Tag Archive for: #vancecountyschools

Vance County Schools Bus Driver Places 7th at NC School Bus Roadeo

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

June 5, 2017

Keith Purnell, a school bus driver for Northern Vance High School and E.M. Rollins Elementary School, placed seventh in the state in the annual N.C. School Bus Roadeo held in Raleigh on May 25.

He was among 29 of the state’s best school bus drivers who navigated a yellow school bus through an obstacle course that tested their skills in mastering a diminishing clearance, backing, making a tight turn and parallel parking.

The competing drivers had to place among the best in their school district’s roadeo and in regional competition to reach the state finals.

The N.C. School Bus Roadeo was held on the N.C. State Fairgrounds.

Vance County Schools Update 06/05/17

Clarke and E.O. Young Students Receive Nook devices

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

June 2, 2017

Vance County Schools officials distributed Nook electronic reading devices to students at Clarke and E.O. Young elementary schools on June 1, as part of district’s Summer Reading Program.  

The students can now download books onto the reading devices and read throughout the summer. 

There were 16 students at Clarke Elementary receiving the Nooks and 14 students at E.O. Young Jr. Elementary getting the devices. 

They join students at Pinkston Street, Carver and New Hope elementary schools with having the electronic reading devices for use during this summer. 

The Nooks were purchased with a $2,000 grant from Duke Energy through the Vance County Public School Foundation and matching funds from the school system.

In the photo, students hold their new reading devices as they pose with their principals and media specialists.

Vance County Schools Signals Support for Project Child Find

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

June 1, 2017

Vance County Schools supports Project Child Find, an effort coordinated by our schools and the Exceptional Children Division of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

Project Child Find is designed to locate and identify children and youth ages birth through 21 with disabilities who are in need of special education and related services. The project also seeks to inform parents and guardians of the services available from their local school system and other state and community agencies.

Those who qualify for assistance are children and youth who have been diagnosed or are suspected to have intellectual, physical or emotional disabilities and are unable to benefit from a regular school program without special assistance.

Anyone who knows of a child or youth with disabilities who is not in school or receiving special assistance may contact Dr. Gloria Jones, director of the Exceptional Children’s Program for Vance County Schools, by phone at 252-492-2127 or in the schools’ Administrative Services Center at 1724 Graham Avenue in Henderson.

E.M. Rollins Student Council Raises $3,000 for Rise Against Hunger

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

June 1, 2017

The Student Council of E. M. Rollins Elementary, under the direction of Antoinette Ball, a teacher and Student Council adviser, spearheaded a year-long service project which raised over $3,000. The proceeds were donated to Rise Against Hunger, a non-profit humanitarian relief organization headquartered in Raleigh.

The partnership with Rise Against Hunger was the result of students wanting to learn by doing and wanting to demonstrate service leadership.

The project ended with the finale of a “Meal Packaging” event on May 20 in which over 10,000 meals were packaged with the help of over 80 volunteers from the Henderson and Vance County community. These packaged meals will be sent globally to help stop world hunger.

The accompanying photos show students, school staff members and volunteers as they packaged the meals.

Forty Eight Graduate from Vance County Early College High School

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

May 31, 2017

A total of 48 students in the Class of 2017 graduated on May 26 from the Vance County Early College High School.

Their commencement ceremony was held before a packed crowd in the Civic Center at Vance-Granville Community College near Henderson.

Kristen Oakes, shown in the photo at the podium, gave the valedictorian address as the top graduate in the Class of 2017.Oakes will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall.

Jacob Weaver addressed his classmates and the audience as the salutatorian. He also will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall.

Oakes and Weaver were joined in the graduating class as the top 10 percent academically by Christopher Brame, who will attend UNC Chapel Hill, Sierra Hawkins, who will attend Salem College, and Janet Rodriguez-Morales, who will attend East Carolina University.

Of the high school graduates, 31 students also received either an associates degree in arts or science. There were eight students who received both an associates degree in arts and an associates degree in science. Forty-seven of the graduates will attend a four-year college, university or a community college in the fall. One graduate is joining the U.S. Marine Corps.

Those students who earned an associates degree will enter their college or university in the fall as juniors.

Their experience in the Vance County Early College High School allowed them to receive their first two years of college coursework at no cost to them or their parents.

The presentations of diplomas, degrees and certificates were led by: Principal Debbie Hite; Superintendent Anthony Jackson; Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of Vance-Granville Community College; and Dr. Angela Ballentine, vice president of academic affairs at Vance-Granville Community College.

Graduates of Early College for 2017 include in addition to the top 10 percent students: Celene Acuna, Jasmine Allen, Christopher Ayscue Jr., Megan Ayscue, Keana Baskerville, Je’Ronee Blackwell, Christopher Blue, Lauren Chavis-Hargrove, David Cobbs Jr., Ashlyn Collier, Chadstity Copeland, Erika Decena-Santos, Alexis Hanks, Mya Hargrove, Hayden Harris, William Harris, Robert Hawkins IV, Ronald Renteria, Tia Johnson, Mychell Keith, Darius Macon-Majette, Jaylil Majette, Nyesha Miller, Michelle Dominguez, Xavier Perry, Bali Reavis, Autumn Richardson, Tara Roberson, Kellie Robinson, Stephon Sample, Alexandra Saravia, Rebecca Short, Timonty Terry Jr., Alicia Tucker, Christian Vazquez, Angel White, Darius Williams, Malik Williams, Hailey Williamson, Jordan Williamson, Amber Wilson, Anautica Wilson and April Zuniga-Trejo.

