Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

The Local Skinny! April 26, VCS Budget, Classified Staff

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Vance County Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson says the VCS budget will consider an increase in classified staff compensation.

Q: Middle and high schools were consolidated a few years back and it seems like there was about a $2 million per year savings that was talked about at that time. As we head into the 21-22 budget year, what’s affecting your upcoming budget the most right now and what does your budget look like in terms of savings that you’re realizing from past consolidation?

A: As you can see, we’ve been able to expand programs. Our goal was the savings would be poured back into programming and so since that time, we’ve been able to launch our center for innovation, we’ve been able to launch our V3 Academy, we’ve been able to expand our athletic programs, we’ve been able to expand our fine arts programs, we’ve been able to lower some class sizes at our secondary schools and things like that…the things we promised, we’ve been able to refresh our technology devices and add Z Space labs, so we’ve been able to do the things we said we were going to do while not asking for one additional dime from our county.

Our challenges this year are different. COVID has presented a huge challenge, and we’ve talked about it before, and it’s around the ‘people’ part of this work. The workforce has become far more competitive than it has been and that means that salaries are shifting and so our local…we’re challenged right now to keep up with salaries for our classified employees, particularly in our maintenance area. We’re in the middle of doing a salary study and we’ve found that our employees are significantly behind those in the region. We’ve always known that with our teachers and our professional staff. But our classified staff are equally challenged. So that’s our biggest budget challenge. You’ve got to find recurring dollars for that – you can’t just take savings from one place and move it over there for one year or you can’t just use COVID dollars to backfill. We’ve got to make an investment in our people and that’s our biggest challenge. And so we’ve made a modest request in our budget this year to help us at least begin that process. We can’t do it in one swoop, but that’s our goal to try to do that. Every single metric that we set with consolidation, in terms of reducing our footprint, in terms of expanding programs, in terms of increasing enrollment at our middle and high schools, and as well as offering more innovative programs to our students in our community.

We feel good about that and now we’ve got to go to the next steps of balancing all of that out and making sure we keep the right people in the right seats on the bus so we can keep moving forward.

The Local Skinny! Apr 22 Abandoned Mobile Homes

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Vance County residents can participate in a state-funded program to remove abandoned mobile homes from their property. Jason Falls, county solid waste director, said the program is seeking four or five more applicants to sign up for the program.

Participation is voluntary, but savings are big, Falls said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny! Grant applicants pay $250 to remove a single-wide mobile home and $500 for a double-wide. The typical deconstruction and removal cost is about $3,500, Falls said.

“The program identifies abandoned mobile homes across the county that pose aesthetics, health and safety hazards. This is a voluntary program on behalf of the homeowner and is meant to enhance the beauty, safety and appearance of Vance County,” Falls said.

The county has participated in the state program in the past and Falls estimated that about 100 abandoned mobile homes have been removed from properties as a result.

Sign up by calling Chris Fowler in the county planning department, 252.738.2092. Applications are also available at the Planning Department, 156 Church Street, Suite 003, Henderson.

TownTalk 04-22-21 Vaccines, Restrictions, Latest in NC

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TownTalk Broadcast Audio 4-22-21

The base of information for TownTalk 4-22-21 comes from the following press release from the State of North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper and NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen.

April 21, 2021 Press Release

Governor Cooper Outlines Timeline for Lifting State’s COVID-19 Restrictions
As vaccinations continue and trends stabilize, NC will lift mandatory social distancing, capacity, and mass gathering restrictions by June 1

Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. laid out a timeline for lifting current pandemic restrictions today. With stable trends and continued vaccination success, the state expects to lift mandatory social distancing, capacity, and mass gathering restrictions by June 1. The Governor plans to issue an executive order next week outlining safety restrictions for the month of May.

“Each shot in an arm is a step closer to putting this pandemic in the rearview mirror,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolinians have shown up for each other throughout this entire pandemic and we need to keep up that commitment by getting our vaccines.”

North Carolina continues to focus on distributing vaccines quickly and equitably. This fast and fair approach to getting shots in arms is the best way to beat this pandemic, protect one another, boost the economy and make it possible for restrictions to be lifted.

To date, the state has administered over 6.5 million vaccines. 46.9 percent of adults are at least partially vaccinated, and 35.1 percent are fully vaccinated. More than 76 percent of people 65 and older have had at least one shot.

With vaccine now widely available across the state – often with no wait for an appointment, all North Carolinians 16 and older can plan to take their shot. The state anticipates lifting the mask mandate and easing other public health recommendations, once two thirds of adult North Carolinians have received at least one vaccine dose and if trends remain stable.

