Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

Annual ‘Cops on Top’ Event to Raise Money for Special Olympics of NC

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy, Lt. Jessica West, Henderson Police Department

Chick-fil-A of Henderson, the Henderson Police Department, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, WIZS 1450AM/100.1 FM and other community organizations will once again team up for the annual “Cops on Top” Fundraiser for the Special Olympics of NC.

The event will be held at Chick-fil-A of Henderson on Thursday, September 5, 2019, from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. The all-day event raised $2,291 for Special Olympics last year, surpassing the goal fundraiser organizers previously set of $2,000.

A bouncy house and face painting will be provided by BoHo the Clown with Character Antics.

Guest appearances by Sparky the Dog and Muddy the Mudcat are scheduled from 3:30 until 4:30 p.m.

All money raised will go directly to Special Olympics of NC.

VCS: Traditional Calendar Schools to Hold Open House Aug. 22

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-Information courtesy Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools will hold Open House sessions for schools on the traditional calendar on Thursday, August 22, 2019.

Vance County Middle School’s Open House will be held from 3 until 7 p.m.; all other traditional schools will be held from 2 until 7 p.m.

All students who attend Vance County Middle School, AdVance Academy, STEM Early High School and all Vance County elementary schools except E.M. Rollins will begin school on Monday, August 26, 2019.

All parents and students are invited to attend open house events.

Note:

E.M. Rollins Elementary School, Vance County Early College and Vance County High School began school on Monday, August 5, 2019.

Vance Co. Board of Education Approves Strategic Plan – FORWARD TOGETHER 2025

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

After a full calendar year of staff and stakeholder engagement, the Vance County Board of Education at its regular monthly meeting approved the district strategic plan, FORWARD TOGETHER 2025, which redefines the mission, vision and goals that will guide the work of the district through the year 2025.

The plan includes input from the Board of Education members, parents, students, staff, administrators and school supporters and represents a consensus of over 500 individual voices that engaged in this process.

The FORWARD TOGETHER 2025 plan asks stakeholders to “Reform,” “Re-imagine,” “Rethink” and “Renew” what they believe, think, and do every day in classrooms across the district. The FORWARD TOGETHER 2025 plan is a call to action for our community to critically evaluate daily instructional and operational practices and ensure that all are aligned to provide excellent instruction in the classroom and high student achievement as our outcome.

Included in the FORWARD TOGETHER 2025 Strategic Plan is the approved Vision and Mission Statement. The new Vision Statement is, “To provide an adaptable educational setting where learning is a catalyst to the pursuit of dreams in an evolving society.”

The board also approved the new Mission Statement which reads, “Vance County Schools is committed to providing broad experiences and opportunities to students that enable them to compete globally.”

Over the next five years, district staff will work collaboratively with the board of education, schools and other key stakeholders to implement the FORWARD TOGETHER 2025 plan district-wide. Annually, the board of education will formally evaluate the district’s progress towards meeting the five strategic priorities and their corresponding objectives, and this information will be shared publicly with the community.

Priorities identified in the FORWARD TOGETHER 2025 include improving our progress in areas associated with school performance grades earned by each school, improving discipline and civility in our schools, increasing staff retention, implementation of innovative practices and engaging the community to reach parents and attract students.

The FORWARD TOGETHER 2025 plan will allow both our internal and external stakeholder a means by which to hold us accountable for making progress on each of our stated priorities over the next five years against baseline performance data.

The overarching theme of FORWARD TOGETHER 2025 is to ensure that every student has ample opportunity to reach his/her full potential while pursuing their personalized pathway to graduation and their high school diploma.

The redesign of the district’s instructional model in the FORWARD TOGETHER 2025 plan outlines a focus on providing authentic experiences, modern learning environments, a learner-centered culture and modern curriculum.

By integrating these key change levers into our delivery of instruction, Vance County Schools firmly believes that FORWARD TOGETHER 2025 will allow us to become that true catalyst for student success and future prosperity that every student needs and deserves.

VGCC Grad Pursues NCSU Degree Through New Partnership  

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Ethan Cole starts his first semester as a full-time student at North Carolina State University on August 21, making history as a pioneer in a partnership between NCSU and his former school, Vance-Granville Community College.

