Friday, August 6, 2004

Stapleton Is Seeking Supes' Vote On CIP
Wants Supes’ Decision

The Halifax County School Board unanimously supported School Superintendent Paul Stapleton's decision yesterday to request a Board of Supervisors vote on funding for Phase II of the capital improvement plan by no later than October.

"We need some kind of approval to get the process rolling," he said. "Until they appropriate some money we can't do a thing.

"The truth of the matter is this will have to be done sometime and the longer you wait the more it will cost,'" he added. "If the community believes we need to build and repair schools, it is on the shoulders of the Board of Supervisors to provide funding.

"They have to say yes or no. They have to react."

The decision to set a timeline for Board of Supervisors approval was made on the second day of the School Board's summer retreat at Virginia International Raceway.

Funding for capital improvements in various forms has been before the Board of Supervisors for close to year.

The current plan, priced at $37.3 million, was unanimously approved by the School Board on April 28, but is still awaiting approval from the Board of Supervisors.

"The Supervisors have to step in the batter's box and either swing and strike out, or hit the ball for the future of the county," Stapleton said yesterday. "All we want is a yes or a no. It is a legitimate question."

Stapleton said he fully supported the plan, saying the planned improvements were necessary and correctly prioritized.

"I have no problem supporting it just as it lays on the table right now," he said.
School Board members also addressed a variety of other looming issues during their two-day retreat.

Stapleton told the Board regulations for highly qualified teachers required by the No Child Left Behind legislation may lead to hiring and retention problems.
"The competition to get highly qualified teachers will become incredibly competitive," he said. "This is going to get ugly when it comes to competition."

No Child Left Behind requires that 100 percent of the school system's teachers be defined as highly qualified by the Virginia Department of Education by the end of the 2005-2006 school year.

In order to be defined as highly qualified a teacher must hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree, obtain full state certification and demonstrate competency in their subject matter by passing the PRAXIS examination.

"The biggest issue we have is the PRAXIS," said Deputy Superintendent Larry Clark. "Some teachers have lost their jobs because they were not able to pass the PRAXIS."

But Clark said Halifax County was well on its way to achieving the 100 percent requirement, saying 92.89 percent of current county teachers are highly qualified.

That figure is up from 80 percent in the 2003-2004 school year and ahead of the 90 percent target set for this year by the Virginia Department of Education.

"But it is a fluid situation," said Clark. "These statistics are moving targets because we have personnel changes every year."

In order to meet the 2006 deadline, Stapleton said the Board needs to explore alternative incentives to attract highly qualified teachers to the county.

"We have to increase the tuition assistance for master's and licensure," he said. "We have to make them feel like they are part of the community."

Discipline
The Board was updated on school discipline practices by Executive Director for Administration Bill Moore.

"Discipline is a serious thing in all of the schools," said Moore. "We let everyone (parents and students) know the expectations we have for discipline in our schools."

He explained the new Bully Prevention Program funded by a grant from the Governor's Office for Substance Abuse Prevention.

Under this nationally recognized program a new Violence Prevention Specialist, Spencer Ferguson, will work with Halifax County Middle School Guidance Counselor Anne Leggett to train the county's instructors on how to deal with bullying and violence in their classrooms.

"Each school has a team that will be involved in a two-day training program," said Moore. "Those teams will then train their entire school faculty."

Stapleton said he planned to ensure discipline was a priority of his administration.

"You have to have good discipline if good learning is going to take place," he said. "I want to start the year with discipline up a notch.

"Under this administration principals will not be ignoring discipline notices," he added. "That will not happen."

In response to Board concerns that some teachers write frivolous discipline notices, Stapleton said he plans to do everything possible to ensure every discipline notice has merit.

"Classroom management of misbehavior is one of the key elements of a good teacher," he said. "If the teachers need assistance, we will provide extra training. If that doesn't work we will give them a recommendation and they can go somewhere else because we do not need them in Halifax County."

Technology
Director of Technology John Edwards told the Board the new wireless network connecting all of the county's schools is now fully operational.

"Everything is working as advertised," he said. "Every student in every school could be online without any problem."

The school system will be replacing all the computers in elementary school labs this year, according to Edwards.

"We are not throwing away the old computers, we are just upgrading the labs," he said.

The new computers are being purchased with state funds for about $400 apiece.

Stapleton said the county was doing well with providing adequate technology for its students.

"We are solid," he said. "We have a true instructional ratio where every student will have access every day. As a rural school system we are doing very well."

But, he said eventually he would like to see students even more involved with the development of technology.

"I want middle and high school students involved in the evolution of technology," he said. "That would teach our students technology and responsibility for technology and would save money for the school system."

