Board of Elections Director Haley Rawles.

“This Board of Education race is a partisan contest. Should no candidate file during the standard filing period, the remaining option for ballot access for the 2026 General Election would be through an unaffiliated candidate petition,” Rawles said in a statement Wednesday.

The deadline to submit an unaffiliated candidate petition is the day of the primary election, which is Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2026. The petition’s signature sheets must be submitted to the Board of Elections for verification, and petitions must be filed by the stated deadline in accordance with state law.

If no candidate files through the available filing method prior to the General Election, legal counsel will need to be consulted to determine next steps.

 

Vance County Schools’ Certified, Classified Staff Could Benefit In FY 2025-26 County Budget

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When the Vance County Board of Commissioners convenes next week to adopt the FY 2025-26 budget, teachers and classified staff in Vance County Schools will be among those listening closely to learn whether they will be getting a bigger supplement or – in the case of classified staff, a bump in pay.

The commissioners discussed increasing the amount the school district gets from the county for this purpose at a budget work session on Monday, June 16.

It will add about $1.2 million to the total county budget, which stands now at more than $66 million.

VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett said local funding provides vital support for areas not covered by federal or state sources. Teacher supplements is one such area.

Bennett told WIZS News that certified teaching staff currently get a supplement of $2,500 – that amount hasn’t gone up since at least 1999 – that’s 25 years.

In its funding request to commissioners, the Vance County Board of Education had asked that the supplement be doubled, and that classified staff get a 10 percent salary supplement.

Commissioners discussed providing $1,000 for certified staff and a 2 percent increase for classified staff.

“This supplement is funded through local appropriations and is included in the annual budget approved by the Vance County Board of Commissioners,” Bennett said. “Though the amount of teachers has decreased with fewer students in the district, expenses have increased in many areas, most notably insurance rates, state-mandated pay raises for locally funded positions, and increased payments to charter schools,” she stated.

Bennett acknowledged the collaboration between the school district and county leaders with regard to educator compensation, calling it “an encouraging step in the right direction.”

She said she and school leaders “remain hopeful that additional support will be appropriated, inclusive of our classified staff.”

Local supplements help attract and retain teacher talent, Bennett said. School districts in larger counties can offer larger supplements, making it difficult for smaller districts to keep teachers.

Bennett said that once the county has approved its budget, 30 percent of the money appropriated to Vance County Schools is distributed to charter schools. “Currently, there are 21 charter schools who receive funding from these appropriations for 2,113 students,” Bennett said.

Data from 2023-24 shows Vance County ranks 101st among the state’s 115 Local Education Agencies In North Carolina for local per-pupil expenditure, with $1,748.12 per pupil.

Granville County ranks 33rd at $2,918.94 per pupil, Warren County ranks 21st at $3,405.61 per pupil and Franklin County is 52nd at $2,531.59 per pupil.

This information comes from the N.C. Public Schools Statistical Profile, found in the following link: http://apps.schools.nc.gov/ords/f?p=145:34:::NO:::

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Candidates Have Two More Days To File For 2024 Local Elections

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UPDATE 6PM ON 12-15-23

It looks like there will be two contested seats on the Vance County Board of Commissioners in next year’s election, with two candidates running for the District 1 seat and two candidates running in District 2. The two-week filing period ended at 12 noon today, Friday, Dec. 15.

Valencia L. Perry filed Friday for the District 2 seat and will face incumbent Archie B. Taylor, Jr., according to information provided by Shelly Wood, deputy director of the Vance County Board of Elections; Taylor filed last week. In addition to Taylor, three other commissioners filed to retain their seats on the board: Carolyn Faines in District 1; Leo Kelly in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster in District 6.

Faines also faces a challenger in next year’s election. William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat.

There are three seats up for election on the Vance County Board of Education, with District 5 the only contested race of the three. Incumbent Linda Cobb filed for re-election. She will face challenger William Earl Purvis, who filed on Wednesday as a Democratic candidate. Incumbent Dorothy Williams Gooche filed as the Democratic candidate for District 3 and Ayana Fritz Lewis filed as a Democratic candidate for District 4.

Primary elections will be held on March 5, 2024 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

(PLEASE ALLOW THIS CORRECTION TO THE ORIGINAL POST BELOW.  SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 1 WAS ELECTED IN 2022 AND IS NOT UP FOR ELECTION AGAIN UNTIL 2026.)

