Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Aug. 19, 1993, edition 1 / Page 7
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Back To School After Months of Strife, Carver Gets New Man By MARK R. MOSS Ckroniclt Suff Writer Daniel A. Piggott, the new principal at Carver High School, wanted to be a teacher so hart that he turned down two jobs that paid more to take his first job at Atkins High School 22 years ago. Why would he turn down a position like the one at the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico that paid $5,000 more than the one he accepted at Atkins? "Teachers were the only role model I had," said Piggott, whose own parents didn't finish elementary school. Piggott hoped, too, to become a role model. He taught for many years in the city/county school sys tem before accepting an administra tive job. Next week when the bell rings welcoming students back for fall classes, the longtime Independence High School principal will be at Carver High School. "1 think he will relate very well to all the communities that CarveiL serves," said Robert Coble, superin tendent of schools. Piggott replaces one of the more popular and well-respected principals in the county, Robert Clemmer. Although Clcmmer was well regarded by students and peers, his last few months at Carver were filled with turmoil. Clemmer spent the better part of the last semester drying to ease racial tensions that stemmed from a Confederate flag waving incident during a Black His tory Month assembly. Following a fight between blacks and whites, at least one student was injured, and three were arrested. School officials said Clemmer's acceptance of an administrative position was for health reasons. Coble said Piggott will bring "an element of structure" to the school and added that Carver's newest principal is a "very strong disciplinarian." Piggott, a 1971 graduate of N.C. AAT State University, recalled that the unruly students in the first class he taught at Atkins had "driven out one teacher." The prospect of further intimidation was nipped in the bud when Piggott read the riot act to his new class. He stayed at Atkins for 12 years. "I'm the kind of person who ' says what he means and means what he says," he said, offering a mean ingful grin. Piggott comes from Indepen dence High, where he served as principal at a school designed to i j Daniel Piggott give youths who have been in trou ble their fast chance. There Piggott was nicknamed Joe Clark, after the New Jersey high school principal who became popular for his unique methods of enforcing discipline. It is a moniker that Piggott mentions with some pride. He's expecting life at Carver to be "significantly different" than it was at Independence. There will be more folks look ing and asking questions," he said. The expectations from outside will be totally different," Piggott, 45 and a native of White ville, has bachelor's and mas ter's degrees in mathematics and a master's degree in administrative education. He is married to Jannette B. Piggott and is the father of three children, two of whom will attend Carver this year. Afriran- Amprirari Administrator Named Assistant Superintendent By MARK ft MOSS CHrofucU Suff Writer Joseph Flanner Johnson said it was ego that drove him into the field of education. Not ego of the kind that's asso ciated with vanity, selfishness and conceit. But the kind, Johnson explained, that makes a man think that he ean make a difference. He'll get his chance. Johnson has been recently named assistant superintendent of administrative services of the Winston Salem/Forsyth County school sys tem. "I want to make a difference," he said during a recent interview. 1 want to do something. ..." He will oversee public informa tion, internal auditing and dropout prevention. He fills the position that became vacant when Palmer Friende retired. Johnson and Superintendent Laity D. Coble worked together in Rocky Mount. Music was a part of his family life and proved to be his ticket into Fayetteville State University. He became good enough with the coro net to earn a $100 scholarship. Joseph Johnson However, Johnson said, he dis covered after enrolling at Fayet teville State that the school didn't have a music major program. He mqoied in biology because of the impression left by a high school biology teacher who, coincidentally, nearly flunked him. "There's a lot of learning that goes on in failing," he said. After graduating in 1968, he got his first teachinglob in ute Richmond, Va. public-school sys tem. It was during his years in Vir ginia that he received a grant to study for his master's in science education with a minor in adminis tration. He later earned his doctorate in educational administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Johnson, whose last job was as associate professor of education at UNC-Wilmington, has I ftd plenty of experience in the top echelons of public education. He wai one of two finalists for the head slot for the New Hanover County school sys tem, but he was denied the job, because, as Ae put it, the "commu nity wasn't mature enough to accept an African American" as superin tendent Johnson said he is enthusiastic about rejoining his friend Coble and working in Winston-Salem. "Winston-Salem has always been attractive," he said of the school system. The system is among the top five largest in the state and is in the top 150 for size in the country, he said. School officials from around the country are watching what the system here is doing, he said. "That adds an incredible responsibility to make a difference," he said. Johnson's wife* Rowena, teaches high school in Durham. His daughter, Carina, is a freshman at Fayetteville State. The two will move to the county later this year. This School Attempts to Fill Education Gaps Hy SABRINA JONBS Chronic It Staff Writer The large classes and ovcr worked teachers in public schools often result in African-American students falling through the cracks. These cracks prompted Simon Johnson, a local businessman, to become involved in the formation of Quality Education Institute, a pri vate school, located at Carver Road Church of Christ, designed specifi cally for minority children. The school was established last August to improve the education and self-esteem of African-Ameri can students in a small setting, said Johnson, the school r s executive director. "We meet a universal