North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 08/07/1997

The It's Thursday August 7th. Tonight the debate over your route in North Carolina now. Hello welcome to North Carolina now I'm arrangement right. We devote much of the savings program to education. Well look at the concept of year round schools. Then in our interview segment we'll discuss

a concept designed to make higher education more accessible. It's a new partnership between the state's community college system and the University of North Carolina. Plus we'll travel tonight Maria Lundberg will take us off the main drag to visit some special inns around our state. But first tonight a new concept of education that's really taking hold here in North Carolina. According to a recent study conducted by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research our state ranks third in the nation and the number of year round schools. That same research also shows that the results are mixed as to whether students enrolled in year round schools proportion better than those enrolled in the traditional class schedule. While the jury is still out on the effectiveness of year round schools the concept continues to be embraced as a viable alternative. Producer John McCann has the story. No need to adjust your calendar that was a school building. And yes it is still summer.

But while some kids are dodging dollars others are decking the halls of school buildings. So much has changed about school in the last few years. There are more computers in the classrooms and students as some schools can even check out laptops. Some things though have managed to stay the same. Students steal money from textbooks but in many other ways the approach to education is different. I grew up on a tobacco farm and that's what I did during the summers worked on our family farm. But children are not doing that now. The traditional calendar that we all grew up with was based on an agrarian society. And we certainly are not that anymore. What we're seeing are more children more single parent families more parents more families and I think to working outside the home and the real need for childcare on a 12 month basis year round schooling is not what we've come to know with summer school. Just because a child was in class in August doesn't necessarily mean the student performed poorly during the

year around school simply operate on a different calendar and year round schools students still get in the say 180 or so days after additional students. But instead of a 10 to 12 week summer vacation year round students will go to school in blocks with breaks lasting three to five weeks. Principal Caroline Massengill says year round schooling is not some new magical approach toward education. Simply said don't expect a C-minus student to start making all A's. What we have going to happen is that your child will be more motivated will be more excited about school and will be when not lives that they see as a traditional school with this long summer breaks to make way for some students to fall behind. You know that happens mess and you'll see as most kids never catch up. Well the year round however allows us today is to offer a program that we call extended learning time which means after the children have been in school for the runway. Thank you come back to school for three or four days during their break time during that three week break to get help specifically on the skills that they need help plan so we can give them help during the

school year when I think that as far as improvement Massengill says year round schools could be more racially balanced. The Wake County School Board would like to have minorities accounting for 15 to 45 percent of the student population. Other than that she likes what she sees as does Reginald. He has a daughter at Timber drive year round elementary. He likes the convenience it offers but says it still boils down to is my child learning. I think the emphasis is always on law achievement of having the detail usually larger throughout the school years rented out centrally credit is not much. Many teachers find year round schools convenient as well as a science teacher. C.J. Robinson likes to experiment first hand with the laws of physics and nature so she hits the slopes whenever she came. The year round approach makes it a little easier to fit in those skiing trip. I find that taking vacations throughout the year just helps me you know be more motivated throughout the school year

because you get a three week break three to five week break and you know you during that time you're thinking of new ideas and three weeks is just enough time to relax and then you're ready to come back. I would not go back to the traditional calendar. I don't enjoy the rights that I have and I think you can see that in the kids they track out there ready to leave but they're also right to come back and for you that's still the question remains. Are year round schools more about convenience or achievement. I don't really think it's a bar I would tell you that I think I would like to think it's about student achievement or the progress that children can make or education that educational benefits us say for children. But here in my county with our multi track home it's also an economic issue for every three schools that you put on and multitracking around counter that's one school you don't have to build support to say your own schools make good since economically the schools are able to accommodate more students and because students are kind of slowly rotating in and out fewer textbooks are needed at a given