Cole, who hails from Kittrell, enrolled at VGCC after graduating from Franklin Academy High School in 2017. The next year, VGCC joined N.C. State’s Community College Collaboration, or “C3,” program, and Cole was among the first to sign up. Essentially, that meant he would apply for dual-enrollment and then be guaranteed admission to NCSU to earn a baccalaureate degree, once he had completed an associate degree at VGCC while maintaining good grades.

Ethan Cole (pictured here) starts his first semester as a full-time student at North Carolina State University on August 21, making history as a pioneer in a partnership between NCSU and his former school, Vance-Granville Community College. (VGCC photo)

For Cole, it was an ideal way to pursue a longtime dream. “I already knew I wanted to go to N.C. State when I first enrolled at Vance-Granville,” he said. “I’ve had that goal for many years. My dad went there, we’re Wolfpack fans in my family, and I knew it was a good school for things like business and engineering.”

The new C3 program presented Cole with a chance to get “a foot in the door to the university,” he said. “Not a whole lot of people knew about it at the time, but it seemed like a good avenue to go down, so I went for it.”

Cole completed what he recalled as a straightforward NCSU application process, was accepted, and met with Martha Harmening, the C3 director from the university, for advising. She came to the VGCC campus, so Cole did not even have to drive to Raleigh.

“She helped me to know the right classes for my major,” Cole said. “I told her that, initially, I had been thinking I would study business administration after transferring from VGCC to N.C. State, but then I started thinking about moving to engineering, particularly mechanical engineering. She explained the criteria and the classes I needed to be accepted specifically into the engineering program.”

By enrolling in C3, Cole was technically an NCSU student, even though he was taking VGCC classes. Getting into the competitive engineering program was never guaranteed, however.

After graduating from Vance-Granville with an Associate in Science earlier this year, Cole took a single chemistry class at another community college in order to become eligible for his chosen major. “I’ve now been accepted into the engineering program,” he said. “I am particularly interested in engineering on the automotive side, developing newer, more efficient vehicles.”

With his VGCC credits in hand, Cole is scheduled to graduate from the university in 2022, for a total of five years in higher education.

He feels that the community college has prepared him well for the next level. “One of the best things VGCC has is the atmosphere of being around other students who are focused and trying to do their best, and that keeps you focused, too,” Cole reflected. “Also, the teachers are down to earth and give extra time and attention to their students.”

Cole excelled as a student, earning Presidential Scholar Award-level endowed academic scholarships, making the Dean’s List and working as a peer tutor at the VGCC Academic Skills Center.

Now, he is looking forward to new experiences at N.C. State, continuing to learn and preparing to start a career.

“The C3 program helps students to transfer and to have a guaranteed spot at N.C. State,” Cole said. “I would recommend it to people who want to get a four-year degree, especially if they are still searching for what they want to major in because it gives you some security and another option.”

Students who may apply for C3 include graduating high school seniors as well as current community college students who have completed less than 30 credit hours of college work.

For more information, contact VGCC’s Admissions Office at (252) 738-3234 or click here for additional details on the C3 program.

Fourth Annual P.U.L.L. Event to Feature Games, Fun & Free Haircuts!

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-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center

Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks announces the fourth annual Henderson – Vance P.U.L.L. (Peace, Unity, Love, Live) event Wednesday, August 21 – Sunday, August 25, 2019.

The five-day event features free haircuts for school-age kids at participating businesses, a basketball tournament at the former Henderson Middle School gym, a softball game at Aycock Rec. Complex and a community festival and cookout at Chestnut Street Park.

Please see the flyer below for additional information, including locations, dates and times.

For more information, please contact Greg Kelly at 252.431.6099 or gkelly@ci.henderson@ci.henderson.nc.us.

Vance County Logo

Town Talk 08/13/19: What You Need to Know About NC’s Medicaid Transformation

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Vance County Department of Social Services’ Denita DeVega, director, and Goldie Davis, program administrator of economic services, were on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss changes to Medicaid requirements.

As part of the first phase of the Medicaid Transformation, Vance County recipients must enroll in one of four State-approved health plans and select a primary care physician by Friday, September 13, 2019.

