Roanoke-Chowan Neighborhood School Hopes to Present Everybody ‘What a Small Rural Establishment Can Be’

By Nation Hahn

You’ll know you might be drawing near Roanoke-Chowan Neighborhood School (R-CCC) while you pull onto Neighborhood School Street in Ahoskie. As I made that flip and arrived on campus on June 17, faculty president Dr. Murray Williams walked out of an administrative assembly to greet me with a giant smile.

R-CCC is the 58th group faculty I’ve visited. Williams teased me for saving Roanoke-Chowan for final, however she and her management crew offered a heat welcome.

Williams assumed the presidency on Could 1, 2021, whereas the school confronted a number of vital challenges. Some have been frequent to all postsecondary establishments, akin to COVID-19, along with the final development of declining enrollment amongst group faculties. However R-CCC had additionally been positioned on probation by the Southern Affiliation of Faculties and Faculties Fee on Faculties (SACSCOC) and obtained an unfavorable audit from the State Auditor’s Workplace.

These challenges led the State Board of Neighborhood Faculties to ask interim president Deborah Lamm whether or not R-CCC can be a “viable faculty” shifting ahead on the September 2020 Board assembly.

When Williams took the helm, she was decided to indicate that the establishment certainly had a future. She was additionally fast to credit score the school’s native board of trustees throughout our latest dialog. The board acknowledged and addressed the school’s long-standing challenges, she stated, mentioning that the trustees made the case to the State Board, executed a well-organized search, and advocated for the school.

“I used to inform (former) system president Thomas Stith that we have been the No. 1 group faculty within the state,” Williams stated. “I instructed him that we might not appear like it but, however we’re going to get there. And right now I can safely say that we’ve come a good distance from the place we have been.”

The faculty needed to transfer rapidly, stated Williams and Dr. Tonya Oliver, who now serves because the vice chairman of instruction and scholar companies. Oliver started her profession at R-CCC as director of TRIO companies throughout the faculty’s turbulent years, however she remained targeted on serving the scholars in addition to she might.

“The individuals of Roanoke-Chowan, particularly the scholars, have stored me right here,” Oliver stated. “Our greatest day yearly is commencement day. After we see individuals who walked within the door then stroll throughout the stage to graduate, or obtain a credential, that’s the reason we do what we do.”

Oliver was among the many leaders Williams enlisted to start essentially the most pressing work. The faculty wanted a brand new strategic plan, a compliance report, and a High quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for SACSCOC, amongst different urgent issues. The QEP was in draft type, Williams stated, however removed from full. The strategic plan and compliance report have been nonexistent.

Williams and her crew rapidly delivered all of those items whereas additionally turning their consideration to bolstering enrollment and constructing out a management crew.

“We had a revolving door in management,” Williams stated, “and we knew that wanted to vary.”

An array of leaders joined R-CCC, together with Miriam Caslin as vice chairman of administrative and monetary companies (CFO), Clarence Corridor as director of IT and chief data officer, Dwayne Ponton as dean of enterprise applied sciences and public service, Michael Jefferson as dean of faculty switch and well being sciences, and Kimberly Lassiter as govt director of human assets and Title IX coordinator.

The management crew targeted on recruiting program leaders and school members with a connection to each the area and the mission. Ponton identified that his early childhood teacher used to personal his personal space enterprise, which is able to help college students as they graduate and search jobs. They discovered comparable candidates in hard-to-hire positions akin to nursing, welding, and mechatronics.

Tim Lassiter serves as director of services and safety. Lassiter joked that after a 26-year profession in legislation enforcement, his first day on R-CCC’s campus was the primary day he turned a wrench. At present, he manages services and safety throughout the campus. He credit the chance to each develop on campus and revel in his work as major drivers.

Michael Jefferson echoed Lassiter when he stated, “I really feel needed, appreciated, and a part of the household.”

Kimberly Lassiter (no relation to Tim) had a 32-year profession in human assets outdoors of R-CCC earlier than returning to the school that started her educational journey.

“It’s a full circle second to come back again and provides again to the college that gave me a begin,” Lassiter stated. “I needed to present again to a spot that had given a lot to me.”

“This has been a crew effort among the many board, R-CCC administration, college, employees, college students, and the group,” Williams stated. “Individuals right here care about R-CCC and the group. We’re working tirelessly to fill positions that have been as soon as laborious to fill. I’m happy with the truth that the school is stabilized and persons are enthusiastic about working and attending faculty in our area people.”

Because the management and school positions have been stuffed, the school additionally launched a real advertising and marketing effort for the primary time. Williams identified that the school had minimal presence on Fb, LinkedIn, Instagram, and different platforms on the time. They constructed a advertising and marketing crew with a number of employees members to execute a extra aggressive technique.

“We’ve got to inform our story or nobody else will,” Williams stated. “We couldn’t simply sit again and anticipate these college students to come back to the school. We needed to go to them.”

The enrollment knowledge Williams shared with me as a part of her presentation inform a few of their story thus far, together with an total FTE enrollment enhance of 53.37% from 510 to 782.2 FTE.

The faculty additionally has secured vital grants and state-level funding, together with:

• $15 million non-recurring funding for the development of a brand new well being sciences constructing;
• $282,415 from Hampton Roads Workforce Council to broaden the “Weld to Work” certification course and supply constructing enhancements to the Common Technical Coaching Middle;
• Approval for $470,000 in SEID grant funds for welding program assist, bringing the overall to $752,415 in assist of the welding program;
• $778,200 in funding from the Golden LEAF Basis to renovate the Common Technical Coaching Middle in preparation for the mechatronics program launch and to ascertain group schooling facilities in Lewiston Woodville in Bertie County and Wealthy Sq. and Creeksville in Northampton County; and
• A $500,000 Increasing Neighborhood School Financial Impression Grant to start out a licensed sensible nursing (LPN) program.

The faculty additionally obtained a clear audit from the Workplace of the State Auditor in 2021.

And people areas of SACSCOC concern? They have been reaffirmed with out suggestions in 2023.

The keenness from Williams and her crew was clear all through my go to.

“This isn’t a job for me. This can be a calling,” Williams stated. “I really like this establishment, these individuals, the scholars, and this group. We’re sitting on a golden alternative to indicate each North Carolina and this nation what a small rural establishment might be.”

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This article first appeared on EducationNC and is republished right here underneath a Inventive Commons license.

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Photograph credit score: iStock.com