TARBORO —
Edgecombe County’s only charter school, North East Carolina Preparatory School (NECPS) will hold the groundbreaking ceremony at its new, 52-acre property at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 25.
NECPS plans to move to the property at the corner of Howard Avenue Extension and Recovery Road, in January which most recently housed the Mary Frances Center — a facility designed to help women through drug rehabilitation. The school has formally requested a change in the name “Recovery Road” to “Husky Trail” in honor of the school’s canine mascot.
Utah-based HighMark School Development, a national provider of charter school facilities, is funding the renovation project and the construction of an additional two-story facility on the property.
“We are thrilled with our relationship with HighMark School Development, and believe their experience with the development and financing of charter schools will allow us to meet our long term enrollment goals and flourish in our new facility,” said NECPS executive director John Westberg.
NECPS has an approved capacity of 822 students in grades kindergarten through 9 next year, said Taro Knight, the school’s director of communications/ community outreach, and expects to reach that mark without difficulty. The school’s ultimate target enrollment is 2,200 students in grades kindergarten through 12.
Now in its first semester of operation, NECPS is temporarily using the St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Ministry Center on Davis Street to house its 397 students in grades kindergarten through 8. The school has 17 more students enrolled than the state-funded level of 380, and receives local funding for those additional students.
“We had some room to add extra students without adding extra staff,” said Knight. He said the school’s class sizes are still small.
The school has an active waiting list and will determine which grades need additional classes after open enrollment for next year begins, he added.
The cost of the Mary Frances renovation project is just under $6 million, and the combined cost of the renovation and construction projects is about $13 million, said Matt Lorenzen, account manager for HighMark. He said the renovation of the former drug rehabilitation center involves demolishing most of the interior walls and reconstructing them in a fashion appropriate for school classrooms.
He said the renovation project also entails the implementation of “technological infrastructure” by HighMark’s partner, Classroomsmart Innovative Education.
“Part of our curriculum is to integrate technology as an educational tool,” Knight said, noting that every classroom will have wireless Internet access.
The goal is to begin construction of the new two-story building on the school property once the renovation of the former Mary Frances Center is complete, he added. That facility will house students in kindergarten and first grade.
Ultimately, athletic fields will be a feature on the school’s 52-acre grounds. Knight said the school is applying to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association to begin offering interscholastic sports next year.
“Right now, we’re offering intramural sports,” he said.
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NECPS to break grounds Sept. 25 at the old Mary Frances Center property
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Carlos Vivas takes a close look at a grave marker in the Community Cemetery in Princeville. Vivas along with several other volunteers meet Saturday in an effort to discuss methods of restoring the cemetery back to perpetual condition.
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Monumental task
PRINCEVILLE — The volunteers who met Saturday to discuss cleaning the cemeteries on N.C. Highway 111 agreed that the task at hand is monumental.
Headed by Princeville native Milton Bullock, approximately a dozen volunteers exchanged ideas on how to turn the cemeteries from the overgrown weeded trash strewn graveyard, into a perpetual garden.
"I was told that it is in the worst shape that it has ever been in," Bullock said. "In many places, grass has covered markers. We have our work cut out for us, but with the help of God and all the partners pulling together, we will turn this cemetery." - NECP school building set for July 15 completion
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Monumental task
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A landscaping project at the traffic circle on North Main Street is an effort to improve America in Bloom judges' impression of the Town of Tarboro on their visit to town next month.
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America in Bloom judges’ visit Tarboro next month
Tarboro’s America in Bloom (AIB) steering committee is gearing up for the AIB judges’ visit to town next month. AIB is a national non-profit organization that promotes “beautification through education and community involvement.”
“Please join us as Tarboro prepares for the visit of national AIB judges on June 17 and 18,” said AIB co-chair Connie Sherrill in a competition planning update. “Help us bring out the beauty of our exceptional town.” - Local Principal Completes Leadership Program
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America in Bloom judges’ visit Tarboro next month
- Sports
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Former SouthWest Edgecombe football coach Raymond Cobb, left, and former baseball standout and coach, Bruce Rhodes, were inducted into the Cougars Hall of Fame Monday night.
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Cobb, Rhodes inducted in Cougars Hall of Fame
PINETOPS – The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars athletic department inducted two legendary coaches into their Hall of Fame Monday night. Former football coach Raymond Cobb and former baseball coach Bruce Rhodes were the recipients of the awards.
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Cobb, Rhodes inducted in Cougars Hall of Fame
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My 13 years have been lucky
It was 13 years Sunday that a drought was broken in Big Spring, Texas, After that, we ate Mexican for dinner with a gathering of family and friends.
The next day, a Saturday, Stephanie and I joined one another in marriage under a beautiful little gazebo by Comanche Trail Lake, fed by the historic spring from which the community draws its name.
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My 13 years have been lucky
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Corbett/Chasse Wedding
Brittney Joyce Corbett and Kenneth Robert Chasse, Jr. were united in marriage on April 6th, 2013, at 5:30pm at the Imperial Centre in Rocky Mount. The Rev. Carrol Bradbury officiated the ceremony.
The Rehearsal Dinner was hosted by Shirley and Donald Foreman, Grandparents of the Groom and also Elisha and Kenneth Chasse, Parents of the Groom, at Pizza Inn in Rocky Mount.
The Bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Durwood Corbett of Macclesfield, NC. The Groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Robert Leonel Chasse, Sr. of Pinetops, NC.
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JOSEPH ORION BOONE
ROCKY MOUNT — Joseph Orion Boone, 85, of Rocky Mount, died Sunday, May 19, 2013. Funeral arrangements are pending with H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Rocky Mount.
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JOSEPH ORION BOONE
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Great fondue
My husband and I love to entertain. We also love fondue. I have 4 or 5 fondue pots. I use them regularly. Some of them I have had for a long time.
Fondue began as a way to use up old, hardened cheese. The original fondue was cheese with wine. You then dipped hardened pieces of bread into the mixture. In America, the 1950's was the height of the fondue craze. However, it appears to be making a comeback. - Budget Friendly Deliciousness
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- Events
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Edgecombe Events May 22
Edgecombe Events should be submitted by noon the day before publication. Items eligible include notices of local meetings and activities of non-profit organizations, clubs, schools and civic groups in the community. Information should be brief and typewritten, neatly printed or via e-mail. Questions? 823-3106 or e-mail: events@dailysoutherner.com. Leave a daytime contact phone number.
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Edgecombe Events May 22
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Edgecombe Garden Club honors members
The Edgecombe Garden Club met May 1 for their noon luncheon at the Fountains of the Albemarle. After President Pauline Nicolosi greeted everyone, Sandra Joyner, Devotion Chairman, read “Torch” which was about our tongues torching good or evil.
Hostess Barbara Getzug described her specially designed flower arrangement of mock orange, snowball, purple columbine, and many varieties of roses. President Pauline, Hostesses Gloria Wall and Louise Fleming did the table arrangements. They contained wiegelia, azalea, ivy, mock orange, and ligustrum. - DAR AWARDS
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