Tag Archive for: #vancecountyncnews

Mobile Dairy Classroom visits Southern Vance

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The Mobile Dairy Classroom from the Southland Dairy Farmers association, based in Texas, visited with Career and Technical Education students at Southern Vance High School during three class periods on September 20.

 

Courtney Bumgarner of the association, led each of the presentations to students. Her mobile classroom included a trailer, which is the “on the road” home for Clarice the Holstein cow, who is part of the presentations.

 

Bumgarner talked about the process of milking a cow, noting that most cows now are milked by machines with the process taking about eight minutes as opposed to 30 minutes when a person milks by hand.

 

She also shared with students the details of dairy production and the importance of dairy products and milk to our diet.

 

The mobile classroom is one of several across the United States provided through the farmers’ association. Bumgarner, who is based in Greensboro, visits schools across North Carolina. The Mobile Dairy Classroom makes presentations to students free of charge.

 

Dr. Laike Green, agriculture teacher at Southern Vance High School, arranged for the Mobile Dairy Classroom to visit at the school.

VGCC Trustees adopt budget for 2017-2018

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The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees adopted a budget of $32,324,089 for the new fiscal year at its bi-monthly meeting on Monday, Sept. 18, on the college’s Main Campus.

The trustees approved VGCC’s budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 on a recommendation from the Budget Committee of the board, chaired by Trustee Abdul Sm Rasheed.

On the Current Expense side of the budget, $19,552,255 comes from the State of North Carolina, $2,578,292 from the four counties served by the college, and $9,652,832 from institutional funds. In the Capital Outlay budget, $35,649 comes from the State, $502,442 from the counties, and $2,619 from institutional funds.

At the county level, Vance County is contributing $1,151,597 to the current operating funds; Granville, $752,184; Franklin, $369,168; and Warren, $225,625, with an additional $79,718 coming from institutional funds. Among capital improvement funds from the counties, Vance is contributing $41,220; Granville, $28,740; Franklin, $20,000; and Warren, $6,000. The county capital improvement funds also include one-time funding of $304,831 and a Main Campus fund balance of $101,651.

The 2017-2018 budget is allocated as follows: institutional support: $5,195,362; curriculum instruction: $10,001,433; continuing education: $2,690,176; academic support: $1,299,114; student support: $2,074,683; plant operations and maintenance: $2,015,066; proprietary/other: $2,499,903; student aid: $5,215,433; capital outlay, excluding capital improvements: $792,209; and capital improvement projects: $540,710.

Among institutional budget highlights, Steve Graham, VGCC’s vice president of finance and operations, noted that 47 VanGuarantee Scholarships were awarded in the total amount of $50,514 to qualified students during the 2016-2017 academic year, with a similar amount budgeted for the new year. The VanGuarantee program was made possible by a bequest from the estate of Wilbert Edwards of Oxford, with the aim of ensuring that every student residing in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, who wants to earn a college degree, will be able to do so. This scholarship program guarantees that student financial need, that is unmet by federal financial aid and other support, will be covered.

In other action:

  • The board’s Building Committee noted that the roof replacement project for Building 6 on Main Campus has been completed, and repairs to the parking lots at South Campus are done. The committee is preparing for future projects, including exterior masonry repairs and renovations and the replacement of heating and air systems and fire alarm systems at the Main Campus, and renovation of the Welding Technology lab at Franklin Campus, among various other capital needs.
  • The Curriculum Committee, chaired by Trustee Barbara Cates Harris, presented new appointments to the Advisory Committees for college programs for the 2017-2018 academic year.
  • Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., chair of the board’s Investment Committee, reported the college’s investments have grown by 7 percent since the beginning of the calendar year.
  • Trustee Sara Wester, chair of the board’s Personnel Committee, provided an informational report on new employees, retirements, resignations and changes in positions.
  • In her report to the board, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president, highlighted recent accomplishments and opportunities at the college.

Presiding over the meeting was Board of Trustees Chair Danny Wright.

The Board of Trustees will hold its next regular meeting on Nov. 20 at the Main Campus.

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City of Henderson reports Sewer Collection System Bypass

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The City of Henderson’s Sewer Collection System bypassed approximately 2,250 gallons of untreated waste water on September 18th, 2017 due to a blockage in the main. This occurred in the area just off of Fairway Drive and below the Fernwood subdivision. The overflow entered Redbud Creek. Crews worked to properly cleanup the overflow and minimize any negative effects to the stream.

North Carolina General Statutes article 21 chapter 143-215.1C requires a press release for all bypasses of 1,000 gallons or more that enter surface waters.

