North Carolina Newspapers

Parents In Action Will Ask School System To Implement New Approach BY DORI COSGROVF. (JURGANLS Brunswick Counly Schools may be in for some changcs in ihc way c I asses arc conducted, if a new par ents' action group succeeds in sell ing its goals to local educators. Parents In Action, formed to pro mote new teaching and scheduling methods, gathered at South Bruns wick High School in its second meeting to discuss ways to foster implementation of a "comprehcn siivr mnrcni mnnnonmonl vvvtom" at local high schools and middle schools. The group, headed by Dorothy Esscy of Yaupon Beach, plans to ask the Brunswick Counly Board of Education to consider adopting the new program, already implemented in over 140 statewide schools, at the board's next meeting. The program involves creating flexible schedules for students as well as tcachers. Students would chose their own classes, and receive tutorial help after school if needed. Tcachcrs would be given not one, but two planning sessions and more time to brainstorm with other in structors. Stricter rules regarding discipline would be enforced, giving teachers more control over the learning pro cess, speakers said Monday. PI A members reported Monday night to a group of more titan UK) parents, teachers, schtxil board members, administrators and stu dents on visits last week to schools that use the program. "We saw evidence that it's effec tive," said Mrs. Esscy. Over the past several weeks, Ms. Esscy, a local businesswoman, parent and former Brunswick County school teacher, took small groups of parents and leathers on tours of demonstra tion schools. South Lenoir, Scotland and Laney high schools. "It's beautiful to see what's hap pening there," she said Monday night, urging parents to join her in support of the plan. Teachers have regained control of their classrooms and students learn ;it levels geared to their own abilities. And, she said the team was told by an administrator at South Lenoir High School that discipline prob lems have decreased by SO percent. "They know the rules and they know they'll rcccivc punishment for it." Ms. Esscy said. Honor students often graduate with several hours of college crcdit I mm i hi .. 1 <1 J Ik. ;i STAFF PHOTO BY OORl C GURGANUS CHAIRPERSON DOROTHY ESSEY of Parents In Action explains the group's goals to a crowd of parents, teachers, ad ministrators and students Monday night. already nut of ihc way, she said. Ms. Esscy said West Brunswick High School appears 10 be the only local school already implementing some of the ideas encompassed by the comprehensive concept manage ment system. West Brunswick has established an outcome-based edu cation project for ninth grades, with intentions to expand it over the next several years to include all grades. Mike Occhipinii, special projects coordinator with the state De partment of Public Instruction, spoke to the crowd about the need for communities to support such a project in the schools. The comprehensive concept has been developed and implemented in North Carolina by Occhipinii over the past 10 years. However, he said Monday that none of the participat ing schixils has taken the program to its fullest potential. "Students must be treated with re spect, with dignity, and with love," he said, "and none of our schcxils are there yet. We have such a long way to go." Occhipinii outlined the basic ele ments needed to start die program: ?A student service management team, or a group of personal advis ers, hired and trained to work one on-onc with students. ?Case classes scheduled to provide students time to meet with personal advisers. Occhipinii referred to this as "nurturing time," available to give students a consistent message to build self-esteem. ?Learning ccnters established alter school to hHn siixknts perform be? ter in difficult classes, offering tu tors. make-up work and intense re medial help. "We won't allow a young person to fail," Occhipinu said, "and stu dents who are punished for disci pline problems don't mind those policies because they know they'll gel a helping hand." Brunswick County Schools Sup erintendent PR. Hankins endorsed the plan, staling that "effective schools