“We are at an exciting moment. We now have enough vaccine for everyone,” said Secretary Cohen. “If you are 16 and older, it is your turn to join the more than 3.6 million North Carolinians who have already taken their first shot. It’s up to you to get us to the two thirds goal as quickly as possible so we can live with this virus and begin to put this pandemic behind us.”

Gov. Cooper and Sec. Cohen urged North Carolinians continue to get vaccinated and exercise good judgment even when restrictions are lifted. Businesses should continue to follow voluntary health recommendations and North Carolinians should continue to take safety measures in order to boost the economy, keep children in schools and protect each other.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released statistics indicating that North Carolina is among the states with the fewest deaths and fewest job losses per capita.

State health officials are continuing to monitor the presence of COVID-19 and its more contagious variants in North Carolina, which is why it is important to continue to follow the state’s mask mandate and continue to practice safety precautions, including the Three Ws—wear a mask, wait 6 feet apart, and wash hands often.

If you avidly follow the latest information in North Carolina about covid, the following press release from North Carolina came out Thursday, April 22, 2021 AFTER TownTalk was already complete.

NCDHHS Announces Summer Community Get-out-the-Vaccine Campaign
Initiative Aims to Vaccinate Majority of North Carolina’s Adults by Summer

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the Bringing Summer Back get-out-the-vaccine campaign that will engage community organizations across the state to fully vaccinate as many people as possible by summer.

To date, more than 3.6 million adults in North Carolina have been vaccinated with at least one dose. While the state has made great progress in helping people schedule and get to their vaccine appointments, more than half of the adult population is still completely unvaccinated, putting them at higher risk of contracting and spreading the virus.

Being fully vaccinated means getting back to hugging loved ones who are also fully vaccinated, gathering with fully vaccinated friends and family and going to small indoor gatherings with less worry. Getting the majority of North Carolina’s adults vaccinated by summer means getting back to the summer activities we all love — like backyard gatherings with families and friends, public fireworks, outdoor festivals or parades — all without wearing masks.

The Bringing Summer Back campaign is a fun, flexible and community-centered approach that creates a space for every organization and individual to roll up their sleeves and do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19 and get everyone back to the people and places they love. The campaign will run during two weeks in May (May 9–15 and May 16–21) and two weeks in June (June 6–12 and June 20–26), during which organizations across the state will rally together to promote vaccination.

Organizations can get involved in a number of ways:

    • Organize volunteer days: Invite members, volunteers and others to participate in a day(s) of phone banking, door knocking or other forms of outreach to the communities they serve.
    • Distribute resources: Notify communities about efforts to help people get COVID-19 vaccine appointments through emails, social media or other creative ways.
    • Host a get-out-the-vaccine challenge: Create friendly competition. See who can reach out to the most people via phone, door knocking, social media or other ways. Offer an incentive to get people motivated and involved.
    • Get creative: Come up with your own approach to encourage people to get vaccinated.

Organizations that would like to get involved can register to participate and access toolkit materials at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/BringSummerBack (Spanish: covid19.ncdhhs.gov/Devueltaalverano) or by emailing BringingSummerBack@dhhs.nc.gov.

The toolkit offers simple, specific steps everyone can take to navigate people to an appointment, such as calling loved ones who haven’t been vaccinated yet, sharing their experience on social media and asking if anyone needs support in getting vaccinated.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccines in North Carolina, visit YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov or call the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center at 888-675-4567. Appointments can be made by visiting myspot.nc.gov. 

The Local Skinny! Apr 21 Home And Garden Show

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WIZS, Your Community Voice.  Thank you for listening!

The Local Skinny! each Wednesday on WIZS is the Vance County Cooperative Extension Service Home and Garden Show.

 

TownTalk 04-21-21 Tasker Fleming, Front Porch Bluegrass

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Tune in to WIZS on Sunday, May 2 at 6 p.m. to set your toes to tappin’ as the radio station airs a new program called “Front Porch Bluegrass” hosted by Tasker Fleming. Fleming grew up in the area and spent part of his career in education right here in Vance County.

Fleming sat down – virtually – with Town Talk’s John C. Rose Wednesday and talked about growing up in Vance and Warren counties and how music has been a part of his life over the years.

He spent 36 years teaching math and coaching sports and recently retired in the Albemarle area. He started Front Porch Bluegrass, an hour-long show that airs on his local station WSPC AM 1010 and FM 107.3.