Questions concerning this matter should be directed to the Public Works ORC, Joey Long, Jr. at 252-226-4492 or Andy Perkinson at 252-431-0419.

Aycock Elementary School will host My School Color Run

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The students of Aycock Elementary School will host the inaugural community wide My School Color Run on Saturday, October 14th, 2017 at 10:00 am to raise money for their school. The My School Color Run is an un-timed fun run for all ages and fitness abilities.

Along the route, participants pass through vibrant color zones, making it a “colorful experience.” Additionally, each pre-registered participant is provided with a single powder color packet that will be thrown in the air at the final color celebration at the finish line. “Rather than sell goods, we want to engage the entire student body in a fitness initiative that aims to encourage a life-long healthy way of living,” says Aycock Elementary PTA. Participants that register by Friday, September 29th will receive a t-shirt, race bib, and individual color packet. You can sign up for the run by visiting AycockMSCR.eventbrite.com or by completing a paper registration form. Business sponsorship opportunities are also available. Please contact the event organizer for more information.

At A Glance WHAT: My School Color Run for Aycock Elementary School WHEN: Saturday, October 14th, 2017 at 10:00 am WHERE: Aycock Elementary School 305 Carey Chapel Rd., Henderson, NC 27537 REGISTER: AycockMSCR.eventbrite.com CONTACT: Aycock Elementary PTA – 252-492-1516

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City to discuss offer for First National Bank Building

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The Henderson City Council’s Land Planning Committee will meet on Wednesday, September 20, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. in the Large Conference Room, City Hall, 134 Rose Avenue.  The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss an offer to purchase 213 S. Garnett Street.  The public is welcome.

Esther J. McCrackin

City Clerk – City of Henderson, NC

134 Rose Avenue

P.O. Box 1434

Henderson, NC 27536

Tel: 252-430-5705

VGCC instructor graduates from leadership program

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Dr. Kambiz Tahmaseb, a Biology and Chemistry instructor at Vance-Granville Community College, recently graduated from the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program (NCCCLP). He is one of approximately 35 community college faculty and staff members from across the state who completed the program this year.

The six-month leadership program, which includes face-to-face instruction at various locations, provides preparation and training to develop future community college leaders. The program is highly experiential in nature, and, this year, participants worked in teams to address challenges at hypothetical community colleges. They became involved in every aspect of those colleges, from naming and branding to strategic planning.

In addition to strengthening their leadership skills, NCCCLP participants learn about the structure and governance of the community college system, enjoy opportunities for networking, and form a diverse pool of qualified educational leaders.

“The major lesson I learned from the program is that leadership is not about being the president of a college, or a company or a nation,” Dr. Tahmaseb said. “Leadership happens in every level of our lives. In the NCCCLP, I learned a lot about myself, and how I interact with others, both in my private life and professional life, and how those interactions affect how I may influence those individuals. The lessons I learned will help me as a husband, father, teacher and colleague.”

A resident of Durham, Tahmaseb earned bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Chemistry at Willamette University in Oregon and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science at Wright State University in Ohio. He was also a postdoctoral research associate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Tahmaseb joined the VGCC faculty in 2012 and has taught both face-to-face and online science courses, spending most of his time at the college’s South Campus near Creedmoor. He is also currently serving his second term as the elected vice president of external affairs for the North Carolina Community College Faculty Association.

The North Carolina Community College Leadership Program was created in 1989, under the auspices of the state chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, to provide an interdisciplinary approach to leadership training through professional development. Graduates have used the skills and connections gained from the program to be more successful leaders in all areas and at all levels in the North Carolina Community College System.

–VGCC–

Vance County Board of Education presented Gold Bell Award

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The Vance County Board of Education was presented with the Gold Bell Award from the N.C. School Boards Association (NCSBA) during the District 3 meeting for the organization in Chapel Hill on September 13.

The Gold Bell Award is a prestigious award presented by the NCSBA to boards after all of their members have successfully completed extensive training.

The local Board of Education members earned the award after each of the seven members completed 12 hours of training from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017.

The Gold Bell Award was presented during the district session held at Smith Middle School in Chapel Hill, and attended by representatives of 16 public school systems in the North Central Region of the state.

Members of the Vance County Board of Education who earned the award are Chairwoman Gloria J. White, Vice Chairwoman Darlynn Oxendine, Margaret Ellis, Dorothy Gooche, Ruth Hartness, Clementine Hunter and Edward Wilson.

VGCC to hold Bone Marrow registration events

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Vance-Granville Community College, in partnership with the Project Life Movement, is planning a three-day, three-campus bone marrow registration drive in October.

