PAGE A2, A3
Latest on state moving
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case information.
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Toast of Perquimans to
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Group announces art
show winners
Education Gap Between Black and White Students Improving
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Perquimans Schools Super
intendent Tanya Turner said
the education gap between
Black and White students
statewide continues to be an
area of focus and improve
ment.
While this gap exists in
Perquimans County as well,
the data indicates that the
education gap between these
two subgroups is less in Per
quimans County than the gap
B between these
groups across
the state in
most areas.
“Perquim
ans County
Schools will
continue to fo-
TURNER cus on educat
ing every child,
every chance,
every day,” she said. “We will
strive to provide all students
equitable access to a chal
lenging curriculum and en
gaging instruction in order to
Dropout Data
Toal
Male
Female
White
Black
Hispanic
2018-2019
7
3
4
4
2
1
2017-2018
7
5
2 10
10
2016-2017
13
6
7
11: 10 (2)
2015-2016
15
10
5
10 10 (5)
2014-2015
12
10
10
10
10
SUBMITTED GRAPHIC
High school drop out data
decrease achievement gaps by
race, economic, and EC status
annually. This is a major focus
of our strategic plan.”
Quality teachers provide
educational opportunity.
“A proven strength of the
school system is the effec
tiveness of teachers in our
classrooms,” Turner said.
“Our teachers are committed
to ensuring that our students
receive a quality education.
See GAP, A3
Reward
in Edenton
Case to be
Issued
FROM STAFF REPORTS
SLADE
EDENTON — Sen. Bob
Steinburg (R-Chowan) will
hold a press conference at
10a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8 to
announce a
significant
reward for
information
leading to the
arrest and
conviction of
Makiia Slade’s
killer.
On July 24,
Makiia Slade,
a 9-year-old girl, was shot and
killed in a drive-by shooting
near West Queen Street in
Edenton, NC, while sitting in
the car with her mother.
“Unlike the dangerous and
out of control streets of Chi
cago or Detroit, rural North
Carolina will not stand for
nor accept failure in the seek
ing of justice regarding the
vicious murder of children in
our streets,” Steinburg said.
“The name of Makiia Slade will
not fade and be stored on the
shelves of obscurity, because
as a community of law abid
ing, life honoring citizens, we
will not stand for lawlessness.
Makiia Slade’s life was signif
icant and her life also mat
tered.”
Chowan County Sheriffs
Office and the SBI are search
ing for any information which
could lead to an arrest and con
viction of Makiia’s killer.
If anybody has any infor
mation regarding the fatal
shooting, contact the Sheriffs
Department by phone at (252)
482- 8484 or at 305 West Free
mason St., Edenton, NC.
SBI can be contacted at
(919) 662- 4500.
PHTOTO BY MILES LAYTON
Head Start teachers held rallies Monday and Friday protesting unfair reductions in pay. Teachers
raising their hands said their pay was affected. Economic Improvement Council Executive Director
Landon Mason disputes these claims saying salaries were not reduced.
Head Start Teachers Rally Against EIC
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Area Head Start teachers pro
tested Friday and Monday what
they called unfair and unan
nounced cuts to pay and benefits.
However, Economic Improve
ment Council Executive Director
Landon Mason said in a statement
the agency did not cut teachers’
pay.
“As documented, EIC did not
cut the salaries of 35 Head Start
Program teachers as indicated by a
recent social media post,” he said.
“Four Head Start Program employ
ees did share concerns about sala
ry inaccuracies and the program’s
executive director. Upon further
review by agency staff, a system’s
error was realized, and the issue
was resolved immediately by the
executive director on Aug. 29. We
must emphasize, EIC is commit
ted to addressing and resolving
matters impact
ing its workforce,
as professionally
and swiftly as
possible.”
Mason said
the four employ
ees, who were
affected by the
computer glitch,
would be reim
bursed in their next paycheck.
About 35 Head Start staff pro
tested Friday in the parking lot
outside the main office of the
Edenton-based Economic Im
provement Council, which oper
ates Head Start centers in the area
A few carried signs.
Monday, teachers moved their
protest from the EIC parking lot to
near Rose’s at Chowan Crossing.
Two teachers - Thomas Midg-
ette and Amy Cisneros - were ter
minated before Monday’s rally for
insubordination.
Teachers in the crowd said they
are not necessarily on strike but
are concerned about changes in
pay and are looking for answers
before they return to work.
When teachers were asked if
their pay had not been changed
to reflect their salary before the
cuts, a group of at least 8-10 peo
ple raised their hands - one per
son even showed bank informa
tion indicating nothing had been
changed.
“It has not been fixed,” one
teacher said. “I just looked at about
5 minutes ago and there still is a
large deduction that has not been
fixed ... We are behind on bills be
cause we expected that one thing
and we got something else.”
Cisneros added, “Because we
weren’t even told to try to pre
pare for it. Our change was effec
tive a week after our pay period
See EIC, A2
Round-up
Roberts
& Movies
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
A round-up of all things Per
quimans County...
Per Mason Roberts and
his family, they want to extend
many thanks for all the support
that was shown during the recent
fundraiser held for 11-year-old
Mason.
“Words cannot express all the
love we felt from our community
during this time. You all touched
our hearts with your kindness.
Thank you to everyone that
helped make this a successful
event. The plan is for him to re
ceive his service dog March 2021
to help with managing his Type
1 Diabetes.” - Mason Roberts &
family
Per Ken Rominger, Hertford’s
American Legion Post 126 will
host a Public Yard Sale, Saturday,
Sept. 12,7-11 a.m., in their parking
lot at 111 West Academy Street.
See ROUND-UP, A3
MASON ROBERTS
Math Teachers’ Dynamic Duo Embraces Team Concept
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Editor’s Note: From time to
time, Perquimans Weekly will share
stories about teachers to highlight
their commitment to education.
These folks are unsung heroes and
role models to many students.
Amy Craddock and Kim ly-
6 ■ 89076 47144
2
Vol. 86, No. 36
@2020 Perquimans Weekly
All Rights Reserved
son embrace a team approach
to teaching math at Perquimans
High School. While conjuring up
the solution to an algebra prob
lem, imagine the crowd roaring
as these two teachers team up to
hit the blackboard like two NBA
stars - Kobe Bryant passing the
chalk to Michael Jordan to “carry
the one” so he can slam dunk the
answer to that math question.
Craddock and Tyson’s team-
work scores success for stu
dents. Check their answer out
- won’t spoil the surprise. Math
I is the first for four math class
es that students are required to
pass in order to graduate from
high school in North Carolina.
“Four years ago, we ap
proached our principal with the
idea of team teaching Math I,”
Craddock said. “We feel like it
is so important for students to
begin high school with a strong
foundation in math. Being sis
ters gives us such a unique ex
perience for team teaching.
Our teaching styles are so sim
ilar that the co-teaching model
works perfectly with us. Our
students tease us because we
are always finishing each other’s
sentences.”
Did you catch the hook -
they’re sisters with math super
See MATH, A3
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Perquimans High
School teachers
(l-r) Amy Craddock
and Kim Tyson use
a team approach
to solve life’s great
mathematical
mysteries. What
they feel is their
biggest strength is
creating a lesson
that engages
the students and
gives them the
opportunity to
be successful in
math.