Pending Expenses
Director of Operations and Maintenance Larry Roller told the Board to expect to pay at least $300,000 to bring seven primary schools up to current fire code which requires fire alarm pull-stations in each classroom.

"The 2000 International Code changed fire regulations," he said. "The fire alarms are something we have to do."

Roller said he had already entered into a contract with Dewberry & Davis to design plans for installing the fire alarms.

He suggested that the Board also consider installing call buttons linked to each school's office in each class room at the same time at an estimated cost of $100,000.

"Call buttons would add so much to the safety of the schools," he said. "I though this would be the ideal time to do it along with the fire alarms."

Chief Financial Officer Bill Covington also told the Board to expect larger increases in health care expenses.

"Insurance will be a double digit increase this year," he said. "Over the past years we have had some great rates, but this year has not been a good year."

Covington is expected to have an exact figure on the increase at Monday's School Board meeting at the Mary Bethune Complex.

Other Business
Director of Federal Programs Valdivia Marshall updated the Board on Title I programs.

She told Board members one additional pre-kindergarten class had been added at South of Dan this year, in a program that has an eight to one student teacher ratio.

"It is very competitive," said Marshall. "We have 41 students on the waiting list."

She also said that the program was above target in its percentage of highly qualified paraprofessionals.

Marshall said she had received great response to the Reading First programs in Halifax, Meadville and Siani elementary schools.

Stapleton said he strongly supported the reading program.

"If we let a child leave the third grade without having good reading skills they will never be successful," he said. "Next year we are going to be doing this (Reading First) in all of our schools. That needs to be our goal."

The Board also received updates on the Career Center and transportation.

Director of Transportation Jim Wagner said there were 127 buses operating on regular routes, 11 special needs buses, and 29 cars used to transport children.

"I would like to see a time when we could do away with the cars," he said.
"But, there are sections in this county that we cannot navigate with a bus.

"For some of the special needs students we literally go to their doors to pick them up," he added. "Some of those driveways are hard to navigate even in cars."

He said buses traveled 1,115,380 miles on regular routes during the 2003-2004 school year.

Wagner added the longest bus ride is one hour and 25 minutes.

Administrative Reorganization To Save County $106,000 Yearly
Larry Clark Is Named Deputy Superintendent Of Schools; Joe Griles To Fill New Director Of Instruction Post

A reorganization of personnel in the Halifax County Public Schools' Central Office will save the system $106,000 per year, according to new Superintendent Paul Stapleton.

Stapleton informed the School Board of his plans to reorganize the central office command structure Wednesday during a two-day retreat at the Virginia International Raceway Plantation House.

"We have cut three positions, rearranged two positions and saved about $100,000," said Stapleton.

Under the new command structure, former Assistant Superintendent Larry Clark will fill a new Deputy Superintendent position, while former Director of Personnel Services Joe Griles will take over as Director of Instruction.

"I feel very comfortable putting that in Joe's hands," said Stapleton. "And, Larry has been an unbelievable asset. I couldn't ask for a better partner."

Under the new organization, Clark will be able to make any decision required from the superintendent should Stapleton be unavailable.

"We are trying to get it a little meaner and leaner," said Stapleton. "I believe that this is a move we have to make and I don't see any better time to do it."

The reorganization will eliminate two assistant superintendent positions and the executive director of instruction position.

"There seemed to be some confusion in the past about who you asked about certain things," Stapleton explained. "We are not going to have any confusion about instruction. What we really need is one message and one voice."

Stapleton said the reorganization would eliminate much of the confusion caused by the existing command structure, but that further changes may be needed.

"There are a couple of things missing in the Central Office," he said. "We need a grant writer. We are not taking advantage of the opportunities that we have in a county like this."

Stapleton also saw a need for better relations with the community and local businesses.

"Job descriptions are fluid right now," he said. "We are not going to have everybody going in different directions. If somebody is spending time on something that is not benefiting our children then they may lose that job description."

County Man Is Killed In Accident
Thursday Wreck Claims The Life Of Vincent Lee Stovall

Investigators with the South Boston Police Department suspect speed and alcohol could have been factors in a single-vehicle accident that claimed the life of a county man early yesterday morning, Captain Jim Binner said yesterday.

Vincent Lee Stovall, 29, of James D. Hagood Hwy., was pronounced dead at Halifax Regional Hospital following the accident.

Binner said that at around 12:20 a.m., Stovall was traveling south on River Road when he ran off the left side of the highway, striking a culvert adjacent to a private drive.

"Somewhere in the course of the accident, the car appears to have overturned," he said.

