UPDATE Health & Education
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
Health & Education
2A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
‘The best of times, the worst of times’ Despite economic difficulties, Graham says AIDB continued to show improvement in 2009 By MEREDITH McCAY Home staff writer
Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind President Terry Graham has seen a dichotomy emerge in the past year concerning the success of the institute. Graham has begun quoting the opening line from the Charles Dickens classic “A Tale of Two Cities” because AIDB has suffered economically, but continued to show improvement in its programs and enrollment. Graham said it had been the worst of times economically because AIDB’s situation became especially challenging with numerous funding cuts in less than a year. Gov. Bob Riley called for an initial 9 percent proration for all state schools, then an additional 2 percent was cut and finally 7.5 percent more was cut for a total of 18.5 percent in funding cuts for AIDB. “This was a historic cut,” Graham said. “We have never had to deal with anything like that. It is difficult to know what will happen and our economic future is still cloudy with uncertainty. We have had to reduce our staff by 13 percent, utilizing a few terminations and mostly a hiring freeze. We have taken preemptive measures as much as possible. “We know we have no choice but to live within our means. We have to make some tough decisions and they are not always popular. I don’t
like it. It’s been difficult and stressful. But you do what you have to do. Our employees understand the state of the economy and their attitudes have been great.” Lynne Hanner, director of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the AIDB Foundation, said the institute is heavily dependent on legislative appropriations because it does not have sources of local funding open to K-12 schools and universities. She said being unable to receive stimulus money while being required by the state to provide free and appropriate education to K-12 students and additionally choosing to offer free training to adults
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
The new student center on the Helen Keller campus will be named after AIDB President Terry Graham. The center will allow for recreation such as art classes, as well as a health center for the students.
has been taxing on the institute’s greatly reduced budget this year. “We are in a unique and difficult position,” Hanner said. “We have really been pushing for relationships with our congressional delegation.” Graham said that while AIDB cannot change what is going on with the economy, he is grateful that Rep. Mike Rogers, Rep. Spencer Bachus, Rep. Jo Bonner and Rep. Robert Aderholt have been so supportive in working with AIDB on projects.
Graham also sees that it is the best of times for AIDB as far as its programs and enrollment. Enrollment has been stable to increasing, according to Graham and Hanner, with a large number of pre-school and first-grade children entering their programs. The children have been excelling in the classroom with no signs of slowing down, according to Graham. At Alabama School for the Blind, the students have recently won
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Alabama Industries for the Blind used some reward money to build this walking track with a metal railing to allow employees to enjoy a bit of exercise on breaks and contribute to their overall good health.
statewide competitions in journalism and art. The athletes have also been succeeding by winning the South Central Association of Schools for the Blind wrestling tournament. The school’s independent living center is also off to a good start, allowing students to increase their skills for independent living. Renovations to the auditorium, new canopies and sidewalks and new windows in the gymnasium should help the school conserve energy and the costs associated with it. The nursing station is also about halfway through some renovations. Alabama School for the Deaf athletes won the Mason-Dixon tournament and became national champions in both basketball and track and field. The students have met and exceeded their Accelerated Reading goals as well. The school’s Preuitt Hall dormitory for girls is also doing well, with its tenants taking pride in their home. Next to it, Graham said a playground with a polymer surface on the ground has helped provide a safe place for children to play. All of the school’s gymnasium windows were replaced over the past year, along with many roofs on campus buildings. Graham said this increase in ener-
gy-efficiency should help the school save money in the long run. The Helen Keller School of Alabama meets its goals and objectives so that students perform at a high level. Students from the school won the state Special Olympics in basketball and volleyball this year. The Alfa Daniel building, serving as a dormitory for the multi-disabled at Helen Keller, was recently dedicated. Soon, another building on the campus will be dedicated. The student center on that campus will be dedicated and named after Terry Graham, the only time Hanner can think of that the board has named a building after a sitting president. The center will allow for recreation such as art classes, as well as a health center for the medically fragile students attending the school. A portion of the building has also been reinforced to serve as a safe center in the event of severe weather, which Graham finds comforting, even if he hopes they never have to use it. Wood Hall has also had a covered loading area added on to protect students from inclement weather while entering the building. E.H. Gentry, the adult
See AIDB, Page 3A
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health & education
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 3A
AIDB From Page 2A
rehabilitation center, has had increasing enrollment for the last three years. Graham reported that 93 students from the program were able to obtain competitive jobs last year, despite the recession. The facility has also had changes made to the front of its building facing the road and dealt with some accessibility issues to make sure people with disabilities may fully use the building. Alabama Industries for the Blind has kept from terminating any production workers despite the difficult financial environment. AIB has also kept its blind to sighted ration at 75 percent. Since AIB has been meeting its ratios, they used some reward money to build a walking track with a metal railing to allow employees to enjoy a bit of exercise on breaks and contribute to their overall good health. Graham was also proud to report that the building got a new roof that keeps most of the huge building “in the dry.” He said a significant amount of bond money was used to get the building dry. The health and clinical services program has provided more than 27,000 direct and indirect services throughout the state, including occupational therapy, low vision and evaluation assessment. The Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrians Program was recently reaccredited by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association with a premier accreditation. Graham was pleased with this announcement because the program provides so many services for AIDB students.
The institute’s senior services program has also continued to grow, helping thousands of seniors who have age-related disabilities. Over the course of the past year, the regional centers in Auburn and Montgomery were combined into one building in Montgomery to give AIDB eight regional centers throughout the state. Graham said the new location is strategically ideal because it is close to other state agencies and the state capitol. Graham mentioned that since AIDB also works with several military base supply stores, the institute is planning to open its own base supply store at Fort Rucker. This will join stores they already work with at the fort, along with ones at Redstone and Fort Moody. Within a couple of years, Graham hopes the store’s sales will cover the expenses of construction. Work is also beginning on the production of biodiesel fuels and the use of those fuels in institute vehicles in what AIDB has termed “Project Green.” Of course, everyone continues to be proud of the students who performed at the unveiling of the Helen Keller statue in Washington, D.C., and the students still get requests to perform. “This has been a great year for our students and consumers,” Graham said. “I don’t know when we’ve had a better year as far as that goes. Our future looks bright and we are not going to be anything but optimistic. You have no choice but to do the best you can with what you have. We can only hope for brighter days economically.”
