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Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Neighborhoods against redistricting

By Justin Vick

Kelsee Cheek has dreamt of playing Division I college basketball since she was 8 years old, but the Jay M. Robinson sophomore is worried that switching high schools next year may put her goal at risk. 

She’s among 178 students from Jay M. Robinson who may be reassigned to Cox Mill High School when it opens in fall 2009. Neighborhoods affected by the proposal include Carriage Downs, Gable Oaks, Kings Crossing, Taymor and the west side of Freedom Acres.

Residents in those areas say the plan is a short-term solution to filling Cox Mill that will forever change the lives of their children.

Janet Crook, who lives in Carriage Downs, said her area has been affected by redistricting six times in the last 12 years. And while those neighborhoods have been stable for some time, enrollment growth is not slowing down in the northwestern part of the county, where Cox Mill is located.

Crook said it would be a matter of time before those same neighborhoods affected by redistricting next fall would be transferred back to Jay M. Robinson to ease overcrowding at Cox Mill.

Assistant superintendent Jim Amendum doesn’t disagree.

“Growth in our county has come so fast that we can’t keep up,” Amendum said. “We keep experiencing funding delays, so by the time we open up a new school, we’re playing catch up.”

Amendum said there are long-range goals in place of aligning middle and high school boundaries and having a cluster of elementary schools feed into them, but the system has to fill new schools in the meantime.

As a freshman last year, Cheek led Robinson to its first 4A sectional championship game in school history. Colleges recruiting Cheek and her teammates could lose track of them if they are moved to Cox Mill, she said, thus hurting her chances of earning a potential scholarship.

Alex Kepler worries the prospect of moving to a new school next year could provide additional stress at a time when she needs to be focused on her future.

“I want to look forward to this upcoming year with excitement and ambition and not the turmoil of having to start over again as a junior,” said Kepler, noting her family moved to Kings Crossing so she could attend Jay M. Robinson.

Some residents are concerned Cox Mill won’t have the same academic opportunities like honors or Advanced Placement classes.

“Your junior year is an important year in the classroom and forcing us to go without these classes could hinder our chances of getting scholarships and accepted into the nation’s top colleges,” Cheek said.

Jay M. Robinson is just now coming out of the growing pains of being a new school thanks in large part to the work of parents and boosters, said David Parisi, a technology instructor and wrestling coach.

And Carriage Downs resident Kelly Jones said much of the leadership in those organizations come from neighborhoods affected by the redistricting plan. She said the PTSO had raised more than $12,000 for security cameras, in addition to instructional supplies, such as library books, digital microscopes, hundreds of calculator batteries and a kiln for the art department.

“If our neighborhoods move again, (our children) will no longer be able to enjoy the benefits of our hard work and monetary donations to Robinson,” Jones said.

Board of Education chairwoman Holly Blackwelder said the effects of redistricting children are not lost on the seven-member board. She was once in their position — asking the school board not to move her son from Mount Pleasant Elementary to Coltrane-Webb in Concord.

“I’m sitting on the other side now and making decisions for the whole county,” Blackwelder said.

The school board will consider redistricting plans during its Sept. 8 business meeting. That will be at 6:30 p.m. at the Cabarrus County Schools Education Center on Old Airport Road.

The school board is also considering moving another 844 students from Northwest Cabarrus High School to Cox Mill next fall, as well as 118 Central Cabarrus students to Mount Pleasant High School to maintain enrollment numbers necessary to establish a 3A athletic conference featuring county teams.

Eleven Midland residents, including City Councilman Mike Tallent, spoke against moving the Central Cabarrus students at a public hearing Thursday. Another 13 spoke against the Jay M. Robinson proposal.

“People think when they come for those public hearings, we have already made up our minds,” Blackwelder said. “That’s our time to get input. It takes time for us to absorb it and decide what we need to do.”

