VOLUME 9 ISSUE 29 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2024
DUPLINJOURNAL.COM
Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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BRIEF this week
Free English as a Second Language classes Faison Beginning Sept. 16, Faison Methodist Church will offer English classes for adults. Classes will be Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided at each class. The classes will help students become proficient in English. Contact info@faisonchurch. org or visit faisonchurch.org/ ESL for more information.
September is National Senior Center Month Duplin County This month shines a light on the labor of 171 senior centers across 96 counties in N.C. that provide access to information, meal and wellness programs, socialization, and more to older adults and their caregivers. For information about what Duplin Senior Services has to offer in your town or municipality, call 910-296-2140.
RDS Parent Night for graduating seniors set for Sept. 17 Kenansville The five high schools in Duplin County have partnered to host an RDS Parent Night for all graduating seniors at JSCC on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Establishing N.C. residency is required to apply to any college or university in the state. N.C. residency is separate from U.S. citizenship. Residency Determination Service (RDS) allows the use of one residency determination for admissions applications to multiple N.C. colleges and universities and to demonstrate residency eligibility for state grant purposes.
COURTESY FOUNTAINTOWN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Honoring 9/11 heroes The Fountaintown Volunteer Fire Department hosted its annual 9/11 Memorial Walk on Saturday. They were joined by members of the Back Swamp Volunteer Fire Department and the community as “a tribute to the bravery, sacrifice, and resilience that will never be forgotten,” a Facebook post read. “Together, we remember, reflect, and show that we will always stand united.”
18 residents at local assisted living facility look forward to visiting polls Early voting starts Oct. 17 By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WITH ELECTIONS around the corner, many citizens in Duplin County are looking forward to making their votes count. Carrie Sullivan, Duplin County Board of Elections director, shared with Duplin Journal the efforts of an assist-
ed living facility that is going above and beyond to help their residents be able to vote in the upcoming election. “Megan (Freeman) has worked with her team to get any resident that wants to vote registered and has partnered with us to get the free voter ID cards,” said Sullivan, explaining that Freeman, who is the administrator of Wallace Rehabilitation and Healthcare See VOTING, page A6
COURTESY MEGAN FREEMAN
Carrie Sullivan (left) sits next to Annette Henderson (seated) and her daughter Marian Vann at Wallace Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center as residents celebrated getting their voter IDs.
Duplin no longer low-performing school district Duplin County Schools received mixed performance grades By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal WHEN THE North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released its annual accountability results Sept. 4, Duplin County Schools were no longer designated a low-performing district. “Moving the district out of low-performing status is a significant milestone, and it’s a testament to the dedication of our amazing staff,” said DCS Superintendent Austin Obasohan. “I truly believe our principals, teachers, and staff are among the best in the nation, and I have full confidence that we will keep building on this progress.” However, Duplin schools earned mixed grades, with one school, Duplin Early College High School, scoring a B, while
Duplin Board of Education adopts antibullying resolution “Every child bullied must know that there is someone that is standing with them, and that they will be protected and not violated, whether in person or on social media.” The Rev. Michael McDougald Sr., KEMBA
DCS also shows support for board member Reginald Kenan By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — The Duplin County Board of Education adopted an antibullying resolution proposed by the Kenansville Eastern Missionary Baptist Association as part of its consent agenda during the regular monthly meeting on Sept. 3. The Revs. Michael McDougald Sr. and James Faison III appeared on behalf of KEMBA to formally present the resolution to the school board. “We, the members of the Kenansville Eastern Missionary Baptist Association, which serves this county,
along with four of the surrounding counties, and 46 constituent churches, have seen the need for a stance against the common recurrence of bullying occurring in our school system,” McDougald stated. “Our children are an invaluable gift to us, and we must nurture and protect, especially the area of education, where they should be able to attend our educational institutions without fear of intimidation from others who may be void of care and decency, or either compassion as it relates to differences in social circumstances and economics or race or religion or even gender identity in the age in which we live now,” he continued. “Every child bullied must know that See BOARD, page A3
ABBY CAVENAUGH / DUPLIN JOURNAL
The Revs. James Faison III, left, and Michael McDougald Sr. spoke to the Duplin County Board of Education about a resolution against bullying at the Sept. 3 meeting.
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six earned C’s, three earned D’s and three were graded F. State and federal accountability model results include school performance grades, growth outcomes, graduation rates, ACT, ACT WorkKeys and the progress of English learners. “Schools are held to expectations of meeting interim measures of progress leading to 10-year, long-term goals for career and college readiness,” a press release from Duplin County Schools stated. The grades are broken down by school as follows: • Duplin Early College High School: B • Chinquapin Elementary: C • East Duplin High School: C • James Kenan High School: C • North Duplin Elementary: C • North Duplin Jr./Sr. High: C
See SCHOOLS, page A6