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Talladega College, which was established in 1867, will soon receive $750,000 worth of restorations thanks to the United States Department of the Interior and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
TC buildings to get facelifts By MEREDITH McCAY Home staff writer
Staff members at Talladega College have been hard at work improving several campus facilities in recent months. Not only are dormitories receiving much needed renovations, but one building that has remained vacant for almost 30 years will receive an extensive facelift thanks to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. Shores Hall, which was built in 1974, was named for Talladega College alumnus Arthur D. Shores. Shores graduated from the college in 1972 and served as a trustee for
many years. The dormitory is the recipient of a $500,000 renovation that began in December and should be completed in March. While some controversy arose about whether renovations would be completed on Shores Hall due to an order from state fire marshal Ed Paulk to close the building in midJanuary, the matter seems to be resolved, with the Talladega City Council promising to appeal the decision on the college’s behalf and Paulk rescinding his order for the building to close, with conditions that have not been publicized. Work in the building includes everything from
new doors and stairways to replacement of all the fire alarms. Foster Hall, which was built in 1869 and is the second oldest facility of about 39 total facilities on Talladega College’s campus, will soon be receiving $750,000 worth of restorations thanks to the United States Department of the Interior and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The building had been empty since sustaining extensive fire damage in 1980. The facility had once been the site of a dining hall, and was the first building Talladega College built after being chartered in 1869. The college found out
in September 2009 that the Department of the Interior was planning to award $14.25 million in grant money to the historic preservation of buildings on the campuses of about 20 historically black colleges and universities across the United States. The department believes the money is helping to save structures that would have likely been lost forever without immediate aid and rehabilitation. “I am so proud to announce that through this grant, we will be able to begin the restoration of Foster Hall,” Talladega College President Billy Hawkins said. “When I
See TC, Page 4A
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4A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
health & education
TC From Page 3A
began my tenure as president, reopening Foster Hall was one of the top priorities for the alumni, students, faculty and staff. We are now on our way to making it happen.” The repairs needed to make Foster Hall habitable again include rehabilitating termite damage, wood rot, leaking roofs, water damage, asbestos, lead paint removal, masonry work, electrical rewiring, heating, air conditioning and the ventilation system. The college also plans to make the building more accessible for disabled people. Talladega College is also preparing to put a new roof on its Sumner Hall. An apartment complex on campus has already gotten a new roof in the past year. To further improve the overall appearance of the campus, Talladega College plans an annual campus improvement project
called “Polish the Jewel.” This allows anyone interested in donating their time to come and be a part of a cleanup crew. This year’s “Polish the Jewel” is set for Saturday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. March 27. Those who are able to give their time and a bit of elbow grease may be assigned to various campus improvement projects throughout those two days. The college also welcomes monetary donations from those who are not able to assist with the cleanup. While registration for spring 2010 was still ongoing at the time this publication went to press, Waller said as of fall 2009 the college had about 700 students enrolled. To improve course offerings for those 700 students, the college has taken several steps toward expanding what it offers. Public relations direc-
tor and special assistant to the president Regina Waller said the college has partnered with Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Fla., to better assist students in Talladega who are preparing to go into the field of dentistry. She also said the college is preparing to expand its course offerings and is working to develop summer school. Talladega College has also been working to publicize its Amistad Murals recently. The college invited a film crew from Foote Communications out of Dallas, Texas, to begin filming interviews with Hawkins and library director Juliette Smith, which they did on Saturday, Jan. 23. Neil Foote, president of Foote Communications, said the trip that began preserving the history of the murals on film was one of many the crew plans to make.
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Talladega College President Billy Hawkins said when he began his tenure as president, reopening Foster Hall was one of his top priorities and now the project is on its way to being a reality.
Foster Hall, the second oldest building on the Talladega College campus, is getting a $750,000 restoration.
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health & education
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 5A
Area fortunate to have vocational schools By GARY HANNER
include Auto and Marine Technology, Business Academy, Collision Repair, Carpentry, Welding, HVAC-R, Cosmetology, Heath Science, Information Technology, Agri-science and icademy, a joint venture with Jeff State. Moore said these career and technical programs are taught by instructors who have spent years training in their field of expertise to provide students with a quality and industry-ready education.
Home staff writer
Gary Hanner/The Daily Home
One of the many things students learn in the Health Science class at E-Tech is taking blood pressure. Pictured is Trey Pearce taking Amber Jackson’s blood pressure while instructor Susan Swindall also listens.
in dual enrollment and articulation credits offered through the programs. “Our goal is to provide the highest quality academic and technical education possible to prepare our students for college and career paths leading to an ever-changing technical world,” Moore said. “Our center strives to promote citizenship encouraging a diverse population of students to contribute in a positive way. Our students receive occupational training, academic education, and other enrichment that assists them in developing their potential. Hopefully, this contributes to their becoming responsible and productive members of society.” Programs offered at E-Tech for 2009-2010
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Located near Ashville, E-Tech serves students in grades 10 through 12 from the six St. Clair County high schools — Ashville High, Moody High, Pell City High, Ragland High, Springville High and St. Clair County High in Odenville. In Talladega County, the Pittard Area Technical School was closed during the 2005-06 school year.
“We are a very elongated county,” Offord said. “Travel was a problem getting students to and from Pittard. Now, we have put vocational programs at the seven high schools in Talladega County.” While all seven schools offer some type of vocational programs, students on the northern end of Talladega County from Munford and Talladega County Central high schools travel to Lincoln High School for vocational programs like Building Construction, Health Science and Computer Electronics. On the south end of the
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Not every senior who graduates from high school will go on to higher education. That’s where a vocation comes in, allowing the student to learn a trade that will help them become employed once they graduate. This area is fortunate to have the resources available for those who are ready to join the workforce. St. Clair County has Eden Career Technical Center while Talladega County has vocational programs offered at Lincoln High School for the northern end of the county and Childersburg High School for the southern end. What once was called John Pope Eden Technical School is now called ETech. Director Christy Moore said the E-Tech team assists students in developing skills to become independent and self-sufficient adults who will succeed and contribute responsibly in a global community with a highskill, high-wage and highdemand career. “We have revamped our academic offerings and presentation methods,” Moore said, “in order to ensure quality, innovation and rigorous standards within our academic courses, no matter the future path of students. Whether is it career, technical school, community college or university, they can confidently enter these programs and succeed.” Moore said all lab programs have been revamped to meet national standards and offer national credentials for the students. There has been an increase
John Offord, coordinator for secondary education and career technical education, said the main problem was distance students had to travel from all the high schools to Pittard.
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health & education
6A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
Giving children a Head Start Home staff writer
Head Start does just what it says: gives children a head start toward school. “St. Clair County Head Start supports services that provide for a successful transition for children to enroll into kindergarten,” St. Clair County Head Start director Elsie McGowan said. McGowan said the preschool agency exists as an institution of higher learning for pre-kindergarten children who qualify for the program. Head Start is a federally funded child development program. St. Clair County Head Start operates from a budget of just over a million dollars, serving more than 200 3and 4-year-old children from low-income families. Ten percent of the available slots are reserved for children with disabilities. “A special effort is made to serve and support children with disabilities, because we believe all children can benefit from each other and from the services we provide,” she said. McGowan said the program enhances children’s growth and development in preparation for later academic and social pur-
suits. “We believe that the pre-school years and the experiences that children have during these years are important for successful development,” she said. “Therefore, we make every effort to provide the highest quality program possible.” McGowan said students are encouraged to attend daily to receive full benefit of the program and to maintain funding status. The program maintains at least 85 percent attendance each month. “We offer multi-dimensional comprehensive services of education, nutrition, health, dental health, mental health, disabilities, parent involvement, and social services to all children who qualify,” she said. McGowan said a triannual review is conducted on the program to ensure quality service is provided to the children and their families. “We believe that parents are the most important people in their children’s lives,” she said. “The support parents give children as they grow and develop is crucial to their future success; therefore, See Start, Page 7A
Gary Hanner/The Daily Home
E-Tech auto/marine repair instructor Scott White, center, talks to his students about the engine on this boat.
Schools
From Page 5A
county, students from Fayetteville, B.B. Comer and Winterboro high schools travel to Childersburg High School for two programs — Health Science and Engineering. “The reason students travel is because one school may not have enough students to maintain these programs,” Offord said. “Having vocational programs at each high school is very important. There are a lot of computergenerated courses. It has been very beneficial for employment, especially in the health care field. Each of the seven high schools have career tech programs for serving their own students.” Terry Roller, principal at Lincoln High School, said when students complete the three years of the Heath Science program, they are certified nurses assistants, patient care technicians or childcare workers.
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Taevon Williams connects a long line of plastic figures together to create a chain.
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“We are really excited about that program,” Roller said. “It creates
Gary Hanner/The Daily Home
These students at the Health Science class at Lincoln High School transport this patient from his chair to a bed with a mechanical lift. From the left are Seneca Blackmon, Breyonia Adams and Taylor Wilson.
opportunities for kids to go out and make $10, $12, $14 per hour. In this economy, that is a fantastic opportunity. Every kid is not college ready but this gives them the opportunity to go out and get benefits, make a salary and be able to take care of their family. They then might see the value of educa-
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tion and then go back and do that later while making a substantial income. So we are very pleased with this.” The Health Science instructor at Lincoln High School is Jilda Reynolds. She said vocational programs being offered at Lincoln High are impor-
tant. “Many students choose not to go on to college once they graduate high school,” Reynolds said. “These programs offer them the opportunity to be able to make the transition from school to work because it gives them the career skills they need to be employed.”
