Tag Archive for: #vancecountyschools

Vance Co. Schools: ‘We Promise to Do What is Necessary’ to Provide Lunch/Breakfast

/by

Per Terri Hedrick, Public Information Officer for Vance County Schools:

Right now, Vance County Schools has one-and-a-half months of funding reserves to support our School Nutrition Program if there is no funding available through the USDA.

At least 75 to 80 percent of our students throughout the Vance County school district eat lunch each day. The number can fluctuate, because some students bring their lunch some days and students are absent, etc. For our breakfasts, approximately 60 percent of students district-wide eat each day. Again, this number can fluctuate some from day to day.

We can promise our community that we will do what is necessary to provide breakfast and lunch each day in school to all students. We’re continually assessing our situation to stay on top of the funding limitations during the shutdown. We know we are okay with food reserves and available funding through March. Beyond that, no one, including other counties, knows what might happen. We’re in uncharted territory with this shutdown. No previous shutdown has ever lasted this long.

Currently, we have no issues with breakfast or lunch for students in our schools. Things are progressing smoothly. The only change being made starting Tuesday, January 22, 2019, is that students won’t have a choice of two entrees (meats) for their lunches. There will be no ice cream as this is considered an extra menu item.

Please understand the steps we are taking are precautionary to ensure we stretch our food supplies and funding as much as possible.

– Terri Hedrick, Public Information Officer
Vance County Schools

Vance Co. Schools Announces Pre-Kindergarten Site Selection Process Now Open

/by

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

The N.C. Pre-Kindergarten Site Selection process is now open.

N.C. Pre-Kindergarten Site Selection applications are due on April 11, 2019, at 4:30 p.m. from local child care centers, preschools and day care centers.

The applications should be sent to the Vance County Schools, Federal Programs Office at 1724 Graham Avenue in Henderson. The mailing address is P.O. Box 7001, Henderson, N.C. 27536.

The contact person with Vance County Schools is Claudette Scales, pre-kindergarten coordinator. She may be reached by phone at 252-492-2127 and by e-mail at cscales@vcs.k12.nc.us.

The site application is available online at www.vcs.k12.nc.us and www.ncchildcare.nc.gov.

Site selection approval does not guarantee selection as an N.C. pre-kindergarten site.

Vance Co. Schools Addresses Meal Changes During Govt. Shutdown

/by

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools was first notified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on January 4 that the federal government shutdown would affect funds for our school system’s School Nutrition Program.

School system officials subsequently were notified on January 7 by the N.C. State Department of Agriculture that food shipments were only guaranteed to our schools through March. On January 12, the USDA notified school districts that federal funds are only available through March.

Understanding our limited resources (cash reserves), we began planning for the long-term impact on our food service program should the federal shutdown continue. We made the decision to alter our food options to conserve funds as long as possible.

The Vance County Schools child nutrition program is funded through reimbursement by the Federal Government. A total of 95 percent of our program’s budget is provided through these federal monies. Federal reimbursements for student meals are usually received in our district 30 days after the meals are served.

Our school system has one-and-a-half months of funding reserves on hand to support our child nutrition program once funding is no longer available through the USDA. We recognize that we must plan to make the most of our resources and that we have a responsibility to meet the needs of our children. Our priority is ensuring our students receive breakfast and lunch every day and that continues to be the priority of our school system.

We are committed to providing breakfasts and lunches each day to all of our students.

We will continue to assess our school nutrition services on a regular basis as the shutdown continues.

Vance County High School

VCHS to Hold Information Session for Freshmen & Their Parents

/by

A “Parent University – Class of 2022” information session is planned for ninth graders and their parents at Vance County High School on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. The school is located at 925 Garrett Rd. in Henderson.

Students and parents may choose to attend a session at either 9:30 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. that day.

Valuable information including deciphering semester report cards, understanding high school transcripts and what to know for next semester’s registration will be shared. Students and parents should plan to attend!

Please contact Mr. Markoch with questions at (252) 739-7110 or email amarkoch@vcs.k12.nc.us.

Govt. Shutdown Prompts Vance Co. Schools to Reduce Lunch Menu Offerings

/by

-Information courtesy the Vance County Schools’ Facebook page

Due to the Federal Government Shutdown, lunch menus in Vance County Schools have been revised to a minimum level to conserve food and funding.

Starting the week of January 21, minimum level means: one main dish, bread, two vegetables, one fruit and milk.

No fresh produce will be included, except at elementary schools as part of the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program. This program will be decreased to two days each week.

No bottled drinks (water and juice) will be available after the current inventory in stock is used. No ice cream will be available.

The Vance County Schools Nutrition Program for students is self-supporting with federal funds providing meals.

We hope that normal lunch menus can be resumed as soon as possible once the shutdown has ended.

Vance County Schools 01/07/19

/by

Bus Driver Training for Vance Co. Schools to be Held in January

/by

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools will be hosting school bus driver training classes Tuesday, January 15, through Thursday, January 17, 2019, in Room I-103 at Vance County Middle School from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. each day.

Those interested in participating in the training sessions must register at least five business days prior to the session.

The school system’s Transportation Department must submit a criminal background check and DMV license check for candidates to be approved for the class. One may learn more about how to procure a DMV license on thecheckpeople.co.uk. Transportation Department officials will contact candidates when they have been approved to participate in the class.