arc our quest." "Change is inevitable," Hankins added, "and we arc the change agents." Ms. Esscy urged parents and teachers to attend the next meeting of the Brunswick County Board of Education Monday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m. at South Brunswick Middle School in Boiling Spring Lakes. "We all have the same goals, the very same mission." she said, "to make Brunswick County schools the best they can be." Under the school system's current move toward site-based decision making and accountability, individu al schools will determine their own goals and approaches for reaching those goals. The school's goals anil standards pcrlor^-incc ciin ?* v - ceed those set by tlie county system, but cannot be less than the county's. Schools Prepared For Tornado Drill Brunswick County Schools are expected to participate in a state wide tornado drill Friday, which was postponed from Wednesday due to the chance of severe weather. Local emergency management of ficials will notify the schools when the drill begins, and schools will lake precautions as if there was a tornado watch or warning issued, said administrative assistant Doug las Dcit/. The National Weather Service de cided Tuesday to postpone the drill due to the possibility ol heavy ihun derstorms and rain over parts of North Carolina on Wednesday. "This action is necessary to avoid the possibility of contusion should a real tornado watch or warning oc cur," said Graham Wilson, public al fairs director with the N.C. Depart ment of Crime Control and Public Safety. School Improvement Team Conducts Weekend Retreat I hiriy-ihrce counly educators "re treated" last weekend to the North Carolina Baptist Assembly at Fort Caswell to learn more about school improvement. The retreat brought together con tact persons and principals from each of the county's schools with the central office school improvement team and administrators to share what they've learned to date about school improvement, said Gloria Yount, public information and staff development coordinator. "They in turn will go back to their schools and will start assessing where their school is," said Ms. Yount. "They will start preparing mission and vision statements and begin putting things in place to sum the journey of school improvement." Participants reviewed the county school systems' mission and goals, discussed how to function effective ly as a team, heard success stories from the school system and an over view of research on effective schools, the agenda also included a session on goal-setting and planning and a closing challenge by Mosc Lewis, assistant superintendent for instructional services. Participants from the central of fice in addition to Lewis and Ms. Yount included PR. Hankins, super intendent; Liz Young, math/science supervisor; Diana Mini/, elementary supervisor; Wendy Milligan, drop out prevention specialist; and James McAdams, middle grades/social stu dies supervisor. Attending from the schools were teachers Grade McLarty and Velma McKinnon, Assistant Principal Bob Rhyne and Principal Christine Hall. Lcland Middle; Principal Joe Buder, teacher Payc Nelson Li ncolrj Pri mary; teacher Mary Griffith, As sistant Principal Terry Chcstnutt, Principal Bill Shoemaker, Wacca maw; Assistant Principal Latty Stan ley, Southporl Primary; Principal Sue Sellers, teacher Bill Hargrove, South Brunswick High; teacher Rose Terry, Principal Bob Harris. North Brunswick High; teachers Warren Fenton and Phyllis James, West Brunswick; Counselor Sue Chapman, Principal Zelphia Gris sett, Union Primary; Counselor Phil Tate, Principal Les Tubb, South Brunswick Middle; Principal Dave Corlcy, Bolivia; tcachcr Pal Fenton, Principal Mark Owens, Shallotte Middle; Carolyn Williams, Supply Elementary. Also attending were Donna Bax ter, chairman, Brunswick County Board of Education, and Evelyn Johnson of the State Department of Public Instruction. Davis Jewelry and Gifts 50% OFF Everything In Stock 11? Cs'JJtwsy Dr., Own !?