Press Release for Golden Rehab Outcomes Success Story
(PELL CITY, Alabama, January 21, 2010) — Here is Harold Doyle, a Golden LivingCenter – Pell City rehab patient. Doyle has been a part of the Golden Living Rehab Outcomes program for four months, and made excellent progress allowing him to return to his previous living situation. The Rehab Outcomes program at Golden LivingCenter – Pell City allows people like Doyle to receive true measured results in their rehab programs. Golden LivingCenter – Pell City’s rehab program offers many core programs and modalities that enable us to provide comprehensive services for return to the community or long term care needs.
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By ELSIE HODNETT
health & education
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 7A
Start From Page 6A
“We recently received approximately $1.5 million in stimulus funds to expand our Early Head Start program,” she said. Jones said each of the Head Start centers is accredited by the National Association for Education of Young Children. “These are high-quality centers that have won recognition at state, regional and national levels,” she said. Jones said not every center offers Early Head Start, however, the Talladega Center began serving 32 infants and toddlers and eight pregnant women in January 2010.
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Kylee Parker and Marley Anderson prepare for activities at St. Clair County Head Start.
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we involve parents in all aspects of the program, support them in their roles as parents, and help them to provide for the needs of their families. Parents are encouraged to volunteer to chaperone, and to serve on different committees, as well as offer their expertise by service on the Parent Committee and/or the Policy Council.” McGowan said St. Clair County Head Start collaborates with all St. Clair County area schools while observing confidentiality procedures and concerns for issues such as special needs, ethnicity, and health information. McGowan said there is no fee for Head Start children. “Everything a child would need to attend this program is provided free of charge,” she said. “Transportation is also provided for children who live beyond a 5-mile radius of the center, located in Coal City off U.S. 231 North between Pell City and Ashville in the old Coal City School building. McGowan said registration is held in March at the St. Clair County Head Start facility. Required information includes: • Social Security card for all family members. • Birth certificate (official by the state) for the child. • W-2 tax return or latest check stub. • Blue immunization slip. • Medicaid or private insurance (if applicable). • Food stamp, TANF, or other public assistance (if applicable). • A physical and dental screening will be required
if your child is accepted to attend Head Start. “We do our best to live up to our mission statement, ‘We are dedicated to providing service to our children and their families in order to empower them to succeed,’” McGowan said. For more information about St. Clair County Head Start call 205-3389694. Dora Jones, director of Cheaha Regional Head Start and Early Head Start, said Cheaha Regional Head Start and Early Head Start serves 380 to 400 children at six locations in Talladega County. “We have two Head Start programs,” Jones said. “Most Head Start programs serve children ages 3 to 4, but the Early Head Start program serves children ages 6 weeks to kindergarten and pregnant women.” Jones said the locations include Talladega, Stemley, Sycamore, Childersburg, Sylacauga and Lincoln Head Start centers.
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8A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
Many go back to school when economy bad Much of the discussion over the past 12 months has centered on the worldwide economic downturn, and its effects on local businesses. That economic effect has carried over to community colleges, although, as Danielle Coburn said, “not in the way you might think. “When the economy goes bad and people lose their jobs, lots of people go back to school, to get re-trained and get a degree,” said Coburn, director of Instructional Sites for Jefferson State Community College in Pell City. “We actually see an increase because people want to learn to do something else so they can get a better job.” Coburn’s facility is one of multiple sites seeing a boon in enrollment thus far in 2010. In Talladega County, both Central Alabama Community College centers — in Talladega and Childersburg — are currently experiencing record enrollment levels. “We are reaching our full capacity,” Talladega director Jason Hurst said. “We now have over 350 college students, with an additional couple hundred workforce development and adult education students. So we have
grown tremendously — over 300 percent since our first semester of starting in January 2006.” It’s the same story in Pell City. “Enrollment has grown tremendously,” Coburn said. “The semester we’re in now (spring 2010) is the highest we’ve ever had here — almost 600 students. We’ve just had a great year — we’ve had lots of students enrolling and taking classes and it’s been great for us.” The key to keeping those numbers high, according to officials at all three campuses, is the curriculum. Brett Pritchard, with CACC in Childersburg, said enrollment for fall 2009 was nearly 2,500 students, more than 1,000 students more than the enrollment a decade ago. The important thing, he said, is meeting the needs of the surrounding community. “We’re a community college,” Pritchard said, “so your first and foremost goal is to take care of the communities that you’re in. “We’re just gonna keep doing what we’re doing as far as our programs that we have right now. As we see needs to fit each community, we’ll try to adapt them.” Both places are working on proliferating the subjects students can study.
Start From Page 7A
“Early Head Start is a tremendous advantage for families,” she said. Jones said Early Head Start and Head Start both offer comprehensive programs. “The children are screened for development, cognitive, health, education, social, emotional, nutritional, and other skills,” she said. “Once a child is enrolled, all their needs are met, even if we have to hire consultants.” Jones said even infants have curriculum, which is a formal research-based curriculum on where the children should be at developmentally at different ages. “All children work and develop differently, which is why each child receives an individual screening and assessment,” she said. “Then an individualized educational plan is formulated for each child.” Jones said the children work to master self-help skills such as using the bathroom by themselves, tying their shoes, brushing their teeth, feeding themselves properly with the proper utensils, setting the
table, and other basic life skills. “We also work with special needs children,” she said. Jones said special needs children receive occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language development help, and other therapy based on individual needs. “We also teach preventative care,” she said. Jones said the children are taught tooth care, which helps prevent cavities. “We also have a proactive child obesity approach,” she said. Jones said children are fed healthy meals, and also engage in a movement program that helps increase their physical activity. “The children’s mental health is also important,” she said. “We screen for behavioral problems and help modify behavior early. We help the children make changes now, so they are successful later on in school and in life.” Enrollment is ongoing at the six Talladega County locations. For more information, call 256-3623852 or visit www.cheahaheadstart.org.
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
When the economy is bad and people lose their jobs, lots of people go back to school to get re-trained and get a degree, said Danielle Coburn, Jefferson State Community College director of Instructional Sites.
“For the spring semester, 2010, we have been able to add several classes we’ve wanted to add in the past, but we just haven’t had the people to teach them,” Hurst said. “Accounting courses, economics courses, political science courses, and some
business courses. I say that to say that we are continuously looking to expand our offerings. “I don’t know how much longer we can stay just in this one building: we’ve just about outgrown our space already, and we’re gonna have to look
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at expanding or building a new building, or finding some additional space. We’ll only be able to do that when funds are available — we’re certainly faced with that today. It’s a good problem to have, though.” At Jeff State, the focus
is slightly more specific. Coburn said that “more than half ” of the students in Pell City are pre-nursing majors, and the hope is to add a nursing school to the program in the next few years, something that
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THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 9A
Community colleges help fill workforce shortages By WILL HEATH Home staff writer
As recently as a few years ago, economic development officials in St. Clair County feared that the county’s economic success might actually cause a workforce shortage. “We were gonna have a workforce shortage projected for 2015,” St. Clair Economic Development Council executive director Don Smith said. “Everyone was talking that the sky was falling, because we were so successful, workforce was gonna hamper the development in Alabama.” Thus, Smith’s organization — working with officials from local industry, both boards of education and government entities in the county and its individual municipalities — worked to establish the icademy, a workforce development program offering dual enrollment for high school students as well as unemployed and underemployed adults. Located on the campus of Jefferson State Community College in Pell City, the nearly completed facility is
Colleges From Page 9A
will fit in nicely on campus with the soon-to-be constructed hospital and
hosting classes with what Smith calls “a pilot program.” “It’s not what you would consider your typical basic training,” he said. “This is training on robots, hydraulics, pneumatics, state-of-the-art training for state-of-theart jobs, that the EDC is going after.” It’s something that is still needed in the community, even though unemployment has increased to more than 10 percent in St. Clair. “We still have industries that have eight to 10 of the people working there that really can’t do the jobs they’re hired to do,” said Stan Batemon, chairman of the St. Clair County Commission. “And basically, you’ve got people who can do half the job … so we still have people that are not well-trained and not prepared to take those jobs. So icademy’s still very important, even in a high unemployment rate.” Similar specialized programs have taken hold in Talladega County as well. Central Alabama
Veterans Affairs Nursing Home. “I think bringing a nursing school here will
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
The Childersburg campus of CACC saw an enrollment increase in fall 2009, with nearly 2,500 students.