“The process for being eligible for Medicaid and maintaining Medicaid remains the same,” Davis said. “You will still go to your local DSS to apply for Medicaid, benefits will still be maintained at your local DSS and your questions can still be answered at DSS.”

Changes to Medicaid requirements will take effect on November 1, 2019.

Medicaid recipients who have not selected a health care plan by the September 13 deadline will have one chosen for them by the State, Davis reported.

According to a recent press release from DSS, a health plan – through Medicaid – is a group of doctors, hospitals and other providers that will work together to provide healthcare to meet collective needs. The goal is for every medical service – physical health, mental health and medicine – to come through the same healthcare plan.

A primary care provider (PCP) should also be selected to assist with health care needs, which could be in the form of a family doctor, clinic or other health care provider.

Recipients who already have a primary care provider may keep the one they have or choose a new one.

“Ideally, what the State wants is for all of the physicians that are currently enrolled and contracted with Medicaid to be enrolled and contracted with all four plans,” Davis explained. “This will give the recipients the liberty to continue with the same primary care physician regardless of which health plan they choose.”

DeVega announced that a series of informational sessions have been scheduled to guide local recipients through the requirements.

These sessions will be held at Vance Co. Department of Social Services at 350 Ruin Creek Rd in Henderson and are scheduled for Monday, August 26, from 9 – 11 a.m. and 2 – 4 p.m., and Tuesday, August 27 from 9 – 11 a.m. and 2 – 4 p.m.

It is recommended that those who are senior citizens bring a trusted family member or friend to assist in the selection process.

If unable to attend the information sessions, an outreach specialist is available for assistance at Vance Co. DSS from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Assistance will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

For a list of doctors for each health plan, or to enroll, visit ncmedicaidplans.gov, use the NC Medicaid Managed Care mobile app or call 1-833-870-5500. A language line is also available.

For eligibility information or with questions about Medicaid’s new requirements, contact Cathy Hope, 252-492-5001 x 3221, Shelonda Boyd, 252-492-5001 x 3266, Shalonda Daye, 252-492-5001 x 3204, or Vance County Department of Social Services, at 252-492-5001.

To hear the Vance Co. DSS interview in its entirety, including an introduction of new director DeVega, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

New Principal Named at STEM Early High School

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-Information courtesy Vance County Schools

The Vance County Board of Education approved Gradesa Lockhart as Principal of Vance County’s STEM Early High Middle School. The approval came during Monday night’s board meeting.

Superintendent, Dr. Anthony Jackson, said “Ms. Lockhart clearly distinguished herself as the best and most prepared candidate for STEM. [She] is an experienced principal, serving most recently [at] the Bluford STEM Academy in Guilford County.”

Ms. Lockhart comes to Vance County with 15 years of administrative experience in different schools within North Carolina and was instrumental in transforming Bluford into a STEM magnet school. Prior to that, she served as a teacher for a little over seven years.

Gradesa Lockhart received her Master’s in School Administration from North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro. Her bachelor’s degree in Middle School Math and Science was earned at North Carolina Central University in Durham. Ms. Lockhart is also currently in pursuit of her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership.

Ms. Lockhart’s first day is Wednesday, August 14.

Vance County NC

Public Safety Committee to Discuss Emergency Operations, Fire Redistricting

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-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Executive Assistant/Clerk to Board, Vance County Board of Commissioners

Please be informed that Vance County’s Public Safety Committee (Brummitt, Faines, Wilder) is scheduled to meet Tuesday, August 27, 2019, at 3:45 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Room of the Vance County Administration Building located at 122 Young Street in Henderson.

Topics to be discussed include:

– Emergency Operations Plan Update

– Fire Redistricting

Fox Pond’s ‘Fireworks in the Park’ to Light Up the Night August 31

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-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center

The Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department presents Fireworks in the Park! This FREE event will be held at Fox Pond Park on Saturday, August 31, 2019 (rain date Sunday, September 1).

Fox Pond Park will close for regular park activities at 7 p.m. that evening.

Shuttling from Aycock Recreation Center will begin at 7 p.m. and the fireworks show will begin in the park at 9 p.m. No parking will be allowed at Fox Pond Park.

Fox Pond is located at 467 Vicksboro Rd in Henderson. Aycock Recreation Center, the site for all event parking, is located at 307 Carey Chapel Rd in Henderson.