time. I'd much rather have a seven million dollars and divide that among the three of us who are multi track here I don't want to buy more computers for our kids. Baby Bro works in technical support at a middle school. She said it's not enough to merely have a program. It's what you do with it. I think you'll find a special group of teachers that participate in the year. Run Program they are flexible. They don't have ownership on a classroom. They like students they like coworkers and they get along with just about every my parents. Principal Raimi Beavers is doing something right. West Lake is one of the top middle schools in Wake County. Is that because we're year round. I'm not sure is it because everybody is here voluntarily that that probably has something to do with it. Beaver says there's a sense of ownership about year round schools. It's voluntary students and parents choose to be there. He says that generates the student's enthusiasm. So does that mean kids would rather do less of this and more of this

in smaller blocks of time that kids really do like school. I think most all children like school. I certainly what I say here. North Carolina has more than 80 year round schools few high schools operate on a year round schedule because it's so tough to accommodate extra curricular activities. If you'd like to find out more about your round schools you can contact the year round education institute of North Carolina at forty six hundred West like road that's in Apex the zip code is 2 7 5 0 2. Or you can call the office at 9 1 9 6 6 2. Twenty nine hundred. Coming up a new partnership between you and c in our community colleges. But first here's Michel Louis with the latest headlines from around the state. Mitch thanks Marina. Good evening everyone. Topping our news tonight U.S. Representative Charles Taylor remains hospitalized at Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville. On Tuesday Taylor suffered what his doctors described as a very minor stroke related to high blood pressure. His condition was upgraded today from serious to stable

after he showed what hospital officials called a dramatic improvement. Reports say the 56 year old Taylor may be sent home in the next few days. Taylor is in his fourth term representing North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. Tough new drunk driving legislation was written into law today. Governor Hunt held a signing ceremony on the grounds of the state capitol building in Raleigh. The families of drunk driving victims were on hand to witness the morning ceremony. The law imposes mandatory jail time for habitual offenders and it authorizes police to confiscate the vehicles of repeat offenders who have had their license revoked for a prior drunk driving conviction. North Carolina's drunk driving laws now one of the toughest in the nation. The state House has passed a bill requiring social service agencies to open their records in cases involving the death of a child. The measure would allow records to be withheld if disclosure is likely to endanger a youngster hinder a criminal investigation or jeopardize prosecution. The legislation was prompted by the death this

year of four children who had been under the supervision of the Rowan County Social Services Department. The bill must still pass the Senate and be signed by Governor Hunt in order to take effect. A change in the Marine Fisheries reform package gives less authority to the secretary of environment health and natural resources. The state Senate Appropriations Committee dropped a provision allowing the secretary to close commercial fishing of individual species if it was determined regulators were acting quickly enough on management plants. Current law already allows the head of the Marine Fisheries Division to close harvest. But some lawmakers say removing the provision takes the teeth out of fisheries management. The full Senate must now vote on the package. And now for a look at tomorrow's weather. High temperatures will range from the mid 70s in the mountains to the lower 80s most everywhere else partly sunny to partly cloudy skies a forecast across the state for Friday. In business news what cobia corporation has announced plans to acquire first United Bank corps of Boca Raton Florida. The purchase price of the acquisition is two hundred twenty two

million dollars. The merger is the first acquisition of a Florida bank holding company by walkover. The agreement has been approved by both company's directors and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Weston Salem based what cobia is the 20th largest US banking company with assets totaling over forty eight billion dollars. And now for a look at what happened on Wall Street today. There is a new agreement in place between the University of North Carolina and the State Community College

system that guarantees students the chance to transfer two years worth of community college credits to any university of North Carolina school. The agreement allows those students to enter the university as a junior. Here to tell us more is Sharon Morrissey the acting vice president for academic and student services for the North Carolina community college system is more say Welcome to North Carolina now to tell us the impetus behind this program. Well the impetus behind the comprehensive articulation agreement was a piece of 1995 legislation from the General Assembly. In 1995 we did the State Board of community colleges and the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina received a piece of legislation which mandated that the two systems develop a plan for the transfer of credits between institutions in the two systems. So that was the impetus behind the development of the comprehensive articulation agreement which we've worked on now for