Community College, with campuses in Talladega and Childersburg, began a lineworker program in 2009 to help train its student population for the workforce. According to Jason Hurst, director of the Talladega center, two classSee Training, Page 10 Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
CACC began a lineworker program in 2009. Two classes have already completed that 7-week training course, according to Jason Hurst, director of the Talladega center, shown at right.
have a tremendous impact on the community, and that’s coming in the next few years,” Coburn said. “It’s gonna make a tre-
mendous difference in their lives, to be able to find a job right where they live so they can do all these things in one place.
“I kind of see Jeff State as the center of what’s eventually going to happen in St. Clair County. I think we have the chance
to be at the forefront to bring new things in, so people in our county can get better jobs and experience new things.”
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10A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
Training From Page 9A
“They come out and they are ALTECH digger-derrick certified, bucket-truck certified, have a Class A CDL, Red Cross First Aid CPR certified, have basic electricity certification, climbing certification, and many others,” he said. “So it’s a tremendous amount of knowledge in seven weeks. These are industry recognized credentials that allow these folks to get really good jobs. “We’ve been really pleased with this program.” Since programs like these are created in part through cooperation with local industry and local government, officials have encouraged open lines of communication to keep them current with the needs of those entities. “We need creative minds, if you have some thoughts out there,” Batemon said. “A lot of times, the business community talks to each other but not to us, and I’ve been in politics long enough to know that the criticism out there about me is usually not brought to me, from that person. Usually I have to find it out, word of mouth. “We like that criticism, because that means something’s wrong, but we need to know about it.”
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Lincoln High School is getting four new classrooms and Lincoln Elementary School has plans for a new library.
21st Century learning for county students By JONATHAN GRASS Home staff writer
The Talladega County School System has made improving educational standards a priority by marching into the future. Superintendent Suzanne Lacey said one of the best examples of this is the system’s 21st Century Framework. This plan goes beyond traditional lessons to incorporate real world skills that are valued by employers, such as problem-solving, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial literacy. It also emphasizes themes like teamwork, ethics and professionalism. “It’s unique that it makes the school environment like the workforce environment,” Lacey said. One of the biggest components of the 21st Century Framework is project based learning rather than lectures and quizzes. Students use the resources available to them to solve tasks. “Project based learning is to give students the ability to think creatively and critically to take real world problems and come up with solutions,” Lacey said. The learning model is designed to let students face realistic problems, work together to solve them and demonstrate what they learn in real world formats. The county’s model school for 21st Century learning is Winterboro High School. This year the school underwent a major revamping both in the curriculum and the build-
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ing itself. The school incorporated 21st Century Learning and project based learning in its curriculum aided by the remodeling of several classrooms to create four “learning suites” that are made from two classrooms each. They’re outfitted with individual computer stations and state of the art technology. The purpose of turning two classrooms into one is to allow teachers to teach as teams and also to combine subjects within projects. For example, physical
science may be paired with geometry and the teachers can work together to show how both can apply to a project. Teachers will also be able to work more individually with students. The double classrooms can be separated by a divider when called for. Lacey is pleased with the results of the 21st Century Framework at WHS. “We saw an immediate change in the school’s culture. There was more student engagement. They take more ownership of
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over the summer to show them all what project based learning is about. “We’re working to provide 21st Century learning in all our schools,” Lacey said. Another big event will be in April. Students and teachers from all over the county will showcase their work and what they’ve learned through 21st Century Learning at Childersburg High School for “Fueling Our Passion for Learning.”
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their work. It’s really energized the curriculum overall,” she said. Lacey hopes the model classrooms in this school are only the first. “Our goal is to have a model classroom in all the high schools,” she said. In January the school will host educators from around the state, as well as a representative from the governor’s office and workforce development, to see how it puts project based learning into action. The county schools will even have a symposium
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es have already completed the seven-week training course, with another scheduled to begin in February. “We’ve got students who have already graduated — one of them brought a check back, he made $3,500 in one week,” Hurst said. “He was able to do that, because they work in the storms … and he was in a crew that worked in the Northeast, in the snowstorms. “His comment was, ‘That’s the most money I’ve ever made in his life.’ It’s tough work, hard work, but it’s a great skill, and these students can find jobs.” The goal of the CACC program, Hurst said, is to give the students the necessary training and certifications to be attractive hires.
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THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 11A
Learning From Page 10A
The 21st Century Learning will also be expanding to the elementary schools. The first step is to get the teachers ready to do this at the elementary level.
There is more than structure additions. Fayetteville High School is planning expansions of environmental projects with assistance from FarmLinks and Auburn University. There is also a new teacher academy to help provide new teachers with strategies for classes. These endeavors are large projects for which the schools have been able to secure grants and other funding. “We’re proud to be able to fulfill our goals in a time of proration,” Lacey said. She said this success would not be possible without the faculties, administrators, support staffs and all other county school employees. “We’ve assembled an outstanding collaborative team, and as a result have seen excellence throughout the system. We’re all working toward the same goals,” she said.
‘We’re proud to be able to fulfill our goals in a time of proration. ... We’ve assembled an outstanding collaborative team, and as a result have seen excellence throughout the system. We’re all working toward the same goals.’
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“We’re taking a close look at how we teach to make sure every student gets it,” she said, explaining that lessons are adjusted when students do not pick them up so that each student will understand and pass. Specialist Denise Gibbs gave a presentation to the schools on RTI. Lacey said she was pleased to find that
most of the ideas presented were already in line with 21st Century Learning. The schools are continuing to undergo capital improvements as well. For example, Munford High School is building a new football field and Lincoln High School is getting four new classrooms. Lincoln Elementary School has plans for a new library.
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Lab schools have been designed for teachers to participate in 21st Century Learning and observe how the framework can be used in their own classrooms. Teachers will convene at the beginning of the year at Munford Elementary School to learn more. The focus will be on collaboration and innovation. They will work together, study research and learn online tools such as Wikis and Glogster that will help them use the framework to their own schools. The 21st Century Framework has been a standing objective for Talladega County schools. “For the past two years we’ve had a sustained effort to implement this initiative because it energizes the curriculum and improves delivery of instruction, which in turn increases student engagement,” Lacey said. County schools have also implemented Response to Instruction. Lacey said this is when lessons are taught around students’ needs to make sure all content reaches all students.
Winterboro High School is the Talladega County School System’s model school for 21st Century learning.