>? Budi-579-8800 ^J^Thurs., Ftl., Sat. 1l-5? Brunswick County Set To Rename Roads Brunswick County Commission ers will hold a public hearing Mon day, March 2, al 6:15 p.m., to con sider names for 32 county roads. Proposed names have been cho sen for new and existing roads both to avoid duplication and to accom modate property owners' requests. Brunswick County Planning Department policy prohibits duplica tion of road names within a postal zone to avoid confusion under the county's 95 1 emergency communica tions program, which begins in April. The public hearing will be in the commissioners' chambers in the ad ministration building at the Bruns wick County Government Center in Bolivia. The board will hold its reg ular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Some streets that did not have names before will be getting names. Those proposed are: Alice Court in the Alice Culpepper subdivision; Bertha Court at the end of Duck Pond Road, Ocean Isle; Dccrfield Drive and Magnolia Court in Brick landing Plantation; Island View Place at Ocean Isle; Lexington Placc across from Sommerset Landing; Lock I in Sea Village; Mill Pond Drive in Sea Trails; and Rest Row off of Beach Drive, Ocean Isle. Name changes lo avoid duplica tion include: Canalview Street from Canal Street in J.E. Fulford subdivi sion; Coastal Pine Street from Pine Street in Pine Acres; Oakland Drive from Hale's Trail in the Oakland subdivision; Ocean Isle Beach Road from Ocean Isle Entrance Road (known as Four Mile Road); and Randy Drive from Ocean View Drive in Waterway Acres. Changes proposed at die property owners' requests include: Colonist Square from Landing Blvd., Landing Blvd. from Britton Drive, and Oakbrook Drive from Colonist Square, all in Bricklanding Planta tion; Crystal Court from Larry Court, Farmers Court from Benny Court, Leisure Court from Hite Court and Rainbow Court from Ycarta Court, all in Leisure Acres; Eastbrook Avenue from Brooks Avenue at Seaside; Georgetown Dock from Pine Bluff in Sea Village; Also Hewetl-Burton Road from Phelps Road off of Goodman Road; Horse Branch Road from Horse Barn Road in Twin Village; Una Trail from Raven Drive in Shallotlc: Riccfiekl Branch Street from Timber Lane and Timber Lane from Pickett Road in Pickett Ridge, Lcland; Rob inson Street from Brooks Avenue in Pine Acres; Swain Creek Trail from Caqxmter Way in Supply; Virginia Road from Warren Road in Ash, and Westbrook Avenue from Brooks Avenue at Ocean Isle. GALLERY O Local An ? Pottery ? Jewelry "Oil Painting Classes" Art Supplies "THE UNUSUAL" Winter Hours (Jan. & Feb.) Tucs., Thurs., Sat. 10-5 Calabash Post Office Complex Jfwy. 179 ? (919)579 omple -9929. Coastal, Drug Coastal Drug Store SERVING OUR AREA SINCE 1936 Come in, enjoy the friendly hometown atmosphere, have a cup of coffee and experience the kind of service you would like to have and deserve. SPEEDY SERVICE PRESCRIPTION DELIVERY SERVICE Free Delivery in Shallotte and Brierwood Estates. Deliveries available from Lockwood Folly River to Beaches, to Carolina Shores and to Ash. Give us this ad and receive Arr any prescription over $10 I New customers only. any new prescription from our \J I I" repeat customers. We accept Medicaid & PAID prescription cards 14802 Main St. (across from Camp United Methodist Church) Shallotte ? Open 9-5:30 M-F ? 754-1 $5 $2 YOU'LL JUMP OVER THESE SAVINGS /V & C oriE RACK ^*3 BEAUTIFUL CLOTHING /xmTl ffe TWO RACKS ^ "^0 FASHION-WEAR ?? cpdinh ciiipstpuq ? ? . ^ ? J| vjl IUI IVJ >_/ ?l L./ \ i L>l W j ^ 1*3 JUST ARRIVED ^ ALSO-NEW SPRING ARRIVALS ARE HERE! Wolff Tanning Kimberly Jo's Boutique Ladies' Clothing ? Wolff Tanning i/^Cn HOURS: flonrti 8 AM until. Sat 10-5 ^ Other times by appointment Located on lluy. 1 79 in the Coastal Mechanical Bldg OCEAN ISLF. ? 579-7670 or S79 K2Q0 Tlamc Brand Ladies Fashions At Affordable Prices ? J "When it comes to value, selection and service, no other store comes close. I always find the famous-maker quality-and up-to-the minute styles 1 want for prices I can afford. They treat me more like a friend than a cus tomer. Helping to cre ate rooms that are personal and more like me. And, when it comes to every item I buy, they're not satis fied until I am. " J. LIVINGSTON FURNITURE GALLERIES I Simply Can't Believe J. Livingston has extended their Winter Sale thru February!!! Save 20% to 50% off retail HWY. 17 Little River, SC (803)249-6188