Tag Archive for: #vancecountyschools

Vance Co. Middle School Teacher Selected to Attend Energy Literacy Fellows Program

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Pamela Perry, a member of the faculty at Vance County Middle School, has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2019 Energy Literacy Fellows Program for this year through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute for the Environment.

Perry begins her participation in this statewide program with fellow educators in early March. As an Energy Literacy Fellow, she will receive benefits including:

  • access to current science content related to emerging energy issues and technologies
  • resources to support classroom integration of content
  • over $250 worth of instructional materials to support hands-on STEM investigations
  • access to a peer learning network including 2017 and 2018 Fellows
  • credit towards CEUs and the N.C. EE Certification Program
  • support for sharing energy-related STEM instructional strategies and successes with other teaching professionals at the district, regional, state and national levels

Perry will be able to participate in lots of on-site professional development sessions and several virtual sessions with educational colleagues across the state.

“I’m so excited to be chosen to participate in this program,” said Perry, who will be among the third cohort for the Fellows Program. “I see this as a great opportunity to use my training as a teacher in science and math to network with other educators and to bring back strategies and practices that will benefit both my students and my colleagues. Since we have our zSpace and MakerSpace labs here at the school, I think this experience will be a wonderful way to learn more about how we can use these innovations in our everyday instruction.”

Pamela Perry, a member of the faculty at Vance County Middle School, has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2019 Energy Literacy Fellows Program for this year through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute for the Environment. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Vance Co. Schools Hosts Edcamp Vance; 200 Educators in Attendance

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Approximately 200 educators attended Edcamp Vance on Saturday, February 23, to share their expertise, successful strategies and ideas about public education in our society today.

The event, the second Edcamp hosted by Vance County Schools, was held throughout the morning at AdVance Academy in Henderson.

Educators came together to network and learn from one another in an effort to celebrate their profession and move forward with positive momentum for the remainder of the 2018-2019 school year and beyond.

Educators crowd into the cafeteria at AdVance Academy to begin their participation in Edcamp Vance. (Photo Credit: VCS)

Vance County High School Vipers band members and cheerleaders, along with the cheerleaders from Vance County Middle School, welcomed all of the educators as they arrived for the event. The opening of Edcamp was lively and very energized as participants had fun posing in front of a photo board, even putting on crazy hats, sunglasses, pure contact lenses, scarves and more after they arrived and then greeting their colleagues with lots of smiles and hugs.

Edcamp Vance drew educators from across our region of the state, but the largest contingency by far was from Vance County Schools.

Superintendent Anthony Jackson was on hand to welcome everyone and to challenge all of the educators to teach all children as if they are their own and to disrupt the educational process every day to bring out the best in their students.

Assistant superintendents Dr. Trixie Brooks and Dr. Cindy Bennett also attended, as did most of our district principals and assistant principals. Classroom teachers made up the majority of the participants, but there were also lots of support staff in attendance. Everyone came together based on their strong commitment for students and public education.

AdVance Academy, led by Principal Stephanie Ayscue, was a wonderful host site for Edcamp. The planning committee for the event, which included several educational leaders from Vance County Schools, did an absolutely marvelous job in planning details of the event and making all participants feel welcomed and a huge part of the proceedings.

Educators attended some very powerful collaborative sessions, during which everyone had the opportunity to make the most of the experience and share their opinions and expertise on the educational process. At the end of the day, educators stressed that they thoroughly enjoyed being with their colleagues and learning from one another.

Superintendent Anthony Jackson of Vance County Schools, welcomes everyone to Edcamp Vance. (Photo Credit: VCS)

Angela Cusaac, Vance County Schools Teacher of the Year, left, and Principal Stephanie Ayscue of AdVance Academy, were two of the members of the Edcamp Planning Committee. (Photo Credit: VCS)

Vance County High School

Vance Co. High School to Operate on Early Start Calendar for 2019-2020

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-Information courtesy the Vance County School’s Facebook page

With the Vance County Board of Education’s earlier approval of a restart plan for Vance County High School, the school will operate on an early start calendar for the 2019-2020 school year.

VCHS will follow the same calendar as Early College High for the upcoming school year with classes beginning in early August.

School system officials are seeking input now from parents, students and employees on the proposed calendar for both schools, which has Monday, August 5, as the first day of classes. The proposed calendar also stipulates that first semester exams will occur prior to the Christmas break. The last day of classes in the proposed calendar is Thursday, May 21.

