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The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County and its Pf^'oTsliF IIoIoT oT #icc)oT
PEROUIHANS COUNTY LIBRARY
liO W ACADEMY ST
HERTFORD NC 27944
June 28, 2001
Vol. 69, No. 26 Hertford, North Carolina 27944
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Perquimans
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Schools get $1.5 million federal grant
After-hours
programs to
be expanded
for students,
community
SUSAN R. HARRIS
The school board cele
brated receipt of a $1.5 mil
lion federal grant Monday
night.
The funds mark the first
time Perquimans County
Schools has received a U.S.
Department of Education
21st Century grant.
According to interim
superintendent James
“Pat” Harrell, grant funds
wiU allow for expansion of
after-hours programs for
both students and the com
munity at all four of the
county’s schools. Activities
will be geared toward
expanding after-school,
Saturday, and summer pro
grams.
In addition, HarreU said
it will allow for expansion
of community programs
such as this spring’s popu
lar “Seniors Teaching
Seniors” computer classes.
Harrell said that program
paired high school seniors
proficient in computer use
with senior citizens who
Student handbooks
okayed by board
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Students returning to
school in August will
receive the planner/hand-
book that has become a tra
dition in Perquimans
bounty Schools.
The school board
approved the handbook at
their regular meeting
Monday night.
In addition to a calendar
on which students are
encouraged to record
assignments and other
school-related activities,
the handbook contains
about 25-30 pages of school
board policy as well as
guidelines and regulations.
The handbook covers
board policies regarding
student services, internet
use policy, code of student
conduct, confidentiality
and access to records, fight
ing, -grievance procedure
and policy, and general
guidelines of the schools
and general information.
The general guidelines
section covers areas such
as athletics, attendance,
emergency procedures,
homework, insurance, visi
tors, immunizations, stu
dent records, discipline
and cafeteria services.
The information section
tells about matters such as
supplies, dress code, con
ferences, special
events/field trips, school
Calendar, medication poli
cy, telephone use.
This coming year, par
ents will be required to
sign and return a form to
school signifying that they
have read and are aware of
the information in the
handbook.
Board vice chairman
Marjorie Rayburn asked if
any of the policy language
could be simplified. Both
interim superintendent
James “Pat” Harrell and
public information officer
Brenda Lassiter, who puts
the books together, said the
system is required to pro
vide policies to students
just as the policies appear
in the policy manuals.
Lassiter said when the
handbooks were first pro
duced as wire-bound note
books with calendars about
5 years ago, each of the
four schools had different
dress codes and other poli
cies. Administators and
faculty have worked togeth
er over the years to make
many of the guidelines at
each of the schools identi
cal. There are some differ
ences, such as dress code,
athletic policies and other
age- and grade-appropriate
areas.
There will be at least one
difference at the high
school in the dress code
this year, Lassiter said.
Hats and other headgear
will no longer be allowed
inside the buildings on
campus.
ALS DONATION
The Old Timers homerun derby netted $560 for
the Jim "Catfish" Hunter ALS foundation. High
school winner Rob Woodard (left) and open win
ner John Nixon (right) were congratulated by
Helen Hunter (holding the ongoing winners
plaque), Todd Hunter and Kim Hunter-Layne.
wanted information on
accessing the internet and
email programs. Harrell
said the class was a great
success and could have
been much larger had there
been enough computer sta
tions to accommodate more
people.
The programs will be
implemented using exist
ing staff, Harrell said.
In the grant application
written by Director of
Student Services/Special
Projects Jeanie Umphlett,
the goal of the 21st Century
Community Learning
Centers is to plan and
implement services at each
school center to meet edu
cational, health, social
services, cultural and
recreational needs of stu
dents, educators, parents
and the community
The project wiU provide
after-hours opportunities
for learning in areas that
complement regular school
curriculum in reading,
math, writing, technology,
health, recreation, nutri
tion, drug education and
offer adult programs in lit
erary education, parenting
skUls, telecommunications
and access to social servic
es.
Extended hours have
already drawn students
and community residents
to the schools to use com
puters in the media cen
ters. Students without
access to computers at
home are able to access the
internet and get informa
tion needed for assign
ments such as the senior
proje.ct.
At present, transporta
tion is provided at the high
and middle school levels to
drop-off points in different
communities in the county
Results school officials
hope to achieve with the
program include an
increase in student
achievement in reading,
math, technology, writing
and science; an increase in
parental involvement and
skills; and help in provid
ing the missing links for
Smart
Start
loses
state
money
Parents as
Teachers
program
cut
SUSAN R. HARRIS
State budget cuts
will decrease services
in Perqumans County
from the
Chowan/ Gates/
Perquimans
Partnership for
Children.