“I just like the story as much as the fast pickin’ ” of bluegrass, he said. This particular genre of music started out as Everyman’s music, he noted, and said he likes to think that his efforts are a way to help preserve the music as well as entertain listeners.

“I invite people to tell me what they like,” he said. Send requests to frontporch21@yahoo.com.

Listeners will hear a mixture of very new music, with additional timeless classics and even some vintage tunes from the ‘40’s and ‘50’s.

Fleming’s interest in bluegrass and other forms of music goes back to his childhood. He ordered his first instrument – a banjo – from the J.C. Penney catalog after attending the Earl Scruggs Revue in Afton, NC.

“I’ve never made a penny with music,” he said, “but I was hooked.”

He picked up the mandolin more recently and, until COVID-19, played with a group of local musicians who entertained at nursing homes near his home. The residents enjoyed the visits from Mountain Creek Connection, listening to familiar bluegrass and gospel favorites. And Fleming enjoyed watching them sing along.

Fleming recalled fondly evenings at Marie’s in the Epsom community – a service station-turned-music venue where locals gathered on to listen and play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. “I grew up there, listening to the music,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun being around the music.”

Fleming’s father turned the old theater in Warrenton into a civic auditorium and gospel groups would play there on Sunday afternoons. Fleming ran the concessions for these events and recalled one time when Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys were scheduled to perform. But Monroe ended up in the hospital in Nashville. Mac Wiseman filled in and did well, Fleming said, adding that he even brought the singer a meal of a burger and fries from the locally famous Burger Barn.

“I was his leg man to get him lunch or dinner – he was just a nice guy,” Fleming said.

Learn more about Front Porch Bluegrass at frontporchbluegrass.com or follow on Facebook.

TownTalk Broadcast Audio with Tasker Fleming, the full and entertaining half hour!

 

Jackson Pleased With Students’ Return, Discusses Upcoming Events, Plans

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Vance County students have been back in school buildings for about a month, and Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson said the two main things the district is focused on – educating children in a safe environment – are going pretty well. So far, there have been no COVID-19 clusters, very few cases in schools and zero spread.

Jackson credits the district’s teachers, administrators and staff, as well as parents and the students themselves for a smooth transition from all remote instruction to face-to-face instruction in classrooms. He spoke to John C. Rose on Town Talk Tuesday about what’s coming up for families and students, including graduations, end-of-year assessments and summer school plans.

If there is a silver lining to pandemic restrictions, abrupt closing of in-person instruction and surge in virtual learning, Jackson said this school year has been a time to allow school districts “to do things differently and more in line with what our kids need.” He is determined to not allow COVID-19 to be cause for any type of punishment for the students in his charge.

Graduations will take place on May 24 at Vance County High School.

“We decided that we could offer something a little closer to a traditional graduation,” Jackson said. The graduations will be ticketed events, he said, and all participants will be required to follow all safety protocols, including wearing masks. The larger classes – Vance County High School and AdVance – will use the stadium for their graduations; Vance County Early College and V3 will hold graduations in the gym, he said.

Jackson said the graduations will be live-streamed for those family and loved ones who are not able to attend in person. Visit www.vcs.k12.nc.us to learn more.

Although students will be taking state-mandated end-of-grade tests, Jackson said the state has said the school district will not be getting the annual report card of overall student proficiency. “We’ll get to see our kids’ proficiency,” he said, which can show learning that did take place, albeit in less-than-ideal circumstances. “We need the data so we can plan instruction for our kids,” he said.

District leaders currently are planning the summer program which will be offered to each student. That extended-learning plan should be ready to give to parents in the next few weeks.

Jackson said the district maintains its focus on clear promotion standards for students, but said it is important to take into account that there may be gaps in learning and loss of time. Flexibility is key, he noted, when discussing promotion and retention. He said shifting certain curriculum standards from one grade to the next may be a way to make sure standards aren’t skipped “We need to make sure we are very intentional to look where gaps are,” Jackson said.

The summer program will be a time to “rebuild and reconnect,” he said, and help students recover that time they lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jackson said the extended-learning program this summer will provide a “robust push” for students to have a chance at recovering lost instructional time.

The V3 school is a model that will be continued as an alternative for parents who want to be more involved in their child’s learning. This model blends personalized learning with school-based learning and may be a good option for parents who want their child to have a personalized pathway, but don’t want to pursue home-schooling.

“There are some children who thrive in a 1-to-1 virtual environment,” Jackson noted, adding that V3 is open to families who live outside Vance County. There is an application process and he said V3 principal Dr. Jessica Perry welcomes inquiries.