need," he said. "We're able to capture in a small setting a greater portion of the child's attention." The institute was started by an executive board of church members who supervised the school's found ing. Johnson, along with Cloys fVril, minister n? thg> church. Leroy Nelson, a letter carrier, and Frank Dulin, a retired assistant administra tor, are the board members. The school is funded by donations from the church and the community as are instructed in reading* math, sci ence and social studies. There is a computer lab where students may use self-education programs. The institute has been success ful in raising the academic ability of "When we look at statistics in public schools, minority students tend to fall behind, espe cially from the fourth grdHi and up. We are closing that gap." ? Simon Johnson well as two grants from Wachovia Bank and R J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. totaling $10,000. The school has a student/teacher ratio of approxi mately IS to 1 and employs certified and college-educated teachers. Dur ing the school day, students in kindergarten through second grade its students. Last year, the students scored in the 70 percentile on the California Achievement Test "Our students did very well," said Johnson. "They compared especially well in math and vocabu lary." Students also participate in reli gious instruction with time allotted weekly to daily devotional sessions and assemblies in tne cnapei. rney also learn about their culture in the SETCLAE (self-esteem through culture leads to academic excel lence) program developed, in part, by Jawanza Kunjufu, a Chicago psychologist who has authored sev eral books on black male develop ment MWe encourage an attitude of cooperative rather than competitive education," Johnson said. Classes will begin on Sept. 1 and run through June. Tuition is $200 per month, and at this time there are no available scholarships. Forty-five students are enrolled, but applications are still being accepted. "When we look at statistics in public schools, minority students tend to fall behind, especially from the fourth grade and up,N Johnson said. "We are closing that gap." Simon Johnson at the Quality Education Institute . Financial Woes Plague School for Troubled Youths "We're there for those kids who have been denied the opportunity to go back to school," she said She was speaking of students ?who have been expelled or those who have been released from juve nile detention. Parmon said that the proposed operating budget was $323,000, but only $110,000 has been raised. One of the teachers who was laid off served as both counselor and black history teacher. A significant portion of LIFTs funding is through United Way of Forsyth County. It's a matter of helping to save young people today or pay a tremendous price later," said Floyd R. Davis Jr.r United Way's president and chief executive officer. "We see the problem, and we need to work together to create the solu . tions." Davis said most of United Way's funded agencies received 10 percent less this year than last He said he has been giving LIFTs problems special attention because "we are the primary source of sup port for this organization." Davis is in the process of meet ing with potential sources of fund ing for LIFT, but he declined to dis close more details for fear of jeopardizing the possible arrange ment Parmon said she had submitted to school officials a proposal for funds. She said they told her they wanted to look at other alternatives for funding and, in effect turned her Earline Parmon down. City /county schools Superin tendent Larry D. Coble said he sup ports LIFT, but doesn't want to see any school money going to the academy if it means that other pro grams will suffer. He said he wouldn't mind if the school system acted as a conduit for funds ear marked for LIFT. "We've got too many kids we're putting on the street/ Coble said. He said that the school system needs something beyond Indepen dence High School, Which serves students expelled from mainstream high schools. Coble said that school officials are currently trying to secure "pri vate" funding for a school similar to LIFT. Although he said it was too early to go into detail, he said that the school will be fully staffed "with people, who want to be there" and will be "non-traditional." "I know in my heart we need to be doing something for these kids," he said. Walter Marshall, a member of the city/county school board, said that because he feels LIFT is per forming a service for the school sys tem, the school system should help fund it "I feel the money should follow from page A1 the student," he said. School board member Geneva Brown said that in light of the high number of expulsions reported for the last school year. Independence, Petree Middle School and LIFT should be re-examined. "Something's got to be done," she said. "The figures (expulsion) are rising. If LIFT is going to be the saving grace, they should get some money." '93-94 Winston-Salem Forsvth County School Schedule Winston-Salem Chronicle July 1993 S A I ! 4 H h 7 II i: 13 14 is 1 1) 20 21 IV 7 f S 4 10 |5 lf> 17 22 2" 24 2 ^ 2h 27 2N 2C> 30 31 November 1993 M 14 7 n r r s 3 4 ?' -5 6 8 9 rv~ir n 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 H H 27 29 30 March 1994 A! 7 l\ 7 / S l 2 3 r - 7 8 <t ia if 12 14 15 16 IJJEB ^ P 23 24' 25 2b 30* I' 2n 21 22 27 mpi August 1993 S At T l\ 7" f S I 2 1 4 5 h 7 S ??* 10 11 12 13 14 r r v r r 21 22 Igj 24 25 26 mm m 31 December 1993 ? S"" A ! T IV 7 / S 5 6 7 8 ^ II 12 !<* 14 15 16 IS W I 1. H H ' H 25 2h H I I I. H April 1994 10 24 M T IV 7 / S H 2 r ; <i i6 2T IS 23 2* 2ft 27 28 ? .-V) September 1993 S A I / l\ I 1 m mm m ^ ! 22 23 'it 25 2c H - Holiday L - Leave Day (Vacation-10 mo. employees) P - Professional Day Pp - Protected O- End of Grading Period _ ? - First Day for Students *- Early Dismissal (k-5 at 1 p.m., 6-12 at noon) October 1993 S \! - / ? \\ I I s I 2 3 "4% 3 8 l? in 11 12 14 15 r<> 17 48 W 21 22 23 24 25 26 @28 ? 3o 31 January 1994 S A! 7 IV 7 I S I 2 7 8 yi'ff " :: May 1994 IV T F S IMP 7 9 14 1& 2t 28 February 1994 S At \\ I I s I 2 3 4 5 6 v7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 17* 18 I ' 20 24 22 Z\ 24 25 > 27 28 June 1994 S A I 7 l\ 2c 27 2S 2l> 30 ?
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Aug. 19, 1993, edition 1
7
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