Interested persons must attend the training on all three days to receive certification. Please contact the VCS Transportation Department at 252-438-5012 to register.

The training will be for individuals to drive school buses for Vance County Schools. Participants will be given applications for a VCS school bus driver to be completed by the third day of the class. Participants who use a VCS yellow bus to complete the driving part of the class must commit to drive for the school system for one year as a part-time or substitute driver.

Failure to meet this commitment to drive for Vance County Schools will result in participants being charged for the use of the bus during road training and the background check completed by the school system.

AdVance Academy Graduates 24 During Mid-Year Commencement

/by

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

AdVance Academy, the alternative high school for Vance County Schools, presented high school diplomas to 24 graduating seniors during mid-year commencement exercises held during the evening of December 18.

Principal Stephanie Ayscue led the proceedings.

An audience of about 500 parents, other family members, school system educators, special guests and community members were on hand to honor the graduating seniors.

The Vance County High School Air Force Junior ROTC Color Guard presented the flags at the beginning of the ceremony and during the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Those students receiving their diplomas included: Dylan Allgood, Christopher Almanza, Andrew Brown, Takara Cozart, Christian Cruz-Ochoa, Jevon Durham, Hayley Eatmon, Tyrae Fuller, Hector Garcia-Gregorio, Dustin Gouldman, Diamonique Hargrove, Marquise Hargrove, Malik Hill, Justin Joyner, Anthony Meadows, Chase Parrish, Miguel Ponce, Sekedric Rainey, Austin Ray, Zhakeitha Scott, Da’Kayleen Seigle, Sincere Williams-Taylor, Jacob Wilson and Charles Wurster IV.

Graduates of AdVance Academy at the school’s mid-year commencement exercises stand after entering the auditorium for the ceremony. (Photo Credit: VCS)

AdVance Academy seniors walk across the stage as they receive their diplomas and congratulations from Vance County Schools officials. (Photo Credit: VCS)

Vance Co. Board of Education Meeting Rescheduled for Mon., Dec. 17

/by

-Information courtesy Terri Hedrick, Public Information Officer, Vance County Schools

The Vance County Board of Education meeting, originally scheduled for December 10, has been rescheduled to Monday, December 17, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the school system’s Administrative Services Center. The public is invited to attend.

To view the meeting’s agenda, please click here.

Community Leaders Visit Vance Co. Public Schools During ‘Community to Schools’ Event

/by

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools hosted another “Community to Schools” event on Friday, December 7, with community leaders visiting four of our local public schools to learn more about what educators and students are working on during a typical school day.

Superintendent Anthony Jackson and other key school system leaders escorted the business, church, civic and public service agency representatives on visits to L.B. Yancey Elementary School, Vance County High School, STEM Early High School and Vance County Middle School. The visits were held during a four-hour period in the morning.

At each of the schools, school administrators greeted the touring group. They showed the participants key advances and programs for our students at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Those who participated in the school visits were able to go into classrooms and see teachers and students at work and they visited computer labs, educational workrooms and the new Vance Virtual laboratories at the middle and high schools.

Dr. Carnetta Thomas discusses student incentive programs at L.B. Yancey Elementary School while hosting community leaders in her school. (Photo Credit: VCS)

Dr. Carnetta Thomas, principal of L.B. Yancey Elementary School, introduced the tour group to several of her teachers and students who were actively engaged in classroom work. She also had them visit with students, parents and staff during the school’s special “Books & Breakfast” event held throughout the school and featuring parents eating breakfast with the students and then going into various parts of the school to read with, and to, student groups.

During their visit to Vance County High School, Principal Rey Horner welcomed the tour participants and talked about the many programs and services provided to students in his school including the Vance Medical Academy, Fire & Public Safety Academy, varied Career and Technical Education programs, expanded extra-curricular activities for students and the newly expanded athletics programs for male and female students.

The group also visited the school’s newly renovated cafeteria and music room. They received hands-on experiences in the Vance Virtual lab, located in the school’s media center, as student ambassadors showed them how the zSpace digital student learning centers provide three-dimensional studies for students through special software applications in a variety of subject areas.

Teresa Robinson of Walmart Distribution Center, watches a Vance County Middle School student demonstrate the three-dimensional dissection tool on a zSpace digital student learning center in the school’s Vance Virtual lab. (Photo Credit: VCS)

Horner noted that the newly consolidated high school, now with more than 1,100 students, has had a smooth beginning to the new school year and he and his staff are continuing to provide additional educational opportunities to their students.

The tour group then visited the STEM Early High School and saw firsthand how teachers and students focus on project-based learning, particularly in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math. Assistant Principal Melonee Hunter led the visit and was assisted by an outstanding group of student leaders. The tour participants were able to visit several classrooms to see how students work in groups to collaborate on projects teachers challenge them to complete as teams.

The final stop for the “Community to Schools” tours was Vance County Middle School where Principal Heddie Somerville welcomed the group to the newly consolidated school that serves over 900 students in grades 6-8. The facility, formerly known as Northern Vance High School, has been renovated to accommodate the middle school population and Somerville stressed that more work will be done to the facility throughout the school year and the upcoming summer to provide additional educational enhancements for students. Her school’s student ambassadors led a visit for the tour participants in the Vance Virtual lab and demonstrated how students use the digital student learning centers to enhance classroom instruction through the use of state-of-the-art technology.