The school board has sided with parents before, allowing Midland residents to stay at Central Cabarrus instead of reassigning them to Hickory Ridge last year. Residents expressed concern their community was being split at the time.

• Contact reporter Justin Vick: 704-789-9138.

Teacher turns to self-publishing

By Justin Vick

Ashley Wondra had tried for years to get a children’s book published that was loosely based on a lesson her youngest sister learned about the spirit of Christmas.

But instead of giving up after several rejections, Wondra decided to try self-publishing. 

Now she’s among the more than 15,000 authors who have found readers through print-on-demand publisher Xlibris. Copies of her first book, “Kelsey’s Coat,” can be found alongside bestsellers and classics at online bookstores, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

“I wanted to get the book out to as many places in a short a time as possible, and they seemed to have the marketing I needed,” said Wondra, 28, of Charlotte. “I would love for a traditional publisher to pick up the book one day, but I knew I had to start somewhere.”

The story is about a young girl who cleans out her closet for things her family can donate to others during the Christmas season — only to realize she has outgrown her favorite coat. 

“The story itself makes you want to cry,” said Wondra’s mother, Pam Sibley. “It’s about giving and being so fortunate and not realizing it. We’re all so touched by the story.”

The book also explains how Angel Trees at the mall work. 

“I hope that families can read this book together around the holidays and learn about sharing and giving to those that are less fortunate,” Wondra said. “Often times we forget the true meaning of Christmas and why it is far better to give than to receive.”

The earliest drafts of “Kelsey’s Coat” date back to a assignment Wondra did for an education class at UNC Charlotte. She has since used the book in her classroom by leading second-grade Harrisburg Elementary students step-by-step through the writing process. 

She read the story to students last year and had them imagine what illustrations they would draw to tell the story. Then they discussed how they were similar to the ones drawn by her illustrator, Thomas McAtter.

“When she’s in her rocking chair, reading to the children and talking about writing and illustrating books, she is in her element,” said Martha McCall, principal of Harrisburg Elementary. 

McCall hopes Wondra can inspire more children by reading her book to the student body in small groups as the Christmas season approaches.

Wondra said she’s excited about the start of the new school year, as well as getting to know students in her class. She anticipates a busy fall and holiday season promoting the book and writing another one if time permits. 

Colleagues are impressed with Wondra’s time management, considering she is also seeking certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and raising two young children with her husband, Joey. 

“She’s like a Wonder Woman,” said Karly Groedel, who also teaches second grade at Harrisburg. 

Wondra credits her family for the motivation to pursue her dream of getting published, especially her mother; father, Doug Evans; and grandmother, Donna Baldivid.

“We all have talents, some of which we fail to take advantage of,” Wondra said. “I am so lucky to have so much support from my family, and I am always reminded to use my talents and share them with others.”

• Contact reporter Justin Vick: 704-789-9138.

Postmasters, 1893-1954

By Janet Morrison
Did You Know?
This is the third column in a seven-part “Did You Know?” series about mail service in Harrisburg.  Today, we pick up the story in 1893.

Mark McKee Morrison, the son of John Dwight and Cynthia Wilson Morrison, became the town’s postmaster after Samuel McKee Stafford.  Morrison was appointed postmaster on January 11, 1893.  He had a general store on Railroad Avenue.  The post office was probably operated out of his store.

John Franklin Alexander, a minister and local general store owner, was named postmaster on November 19, 1896.  He moved the post office to his general store, which was on Railroad Avenue, across from the depot.  According to a report he made to the Post Office Department in December of 1898, the post office was 50 yards north of the railroad track.  Alexander married Cora Eliza Stafford in 1890, and they had 12 children.

The post office was possibly moved to a store owned by Dwight Lafayette “Fate” Morrison when he became postmaster on April 3, 1914.  His store was located on Robinson Church Road on the north side of the railroad track.  (It is the Morrison-Sims Store which was moved and restored by the Town of Harrisburg in 2006.)