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Original Post:

Three more candidates have filed for seats on the school board and board of commissioners this week, according to Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin.

Candidates have until 12 noon on Friday, Dec. 15 to file for four seats on the Board of Commissioners and four seats on the Board of Education.

On Tuesday, Carolyn Faines filed as a Democratic candidate to retain her District 1 seat on the board of county commissioners. Dorothy Williams Gooche also filed on Tuesday as a Democratic candidate for District 3 of the Board of Education.

Archie B. Taylor, Jr. filed as a Democrat on Monday for re-election for the District 2 seat on board of commissioners.

In the first week of the two-week filing period, Linda Cobb filed as the Democratic candidate to retain her School Board District 5 seat.

William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat on the county board of commissioners, currently held by Faines.

Leo Kelly, who was elected vice chair during the December meeting of the county commissioners, filed for re-election to the District 5 seat.

County commissioners in districts 1,2,5 and 6 will be elected in the 2024 elections. Carolyn Faines holds the District 1 seat, Archie Taylor holds the District 2 seat, Leo Kelly is in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster is the District 6 commissioner.

Candidates for county commissioner will pay a $138.59 filing fee, payable by check, and must present a valid photo ID, live in the district they wish to file for and be 21 years old by Election Day. Primary elections will be held on March 5 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

Candidates for school board will pay a $72 filing fee. Seats in Districts 3,4 and 5 will be up for election.

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Board Of Elections: Week 1 Of Filing Period Yields Three Candidates In 2024 County Elections

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UPDATE 6PM ON 12-15-23

It looks like there will be two contested seats on the Vance County Board of Commissioners in next year’s election, with two candidates running for the District 1 seat and two candidates running in District 2. The two-week filing period ended at 12 noon today, Friday, Dec. 15.

Valencia L. Perry filed Friday for the District 2 seat and will face incumbent Archie B. Taylor, Jr., according to information provided by Shelly Wood, deputy director of the Vance County Board of Elections; Taylor filed last week. In addition to Taylor, three other commissioners filed to retain their seats on the board: Carolyn Faines in District 1; Leo Kelly in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster in District 6.

Faines also faces a challenger in next year’s election. William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat.

There are three seats up for election on the Vance County Board of Education, with District 5 the only contested race of the three. Incumbent Linda Cobb filed for re-election. She will face challenger William Earl Purvis, who filed on Wednesday as a Democratic candidate. Incumbent Dorothy Williams Gooche filed as the Democratic candidate for District 3 and Ayana Fritz Lewis filed as a Democratic candidate for District 4.

Primary elections will be held on March 5, 2024 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

(PLEASE ALLOW THIS CORRECTION TO THE ORIGINAL POST BELOW.  SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 1 WAS ELECTED IN 2022 AND IS NOT UP FOR ELECTION AGAIN UNTIL 2026.)

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Original Post:

As the first week of the filing period for the 2024 general elections coms to a close, Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin reports that two people have filed for county commissioners’ seats and one candidate has filed for re-election to the Board of Education. Candidates have until noon on Friday, Dec. 15 to file for four seats on the board of commission and four seats on the Vance County Board of Education.

Linda Cobb filed Friday as the Democratic candidate to retain her School Board District 5 seat.

On Thursday, William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat on the county board of commissioners, currently held by Carolyn Faines.

Leo Kelly, who was elected vice chair during Monday’s regular meeting of the county commissioners, filed for re-election to the District 5 seat on Tuesday.

County commissioners in districts 1,2,5 and 6 will be elected. Carolyn Faines holds the District 1 seat, Archie Taylor holds the District 2 seat, Leo Kelly is in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster is the District 6 commissioner.

Candidates for county commissioner will pay a $138.59 filing fee, payable by check, and must present a valid photo ID, live in the district they wish to file for and be 21 years old by Election Day. Primary elections will be held on March 5 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

Candidates for school board will pay a $72 filing fee. Seats in Districts 3,4 and 5 will be up for election.

School Board Begins New Term With Swearing-In Ceremony Dec. 12

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Four members of the Vance County Board of Education were sworn in  Dec. 12  – two newcomers and two who returning members.

Randy Oxendine and Omega Perry are beginning their first terms on the school board, representing District 2 and District 6, respectively. They join returning board members Gloria White and Ruth Hartness.

