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75 cents Winston-Salem Gkeensboko High Point Vol. XXVIII No. 12
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Partnership
program is
not popular
with some
Teachers say regular VIP
progress reports are tedious
BY FELECIA P MCMILLAN
COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT
More than 65 parents of elementary students in
the Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County school system met
with Schools Superintendent
Donald Martin and Addie
Hymes. Victory in Partner
ship (VIP) program coordi
nator, last Thursday at the
school system administration
building to discuss the format
and frequency of distribution
for the VIP progress reports.
Currently the elementary
school forms address atten
dance/tardies, work habits.
Hymes
behavior and academic progress on a weekly basis in
all elementary schools for all students.
Schools came into the VIP program, which
strives to keep parents in touch with their children's
progress through regular contact through progress
reports issued by teachers, on a staggered basis.
During this school year, the final group of elemen
tary schools has come aboard.
Martin outlined some of the pressing concerns of
elementary educators that impact them during the
2001-2002 school year. This year the elementary
students take the K-2 assessment four times during
the year. The school system adopted a new reading
series which requires more training for teachers. The
school system introduced a new report card. The
state has mandated the Gateways program, which
St c Partnership ?ii A9
Hearing to
be held on
plans for
downtown
BY PAUL COLLINS
THECHRONK I I
At a town hall meeting for the East and North
wards Saturday, John Allen of the city economic
development program presented it draft comprehen
. ?? sive development' plan for
downtown. The primary
objectives of the plan are: 1)
to make downtown a destina
tion by creating a core of
vibrant, mixed uses in a
pedestrian-friendly environ
ment with major employment
centers; restaurants and
shops; entertainment and arts
functions; and places to live,
gather and meet; and 2) to put
in place a variety of trans
? ? '
Malloy
portation linkages, green spaces and attractive transi
tions to surrounding neighborhoods so that down
town is easily accessible by everyone.
Areas proposed by the plan:
? Complimentary use areas in the plan are close to
each other so visitors and res
idents can meet and socialize.
? The major use areas
would consist of the Civic
Plaza area. a new
"superblock" that would con
nect the financial district to
Fourth Street, downtown's
"living room." The Civic
Plaza would be a well-land
scaped and sculptured public
plaza area where people could
meet, relax, exercise and
Johnson
enjoy the amenities of a park area. Underneath the
plaza would be parking for employees and visitors.
The plaza and parking would connect to new high
er Downtown <>n A3
History-making judge visits city
Photo by Reuters
Roger Gregory stands beside Bill Clinton as the then
president names Gregory to the 4th Circuit Court.
BY T KEVIN WALKER
. THE CHRONICLE
Earlier this year - at a
time when his historic sta
tus as the first African
American on the 4th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals
was in limbo - Judge Roger
Gregory had a conversation
with a young boy that he'll
never forget.
The youngster was
impressed with the fact that
Gregory had recently stood
side by side with then-Pres
ident Bill Clinton at the
White House as the presi
dent announced to the
world that he was appoint
ing Gregory to one of the
highest courts in the land.
Gregory can vividly
remember the excitement in*
the boy's voice as he ques
tioned him about the White
House visit. "He said, 'Did
you really see the presi
dent? Did you really see the
president?"'
The boy's awe, coupled
with the prayers and kind
words of people across the
nation, helped to sustain
Gregory during those
uncertain times.
"I thought no matter
what happens, it's well
worth the journey because
this fellow gets to see
someone who looks like
him and came from the
same neighborhood aspire
to (be a federal judge). That
makes the journey worth
it." Gregory said over the
weekend during a Visit to
Winston-Salem. "That's the
key. not so much being the
first, but being there to say.
You can do it too. I am not
an anomaly.'"
Gregory was in town to
judge a moot trial competi
tion featuring law students
from Wake Forest Universi
ty. Although spare time has
been few and far between
since he joined the 4th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals -
which hears appeals from
trial courts in the Carolinas.
Maryland, Virginia and
West Virginia - in January,
See Gregory on A4
Their
Stories
GED graduates overcome
obstacles, setbacks to
complete education
BYT. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
it was a week before Thanksgiving, but sev
eral hundred Forsyth Technical Community Col
lege General Education Development (GED) and
adult high school students already had a lot to be
thankful for.
They graduated during a commencement cer
emony held at Wait Chapel on the campus of
Wake Forest University. The graduates' moments
in the spotlight were made even more special by
the cheers and other acknowledgments they
received from friends and family members in the
crowd.
The GED and adult high schmtl programs at
FTC'C. both housed at the school's West Campus,
have been often called a second, or sometimes
third or fourth, chance for students who left tradi
tional schools long ago for many reasons.
The graduating class was a diverse bunch.
Some recently immigrated to this country; others
let decades of raising families and bad decisions
stand between them and completing their educa
tion. Others were held back by circumstances
beyond their control.
But there are constants in their experiences.
All the graduates' stories are diced with themes of
hope, renewal and redemption. Here are a few of
them.
Seasoned students
Judy Strickland has home movies chronicling
her family's milestones. They include her four
children's graduations, family get-togethers and
the first steps and first birthdays of her six grand
children.
Strickland found herself on the other side of
the camera last week as she walked across a stage
to receive her GED. Her children manned the
video camera and cheered their mother as she ful
filled a lifelong dream.
Photos b> Kevin Walker
Faye Anderson jokes around with Tanisha Ashe-Wilkins before last week's commence
ment. Both received GEDs. Ashe-Wilkins graduated with honors.
"I had a birthday in July." Strickland said. "I
turned 55 and I set out some goals. I wrote down
exactly what 1 wanted to do and one of the main
things was to go back and get my GED."
When Strickland
began studying for her
GED this summer, it had
been nearly four decades
since she left school to care
for her burgeoning family.
"I had to really raise
children and work con
stantly," the single mom
said. "I had to do other
things at the time besides
going to school."
Strickland
win now going 10
school is one Strickland's top priorities. She
passed her CiED test with flying colors. She did so
well that she was invited to apply for a scholarship
to take college classes at Forsyth Tech. She was
one of the students.who won $1.(XX) scholarships.
In January she'll negin taking college classes.
After two years at FTCC she plans to transfer to a
four-year school to work on her bachelor's degree.
Strickland could not stop smiling during the com
Siv FTCC on A1 1
Wilfredo, right, and Xiomara Infante took
the GED test in Spanish, q
Petree revels in recent ABCs success
^1^??'I" ' .1
Pholos by CourtMj Gaillard
Petree students and staff parade around the school.
HY COURTNEY GA1LLARD
THE CHRONjCLE
If you happened to be driving
down Old Greensboro Road last
Friday afternoon, you probably
heard the sounds of drums beating
and children chanting. No. it was
not some pre-Thanksgiving Day
ritual, but instead a very special
celebration.
The students at David L.
Petree Elementary School paraded
around the school campus to cele
brate their academic progress.
Since the sch(x>l opened its doors
in 1999. the students have drasti
cally increased their performance
on the ABCs of Public Education
end-of-grade test. One year, the
school, which has a student body
that is mostly African American.
was rated "low performing" under
ABCs guidelines, which measure
the performance of students at
schools
trom year
to year.
This year
the school
rebounded,
achieving
exemplary
growth,
one of the
highest dis
t i n c t i o n s
under the
program.
Rutledge
Principal Denny Kutledge
thought that was an achievement
worth acknowledging.
See Petree on A4
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