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12A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
City School System makes strides in 2009 By CHRIS NORWOOD
Home staff writer
When the Talladega City School System opened its doors in August 2009, it did so with the promise of new and innovative approaches to education that would empower all students to reach their highest potential, Interim Superintendent Douglas Campbell said. Reflecting on 2009, Campbell said the district was propelled into the limelight by great media coverage of several memorable events. Campbell was appointed interim superintendent by the board after Joanne Horton announced her retirement shortly after the end of classes for the 2008-2009 school year. In March 2009, Campbell was awarded the Alabama State Leadership and Dedicated Service Award by the president of the National Association of Federal Programs Administrators in Washington, D.C. During the summer of 2008, he wrote a competitive grant application to the Office of School Readiness to help the district fund a local Pre-K Program. “This grant was awarded to the district in the sum of $45,000 per year for three years,” he said. “The city of Talladega then partnered with the district to help fund the program by providing matching funds in the amount of $45,000 per year. This program has
been well received by the community and is currently serving 18 Pre-K students from across the district for the 2009-2010 school year, with a waiting list of over 15 children. This program is housed at the Northside-Hal Henderson Elementary School and has been identified by the Office of School Readiness as an exemplary program and utilized by the state as a demonstration site. Angela Capers, lead teacher of the district’s First Class Pre-K Program, was recognized as the Talladega city school’s Elementary Teacher of the Year.” Campbell went on to say, “This year the district’s curricular emphasis has both a solid foundation in the depth and breadth of state standards, while maintaining particular attention to the various learning styles and needs represented by all students. Student Outcomes are a driving force in curricular development and teaching methodology. Student Outcomes are intended to challenge students to become critical thinkers, adaptable problem solvers, involved citizens, selfguided achievers, collaborative workers (and) quality producers. “In every academic setting, technology plays a key role. At the present time, students have access to over 1, 140 computers districtwide. The district has begun to place Smart Boards, Promethean Boards and Acti-Vote
health & education
The cafeteria at R.L. Young Elementary School is one of several in the School System that has been renovated.
Clickers in all schools. To foster the use of technology, the district has put in place STI Home (an on-line program designed to provide access to students’ grades), school cast (for announcements and emergency information), blogs and Web sites, and Internet access to a virtual library.” The system has also completed several major capital improvement projects, including new HVAC systems at Graham, Salter, Young and Ellis elementary schools; new roofs for Salter, Graham, Young and Houston; major renovation for Zora Ellis Junior High School and construction of a new Maintenance and Transportation Facility in See City BOE, Page 13
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
The Talladega City Board of Education office is on South Street.
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health & education
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 13A
line: advance placement courses at the high school; dual enrollment classes with Talladega College and Central Alabama Community College.
Doug Campbell was named interim superintendent in the summer of 2009, after Joanne Horton announced her plans to retire.
City BOE From Page 12A
Bemiston on property donated to the system by the Talladega City Council. According to the Child Nutrition Program director Joni Baker, several of the district’s school cafeterias have been renovated as well. “The Child Nutrition Program has a reputation of offering students delicious, nutritious meals daily with a primary goal of promoting good eating habits. The district also observes National School Lunch Week each year by inviting parents to school to have lunch with their child.” During spring 2009, according to Campbell, three elementary schools in the system received challenge money under No Child Left Behind for their increased performance in the areas of reading and math. Northside-Hal Henderson Elementary received $29,000, Houston Elementary received $5,000 and Salter Elementary received $5,000. “Zora Ellis Jr. High School participated in the Science Olympiad at Auburn University and the Junior United Nations during the 20082009 school year. Plans have been made for them to participate again this year,” according to a statement from the School System. Also during the past year, “Miss Alabama, Amanda Tapley, came to R.L. Young School on Feb. 22. Dr. Condoleezza Rice was the commencement speaker for the Graduating Class of 2009. The girls basketball team made it to the finals and the boys went to the state and made it to the Final Four. The Talladega High School Band participated in the Talladega ALLCOUNTY honor band and the Zora Ellis Band received recommendations to compete in the Alabama State Concert Band Assessment.” The district as a whole “places a strong emphasis on professional development and has focused heavily on training for English and math teachers,” Campbell said. “At the present time, Zora Ellis Jr. High and Houston Elementary School are AMSTI schools. The district also has a variety of other programs such as Accelerated Reader, Star Reading, computer labs, reading intervention and a full time reading coach for each elementary school.” Campbell said the system is included “on the state’s highly coveted accountability list of Systems that Made (Adequate Yearly Progress) for 2009. This list reflects systems that met 100 percent of goals.” Approximately 99 percent of the teachers in the system are listed as “highly qualified.” According to Campbell, the following programs are also in the 2009-2010 pipe-
Talladega High School will also provide students with several opportunities to excel in areas of special interest. In addition to the array of course offerings that meet the graduation requirements and federal requirements, the school offers several specialized course offerings. Examples include online classes, music, drama, career-tech and several tutoring programs. “Enrollment at the school mandates that all entering students understand the importance of positive attendance, appropriate behavior, and academic priority,”
according to the School System statement. “The district emphasizes the importance of good student attendance. Last year a new tardy policy was implemented, which resulted in a decrease in the number of students arriving late to class. This year teachers have been more proactive in monitoring attendance, identifying truant students, notifying parents, and working with administration. “Per Judge Julian King, ‘the total days of unexcused absences decreased by 74.35 percent from 2007-2008 school year to the 2008-2009 school year and truancy decreased by 65.45 percent from the 2007-2008 school year to the 2008-2009 school year’.”
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
Among the capital improvement projects completed in the past year is a new bus shop for the Talladega City School System, built on property donated by the City Council. This will allow for the current shop to be moved away from Mary Dumas Stadium, where it was located previously.
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14A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
School System growing, maintaining programs By DAVID ATCHISON Home staff writer
Despite the economic downturn, which sliced into school funding, the Pell City School System has continued to grow, maintaining its existing programs. “Last year, we’ve been really good at maintaining programs we’ve had for quite some time, given the economy,” Superintendent Dr. Bobby Hathcock said. The School System receives about 78 percent of its funding through the state. Because of proration, the School System saw its reserve drop from $2.4 million to almost nothing. The School System continues to man programs like ROTC, the radio club, drama. The School System also continues to offer art and
Dr. Bobby Hathcock
music in all of its elementary schools. “It’s very important to us to maintain the programs we have in place,” Hathcock said. In the past two years, there was a shortfall of almost $5 million in state funding, but despite the economic downfall, the School System continues
to grow. One of the big highlights for the School System in 2009 was the opening of the new Ninth-Grade Academy, a $2.9 million ninth-grade wing added to the high school. Hathcock said the Ninth-Grade Academy, along with the Williams Intermediate School opening in 2008, helps the School System manage the increasing number of students. “The new Ninth-Grade Academy really helped the overcrowding at the high school,” Hathcock said. “It gives students there much more room, and it’s a beautiful structure that’s very important to us.” The ninth-grade addition, which opened in time for the start of the 2009-2010 school year, added 11 classrooms and a large multi-purpose
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
The Pell City School System continues to grow. The Pell City board office is located in the CenturyLink building at the intersection of U.S. 231 and Bruce Etheridge Parkway.
School officials hope to renovate Iola Roberts Elementary School this summer.
room, as well as new offices restrooms, computer and science labs, a teacher work room and conference room. The new facility not only helps ease the overcrowding at the high school, but it allows freshmen students to transition into the high school better. Another project the School System was involved with, which was only recently completed, was the icademy, which will allow School System students to participate in dual enrollment programs, which will help students prepare for nursing and other nigh technical jobs of the future. “The icademy is going to be awesome,” Hathcock said. The icademy was a joint venture and partnership between Jefferson State Community College, the St. Clair County Commission, the St. Clair County Economic Development County, the Alabama State Board of Education, the St. Clair
and Pell City school systems, private business and industry partners. “It’s going to be a big thing for us,” Hathcock said. The School System also received high marks on its Alabama Department of Education Compliance Review. “To have virtually no findings is outstanding,” Hathcock said. “It’s a testament to the good people we have here.” The School System only received one citation after state officials reviewed more than 300 items. The compliance review examined everything from administration to finance to federal programs to transportation to technology. State officials basically review how School System employees are doing their jobs, and if they are doing it right. The review is done every three years. Hathcock said they do have plans this year to complete a renovation project at Iola Roberts Elementary School. “We plan to, hopefully.