Serving as graduation marshals were Nancy Bonilla, Ke’Moni Champion, Zenee Davis, Nealee Fisher, Lehman Ford, Luke Frazier, Victoria Inscoe, Lillian Kanouff, Seth Moody and Suzanne Williams.

Vance County Schools to host Opportunity Culture Fair

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

May 26, 2017

Vance County Schools will host an Opportunity Culture Fair on Tuesday, May 30, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Board Room of the Administrative Services Center to share information about the educational initiative with our school system and to seek multi-classroom leaders, extended impact teachers and reach associates (teacher assistants) from those who teach in grades K-8 now in our schools.

All elementary and middle school teachers and teacher assistants are urged to attend the Opportunity Culture Fair and learn more about this initiative. The event is open to all interested K-8 educators throughout our region.

Those who attend and visit each information table will be entered into a drawing for two teacher baskets.

To provide all students with excellent teaching and to help students close achievement gaps and leap ahead, our district is supporting schools’ efforts to build an Opportunity Culture for teachers and students. Opportunity Culture models enable schools to reach every student with excellent teachers and their teams consistently, while paying teachers more for their extra responsibilities and helping all educators to improve on the job and work collaboratively. All additional pay is funded with the reallocation of existing budgets.

Teams of administrators and teachers at each school choose and tailor their models. School teams that include teachers decide what reallocations to make to fund higher paid roles, how to design school schedules for collaboration at school, but also for helping peers achieve teaching excellence.

More information about this Public Impact program can be found online at OpportunityCulture.org.

Dr. Anthony Jackson named recipient of 2017 Friday Medal

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

May 26, 2017

Dr. Anthony D. Jackson, superintendent of Vance County Schools, is a recipient of the 2017 Friday Medal awarded by the Friday Institute at N.C. State University for Educational Innovation.

Dr. Jackson has been selected to receive the award along with six other superintendents of rural North Carolina public school systems.

The Friday Medal recognizes the commitment of Bill and Ida Friday for educational excellence. Bill Friday was the long-time president of the University of North Carolina system and he and Mrs. Friday continued to be huge supporters of the university system and public education after his retirement from his prestigious state position.

Dr. Jackson and the other superintendents who have been selected as Friday Medal recipients are being honored for their commitment and leadership for technological innovations used daily in public school classrooms. The Friday Medal recognizes individuals for their significant, distinguished and enduring contributions to education through advocating innovation, advancing education and imparting inspiration. The award is given annually to selected individuals who embody the mission and spirit of the Friday Institute.

Dr. Jackson will be officially presented with the 2017 Friday Medal in a ceremony that will take place on November 15, 2017, at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation in Raleigh.

Local Elementary Schools kick-off Summer E-Reader Program

Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

May 24, 2017

Vance County Schools held a kick-off event this afternoon for its new Summer E-Reader Program for five local elementary schools.

Superintendent Anthony Jackson led the celebratory kickoff which will place 80 new Nook electronic reading devices in the hands of identified students in grades 3-5 at Carver, New Hope, Pinkston Street, Clarke and E.O. Young Jr. elementary schools this summer.

The school system purchased the Nooks, which are capable of downloading a large number of books for students to read, from Barnes & Noble book stores after receiving a $2,000 literacy grant through the Vance County Public School Foundation. The grant funding originated from Duke Energy Progress. The school system provided matching funds for the grant to purchase the devices.

Tanya Evans of Duke Energy Progress, was on hand for the kick-off event, as were Archie Taylor, Jr., president of the Vance County Public School Foundation, and Bob Fleming, secretary of the Vance County Public School Foundation.

The students who are receiving the Nooks and their parents were on hand at the event. Each student was able to “walk the red carpet” to be presented with their device by Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Several educators from the school system joined school administrators in applauding the students as they walked the carpet and received their Nooks for their summer reading.

The Summer E-Reader Program event was coordinated by Jo Tyler, media specialist at Pinkston Street, Diane Averette, media specialist at Carver, and Teresa Baldwin, media specialist at New Hope. They will lead the summer reading efforts at their schools, as will Wendy Short at E.O. Young, and Tonia Davis at Clarke.

Vance County Schools seeking proctors

Vance County Schools are seeking volunteers to serve as proctors during year-end testing at our middle and high schools. Volunteers are needed each school day May 30-June 8, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day. Interested volunteers may contact Terri Hedrick with Vance County Schools by email at thedrick@vcs.k12.nc.us or by phone at 252-492-2127, extension 2100, to let her know what days you may be available. Thank you so much for your support of our schools!