Members of the community are invited to join VGCC students, faculty and staff at one of the events being held on three of the college’s campuses: Tuesday, October 3, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the seminar room (G1131) on South Campus, located between Creedmoor and Butner; Wednesday, October 4, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the student center/lounge in Building 2 on Main Campus in Vance County; and Thursday, October 5, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the multi-purpose room on the Franklin County Campus near Louisburg. 

At each event, participants will have their cheek swabbed to provide DNA that will enter a growing bone marrow donor registry. The painless registration process takes only a few minutes, but could save a life if a participant turns out to be a match for someone in need of a bone marrow transplant. Such treatments are the only hope for many people diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and other blood cancers and diseases. Around 60 percent of those in need of a donation currently cannot find a donor match, according to Project Life, a national movement that started with students at Davidson College and has spread to more than 25 other schools. VGCC first held a college-wide bone marrow registration event with Project Life in the fall of 2015.

Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health to be on the bone marrow registry.

Taking the lead on this initiative at VGCC are students in the Radiography program.

For more information, contact Radiography Clinical Coordinator/instructor Stacey Soles at (252) 738-3515 or soless@vgcc.edu, or Ann Henegar at (704) 299-6310 or www.projectlifemovement.org.

Anyone who is unable to attend one of the VGCC events but wants to join the bone marrow registry can find more information at www.deletebloodcancer.org.

–VGCC–

Older Adults CAN Prevent a Fall

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Henderson, NC – The Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging, along with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and its Falls Free® Coalition, will be celebrating the 10th Annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day on September 22, 2017 (the first day of fall) by helping support balanced lifestyles.

“Older adults want to stay active, independent, and safe in their homes, but many worry about their risk of falling,” says Jillian Hardin, Director, Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging. “In fact, one in three Americans over the age of 65 falls every year. However, falling is not a normal part of aging. Falls can be prevented.”

Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging is supporting the 2017 theme, 10 Years Standing Together to Prevent Falls, by educating older adults on simple steps that can be taken to prevent falls and fall related injuries.  Two free eight week workshops on falls prevention are scheduled; one at the North Granville Senior Center in Stovall on Tuesdays from September 12 – October 31 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and the second class scheduled for October 18 – December 6 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Warren County Senior Center in Warrenton.

The program, called A Matter of Balance, is designed to help older adults to overcome the fear and help prevent falls. Participants learn physical activities to strengthen muscles, increase social activity, safety hazards to prevent falls, problem solving and goal setting.

To find more falls prevention resources, go to ncoa.org/FallsPrevention. The official social media hashtag for this year’s event is #FPAD2017.

The Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging leads and is involved in the efforts that provide for the development and enhancement of comprehensive and coordinated community based systems of services, opportunities, and protections for older adults which assist them in leading independent, meaningful and dignified lives in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. We serve five counties, Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren.

The Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging Celebrates National Falls Prevention Awareness Day by Supporting Balanced Lifestyles.

VGCC invites community to Manufacturing Day

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Vance-Granville Community College will hold a “Manufacturing Day” celebration on Thursday, Oct. 5, from 8:30 to 11:15 a.m. and 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Job seekers and students are invited to attend and to learn more about manufacturing and related careers.

Local manufacturers and equipment vendors will provide demonstrations and information highlighting their products and their employment opportunities. Attendees will learn about career options in the region’s industries and the technical skills required to succeed in such careers.

Participants are set to include Altec of Creedmoor, Boise Cascade of Roxboro, Glen Raven of Norlina, Mars Petcare of Henderson, CertainTeed of Oxford and Carolina Sunrock of Butner, among others.

Representatives of VGCC technical programs, including those that provide education and training related to advanced manufacturing, will also be on hand. These include curriculum programs in Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Technology, Automotive Systems Technology, Electronics Engineering Technology, Mechatronics Engineering Technology and Welding Technology. VGCC’s Admissions and Financial Aid departments will also have representatives there. Attendees will also be able to learn about the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program (NCTAP), a four-year program that leads to a student obtaining an associate degree at a community college and paid, on-the-job training at a participating employer.

Event organizers hope to develop a pipeline of highly trained and skilled employees. “VGCC and industry partners are working together to address the skills gap, connect with future generations, and educate them about the outstanding opportunities that manufacturing careers can provide,” said Ken Wilson, project manager for the TechHire grant at VGCC, which supports advanced manufacturing training and information technology training.

The VGCC event is one of many across the country celebrating National Manufacturing Day (also known as “MFG Day”). The annual observance was established by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the Manufacturing Institute (MI), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).

For more information, contact VGCC Academic & Career Coach Tiffani Polk at polkt@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3291.