Timing is everything,” Hathcock said. “It’s a great school, but it’s showing its age a little.” He said renovations of the old school could begin as early as June, and would include a new library, gym and music room. “It will be a huge undertaking,” Hathcock said. “It will take one year to complete.” The School System is hoping to tap into low interest rate money available through the state for capital projects. “A lot of things have to fall into place,” Hathcock said. He said the front section of the high school also needs some work, but their top priority is the renovation of Iola Roberts Elementary School. Hathcock hopes the economy will improve, which will increase state funding for the School System. “Hopefully things will get better with the economy and we can continue to do the things we are doing,” he said.
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THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 15A
School System keeps parents involved By MATT QUILLEN Home staff writer
The Sylacauga City School System has implemented or continued several initiatives in an effort to improve how students learn and to better communicate to parents. Superintendent Renee Riggins and Testing and Curriculum coordinator Patrick Littleton spoke about these initiatives and what lies ahead for city school administrators, teachers and students. Funding from the state has been cut for all schools in Alabama. Riggins said they have dealt with those funding cuts by using current staff in a variety of ways to train others. She said people with skills in technology and other areas will continue to play an expanded role.
Nichols Lawson Middle School is one of the newer schools in the Sylacauga City School System.
some very talented people when it comes to collaborating and being resourceful.” Two plans that had been put in action for the schools are the District Literary Council and “Differentiated Classroom.” The two programs were designed to help students not only learn but to apply the knowledge they gain. Differentiated Classroom has taken the principle of using teachers as trainers. A small group of teachers, called “cohorts,” learned the practices of the program and has taken them to the larger group. The practices of Differentiated Classroom they learned involve using active engagement of the students instead of only lecturing, moving around the room to increase blood flow to the brain and applying nutritional needs so students are at their peak while learning. “It’s so interesting to walk around into the class-
rooms and just see how their classrooms have changed,” Riggins said. “It’s not the typical row by row (desks), it is different organizations that they have now in the classrooms. The interac-
tion is totally different; the teacher is not just standing there for 50 to 60 minutes just lecturing.” The District Literary Council was made up of teachers and administrators. They had taken the
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best parts from literacy programs across the country, to set standards for both instruction and role responsibilities. Littleton said new teaching tools are helping teachers to refine their
See Parents, Page 16A
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“It’s going to be more important than ever because we are going to have to utilize more people,” Riggins said. “Fortunately, federal dollars, as far as professional development, have not been cut, so we can continue the training that we do. But we still want to utilize the people we have in the system also.” Littleton said the School System employees were good at using the resources they had and working together. “I think one thing we do a good job of is we use our people to solve problems,” Littleton said. “We have a good network in problem solving. I think our people do a good job at sitting down, looking at issues and looking at what we have available to us and coming up with a viable solution. We have
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
practice. “Those teachers want to do well,” he said. “Most teachers will take the tools at their disposal to help them to improve. Everything the state department (of education) is sharing with us is about improving teacher practice, using formative and ongoing assessments to help do that in measuring the achievement of students in an ongoing basis.” Another focus of the School System has been to get the student’s family involved in the learning process. The Parent Involvement Team has been working with parents, teachers and administrators to coordinate efforts for more than five years. Also to help teachers partner with parents,
health & education
16A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
Parents From Page 15A
Littleton said a presenter was brought in at the beginning of the year to talk about those interactions. “What the premise of the program is is when you go into a parent conference, understanding the teacher is the professional, helping to instill confidence in that parent,” he said. “Many times parents reflect on their own educational experiences, which, in many cases, have been bad. So they have a negative feeling about it from the beginning. So we want to assure them that we are the professionals and any problem their child is having, we can address those problems.” Littleton said the partnering program continues with a specific plan and
regular check-ins on performance. Riggins said she wanted all parents to feel welcome to come into the school. “A lot of times parents have called me,” she said. “I would ask them have they talked to the principal. They say, ‘Well, I don’t feel comfortable.’” Littleton said the program is based in earning trust between teachers and parents. He said many teachers are not taught the necessary skills to work with parents while getting their education. “Very rarely does a (teacher) come out of any education school with the tacit knowledge of how to go into a parent conference and be successful,” he said. “So we are really trying to help add that piece.”
Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega is focused on quality and patient experience, hospital president Steve Gautney said.
CBMC named one of state’s ‘best places to work’ By CHRIS NORWOOD
Home staff writer
Superintendent Renee Riggins
Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega has no new building to show this year, not much in the way of new equipment purchases and no major renovation projects. Right now, the focus is elsewhere, according to hospital president Steve Gautney. “Internally, we’re focused on quality and patient experience,” he said. “We’re listed as a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tier 1 Hospital, and we won a Voluntary Hospitals
a local board and partially by sales tax. Communities need to look at hospitals as something that adds to quality of life.” During the past year, Gautney said, Citizens has “spent a lot of time listening and continuing to provide great care, and a lot of the people we’re providing that care to are economically challenged. The economy has been particularly unkind to this area, so we are serving a lot of people who are uninsured or on Medicaid. Normally about 5 and a half to 6 percent of our patients are uninsured, but in November
and December that was up to 9 percent. The numbers on Medicaid are up dramatically also. We’re a not for-profit community hospital, so we take care of everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. The magic happens when people understand that, which is why we need the support of the entire community, from all levels of economic means.” One of the hospital’s strongest support relationships is with Talladega Health Care and Rehabilitation. “Citizens See CBMC, Page 17
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of America award. The Joint Commission on Accreditation and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have validated our quality and processes.” The hospital was also named one of Alabama’s best places to work by the Birmingham Business Journal. “We’re trying to look for opportunities to grow in partnership with the community,” he said. “What’s happening in Pell City right now is a good example. They have a replacement facility that will be funded partially by
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THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 17A
CBMC From Page 16
employs about 400 people, with an annual payroll of about $18 million. The clinics employ another hundred people or so, bringing the total payroll up to about $21 million. Talladega Healthcare has about 300 employees and brings the total payroll up to about $25 million, so you’re looking at a serious economic impact just from those factors. Health care is a big player here, especially in this economy. We want our community to hold us up as a point of pride, feel good about what we do here and let us know how we can make it better.” That sort of pride benefits the hospital as well as the community it serves. “Our market share right now is about 50 percent, but as we experience more uninsured patients, that will probably go up to about 60 or 70 percent. There will always be procedures that people will have to go out of town for. We’re not going to be performing open heart surgery here anytime soon, but as the community helps us to grow, it will present us with lots of new opportunities.” The Senior Care Unit, which opened two and a half years ago, is a fitting example of an area of new growth. “The unit is about 85 percent occupied now, and we can foresee a time when we will have a waiting list. We brought in psychologists Terry Battles and Charles Herlihy to work with that unit and provide a needed service in the community. Demographically, more and more of the Talladega area is entering the 65 and older category, so we’ll continue to enhance that programming.”