approximately a year and a half to get it to the point where we are now ready to implement in the fall of 1997. There's been so much media regarding this this new partnership but how is this any different than what's already going on now. Students have been transferring from North Carolina community colleges to universities for years under what we call bilateral articulation agreements. And in the past we've had you know as many as 300 or more than 300 of those bilateral agreements. Those agreements were set up between colleges and universities and were set up often on a program by program or institution by institution basis. So if a student happened to not transfer to the appropriate senior institution that student might find out that his credits would not transfer as he had expected them to or he might find out that he would have to repeat certain coursework or often the transfer student found out that he would not get as

many hours of transfer credit as he had anticipated originally. So this comprehensive articulation agreement is a unilateral agreement between the two systems which says that any student who attends a North Carolina community college and who completes. Degree an associate in arts or an associate in science degree is eligible to apply for admission to any university and if he is accepted and if he has satisfactorily completed his coursework under the terms of the agreement then that student will receive sixty four hours of transfer credit and will receive junior status at that senior institution. You said. If he is accepted this does not guarantee acceptance. No it does not. Admission to a university is a competitive process and it will continue to be for transfer students not only from the community colleges but from other private colleges and universities or from students transferring from out of state. Take us through the process of what a

student has to go through to be in this program other certain classes that he or she has to take or a certain course load. Yes a student for example in an associate in arts degree program would have to take forty four hours of general education core courses these courses if successfully completed would then satisfy the general education requirement of the receiving university so when the student transfers the receiving University acknowledges that that student has completed his or her general Education coursework. In addition the student will take an additional 20 or 21 hours of coursework in in pretty major areas which prepare the student to move into a certain major field of study at the university depending on his or her choice. If the community college system putting so much emphasis on this new partnership that it's losing

the focus of its original mission. Actually no this this is getting a lot of attention now in the news media because it is a significant occurrence in higher education in North Carolina. However the fundamental mission of the North Carolina community college system is Workforce preparation. Our colleges were built on that fundamental principle that fundamental mission and we continue to do that and we do that very well through our associate in applied science degree programs and through our diploma and certificate programs. We also offer extensive workforce training and retraining through occupational extension in our continuing education division. So our mission is not changing we are a comprehensive community college system. And one of the services among the many services that we provide to our students and to the people in our communities is the college transfer service. I expect that.

We will have more students in our college transfer programs because of this comprehensive articulation agreement. But I would also like to point out that our student enrollment in college transfer has been growing steadily and that's one of the reasons that this comprehensive articulation agreement is such a good idea. It had it had led us to student demand led us to the point where we are now basically in developing this comprehensive articulation this more so we have just a very short amount of time left but I quickly want to ask you about the news of the private universities also entering into this agreement. Yes in fact we have met with the chief academic officers from the Independent Colleges and universities and many of them are interested in joining into the comprehensive agreement with North Carolina community college system. In fact at our September state board meeting we anticipate that we will be sending in

nine agreements between private colleges and the community college system to our state board for approval and we're very happy about that. Right well I thank you for your time here this evening. Thank you. No matter where you go on vacation one thing is for sure you'll need a place to stay. Many travelers like to choose a place that's known for warm hospitality or a relaxing atmosphere. And as Maria Lundberg shows us there is a wealth of accommodations here in our state that fit that bill perfectly.

The North Carolina coast is one of the most popular vacation destinations in our state. Every year thousands of visitors come from all over the country to experience the sun sand and sea that also can mean there are thousands of people trying to find a place to stay. One alternative to staying in a large crowded hotel is to try and enter a bed and breakfast here at Nags Head on the Outer Banks. The first colony is a home away from home for many visitors listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This Inn has been in its present location since 1988 when it was moved and renovated by Richard and Camille Lawrence. Each of the 26 guest rooms is a blend of antiques and modern conveniences. Several suites have sitting rooms whirlpool tubs and kitchen nets all have a comfortable elegance with overstuffed chairs and sofas to a heated towel bars and

