? ? ? i, I
Photo by Lay la Farmer
Ronnie Christian leads the GEAR LP programs at
Atkins and Glenn high schools.
Principals
from page A I
"This is a real unique
approach to thinking about
how we prepare principals,"
said Sheehan, who has spent
23 years in education, includ
ing a stint in the administra
tion of a high needs school.
The WSFCS representa
tives will join 14 others from
the Alamance Burlington
School System, Asheboro
City Schools and Guilford
County Schools in the one
year principal licensure pro
gram, which will include a
summer of intense teaching
and coursework that was tai
lored for hich
needs principals at
UNC-Greensboro.
The academic por
tion will be fol
lowed by a full
school year intern
ship where repre
sentatives will be
working alongside
a principal in a
local high needs
school
Participants are
allowed to retain their current
salaries, benefits and seniori
ty while participating in the
program, Sheehan said.
Upon completion of the
PTLA, the representatives
will be asked to commit to
serving a minimum of three
years in an administrative
position at a high-needs
school within the system.
"This is great opportunity
to make a difference in our
high needs schools," said
Sheehan. a UNCG alumna.
"Our investment in them and
what they're going to give
back to us is well worth it."
Christian, a city native
and former police officer, has
been working with school
children in some capacity
since the early 1990s, when
he worked with DARE, the
local in-school crime preven
tion program. Christian, a
father of two, has spent the
last years as coordinator for
GEAR-UP (Gaining Early
Awareness and Readiness for
Undergraduate Programs) at
two local high-needs school.
Sheehan
A former assistant principal
in a high needs school jn
Washington. DC, Christian
says he is eager to increase
his impact on area youth
through the PTLA.
"1 think this is a step in
the right direction in my
journey," said the NC A&T
alumnus. "This is a passion
for me because 1 love to see
our students be better pre
pared for that next level."
A graduate of Parkland
High School, Christian says
he is well aware of the
impact that passionate leader
ship can have on students in
a high needs school.
"1 had a lot of teachers
that really took time to
impart into me the
importance of an
education because I
myself was a prod
uct of a single par
ent home." he relat
ed. "I am passion
ate about (the work)
because I can look
at each student and
see some of me in
those students."
P.'jKrml or*
Atlanta native, has worked in
education for close to a decade
and said she had been consid
ering making the move to an
administrative position prior
to hearing about PTLA.
"I'm just so glatl that I
got accepted," declared the
mother of two. "My whole
career in education I've been
working with high needs
schools, so this was an obvi
ous next step for me."
Gabriel has worked close
ly with several high needs
schools in the system on
staff development exercises
and other projects. She says
the experience has heightened
her desire to serve in a high
needs environment.
"I felt confident in how
well the schools I've been in
have prepared me; I've
learned so much," she said of
seeking the coveted PTLA
appointment. "I was excited
(to be selected). It's a great
chance for me to build on
what I've already learned and
be able to grow in educa
tion."
i NCSA Photo
The UNCSA team (from left) Kevin Johnson , John
LeBlanc ( faculty adviser), Kate Miller ( staff mem
ber/ internship coordinator), Devin Forbes, Aaron
Gantt and Andrew Brzozowski.
Film
from page AH
semester with faculty adviser
John LeBlanc and others to
edit the footage and complete
the documentary film, which
is slated to be a part of the
museum exhibit. The perma
nent exhibit is expected to
open Jan. 15, 2012, on the
third anniversary of the
flight.
The current collaboration
between UNCSA and the
museum began late last sum
mer, when museum President
Shawn Dorsch contacted the
School of Filmmaking about
the project. The museum had
previously provided use of a
former Piedmont Airlines
DC-3 plane as a prop for the
Academy Award-winning
short film "Two Soldiers," on
which School of Filmmaking
students worked.
The plane was operating
as US Airways Flight 1549
to Charlotte when a flock of
geese struck both engines,
causing it to lose power
shortly after takeoff from
New York's LaGuardia.
Airport on Jan. 15, 2009 ,
The pilot, Capt. Chesley
"Sully""' Sulle&berger. made
an emergency landing in the
Hudson River, and all 155
passengers escaped safely.
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Peters Creek improvements aim to reduce crashes
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Construction is now underway on a
project to make major safety improve
ments to the intersection of Peters
Creek Parkway and Franciscan Drive
and Ethel Drive in Winston-Salem.
By changing the traffic pattern, the
N.C. Department of Transportation
hopesno significantly reduce the num
ber of accidents at this heavily used
intersection.
NCDOT data show there were 39
crashes at the intersection from Nov. I ,
2004 to Oct. 31, 2009. Of those crash
es, 33 of them were front impact crash
es, which are typically more severe
than other kinds of crashes. NCDOT
estimates the improvements to the
intersection will lower the number of
crashes by nearly 40 percent.
"Safety is our number-one priority,"
said John Rhyne, NCDOT Division 9
district engineer. 'These changes will
help protect the roughly 30,000 vehi
cles that carry motorists through the
area each day."
Under the new traffic pattern,
motorists will no longer be able to turn
r ^
k A
left from Franciscan Drive or Ethel
Drive onto Peters Creek Parkway.
Instead, drivers will turn right and make
a U-turn at the next intersection.
NCDOT will also extend the length
of the southbound left turn lane on
Peters Creek Parkway at the Southpark
Boulevard intersection. Doing so will
prevent congestion by giving ample
space to motorists wanting to leave
Franciscan Drive and make a U-turn to
go north on Peters Creek Parkway.
There are proven benefits to this
type of traffic pattern change. Similar
projects in other parts of the state have
reduced the number of accidents by
more than 70 percent.