Police are unsure of exactly how many times the vehicle overturned, "but it traveled through three yards before striking a tree," according to the captain.

The vehicle was resting on its roof when officers arrived on the scene, police said.

Passing motorists spotted the overturned vehicle and alerted police, Binner said.

Stovall, who police believe was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle during the accident, according to police reports.

"We suspect alcohol and speed could have contributed to the accident," Binner said.

Officer S. Warf is listed as the reporting officer in the incident. Warf was assisted at the scene by Officers M. McGregor and N. Coalson, according to reports.

Troopers with the Virginia State Police and deputies with the Halifax County Sheriff's Office assisted the South Boston Police Department at the scene.

Debs Finish WS With 1-2 Record
Dixie Debs Drop 7-5 Decision In Final Game

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer

The Halifax County Dixie Debs saw their 2004 Debs World Series end Monday in Jackson, Tn., with a disappointing 7-5 loss to South Carolina.

South Carolina scored all seven of its runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to erase a 5-0 deficit and advance in the series.

Halifax County finished with a 1-2 record in the World Series, losing its opener 4-2 Saturday to Mississippi, before edging Arkansas 4-3 Sunday to stay alive.
n South Carolina 7, Halifax County 5 (Monday)

Halifax County scored four runs in the first inning, and seemingly had the game under control until a seven-run outburst by South Carolina in the fourth inning gave it the win.

Halifax County held South Carolina at bay in all but the pivotal fourth, Halifax pitching allowing only one hit before, and none the fifth and sixth innings.

Cari Clark and Lori Reeves each had two hits to lead Halifax, with Erica Elliott, Emily Pool, Jamie Anderson and Kim Ford adding a hit apiece.

Jasmine Parker, Jessie Lloyd and Pool each saw mound time against South Carolina, Parker hurling the first three innings, and Lloyd part of the fourth, before Pool came on to pitch the remainder of the game.

It was all Halifax County early on, with Elliott, Anderson and Reeves collecting base hits, Clark drawing a walk, Ford reaching on a fielder's choice and Jessica Lewis reaching base after being hit by a pitch in the top of the first.
Elliott, Clark, Lewis and Anderson scored, as Halifax built an early 4-0 lead.

Clark singled in the second inning, and Reeves had her second hit of the game in the third, before Halifax added its last run in the top of the fourth inning.

Elliott walked with one out and Clark singled, before a two-out error plated Elliott for a 5-0 lead, but South Carolina plated seven runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead.

South Carolina, held to one hit the first three innings, collected three hits and took advantage of four Halifax errors and a walk to score seven runs for a 7-5 advantage.

That was it for the scoring, Ford getting a base hit in the fifth and Pool a hit in the seventh.

Neither of them reached scoring position, however, as the 7-5 score stood up for South Carolina, with Halifax County eliminated from the World Series.

n Halifax County 4, Arkansas 3 (Sunday)
Halifax staged a fourth inning comeback of its own to stay alive in the series with a 4-3 win Sunday over Arkansas.

Singles from Anderson and Lloyd, and a double from Ford highlighted the rally, as Halifax took a 3-2 lead.

Halifax County added another run in the fifth inning and halted an Arkansas rally in the sixth to claim the win.

Each team had six hits for the game, Ford leading Halifax with two hits, including her double, while Amanda Rogers, Anderson, Reeves and Lloyd added base hits.

Both teams had scoring opportunities before the fourth inning.

Halifax got out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning, and had a baserunner in scoring position in the bottom of the second without scoring.

Each team scored its first runs in the fourth inning, Arkansas using a walk, double, another walk and a base hit to score twice, before Halifax County scored three times to take the lead.

Lewis drew a one-out walk to start the rally, Anderson followed with a base hit, and both advanced a base on a passed ball.

Ford followed with a double, before Reeves reached base on an error and Mallory Lawter reached after being hit by a pitch, as Halifax took a 3-2 lead.

Halifax added what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning, Pool drawing a walk to lead off the inning, Ford hitting a single and Reeves reaching on an error to plate the run.

Arkansas threatened to take the lead in the sixth inning, the first batter reaching base on a walk, and the second batter reaching on a fielder's choice.
With two out, three straight batters reached base, two on singles, as Arkansas scored a run to cut the Halifax lead to 4-3, but a flyout halted the rally with the tying run at third base.

A two-out single put a runner aboard for Arkansas in the top of the seventh, but a strikeout clinched the game for Halifax County.

Parker pitched the first three innings for Halifax County and Lloyd the fourth and part of the fifth, before Pool came on to close out the game.

Obituaries

Bruce Neal Drake

Bruce Neal Drake, age 51, of  Winston-Salem, N.C. passed away August 2, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. 

