ASHEBORO – There will be five candidates for three spots on the City of Asheboro City Council.
Candidates to file by Friday’s deadline are Eddie Burks, Jane Hughes Redding, Charles Swiers, Harry Okeke and Joey Trogdon. Burks, Redding and Swiers are incumbents.
** For the Asheboro City Schools Board of Education the candidates are incumbents Gidget Kidd, Ryan Patton and Gwenn Williams along with Melissa Calloway and Todd Dulaney.
** Mayor Filmore York will run unopposed in Liberty. Greg Carpenter and incumbent Don Herndon are the filers for Liberty town commissioner.
** In Franklinville, Priscellia Dunn and L. McKay Whatley are running for town commissioner.
** Ramseur mayor Vicki Caudle will be opposed by Hampton Spivey for that position. J.C. Parrish and Tresa Cheek Hatchell will try to retain their spots as a Ramseur town commissioner, while Jay Hubbard is also running.
** In Randleman, Mike Dawkins, Marty Leonard and Kim Grooms Keaton are running for alderman at-large positions. Others on the ballot will be Steve Grooms Jr. (Ward 1), Renee Bryant (Ward 1), Lee Hinson (Ward 4) and Kimmy Williams (Ward 4).
** In Seagrove, incumbents Homer Beheler and Carol Kim will be on the ballot for town commissioner.
** In Staley, the mayor candidates are incumbent Karen Scotton and Michelle Hooker-Ravenell. Five commissioner candidates are Renee Harrelson, Steven Rollins, Lori Lynn Langley-Hankins, Sherri Martin and Faye Johnson.
Races in High Point and Thomasville include a limited number of Randolph County residents.
** High Point’s mayoral candidates are Victor Jones, Cyril Jefferson, Abdul Rashid (Richard) Siddiqui and Gene Kininmonth.
The at-large candidates for High Point City Council are Sam Carr, Shazia Iqbal, Orel Henry, Britt W. Moore, Amanda Cook, Willie H. Davis and Kenneth Jabari Harper Jr. In Ward 3, Monica Peters and Rizwan Bahadur are running.
** Thomasville City Council candidates are Ronald Fowler, Eric Kuppel, Paul Widener Peters, Lisa Shell, Payton Williams and Dana Skeen Lomba.
ASHEBORO – Ten Randolph County residents filed to run for office during the first five hours of filing.
Three of those are seeking to retain spots on the City of Asheboro’s city council.
Filing opened at noon Friday and continues through noon July 21.
Incumbents Eddie Burks, Jane Hughes Redding and Charles Swiers signed up for the candidate list for Asheboro’s city council.
Gidget Kidd and Ryan Patton are bidding to keep their seats on the Asheboro City Schools board of education.
For Randleman’s city council, first-day filers were Mike Dawkins (at-large), Steve Grooms Jr. (Ward 1) and Lee Hinson (Ward 4). Dawkins is an incumbent. Ward 4 is listed as vacant.
Greg Carpenter filed for the position of Liberty’s town commissioner.
Michelle Hooker-Ravenell is seeking to become Staley’s mayor.
ASHEBORO – Schools throughout Randolph County continued with classes Friday with increased law enforcement presence because of threats stemming from social media.
The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office deployed extra deputies to all school campuses, according to the department.
“As in any instance of a threat, precautions are being taken. Additional law enforcement are present on school campuses in Randolph County,” according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
A Snapchat threat was sent throughout the state and to other parts of the country, according to several reports.
Asheboro City Schools continued operations, though advisories were sent to parents.
As part of a memo from the city schools, officials had been “made aware of a social media post with threatening messages towards schools.”
Though the message was sent nationally, it was shared within the Asheboro High School community, according to the school’s notification to parents.
So, the school day began with a secured perimeter with all students reporting directly to their classrooms. No students were permitted outside the main building until that directive was lifted.
Superintendent Steven Gainey of the Randolph County School System delivered a message to parents Friday night via an automated phone service.
“I am calling to make you aware that a national message of potential school violence was posted on social media during the night (Thursday) night,” Gainey’s message said. “Please know that the leadership of the school system is working closely with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department to investigate and monitor this situation. Also, the Sheriff’s Department has placed additional officers on our school campuses throughout the school system as a means of additional support for the safety of our students and staff members. Please know that the safety of our students and staff members is our first priority at all times.”
Blake Brewer gives instructions from the sideline during a 2021 game. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Blake Brewer, who as an Asheboro football player had considerable success, couldn’t turn around the Blue Comets’ sluggish program as a coach and is no longer in that position.
Brewer is done as the coach after three seasons.
“I had every intention of continuing and putting our best foot forward,” Brewer said Monday. “We’re just behind. We just were not successful enough on Friday nights. That’s what it came down to.”
Brewer said during a postseason meeting with principal Ryan Moody and athletics director Wes Berrier that he provided his vision for the future of the program. He was asked for his resignation.
Asheboro went 2-25 under Brewer with records of 0-7, 1-9 and 1-9.
The three seasons before that, the Blue Comets were a combined 5-27.
“We appreciate the time Coach Brewer has devoted to the Blue Comets and wish him very best in his future coaching career,” Moody said in a statement.
Moody sent a memo to school personnel about the coaching change late Friday afternoon.
Brewer, 33, said his deep roots to the school and football program made the decision difficult.
“I’m an Asheboro guy through and through,” he said.
Asheboro is the largest school in Randolph County and competes in Class 3-A. Its lone victories under Brewer came in the 2021 season opener at Randleman and in this year’s non-conference game at Wheatmore.
So the Blue Comets never won a Mid-Piedmont Conference game or a home game with Brewer in charge. The conference has proven to be stout, considering that Oak Grove and Ledford won first-round playoff games Friday night, while Central Davidson suffered a three-point loss.