Diagnostic imaging is another area where the hospital has made strides to better serve the community. “We upgraded to all digital CTs and MRIs, and I believe we had the first digital mammography unit in East Alabama. We’ve got a 70 to 75 percent market share in that area, thanks to an incredibly well trained staff, and they’ve been recognized by the state every time they come here. It’s just one of the best around. They provide a very needed service, and it has been well received by the community. The same is true of the partnership with the Birmingham Radiology Group from Baptist Princeton. They will have been here three years in May.” Perhaps the most widely
utilized service, however, remains the emergency room. “It’s amazing the number of people who have been touched by the emergency room at one time or another,” Gautney said. “The staff has always been well trained, and we’ve always required everyone to be board certified to work there.” Dr. David Elliot and Wendy Burns are currently running the ER. “They’re working on the processes,” Gautney said. “It’s always been good, but, for instance, they’ve been measuring time from door to triage, which is about 11 minutes, and door to doctor, which is about 31 minutes. Ideally, we’d like to get that number down to 26 or 27 minutes. We want to make everything
very efficient to give the patient a good experience. There’s a lot of important work going on there.” Access to primary care physicians continues to be an issue, which the hospital is addressing through recruiting. Three new doctors will be starting between now and August, and two more will be on board the following year. “We’re trying to plan three or four years in advance, because that’s what we’re hearing from the community, that they can’t get in to their doctor as quickly as they’d like.” Naturally, these new physicians will need office space, but the idea of constructing a professional building is currently on ice. The hospital is seeking creative solutions from the public to the office space
problem. Gautney is also asking for more direct support. “It is an accepted thing for people to see the St. Jude’s telethon or a coin drop at Wal-Mart for Children’s Hospital. Those are great causes, but Citizens is, too. We also need philanthropy if we’re going to grow and thrive.” The hospital will be hosting a fishing tournament Feb. 20 as a fundraising effort, and has been advertising the event at boat shows throughout the region, according to public relations director Roxianne Ramsey. Much of the money raised will be used to purchase equipment necessary to perform breast cancer surgery. Ramsey also mentioned some other relatively new
programs, including a relaunched sleep solutions center, a grant for a diabetes awareness program, Worforce Wellness partnerships with local businesses, the Heart Aware on-line risk assessment program, Go Red Days on Feb. 3 and 5 (for heart awareness), support groups for breast cancer survivors and families of those with Alzheimer’s disease. The STARs (Seniors Taking an Active Role) program is gearing back, with Debra Jones from (Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind’s) Senior Program. It allows seniors a chance to get out and socialize and get health information and education at the same time, she said. The hospital also offers memory screenings.
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health & education
18A â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE DAILYâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
CVMC makes changes to better serve area By MATT QUILLEN Home staff writer
Sylacaugaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coosa Valley Medical Center and its 580 employees have continued to make changes to better serve the area. Hospital executives and administrators added staff to expand the expertise in medical specialties and to better inform the public on general health. Glenn Sisk, CEO of Coosa Valley Medical Center, said five new doctors were added to the hospital staff in 2009. He said the hospital will be adding more staff this year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The growth of our medical staff has been both methodical and strategic,â&#x20AC;? Sisk said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Meaning, if there has been a void in the community where a particular specialty or sub-specialty primary care is underserved, or not served at all, we have tried to identify that and then find the right candidate to bring to the community.â&#x20AC;? Dr. Clay Davis and Dr. Renee Davis, family medicine; Dr. Keith Roberts, general surgery; Dr. Elizabeth Perkins, rheumatology; and Dr.
Sam Bowen, neurosurgery, were added to the staff last year. Sisk said the hospital also has two new additions to its staff so far this year. Dr. Jonathan Moore, OB/ GYN, and pulmonologist Dr. Emily Rehburg will begin in August 2010. Sisk said the recruitment of a full-time orthopedic doctor will be a top priority for them as well. CVMC recently underwent a change of staff in their emergency department. Dr. Jason Begue has taken the position of emergency medical director. Sisk said many hospitals are judged on how well the emergency room is run. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The emergency department is in many cases the face of the hospital,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your level of success, in the mind of the health care consumer, is driven in large part by how effective we are in the emergency room.â&#x20AC;? Sisk said the hospital was looking for full-time medical staff, in the emergency department and others, that would be a long-term answer in serving the patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is our belief that a
physician who is accountable to the organization, just as we are as employees, and we know that they will be there day after day dealing with people and health care problems, that it improves our level of service and accountability,â&#x20AC;? he said. Amy Price, vice president of Patient Care Services at CVMC, said new additions to the hospital, such as the open MRI, make it easier for people to have everything they need in one central location. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to provide every service that is available, that is reasonable for a hospital our size to provide,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The more services and diagnostic testing that we have on our campus, the more opportunity people have to come here.â&#x20AC;? CVMC administrators are also working through community outreach to better inform the public on health and on what the hospital offers. Vanessa Green, vice president of Senior and Support Services, said the hospital was reaching out to more than Sylacauga residents. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We recognize that
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
New additions to Coosa Valley Medical Center, such as the open MRI, make it easier for people to have everything they need in one central location, said Amy Price, vice president of Patient Care Services.
our service area is not just Sylacauga, but the surrounding areas,â&#x20AC;? Green said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While we have Community Links in Sylacauga thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open to the public, we have also spent time in Childersburg working to revamp that program as well so we can at least bring it to two of our service areas.â&#x20AC;? Community Links, a free program featuring a different doctor and topic every month, has been an outlet for the hospital to introduce new physicians. It also allows them to inform the public of timely health advice, such as tips for flu season. Green said new out-
reach team members will be out on a daily basis attending various public events, schools and senior centers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are focused on all areas,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether that is health fairs, career fairs, anything that we are able to get out there and be a part of, we will be there.â&#x20AC;? Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have core measures that the majority of hospitals participate in. Sisk said these give hospitals standards to measure how well they are running. He said the hospital is using those measures to improve quality. Sisk also
said CVMC is monitoring its patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; satisfaction, through surveys and other means, to measure the most important thing the hospital does: Take care of people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe that in the future organizations will be held to the standard that quality outcomes will matter,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not only will the public have more access to that information but our ability to continue to operate effectively is going to be contingent on how successful we are with it. So we work very hard to make sure as we report quarterly data that we are continuously improving that.â&#x20AC;?
down, Pell City and the County Commission will have 28 acres of property near I-20 to take over and market commercially.
the new two-story hospital will house the emergency department, lab, dietary department or cafeteria, administration, hospital chapel, lobby and other departments.
suite, along with surgery, same day surgery preparation and recovery/observation, waiting, critical care unit, in-patient rooms and the pharmacy.
St. Clair excited about state-of-the-art hospital By DAVID ATCHISON Home staff writer
Vick said he believes Pell City could become the future health care hub and the construction of the state-of-the-art hospital will help inject new medical capital investments. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is going to put St. Vincentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Clair on a level playing field with our neighbors to the west,â&#x20AC;? Vick said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our plan is to be state-of-theart. That makes me excited about the future.â&#x20AC;? Vick said the new hospital will also attract medical specialists. The new 40-bed, 76,000 square foot, two story hospital was designed by architects at Birchfield, Penuel and Associates and is being constructed by Hoar Construction LLC of Birmingham, and Goodgame Company Inc. of Pell City. Jason Goodgame with Goodgame Company said the $31.4 million hospital will take about 16 months to complete once construction begins. The hospital is scheduled to open during the fall of 2011. But Goodgame said there is a lot of work ahead before the actual construction of the hospital begins.
The upper floor will house the gastrointestinal
The new facility will have CAT scan, MRI and Nuclear Medicine.
Central Alabama Community College This is an artist rendering of the new St.Vincentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Clair Hospital.
of work to do in preparing the site,â&#x20AC;? Goodgame said. In addition, clearing and leveling of the 16-acre site must be done. Goodgame said he expects that bids for the actual construction of the hospital will be accepted by the middle of the summer and work on the actual hospital structure should start at the end of summer. St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon predicts the new hospital will attract more health care professionals to Pell City and to the 165-acre site owned and managed by the St. Clair County Economic Development Council. He said the hospital has already shown to be a facility to attract more health care related industries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s improtant that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be across from the VA Home,â&#x20AC;? Batemon said, adding that talks are in the works for the hospital to be the managing agency for the new VA
Home. Officials say the VA Home will produce 300 new jobs and the new hospital played a role in attracting the Veterans Affairs Officeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision to move to Pell City. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The hospital will also create advances in health care education,â&#x20AC;? Batemon said, pointing to the icademy, a dual enrollment program for high school students and the new Jefferson State Community College and its nursing program. He said the new hospital and the facilities to follow it will also promote growth in and around the 165-acre EDC professional development site. Batemon said he expects the intersection at U.S. 231 near Walgreens to develop commercially with the new traffic related to the hospital and VA Home. He said once the new hospital is completed and the old hospital is shut
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He said a road must be built to the 16-acre site and utilities need to be run to the building site. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The county and city have a significant amount
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The new hospital is beneficial to both areas,â&#x20AC;? Batemon said. The ground floor of
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They called it an historic day for Pell City, St. Clair County and St. Vincentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health System, it was the official groundbreaking of the new St. Vincentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Clair Hospital. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The turnout was unbelievable,â&#x20AC;? said Terrell Vick, president and COO for St. Vincentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Clair Hospital. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It shows the community support.â&#x20AC;? More than 400 people attended the groundbreaking ceremony Jan. 19 on the Jefferson State Community College Campus in Pell City. Construction of the new hospital is on a 16acre site west of the college, and there are construction plans for a new Veterans Affairs Home just across from the new hospital.