For more information, please contact Tara Goolsby at (252) 438-3948 or email tgoolsby@ci.henderson.nc.us.

One of VGCC’s Earliest Graduates Establishes Scholarships

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Almost half a century after he enrolled at the school that is now Vance-Granville Community College, Steve McRavin is giving back by establishing a pair of scholarships for today’s students.

Along with his wife, Patti, McRavin recently created annual scholarships through the VGCC Endowment Fund in memory of several of his family members.

Steve McRavin graduated VGCC with his vocational diploma in Automotive Mechanics on August 22, 1971 – the college’s first graduating class for curriculum programs. (Photo courtesy VGCC)

The Allen and Margaret Jones/Lucy Jones Allen Scholarship in Nursing is named for his grandparents and his eldest aunt, Lucy, who was a nurse. In awarding this scholarship, preference will be given to second-year Associate Degree Nursing students and students who are single parents.

Meanwhile, the Howard and Thelma “Kitty” McRavin Memorial Scholarship in Automotive honors the memory of his parents. VGCC will prioritize students in the Automotive Systems Technology, the current name for the program from which McRavin graduated, for this scholarship. In both cases, other eligibility requirements will apply.

Steve McRavin grew up on a small farm in Williamsboro, and took automotive classes at Vance County High School. Upon graduating from high school in 1970, young Steve wanted to continue learning and was excited to learn that the new Vance County Technical Institute would soon start offering automotive mechanics as one of its very first curriculum programs.

That summer, McRavin worked for a local construction company. “By coincidence, one of the jobs I worked on was helping to build the automotive and welding shop at Vance County Technical Institute,” he said. “I knew then for certain that the automotive program was going to be a reality! I got to meet Dr. Greene [the school’s first chief academic officer] when he would come out and look at the progress on the buildings, and I told him I would be enrolling that fall.”

Taking classes on that original campus – the former Maria Parham Hospital building – McRavin studied under the head of the new automotive program, the late Thomas Welch, whom he describes as “a great man.”

McRavin graduated with his vocational diploma in Automotive Mechanics on August 22, 1971, in the school’s first graduating class for curriculum programs. He then worked at the local Firestone until he was drafted in 1972 into the United States Army. He served in military intelligence for the next two decades, much of that time stationed in West Germany.

McRavin continued his education while in the service, obtaining an associate’s degree in automotive technology and a bachelor’s degree in workforce education/development because he knew he wanted to work in education in some way after his military career ended.

He retired at the rank of First Sergeant in 1992 and started working at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Washington.

Steve McCravin (right) and Patti McCravin (center) receive the President’s Lifetime Circle recognition as part of the South Pudget Sound Foundation. (Photo courtesy VGCC)

Even after all those years, McRavin credited the inspiration for his new career to Mr. Welch. Starting as a lab technician for the SPSCC automotive department, McRavin served in a variety of roles: teaching automotive classes, advising students, and overseeing recruiting. He retired from the college as a full-time administrator but continues to teach there part-time.

McRavin said the new VGCC scholarships are his way of giving back to a school and a community that had helped him. The local community still includes a number of his relatives, and he has returned to visit from time to time. Describing himself as a “country boy from Vance County,” McRavin also wants to inspire today’s youth to take advantage of educational opportunities, as he did. “It’s not where you start – it’s where you end up,” he said. “You never know where you’re going to go.”

He is also not the only member of his family to benefit from the college. “One of my daughters, Gillian McRavin Johnson, graduated in 1991 from the VGCC Associate Degree Nursing program,” McRavin said. “She raves about the program at Vance-Granville to this day.” Currently a registered nurse in the state of Washington, Johnson is working on becoming a Nurse Practitioner.

McRavin’s wife, Patti, has also worked in higher education and non-profit community groups during her career.

Currently residing in Spanaway, Washington, the McRavins said that they both have a passion for higher education, because education changed the course of their lives. They have also established scholarships at South Puget Sound Community College.

“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vance-Granville Community College, it is extremely gratifying that one of our first alumni, and someone who literally helped build the foundation of our institution, has reached out from across the country to pay forward what he received,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, VGCC’s president. “We appreciate Steve and Patti’s service to education and their generous support of our students.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,400 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call (252) 738-3409.