Dwight was a brother of Marcus “Mark” McKee Morrison, who served as the town’s postmaster in the 1890s.  Dwight and his wife, the former Mattie L. Helms, had five children.

Chalmers L. Sims was appointed as postmaster on August 8, 1921, and continued in that position until 1934.  He had married Lila Stafford of Harrisburg in 1902 and purchased the John Cochran house mentioned in the “Did You Know?” column two weeks ago. 

Sims operated the post office in his store, which had formerly belonged to Dwight Lafayette Morrison.  (That store changed hands four times between February of 1920 and August of 1921.  It will be the topic of a future “Did You Know?” column.)

In the 1920s, a postmaster was paid based on the number of letters cancelled in his post office each month.  Sims was paid $400 per year as postmaster, according to his son, Joe, in a 2005 interview.  Having the post office in his store, though, no doubt increased his mercantile business. 

Joe M. Farrow became acting postmaster on May 21, 1934, and served in that capacity for nearly seven months.  During his tenure, the post office was in the cotton gin which stood near the Morrison-Sims Store.

Harrisburg’s next postmaster was William Daniel “Will” Sloop, who received his appointment on December 11, 1934.  His general store was on the south side of the railroad track, so the post office moved 450 feet southeast to that location.  In a 1935 report to the Post Office Department, Sloop indicated that the post office was 180 feet southwest of the railroad track.

Sloop built a small building later which served as the post office for the remainder of his 18 years of service.  It is thought that his starting annual pay was $700.  The post office served 200 families in the mid-1930s.  Sloop retired in 1954.  At that time, 75 people picked up their mail at the post office in addition to the more than 400 families served on a carrier route.  Dot Sloop Harris was postal clerk beginning in 1928. 

After Will Sloop’s retirement, Joseph Lindley Sims received his appointment as interim or acting postmaster on September 30, 1954.  Joe Sims was the son of former postmaster Chalmers Sims and grandson of former postmaster Samuel McKee Stafford.  The post office moved back across the train tracks to his store, which is currently referred to as the Morrison-Sims Store and Old Post Office.  Frances Craven Sims was postal clerk. 

The “Did You Know?” column in two weeks will tell about the Harrisburg postmasters who have served since 1954.

Bibliography

• Interviews with and written notes from Ira Lee Taylor, 2006-2008.

• Descendants of James & Jennet Morrison of Rocky River, compiled by Marie and Janet Morrison, 1996.

New leadership rebuilds charter school

By Josh Lanier

Although last school year was marred by controversy because of an embezzlement charge and fundraising problems, Carolina International School is poised to thrive under new direction and a new model of leadership.

Carol Forbes, interim director of the Harrisburg charter school, said since her June appointment she has worked to rebuild morale, tighten school curriculums and rebuild a direction that lacked consistency due to last year’s turmoil.

“It’s a healing time right now, so we’re focusing on improvements through ‘mindful leadership’ and refocusing our attentions on the school’s core values,” Forbes said.

Teachers and faculty said the strategies seem to be working.

“Since (Forbes) has started, there’s been a big turnaround in morale at the school,” Principal DeAnna Duncan said. “It’s been a big improvement for teachers to see the changes coming to the school.”

Forbes, a 42-year education veteran from Massachusetts, had an uphill climb when she came to CIS. When she arrived, former financial officer Sandra Vielbaum was awaiting trial in connection with the embezzlement of nearly $150,000 from the school. Vielbaum’s December arrest pushed morale to an all-time low with some teachers and parents. The kindergarten through 10th-grade school, which prior to 2008 had added a grade level since 2004, was unable to add the 11th grade. Some teachers were threatened with layoffs as funding had to be cut to make up for the mismanaged money.

Through small incremental changes, like a new leadership model focused around creativity, accountability, awareness and mobilization, and returning to the directives from the school’s founding in 2004, Forbes believes CIS can meet its lofty goals of student advancement.