The Board of Education is expected to review and approve the proposed calendar, as well as calendars for all traditional schools and E.M. Rollins Elementary, at its March 11 meeting.

Vance County Schools 02/18/19

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Vance Co. Schools Recognizes Student Spotlight Recipients

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-Information courtesy Vance County Schools’ Facebook page

Eight students who have been selected as Student Spotlight award recipients were honored on Monday, February 11, 2019, at the Vance County Board of Education meeting.

Nancy Wykle, publisher of The Daily Dispatch, presented each recipient with a framed certificate.

Honored were: Marisol Hernandez of E.M. Rollins Elementary; Nashanti Richardson of Early College High; Roland Chavez Galindo of Carver Elementary; Randy Palacios of AdVance Academy; Ruby Zuniga Trejo of STEM Early High; Andrew Chiem of Dabney Elementary; Chloe Hightower (not pictured) of Clarke Elementary; and Anderson Boyd of Aycock Elementary.

Superintendent Anthony Jackson and Board Chairwoman Dorothy Gooche congratulated each recipient.

The students are nominated by their teachers, principals and fellow students.

They received the award based on their outstanding character, compassion and caring for others and their strong commitment to making the most of their educational opportunities.

Eight Student Spotlight award recipients were honored on Monday, February 11, 2019, at the Vance County Board of Education meeting. Honored were: Marisol Hernandez of E.M. Rollins Elementary; Nashanti Richardson of Early College High; Roland Chavez Galindo of Carver Elementary; Randy Palacios of AdVance Academy; Ruby Zuniga Trejo of STEM Early High; Andrew Chiem of Dabney Elementary; Chloe Hightower (not pictured) of Clarke Elementary; and Anderson Boyd of Aycock Elementary. (Photo Courtesy Vance Co. Schools)

Bundy Appointed Chief Finance Officer for Vance County Schools

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Michael Bundy has been appointed as the new chief officer for Finance and Business Operations for Vance County Schools. Members of the Vance County Board of Education approved his appointment at their regular monthly meeting this evening.

Bundy is joining Vance County Schools after serving since September of 2015 as the finance officer for Moore County Schools in Pinehurst.

“It will be an honor and privilege to serve the students, staff and community of Vance County Schools,” Bundy said. “It is rewarding to know that I will have a small part in the success of students in their journey to achieve their goals of a bright future.”

Michael Bundy has been appointed as the new chief officer for Finance and Business Operations for Vance County Schools. Bundy is joining Vance County Schools after serving since September of 2015 as the finance officer for Moore County Schools in Pinehurst.

Bundy has held finance positions at the state level. Prior to serving in Moore County Schools, he served in the finance department in the Cumberland County School System. He also is a former president of the N.C. Association of School Business Officers and is highly regarded and recognized as one of the best finance officers in the state.

“Mr. Bundy is imminently qualified and brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the areas of school finance, accounting and auditing to us,” said Dr. Anthony Jackson, superintendent of Vance County Schools.

“We are indeed fortunate to get someone with Mr. Bundy’s background, experience and of his caliber,” Jackson added. “I am confident that he will lead our finance team to the next level of excellence and will enable us to stay on our positive trajectory organizationally and financially.”

He is a certified public accountant and a certified school business officer. He received his bachelor of science degree in accounting from Wingate University and his master’s of business administration degree from Campbell University.

Bundy will officially begin his employment with Vance County Schools on April 1.

He succeeds Jennifer Bennett, who has taken the finance leadership position with Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools.

Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson Talks School System, First Year of Consolidation

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Dr. Anthony Jackson, superintendent of Vance County Schools, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss what is currently happening in the local school system, including an update on the middle and high school consolidation process.

According to Jackson, the school system is now in the beginning stages of rewriting the district’s strategic plan for the next five academic years. The plan will have input from community stakeholders including parents, teachers, students, the Vance County Board of Education and local leaders.

The new plan is sure to include strategies for increasing student access to the latest technology, a goal that is currently being met with the recently opened “Vance Virtual Labs” or “V2” laboratories housed at Vance County Middle School and Vance County High School.

The laboratories, located in the schools’ media centers, feature approximately 24 digital learning stations for students to engage in interactive three-dimensional instruction using special computer software applications in subject areas including science, health and geography.

Jackson said teachers are participating in on-going lab training sessions; full implementation is expected in the next few months.

The current 2018-2019 school year marks the first year of a consolidation process that saw Eaton Johnson and Henderson middle schools combine to form Vance County Middle School and Northern Vance and Southern Vance high schools combine to form Vance County High School.

