SATURDAY
July 2,2011
Roxboro,
North Carolina
www.personcountylife.com
75 Cents
HAVE A SAFE
& HAPPY
PARADE:
The annual Fourth
of July Parade will
begin Monday at
10 a. tn. in Uptown
Roxboro
WANTED LIST:
Person County's
most wanted
suspects tA
THE WORD:
The Word on the
Street — whatfolks
in Person County are
doing on the 4th A2
NEW TWIST:
Local business gives
new meaning to an
old saying A9
THE CALL:
Student pastors at
Rougemont charge
bring new ideas B6
-]|
DEATHS
i[-
Margaret (Peggy) Roberts
Bradsher, 75
Hurdle Mills
David Wayne Lawson, 58
Liberty
Anna Cox Meeler, 88
Leasburg
Hattie Mae Williams, 87
Washington, D. C.
iDMiar
AGENDA
A2
BOATWRIGHT
A2
BOOKS
B1
CLASSIFIED
BlO-11
COMMENTARY
AS
COURT
B8
DO YOU KNOW
A2
EDUCATION
B2
FAITH & WORSHIP
B6-7
LEGAL NOTICES
Bll
LIFESTYLE
B4-5
LOOKING BACK
A2
MOVIES
A2
OBITUARIES
All
OPINION
A4
REALTY TRANSFERS
B8
SPORTS
A6-7
TV LISTINGS
B9
Our
129th year
Number 53
Two sections
24 pages
Copyright
2011
The Courier-Times Inc.
Serving all of Person County since 1881
Couricr-®mej(
I rights reserved
Harriett Tillett namedprincipal at SMS
Veteran PCS educator began new post at Southern Middle School Friday
Person County Schools this
week named Harriett Tillett as
the new principal of Southern
Middle School. Tillett is current
ly serving as program special
ist for math, science, arts, RE.
and virtual learning for Person
County Schools. She began her
new duties at Southern Friday.
Schools Supt. Dr. Larry W.
Cartner commented, “Harriett
brings a wealth of experience as
a secondary schools’ administra
tor. Her experience with curricu
lum and virtual learning will
enable her to lead Southern in
an innovative direction. She will
do great things for the students
and staff of Southern Middle
School.”
Tillett earned a master’s de
gree in school administration
from Western Carolina Universi
ty in 2009. She holds a bachelor’s
degree in mathematics and reli
gion from Meredith College, and
is also National Board Certified
in adolescent and young adult
hood science.
Tillett served as assistant prin
cipal of curriculum and instruc
tion at Person High School from
2006 to 2009. Prior to that, she was
a chemistry teacher at Person
High School for 28 years.
“I am so excited to be joining
the staff at Southern Middle
School,” Tillett said. “I have
See TILLETT, Page 12
Harriett Tillett
COURIER-TIMES FILE
And, the rockets red glare...
The annual Fourth of July Fireworks show is scheduled for Monday, July 4, at approximately 9 p.m. at
the Person High School Stadium. Thanks to generous donations from many Person County residents
and businesses, the show will go on.
BOE decides
School of
Choice options
Oak Lane, Stories Creek chosen as
South Elementary's alternatives
BY GREY PENTECOST
COURIER-TIMES STATE WRITER
grevpentecosf@toxboro-coutier.com
If unofficial End-of-Grade
(EOG) test results for the 2010-
11 school year hold true. Per
son County Schools will have
its first School of Choice in the
upcoming school year.
Unofficial 2010-11 EOG test
results indicate that South
Elementary School has not
met Adequate Yearly Prog
ress (AYP) in the same subject
(math) for two consecutive
years, thus placing it under the
designation of Title I School
Improvement.
According to the N.C. De
partment of Public Instruc
tion, Title I schools are those
that receive federal Title I
funds, based on the number
of low-income students in the
schools.
SeeO?1\Om,Page 12
READING COUNTS
BHCS students hitting the books this summer
BY GREY PENTECOST
COURIER-TIMES STATE WRITER
grevpentecost@toxboro-courier.com
Between two different pro
grams, this summer Bethel
Hill Charter School has many
students busy reading.
Students in first through
sixth-grades are being encour
aged to keep up their reading
habits through the summer
with the opportunity to par
ticipate in the Reading Counts
program.
Twice a week (Tuesdays from
10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays
from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.) any
Bethel Hill student that would
like to participate can check
out books from the school’s
library and take the Reading
Counts tests in the computer
lab. Similar to the Accelerated
Reader program, students earn
points with each test they pass.
Once the students reach their
point goals, which vary by
grade level, they will receive $5
and a ticket to a Durham Bulls
game, said BHCS teacher’s as
sistant Lakeisha Plenty.
Plenty said the students can
check out two books at a time,
and can read them at home or
during the program hours at
the school. Over the course of
the program in June and July,
Plenty estimated that each
child would have read around
25 to 30 books on average.
While BHCS runs Reading
Counts during the school year
as well, BHCS Principal John
Betterton said the summer ses
sion keeps students in the “hab
it of reading” so that students
won’t feel like they’re “gearing
up again” when school starts
back in the fall.
See READING,/i7gf 9
Tour work is critical’
Chuck Gentry tabbed Extension Service Volunteer of the Year
BY PHYLLIS BOATWRIGHT
COURIER-TIMES STAFF WRITER
pboDtwrigbf@roxboto-touriet.com
Charles (Chuck) Gentry was
named Person County Coopera
tive Extension Service Volunteer
of the Year Tuesday night, dur
ing the 22"*^ annual banquet held
to honor volunteers.
Gentry served as D.A.R.E.
(Drug Abuse Resistance Educa
tion) officer prior to his retire
ment from the Person County
Sheriff’s Office. Since his retire
ment, he has continued to vol
unteer his time with the Person
County 4-H clubs, teaching hunt
er safety and shooting classes.
He is also involved in the wildlife
identification program.
Derek Day, Extension Service
director, said Gentry made the 4-H
shooting club successful because
“he always teaches the kids the
right way” to handle firearms.
In addition to his involvement
with Person County youth. Gen
try is also involved with the Vic
tory Junction camp in Randle-
man, which serves children with
disabilities.
Upon receiving the honor of
Extension Volunteer of the Year
this week. Gentry said he could
set his own schedule since retire
ment, but added that Jennifer
Grable, Person County 4-H agent,
“keeps me busy.” Day said the
Extension office could not carry
out the many programs it offers
without the help of volunteers.
He told a large crowd of volun
teers that the annual banquet
was “just a small way [in which]
we say thank you for what you
do.”
Billy Yeargin, a Granville
County native and history teach-
See GENTRY, Page 12
PHYLISS BOATWRIGHT I COURIER-TIMES
Chuck Gentry (left) was named Person County Extension Service
Volunteer of the Year Tuesday. He is shown here talking with Animal
Science and Natural Resources Agent Kim Woods.