toiletries from England. Relaxation is made to order. Whether it's reading a book in the library or lounging by the pool or just sitting on one of the many veranda is to take in the ocean views and breakfast is a real treat here with a large variety of gourmet delights to choose from. Further down the coast to the south is the riverfront city of Wilmington. Another popular tourist spot. Visitors to the Wilmington area have lots of terrific choices when it comes to bed and breakfast establishments. One of them is Katherine's Inn located in the heart of the historic district. This lovely home was built in 1903. Each of the five guest rooms has a different decor. The elegant Magnolia room is popular with Honeymooners with its beautiful crocheted lace bedspread and canopy Serenity fills this room along with white wicker and soothing pastel colors innkeepers Catherine and Walter ACAS have turned their home into an inviting setting to visit the city

from the cozy living room with piano and comfortable sofa. To this striking red dining room where breakfast is served to guests each morning Katherine's warm gracious hospitality fills the n just like a lovely fresh flowers. She arranges for every room. Most visits to the sandhills community of Southern Pines revolve around golf and a wonderful place to stay is no Woodhouse. The classically beautiful home of Dick and Mimi Beatty which borders the mid Pines Golf Course. Inside you'll find the elegance of an English manor house filled with 18th and 19th century antiques. The living room is inviting and warm decorated in soft colors with cosy sofas and chairs near the fireplace in the dining room. Crystal silver and candles create an elegant Serenity at the top of the staircase are the 4 guest rooms which are large and comfortably decorated. There's a bright airy openness about the

rooms which contain a mixture of comfortable furniture and delicate touches from another era. One favorite spot is the enclosed sun porch which brings the outdoors inside with lots of windows overlooking the golf course. Heading to the triangle the Arrowhead in sits on four acres north of Durham. The house was restored and opened as an inn by Barbara and Gerry Ryan in 1985. Inside the main house are several guest rooms including this one which was originally the music room. Now it's filled with a blend of old and new. Guests at the end are welcome to relax in the keeping room a place to watch TV work a puzzle or visit with other guests. In addition to the main house there are two rooms in the carriage house decorated in a country style. There's also a separate log cabin nearby which is ideal for a couple or family. The downstairs living area includes a fireplace refrigerator TV VCR and coffee maker up stairs. This

sleeping loft is open and airy with windows looking outside. And the North Carolina mountains are an ideal setting for numerous inns and bed and breakfasts. West of Ashville is when song a secluded contemporary log in. Rooms are large and airy with high beams ceilings and tile floors. Picture windows and porches wrap the house providing breathtaking views of the Smoky Mountains. Each guest room has a different geographic theme. The Safari room evokes a jungle mystique with primitive artifacts. Animal Print bedspread and that canopy and jacuzzi tub just steps away. The country room is more traditional with soothing colors handmade quilts baskets and lacy pillows. The Alaska room transports you to the northwest with an authentic dog sled Eskimo carvings and snowshoes over the fireplace.

When the song is just one of many beautiful inns located in North Carolina's mountains but there is something unique here that makes it different from any other. That's right. Llamas about 25 of them which comprise the herd for when song llama tricks which is operated by the live in goods daughter Sarah Gorder and her partner Bill Spears. They're usually bat country trips we go into the national forest and the llamas are pack animals that carry all our goodies or if it's a day trip they carry the Gore might take naked if it's an overnight trip they carry all the camping gear. These gentle animals are curious about everything and have their own distinct personalities. They offer one more reason for people to stay at when song in people who may be looking for a different type of bed and breakfast experience one which allows visitors to appreciate the incredible outdoor beauty of the region and share a special moment with a newfound friend.

If you're traveling and you want to find out which B and B's are located in the area of your destination you can contact the North Carolina bed and breakfast Association at one hundred eighty four 9 5 3 9 2. Or you can contact the local Chamber of Commerce in the town that you plan to visit to receive additional information. That's all we have time for tonight we have to see a back here again tomorrow night for another edition of North Carolina now. Good night everyone. Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks

Thanks.