White, who has represented District 1 since 2002, will be the new board chair; Oxendine was selected to be vice-chair.

“It has been my pleasure to serve the citizens of Vance County.,” she said in written information provided by Vance County Schools. “I am very appreciative of the people in District 1, for their continuous support and confidence in me. I believe in education. I believe that receiving a quality education can change a person’s life and the world. Without a quality education the future of our nation will be very bleak,” White said, adding that she is proud to live in Vance County and to be a member of the board of education.

Randy Oxendine decided to run for the District 2 seat being vacated by his wife, Darlynn Oxendine, who decided not to seek another term on the board.

He is a retired educator with the school system and has coached a variety of sports over the years.

Perry, the other newcomer to the board, was elected to the District 6 seat, which previously was held by Margaret Ellis, who retired from the board after 32 years. He is pastor at Cook’s Chapel AME Zion Church in Henderson and St. Mary’s AME Zion Church in Kittrell, but he also is a substitute teacher in Warren County Schools.

“I am excited,” Perry said. “My motto is helping the community one person at a time,” he said.

Hartness has been the District 7 representative on the school board for 22 years. She said she enjoys her service on the board and wants to continue working with Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett, who she said done “a phenomenal job” leading the school district. “My mission is to support her in our efforts to educate the young people of Vance County so they will be prepared and be successful when they leave us.”

Outgoing members Oxendine and Ellis were recognized for their contributions to the school board during the meeting. In addition to receiving a rocking chair, Ellis was given a keepsake album filled with photographs taken at her recent retirement celebration; Oxendine was presented with a poster highlighting her career with the school district. It was announced that the first game of the 2023-24 volleyball season would be named for Oxendine, with proceeds going to her favorite charity.

 

Ellis Honored At Retirement Celebration For 32 Years On School Board

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Margaret A. Ellis was first elected to the Vance County Board of Education in November 1990. Ellis held the District 6 seat for the next 32 years, and the school board honored her earlier this month at a retirement celebration.

The reception was held Nov. 10, 2022 in the Atrium of the Center for Innovation.

Numerous speakers, family, friends and colleagues were on hand to show their appreciation.

“Vance County Schools is grateful for the many years Mrs. Ellis served,” according to a press statement from VCS.
“She truly made a difference not just in our community, but the lives of every student over the last three decades.”

Ellis also worked with WIZS radio for more than 25 years as host of the Sunday morning show “Sounds from Jordan.”

 

Masks Optional In Vance County Schools Starting Feb. 28

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The Vance County Board of Education voted on Monday to lift the mask mandate for students and staff beginning Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.

The board held a special called meeting this morning (Feb. 21) to discuss the use of face coverings and the board voted unanimously to begin optional masking next week.

The vote comes on the heels of Gov. Roy Cooper’s update last week, during which he discussed guidance from DHHS and on passage of Senate Bill 173.

“The district will continue to encourage students and staff to become vaccinated as well as participate in weekly COVID-19 testing provided by a partnership with Mako Labs,” according to a written statement from VCS.

“The Board of Education recognizes that COVID-19 is still present in the community and will continue to offer optional layers of protection for students and staff,” the statement continued.

Temperature checks will be optional and the district will maintain nurses in schools. Schools also will continue the increased cleaning protocols. Staff will continue to ask students to respect personal space and to bring reusable water bottles for the touchless water fountains.

At their scheduled work session held on Monday, Feb.21, the Granville County Board of Education voted unanimously to make masks optional, except as required by law, for students and staff effective February 28, 2022.

The Board heard a summary of recent action at the state level, including a recent report made by the Governor which encouraged all school districts to make masks optional by March 7, 2022.  In addition, Senate Bill 173 (the “Free the Smiles Act”) was passed by the General Assembly yesterday and sent to the governor.  If the governor signs the bill or lets it stand without a veto, then it will become law in no less than 10 days.  Finally, specifics of the newly updated NC Strong Schools Toolkit were also shared.

While masks will be optional in school beginning next Monday, there are some settings and instances where they will still be required. Currently, there is still a federal CDC order in place requiring masks for drivers and passengers on school buses.  Masks are also still required on days 6-10 for individuals after they have tested positive or have been identified as a close contact to someone with COVID-19.  These specific instances will be reviewed by our school nurses in consultation with the local health department.

Franklin County Schools has made the decision to make masks optional beginning immediately.