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health & education
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 19A
Urgent care center close to reaching goal of becoming RHC By JONATHAN GRASS Home staff writer
Talladega Primary & Urgent Care Center opened in October with a goal to become an official rural health clinic (RHC) for Talladega. The center was created as a place for patients to go for convenient treatment to many commonplace medical problems, everything from a virus to injuries to diabetes or hypertension. It was created by general surgeons Dr. Charles Lambert and Dr. David Roberts of Talladega Surgery Associates. “Primary care can take care of 90 percent of the stuff we see,” Lambert said. “We can do the same things a family practice does.” A RHC uses medical teams to provide health care to underserved areas. Such centers are also certified to receive special Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. Lambert said Talladega has been in need of a RHC, and this need helped inspire the idea of creating one. “Talladega County is way short of doctors,” he said. “Lots of folks don’t get the care they need.” Lambert said one of the center’s biggest advantages is its conveniences, not the least of which is its openness to walk-in patients. He said there aren’t enough health care facilities that take walk-ins.
This openness, both to walk-ins and appointments, is also conducive to the goal of easy medical care. “If you need some stitches in, there’s no need to go to the emergency room and wait for all that. We can take care of those things,” said Max Thrower, a certified registered nurse practitioner. Lambert said when they got the idea of forming a RHC, they knew they already had the space and staff through Talladega Surgery Associates. The first thing Lambert and Roberts did in forming the care center was to bring aboard Thrower. A health care center must have at least one nurse practitioner on staff to be a RHC. Thrower said in a RHC the nurse practitioner acts
as a “physician extender.” This means that in many cases, he can perform the same duties as a physician and perform some minor surgical procedures such as stitches. He can also write prescriptions and order tests. This allows the center to treat more patients efficiently. Lambert said that some insurance companies insist the patient be seen by a physician, which is why they work in a team effort. Thrower said the advantage of working at the center is that there is access to surgeons, which hasn’t been the case in other areas he’s worked. He said another advantage of having a CNP on the team is that it provides an instant second opinion. Thrower has worked in
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
Max Thrower, a certified registered nurse practitioner, examines Torri McCluney as Dr. Charles Lambert and Dr. David Roberts look on.
medicine for more than 20 years, five as a CNP. He worked for years at a Birmingham endocrinology practice and has additional experience in nephrology, internal medicine and critical care. “His experience is a big help with areas we haven’t worked on in a while,”
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
Talladega Primary & Urgent Care Center, located at 803 North St., has a goal of becoming an official rural health clinic for Talladega.
Gas prices are going back up, why go to Birmingham???
Roberts said. Lambert said his “surgical experience helps with quick stitch-ups,” adding that many health care centers don’t have CNPs, which gives this center an advantage. Thrower said that working in an environment where everyone has an area of specialization means more detail is covered for a wider range of ailments. Lambert said that between the three of them, they “can take care of the whole patient” due to the different areas each has experience in. However, a RHC cannot treat extreme ailments that require specialists or hospital care. “We recommend specialists for complicated matters,” Roberts said. For example, the center cannot treat heart ailments. Lambert said if a patient comes in with such complications their job is to help them find the proper care provider, or such a patient should go to the
emergency room. Lambert said the center is close to achieving its goal in becoming a RHC. He said the state recently inspected the center for RHC qualification. Lambert said he expects the official marks from that inspection to arrive shortly, at which point the center can officially become a RHC. The staff of Talladega Primary & Urgent Care Center is also ready to expand. “We have another CNP ready to come down as soon as we get the business,” Lambert said. He would also like to bring another physician on board. He said the staff had wondered if it would be supported at first but that business has picked up since opening. He said a bigger staff some day could lead to extended hours. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. It is located at 803 North Street in Talladega.
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20A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
Dr. Shaikh’s building is eye-catching By BRANDON FINCHER
ing most of this time the building renovations have been ongoing.
It’s the building with the huge pair of glasses in the wall. If nothing else, Sylacauga optometrist Dr. Adam Shaikh has a building that is sure to become a town landmark. Recent renovations and some additional construction to his Sylacauga Eye Clinic practice on Elm Avenue have created a unique structure. “The glass windows are custom-made, two-pane glass windows that were just cut to size and put in just like a regular window,” Shaikh said. “We used the Hardie board exterior to make a design around it to show that it is the design of glasses.” Shaikh’s father, Zamir Shaikh, is an architect and homebuilder, which allowed Shaikh to have a few creative touches like floor tiles that form the shape of an eye in the lobby. The front and lobby area is the new section of the building, and that section is two stories. The rear part of the building is one story and received some cosmetic changes such as wall paneling, wood floors, hanging ceiling and a few other changes. The driveway was also shifted to allow better parking. Shaikh has been practicing in the building for two years, and it was dur-
“It was a difficult experience, but our patients were very nice and very understanding,” Shaikh said. But inside the interesting new building is where the important work of caring for his patients’ vision goes on. “We’re a primary care optometry office,” Shaikh said. “We’re primarily here for routine eye exams and glasses, but we also treat ocular disease and things
Home staff writer
health & education 1990s. He finished his bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and decided to continue his education there by getting a master’s degree in vision science and a doctorate in optometry. He also completed an important paper in his field on the topic of nearsightedness and if glasses can either induce or prevent nearsightedness as his master’s thesis.
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Sylacauga Eye Clinic has one of the more eye-catching building features in the area with two windows made to look like lenses in a pair of glasses.
like when people get foreign bodies in their eyes, glaucoma, and we do cataract evaluations, though we don’t actually do the
surgery. “We’re the primary care. We’re kind of like what they call a triage nurse. If you’ve got an eye
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Sylacauga Eye Clinic optometrist Dr. Adam Shaikh has been operating his practice on Elm Avenue for two years. He was born in Pakistan but grew up in Cahaba Heights outside Birmingham.
problem — your eye hurts or it’s red, you come and see us. If it’s minor, we treat it with medicine. If it’s major and needs surgery, then we send you to someone else.” The clinic accepts most major insurance coverage except for EyeMed, for which Shaikh is in the process of applying the paperwork to get accepted. Shaikh was born in Pakistan, but his parents immigrated to the United States when he was only 4 years old. Besides one year of living in Florida, he grew up in Alabama, in the Cahaba Heights suburb of Birmingham and graduated from Shades Valley High School.
He joined the National Guard and went to college at the University of Alabama at Birmingham after high school. At one point he was deployed to Saudi Arabia to serve in the Army during the Iraqi conflict of the early
In addition, Shaikh completed his residency at a Veterans Administration hospital in Fayetteville, Ark.; did a glaucoma fellowship at UAB, where he published four more studies on glaucoma; and worked in Atlanta for several years before coming to Sylacauga. Shaikh said he prefers the small-town atmosphere over working in a large city like Atlanta. “I think it’s just the general friendliness of the people. People in small towns don’t seem to be stressed out,” Shaikh said. “People in big cities seem to be obsessed with time and getting things done and ‘get out of my way.’ Here in Sylacauga, the people are friendlier and easier to treat just because they are more cooperative.” Shaikh also enjoys being only a short drive from his family, who still live in the Birmingham area. He still maintains close connections to the UAB School of Optometry and hopes to develop a student internship program with the university in the future. Sylacauga Eye Clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays.
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