Mr. Drake was born March 14, 1953 in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, the son of Donald Eugene and Monteese Walker Drake.  He was a graduate of Halifax County Senior High School class of 1971 and of Virginia Tech in 1977. He was an employee of Barker Claim Service as a property claims adjuster, also serving 26years at Crawford & Co. Insurance.

Mr. Drake was an active member of Main Street United Methodist Church where he served on the cemetery committee. He was also active and a board member in Scout Troop 944.   

Surviving are his wife, Linda Taylor Drake, of the home; a son and daughter; Steven Neal and Lauren Anne Drake; two step daughters; Shannon Melissa and Megan Elizabeth Taylor; a brother, Rodney Drake and wife, Barbara; a sister; Karen Drake Bradley and husband, Richard; a niece; Kathryn Bradley, two nephews; David Drake and Andrew Bradley. Mr. Drake was preceded in death by his mother. 

Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. today, August 6, at Main Street United Methodist Church by Dr. Al Ward. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.  

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Main Street United Methodist Church, 306 South Main St., Kernersville, N.C. 27284 or Boy Scout Troop 944, C/O Kernersville Moravian Church 504 S. Main St., Kernersville, NC 27284.

Evelyn Comer Newcomb

Evelyn Comer Newcomb, 83, of 2003 Buckshoal Road, Virgilina, died August 3 in Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mrs. Newcomb was born April 13, 1921, in Halifax County, the daughter of the late Charlie Zebulon Comer and Maude Link Comer. She was married to the late Henry A. Newcomb, and was a member of Grace Baptist Church. She was a retired administrative assistant with South Boston Police Department.

Survivors include two sons, Gary Allen Newcomb and wife, Becky, and Harold Henry Newcomb and wife, Pam, all of South Boston; one daughter, Brenda Newcomb Pulliam; three granddaughters, Cynthia Newcomb, Mandy P. Hogg and Kristie S. Morris; two grandsons, Matthew Newcomb and Troy Pulliam; four great-grandchildren, Emma, Elaine and Ella Pulliam, and Kayleigh Morris; one brother, C.Z. Comer and wife, Peggy, of Warrenton; three sisters, Nira Wade and husband, Berley, and Carolyn Lawson and husband, Willie, all of Chester, and Dean Gaston and husband, David, of Villanova, Pa. She was also preceded in death by a son-in-law, Gerald Pulliam; and her stepmother, Lizzie W. Comer.

Funeral services for Mrs. Newcomb will be held today, August 6 at Grace Baptist Church with the Revs. Jack Stewart and Edward Newcomb officiating.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider your favorite charity.

Frances Turner Reese

Frances Turner Reese, 93, of South Boston, died August 4 at The Woodview.

Mrs. Reese was born in Halifax County on March 5, 1911, the daughter of Ruth Barker Turner and Andrew S. Turner and was married to the late Roy W. Reese Sr. She was a member of Scottsburg Baptist Church, the Order of The Eastern Star, and was retired from Burlington Industries, Inc.

Survivors include one daughter, Alice R. Satterfield and husband, Bruce, of Halifax; one son, R. Wilson Reese Jr. and wife, Sylvia, of Halifax; two brothers, Hughes Turner and wife, Wilma, of Brunswick, Ga. and Banks Turner and wife, Pat, of Marietta, Ga.; and one granddaughter, Brenda S. Lecocq and husband, David, of Charlotte, N.C.

Mrs. Reese was also preceded in death by four brothers and five sisters.
Graveside services will be held today, August 6, at 2 p.m. at Oakland Cemetery, Scottsburg. The Rev. Terry Scearce will officiate.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider a charity of your choice.

Vincent Lee Stovall

Funeral services for Mr. Vincent Lee Stovall will be held Saturday, August 7, at 2:30 p.m., with services at the Mayo Grove Baptist Church.

The Rev. Hayward Jennings will officiate.

Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Mr. Stovall, of James D. Hagood Hwy. in Halifax, died Thursday, August 5.
He was 29.

Mr. Stovall was born in Halifax County on September 4, 1974, the son of Petty Stovall Merritte, and was a member of the Mayo Grove Baptist Church.

He is survived by his mother; his maternal grandmother, Mary L. Johnson of Virgilina; two aunts, Diana Boxley of South Boston and Wendy Stovall of Virgilina; one uncle, Giles Stovall of South Bosotn, and a host of cousins other relatives and friends.

Mr. Stovall was preceded in death by two aunts; Brenda Coleman and Wanda Stovall; and one uncle Willie Thomas Stovall.

The family is receiving friends at the residence, 3033 James D. Hagood Hwy., Halifax.