“It’s not all of the things I did,” Forbes said. “We have a great community, faculty and parents who really stuck with the school because they know we had something to offer.”

Of the 445 students who were at the school, faculty said, only a handful left the school during the controversy. Most stayed with the school and the waiting list remains full, Forbes said.

Vielbaum pleaded guilty to eight counts of embezzlement July 28 and is currently serving a minimum two-year prison term at the North Carolina Correctional Institute in Raleigh.

After hearing of Vielbaum’s conviction, former Director Richard Beall said he was glad she was punished but said he was more excited the situation could be put behind the school.

“Carolina International School was never defined by one person,” he said, “and this whole situation made it seem that’s all we were, just some school who had been ripped off, but we had a wealth of talented teachers and students who were left feeling they didn’t matter.”

Beall resigned in June and is currently visiting family across the country. He said he expected CIS to bounce back because students, teachers and the community “have shown a tenacity to make sure that place keeps going.”

Even through the last year’s troubles, CIS made its state-mandated yearly growth and was one of the best performing schools in the county.

The school will remain financial strapped while administrators attempt to recoup lost funds and refill coffers, but Forbes said changes to the way fundraising is handled and money is managed will keep most of the fears to a minimum.

“It’s going to be a good year for CIS,” Forbes said. “We’re all making sure of that.”

• Contact reporter Josh Lanier: 704- 789-9144.

Help is on the way for flood victims

By Eric C. Deines

Cabarrus County has met the criteria for county property owners to be eligible for state and federal assistance for damages sustained in Tropical Storm Fay.

“The state was looking for 25 residences that saw major damage — major being one step below gone,” said Bobby Smith, director of Cabarrus County Emergency Management. “Once we hit that threshold, they qualified us. It’s still got to go through Raleigh to (Washington D.C.).”

So far, 75 private properties in Cabarrus County were evaluated for flood damage that came after 11 inches of rain fell over three days.

Of those, four properties were estimated to be total losses.

Twenty-five of those properties are estimated to be major losses, considered to be 50 percent or more damage to the property.

Friday afternoon, the county rescinded its state of emergency designation as “imminent danger...passed.”

However, officials said the county was keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Hanna which could bring another six inches of rain to the area in the coming weeks.

Smith said that residents whose homes have not yet been inspected should still report the damage to the emergency locations once they are set up.

“The state wanted to get this sent as soon as possible,” Smith said as to why every damaged home was not inspected.

On Thursday, the City of Concord estimated city-owned infrastructure damages of about $1.2 million. And the City of Kannapolis reported big damages, such as a $625,000 culvert on Dakota Street.

Smith said it is still unknown whether public infrastructure damages would be eligible for state and federal funds until next week.

In Harrisburg, an animal rescue facility on Lippard Lane is looking for volunteer workers, pet supplies and monetary contributions to help repair damages it sustained in the floods.

None of the 30 dogs being held at the facility were killed or injured, but owner Beth Phillips said the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue is in need of some new kennels, dog bowls and other items — perhaps even a new location for the rescue facility, which she estimated at $25,000.

“I got up in the middle of it and saw it was going to be bad,” Phillips said. “By the time we got the last (dog) out, I had to swim them out. The water was chest deep.”

County crews have been at work on its park facilities. Frank Liske Park and Camp T.N. Spencer are now fully operational. Pharr Mill Road Park and North Cabarrus Park were scheduled to reopen Saturday on a normal schedule. However, the trail at Pharr Mill Road Park will remain closed until further notice. Pharr Mill Road Park borders Rocky River near Harrisburg and sustained significant damage to its boardwalk trail. Damage to all county parks is estimated at approximately $25,000.

Another $20,000 in damage is estimated for county buildings with the majority of that damage at the building which houses Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare on Lake Concord Road.

• Contact reporter Eric C. Deines: 704-789-9141.