Funding for the $112,000 project
was made possible by the 2009
Highway Safety Improvement
Program. The program gives money to
projects that will reduce crashes and
enhance motorist safety on roads that
meet specific accident criteria.
Construction on the project is
expected to take about three weeks to
complete. While work is under way, the
inside lanes of northbound and south
bound Peters Creek Parkway will be
closed to traffic. Motorists may
encounter some congestion and should
plan their trips accordingly. NCDOT
also encourages them to go slow and
pay attention as they pass through the
work zone.
Fitness
from page A7
buckets for a water fight
- Release your inner child
hood and play some of your
favorite games in the back yard
like, Simon says, Mother May
I, Red Light/Green Light, hop
scotch, freeze tag or hide-n
seek
What about rainy days?
Just because the weather
does not cooperate or it is just
too hot outside does not mean
your idea of being active can
cels. Before starting any activ
ity indoors, choose a room that
is spacious and move its furni
ture. Make some room and
have some fun:
- Have a dance party.
Crank up the music and show
off your favorite dance moves.
- Work together as a fami
ly to do chores and then take
breaks to do jumping jacks,
pushups, etc.
- Put on a family talent
show.
- Make a creative list for a
family scavenger hunt
throughout the house.
- Own an exercise video?
Pop it in and get the whole
family moving.
What if the family does
not have time to get
together for fitness?
Sometimes a family just
becomes too busy with work,
organizations and sports
teams. If you find your family
will not have time to get
together during the summer,
here are some tips for the
working parent and child who
might stay at home this sum
mer.
For the Parent:
- Park in the farthest spot
in the employee parking lot to
increase physical activity.
- If your building has
many stairs, use those instead
of the elevator while at work.
- Squeeze your abdomen
muscles for a few second* and
then release. Repeat this every
few minutes while at work to
improve posture.
- Work your calf muscles
to avoid blood clotting in your
legs from sitting so long at
work. Lift your legs onto the
balls of your feet and lower
them back down. Repeat this
until your legs feel tired.
- Take an office object to
work out your arm muscles.
With the office object, you can
do tricep kickbacks, bicep curls
or shoulder raises.
For the child
- If you are at home watch
ing TV, do some jumping
jacks, sit ups, hold a stretch or
run in place during commer
cials.
- Do calf raises while
brushing your teeth.
- Try doing a wall sit to
see how long you can stay
while watching your favorite
show.
- Take your dog for a walk;
if you do not own one ask your
parcnt(s) if it is fine to walk a
neighbor's dog.
- Gather up the neighbor
hood chilcfcen for a game of
basketball, relays or other fun
outdoor activities.
It is important to remem
ber that children whose parents
model healthy behaviors, such
as exercise and eating healthy
are more likely exercise and eat
healthy themselves! Whatever
way you choose to spend your
summer, include some kind of
physical activity. Any outdoor
activity during the summer
requires safety. If you choose
to participate in any activity
outside consider this:
- Always have water near
by while outside
- Take breaks from the sun
to rest in the shade or inside
- Wear breathable and light
colored clothing
- Make sure to wear sun
screen
Hope you have a safe and
fun summer!
- Contribution by JaLessa
Reed
Do you need further infor
mction or have questions or
comments about this irticle?
Please call toll-free 1 -877-530
1824. Or, for more informction
about the Maya Angelou
Center for Health Equity,
please visit our website:
http://www.wfubmc.ecii/MAC
HE.
Legal Notice
If You are African American and
Suffered Farm Loan Discrimination
by the USDA between 1981 and 1996,
You may be eligible for money from
a $1.25 billion class action Settlement Fund
(Heirs/Kin may be included)
There is a proposed class action Settlement
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) involving racial discrimination
against African American farmers between
1981 and 1996. This Settlement is only
for certain people who tried to file a late
claim in the original Pigford case, or their
heirs (kin) and legal representatives.
The current Settlement (sometimes called
Pigford IT) provides benefits to some of
those late filers.
Am I included?
You may be included if you:
? Between 1981 and 1996, were discouraged
or prevented from applying for or were
denied a USDA farm loan or other benefit,
or you were given a loan with unfair terms
because of racial discrimination,
? Were eligible for a payment in the original
Pigford case, and
? Submitted a late-filing request that was
denied or never considered because it was
late.
If you are the heir or kin of someone who
died who fits this description, you may file a
claim for a payment that would become part
of the deceased person's estate. If you are
not sure if you (or someone for whom you
are the legal representative) are included,
please call 1-877-810-8110. You are not
included if you received a payment in the
original Pigford case.
What does the Settlement provide?
You may be eligible for a substantial cash
payment and USDA loan forgiveness from
the Settlement. You will need to file a claim
to be eligible for these benefits. The claims
deadline may be as early as February 28,
2012. The Court has appointed lawyers to
help you file a claim under the Settlement.
You do not have to pay them or anyone else
to help you with the claims process. These
attorneys will ask the Court for fees and
expenses of between 4.1% and 7.4% of the
Settlement Fund, and the Court will decide
how much they are paid. You may hire
your own lawyer, if you wish, at your own
expense. If you have questions or need more
information, call 1 -877-8 1 0-8 1 1 0.
What else should I know?
The Court will hold a hearing on September
1, 2011 to consider whether to approve the
Settlement and a request for attorneys' fees
and expenses. If you want to object to or
comment on the Settlement or appear at
the hearing, you need to file a letter with
the Court by August 12, 2011. If the Court
approves the Settlement, you will not be
able to sue the USDA about your farm loan
discrimination claims in the future.
For more information or to begin the claims filing process:
Call: 1-877-810-8110 Visit: www.BlackFarmeiCase.com