“We told the community that it was going to be a three-year process; the hardest phase is year one,” said Jackson. “Now that we are in the buildings, we are trying to figure out all the little quirks and small things that we need to do to make our programs work fully.”

While the first year of the process has presented some challenges, Jackson said he has been pleasantly surprised at just how smoothly things have progressed.

“We’ve had very few bumps in the road as we’ve pulled these things together. Our students deserve a good, supportive school in their community and I believe we’ve created two.”

Students winning a video competition, athletic teams performing well and outstanding teacher recognition – all at the state level – are tangible outcomes that point to the success of the consolidation, according to Jackson.

Areas that will play prominently into the second and third year of the consolidation process include maintaining facilities, focusing on additional safety measures, increasing student access to programming and addressing capital needs such as parking lot maintenance.

In addressing the talk of the “savings” created by the consolidation, Jackson clarified that money formerly used for heating, cooling and providing energy to areas not in use will now be better spent in programming and learning opportunities for students.

Jackson reported that the school system has already seen an estimated $40,000 – $50,000 savings in utility costs from the former Eaton Johnson and Henderson middle schools, and expects to see even more savings when the school system completely vacates those premises.

When asked about the future use of the buildings, including reports of the County’s interest in purchasing the Eaton Johnson building to house the Department of Social Services, Jackson said he was not currently at liberty to discuss such plans.

“I will say there is tremendous support to make sure the facilities are used to benefit the community.”

While a declining number of students attending Vance County public schools led, in part, to the consolidation decision, Jackson said enrollment numbers are now leveling out.

Explaining that the school system receives federal, state and local funding based on the number of pupils each year, Jackson said that a portion of that per-pupil amount goes with students when they attend a charter school.

“It’s always a moving target. If we gain kids, we get money; if we lose kids, we lose money.”

In this regard, Jackson said it is in the school system’s benefit to find ways to attract parents and families to select Vance County Schools as their educational partner.

“We are working to develop programs that parents want and a school system that we can be proud of. When parents make that choice, we want to be considered in the conversation.”

To hear the interview with Dr. Jackson in its entirety, please click here.

Vance County Schools 02/04/19

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First United Methodist Church Receives Shining Moment in Education Award

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools has named First United Methodist Church of Henderson as its most outstanding business partner for the 2018-2019 school year and the recipient of the school system’s Shining Moment in Education Award.

This is the 17th year the school system has presented the award.

Additional nominees this year for the award were Clearview Baptist Church, I Believe God Outreach Church, Henderson Toyota and South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church.

The church received the award based on its multi-faceted partnership with Pinkston Street Elementary School and Dabney Elementary School.

Jack Richardson, a leader of the church and valuable school volunteer, accepted the award during the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet on January 31, in the Civic Center at Vance-Granville Community College. Presenting the crystal award on behalf of the school system were Dorothy Gooche, chairwoman of the Vance County Board of Education, Principal Jacqueline Batchelor-Crosson of Pinkston Street Elementary School, and Principal Michael Putney of Dabney Elementary School.

Shown, from left, following the Shining Moment in Education Award presentation are Dorothy Gooche, chairwoman of the Vance County Board of Education; Principal Jacqueline Batchelor-Crosson of Pinkston Street Elementary School; Jack Richardson of First United Methodist Church; and Principal Michael Putney of Dabney Elementary School. (Photo Credit: Vance County Schools)

First United Methodist Church has continued an amazing partnership each school year with Pinkston Street and Dabney elementary schools for more than 10 years.

Each year, church members volunteer in the two schools as mentors and tutors for students, Lunch Buddies, classroom helpers and Prayer Partners for staff members. The church also supplies on a weekly basis nonperishable food items for the Backpack Buddies program so that students can take the food items home over weekends and holiday breaks to have something to eat while they are away from school.

Church members do even more by adopting families at Christmas who otherwise would go without gifts and needed food. The church supports families in the schools who may need warm clothing during the cold weather months with new pairs of shoes or new student uniforms.

The congregation’s support meets a wide range of needs including providing appreciation meals for staff members at Dabney and Pinkston Street during the year. Their efforts truly make the school’s staff members feel supported and appreciated!

First United Methodist Church is the first repeat winner of this prestigious award. The church first won the Shining Moment award as the school system’s top business partner for the 2008-2009 school year.

Vance County Schools 01/28/19

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