The Partnership,
the Smart Start
implementing agency for the three
counties, announced last week that the
Parents as Teachers Program will be
cut in Perquimans and Gates counties.
Chowan will continue the program
through a grant from the Governor’s
Crime Commission.
ill
■
“It has been docu
mented that in their beginning years,
children learn more and at a much
faster pace than at any other time in
their lives,” said Wendy Jewett,
Executive Director of the Partnership.
“Through voluntary involvement with
the PAT Program, parents enhance
their skills to helpmake the most of
these crucial early-learning years.
Schools cannot compensate completely
for lack of intellectual stimulation and
emotional nurturing in the early
years.”
PAT is a voluntary program for fami
lies with children from birth through 5
years and is desinged to serve aU par
ents. The program encourages parents
to take an active role in children’s
development and education.
PAT provides home visits, group
meetings, screening and a referral net
work to participants. Home visits occur
monthly to help parents under the
stages of child development and offer
practical tips on ways to encourage
learning.
In group meetings, parents are able
Parents as Teachers Program participant Quiana
Hodges reads to her daughter, MyNiya Harvey.
to share experiences, common concerns
and successes. PAT offers periodic
screening of overall development, lan
guage, hearing and vision to that poten
tial problems can be detected early on
and dealt with so that the child can
enter school ready to be
successful.
Through its referral
component, PAT links fam
ilies with any needed spe
cial services in the commu
nity.
Begun in 1981 as a pilot
project in Missouri, PAT
has spread to 37 states and
Washington, D.C. It is
poised to go international.
Evaluations of the pro
gram have concluded that
the program is beneficial.
A 1985 study found that
participating children were more
advanced than other 5-year-olds in lan
guage develpoment, social develop
ment, problem solving and other intel
lectual skills. A 1989 study of first
graders found that PAT participants
were ahead of their peers, and that
additionally, PAT parents were more
involved in education. The results were
validated in a 1991 study.
Jewett said the Partnership will com
bine fund raising and grant writing in
an effort to restart the PAT program in
both Perquimans and Gates counties.
The C/G/P Partnership for Children
is a private, not-for-profit organization
with the mission to coordinate family
support services for all children in the
counties it serves, and to better prepare
them for school and to help develop
future productive citizens.
Donations may be made payable to
CGP/PFC, 123 Dillard’s MiU Road,
Tyner, NC 27980.
Those interested in involvement with
the Partnership through the local board
or volunteering, should contact Jewett
or Gail King at 221-3030.
students.
Administrators hope to
serve 450 students and
about 100 adults through
the program. There were
1,782 students enrolled in
the schools when the grant
proposal was written.
The proposal was devel
oped in collaboration with
school district personnel,
community organizations,
Elizabeth City State
University, College of The
Albemarle, town and coun
ty representatives, minis
ters, students and parents.
Board member Charles
Cheezum asked that the
board gets an ongoing
report once the expanded
program is operational.
SUSAN R. HARRIS
The Historic Hertford
Business Association is
sending out an invitation
to everyone in Perquimans
County to come party in
Missing Mill Park Sunday.
HHBA has tagged the
event “Picnic in the Paik,
Fireworks and the Ist
Summer Turtle Tantrums
Concert,” all planned to
celebrate the 4th of July
The community celebra
tion will get underway at 4
p.m. with carnival food,
games, face painting and
balloons. The Silver Spurs
will entertain from 5-9 p.m.
The highlight of the
evening will be the fire
works show, accompanied
by the patriotic sounds of
middle school musicians,
playing under the direc
tion of Director of
Instrumental Music David
Ziemba.
Flags will line the side
walk at the park during the
fireworks. HHBA is selling
the flags, which can be
placed in honor or in mem
ory of someone, to raise
money for the firewoiks.
The minimum donation is
$5. Flags are available at
The Wishing Well.
A change in required
training for those who
shoot fireworks caused the
celebration to be moved
from July 4 to July 1,
according to American
Legion spokesperson
Julian “Little Man”
Broughton. Broughton
said training issues are
being resolved and the fire
works show will be held on
July 4 next year. The
American Legion orders
and helps raise frmds for
the fireworks.
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 86
Low: 68
Partly Cloudy
Friday
High: 82
Low: 67
Partly Cloudy
Saturday
High: 82
Low: 68
Partly Cloudy