08/06/2014

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Powhatan, Virginia

The hometown paper of Ron Hebert

Vol. XXVII No. 31

August 6, 2014

School board puts new focus on bullying By Laura McFarland News Editor

WATTS

Although the Powhatan County School System has an anti-bullying plan in place, strengthening it will be an important focus in the 2014-2015 school year. A number of miscon-

ceptions and misinformation still surround the issue of bullying in schools, and working to clear those up for students, parents, and teachers so they know how to handle situations is essential, said Randy Watts, director of pupil personnel services.

Watts gave a presentation to the Powhatan County School Board at its meeting on Tuesday, July 29 detailing how the school district defines, identifies and handles bullying. Just like the standard of education, bullying prevention has an impact on school

QU I LT E R S H O N O R V E T E R A N S

environment, he said. “If you have a positive school environment where students feel like they belong and feel like it is a safe and happy place to go, they will do better educationally and you will prevent bullying,” Watts said. The presentation was

made after school board member Sammy Frame, who represents District 4, requested information on how the schools handle bullying. “Of all the questions I have fielded in my six see BULLYING page 3A

School board member praises opinion on SRP By Laura McFarland

Herring reviewed the legality of the school News Editor board’s decision to allow Although it wasn’t Meara into the SRP after front and center, reac- working part-time at a retions to an advisory opin- duced salary in the retireion from the state attor- ment program in the poof associate ney general on the sition superintendent during her controversial SupplemenSUBMITTED PHOTO fi nal year of employtal Retirement Program The Country Piecemakers Quilt Guild of Powhatan recently hosted a brunch at the Huguenot did surface during the ment. After pointing out that Volunteer Fire Department to honor two local veterans, Dan Blaquiere and Damon Bradbury. Tuesday, July she was not on Blaquiere is a retired U.S. Marine who served in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. Bradbury 29, meeting of the board when served with the U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. The guild presented each veteran with the Powhatan the decision a Quilt of Valor to thank them for their service, sacrifices and valor. Shown are, from left, County School about Meara first row, Mary Blaquiere, Dan Blaquiere, Damon Bradbury and Heather Daniel; second row, Board. was made, Bonnie Stapleton, Tess Thomas, Jane Rager, Colleen Woodcock, Donna Goff, Linda Stinson, Kim Hymel, Hymel said she Barbara Zirkle, Joan Scott, Mildred Holland and Heidi Dewey; and, third row, Sandie Terrien, who represents welcomed HerJane Ebert, Sara Parrish, Linda Cross, Dorothy Holland, Kathy Bozard, Wanda Boyles, Nancy District 5, first ring’s opinion Jones and Betty Collins. To learn more about these groups, visit: http://www.qovf.org/ and broached the because “it now www.countrypiecemakers.org. subject during a settles the isHYMEL section of the sue.” meeting set aside “I read the opinion not for board member comwith satisfaction but with ments, praising Virginia frustration that the opinAttorney General Mark ion is consistent with my R. Herring’s official adposition on the SRP as visory opinion. make up the YMCA of By Laura McFarland I’ve stated to this board In the opinion, reGreater Richmond reNews Editor leased a week earlier on on many occasions,” she gion, including the PowTuesday, July 22, Her- said. “I recommend that The Elizabeth Ran- hatan YMCA, have instiring said the school board the board take a long look dolph Lewis Powhatan tuted five goals meant to admitted an ineligible as to the advice it’s been YMCA is fully embrac- increase the impact the employee when it al- given on these issues. ing a new regional vision organization has on the PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND lowed former school su- We must have more conplan designed to improve communities it serves, Margaret fidence in our decisions healthy living, youth of- Matt Henke, executive Children participating in the Elizabeth Randolph perintendent Lewis Powhatan YMCA’s Summer Explorers Meara to participate in going forward and so ferings and social respon- director of the local camp play a group game of Rock, Paper, the SRP and made the de- must the public.” sibility in Powhatan YMCA, said. Scissors. More physical activity to combat cision in a “legally defecCounty. see SRP page 6A see YMCA page 3A obesity is part of the vision plan for the YMCA. tive” way. The 19 branches that

YMCA envisions healthier, happier future for Powhatan

New resource council group working together for betterment of county By Laura McFarland

The council would not only identify needs but examine “what are the needs that should be addressed in a group of this nature,” she said. The first meeting of the new council will be held at 10 a. new group focused solely on making life better m. Thursday, Sept. 18, in the Powhatan Volunteer Rescue for the citizens of Powhatan County plans to Squad reception building. Pemberton said she hopes to have launch this fall. a much larger attendance. Catherine Pemberton, director of the PowShe said she has already reached out to local agencies, hatan County Department of Social Services, is spearheading a move to form a new resource council that would see organizations, churches and nonprofits to see if they would people in the community working together for the better- like to be involved and will continue to do so before the first meeting. ment of local residents. Oswell started a resource council in Essex County in In his information presentation January 2011 with a fellow group of “do-gooders” who about resource councils, Paul thought that open communication between the different Oswell, director of the Central agencies and organizations there could help them better Regional Office of the Virginia make a difference. Department of Social Services, He saw a variety of benefits come out of that endeavor, urged his audience to cast as wide a he said. Simply learning what other resources are available net as possible to get people involved. in the county can be helpful. But they should all be there with the main goal of People have clients with current needs they don’t know making life better for the citizens of Powhatan, he said. A group of 10 men and women met on Thursday, July 24, how to address, but, through the council, they learn that another group might already have something in place that to listen to a presentation on the benefits of resource councils, which bring together people from different areas of the could help, he said. community to focus on its most pressing needs. see GROUP page 7A News Editor

PAUL OSWELL

A

Inside

Sports

Index

A7 Murphy kids take newspaper along for trip to Myrtle Beach.

1B Jay Woodson wins third consecutive VA Open

Calendar A4 Celebrations A8 Obituaries A2 Opinion A6 Sports B1-3 TV Listings B4-5 Classifieds B6-7


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