This year, Asheboro was outscored by a cumulative 453-75 score.
Brewer, who’s in his 12th year as a physical education teacher at the school, had been on the coaching staff prior to becoming head coach. That took him through several coaching changes.
“It bums met out even more,” he said
Brewer, a former quarterback and a member of the Class of 2007, had been optimistic going into the season, especially as the program’s numbers grew to about 70 players. He also had supported and expressed great appreciation for youth football initiatives in Asheboro, figuring those would pay off in future years.
“We’ve worked hard to get kids bought in,” Brewer said. “I thought we made a lot of steps in the right direction. It just didn’t work out for us.”
He said he was generally proud of the determination from his players and how they dealt with defeats with class.
Brewer said he’ll consider future coaching possibilities in the weeks ahead.
Brewer had been Asheboro’s girls’ track and field coach for a team that won last spring’s Mid-Piedmont Conference championship. He gave up that position for this school year in order to place more concentration on football.
ASHEBORO – The first day of classes is set for Monday at public schools around Randolph County.
Here are a few things to know:
Administrators in place
The Randolph County School System made several new appointments for the school year during its August board of education meeting.
They were: Judi Cagle, principal at Farmer Elementary; Shawn Garrett, assistant principal at Eastern Randolph high school; Jessica Green, assistant principal at Randleman High School; Stephanie Hatcher, assistant principal at Southwestern Randolph Middle School.
Food for thought
Kelly Green, director of school nutrition for RCSS, said there are 30 total positions vacant within her department.
Green described the challenges for workers in the district’s cafeteria.
“It wouldn’t be as hard if we were fully staffed,” Green said.
RCSS upgraded pay for many positions, though other factors have prevented the positions from being filled.
“We’ll continue to focus on it,” superintendent Stephen Gainey said.
Also, the board of education reviewed several policies at its August meeting. Considerable time was spent on topics that included cell phone use during the school day and concerns about students vaping.
Gainey reviewed district policies in place regarding both topics. He said principals would be reminded about those in advance of classes beginning.
Gainey said he’ll also discuss with principals about concerns regarding food arriving from delivery services during the school days.
Still happening
The construction is ongoing for the major renovation project at Asheboro High School. There will continue to be modifications to the daily routines for students and staff.
In advance of the school year, an open house for high school students and parents to meet teachers and staff is slated for 2-6 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 25) on Walker Commons. At the same time, other school locations within Asheboro City Schools also will hold open houses.
Asheboro City Schools also has several new administrators in place.
That list includes: Ryan Moody, principal at the high school; Graham Groseclose, principal at North Asheboro Middle School; Brittany Roberts, assistant principal at the high school; Michelle Harger, assistant principal at Teachey Elementary School; Kelly Patton, assistant principal at McCrary Elementary School; Amber Andrews, assistant principal at Balfour Elementary School.
Administrators transferring within the system include Jonathan Dillon going from assistant principal at North Asheboro Middle School to the high school, and Keisha Dawalt going from Balfour Elementary School to North Asheboro Middle School as assistant principal.
ASHEBORO — Chuck Powers, founder of the Randolph Christian Men, would like to see a record turnout for Sunday’s Back-to-School Prayer Night.
At 5:30 p.m., gatherings are scheduled to begin at about 40 locations that are part of the Randolph County School System and Asheboro City Schools.
“We’ll have someone who will lead prayer at each of those facilities,” Powers said. “We’re asking the Lord to bless everyone involved in education.”
Turnout for last year’s Back-to-School Prayer Night was more than 500 based on reports Powers, an Asheboro man, received from his group’s members at the school locations.
“I think that’s a good number,” he said. “I really wish we could have more than that.”
Randolph Christian Men took over as organizers and sponsors of the non-denominational event in 2014. The annual prayer session coincides with the beginning of the school year in Randolph County. Classes start Monday at public schools in the county.
“We ask people to go to a local school of their choosing,” Powers said. “It’s a simple, one-night event.”
Attendance for the prayer night varies from school to school. Powers said more than 25 people might descend on some locations, while others might attract three or four.
Powers said the 5:30 p.m. time works better than in some past years when it began at 7 p.m. This way, Back-To-School Prayer Night shouldn’t conflict with Sunday evening church services.
Powers said attendees would generally spend about 20 minutes for the prayer events at the schools.
Even during the COVID pandemic, the Back-to-School Prayer Night was held in Randolph County, Powers said. He said the activity continued because it was outdoors and in small gatherings.
Randolph Christian Men has about 1,000 members in its database. The group meets monthly at a different church. Powers, who formed the organization in 2008, said the pre-COVID turnout was usually about 85 to 100 per month, though that’s down to about 55 in recent months.
Coach Kim Black directs her team during Monday night’s season opener vs. Trinity. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Kim Black came back as a winner as Asheboro’s volleyball coach.
Black’s third stint as coach of the Blue Comets began with Monday night’s 25-19, 25-17, 25-14 non-conference sweep of visiting Trinity at North Asheboro Middle School.
Kaylen Nance provided 23 assists and Piper Davidson had 12 digs and eight kills for Asheboro. Sarah Hildreth’s six kills and three aces and Ellen Long’s five kills and four blocks also helped the cause for the Blue Comets.
Black, the winningest coach in the program’s history, made other coaching stops since last guiding Asheboro in 2011. She directed past Blue Comets teams to three state finals, winning the Class 3-A state championship in 1994.
Madison Burgiss’ 21 assists and Sarabeth Johnson’s nine kills and four aces paced Trinity.
Monday marked the first day of competition for fall season sports in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. A slate of boys’ soccer games involving area teams was wiped out because of inclement weather or wet conditions, with make-up dates for those games set for later in the week.
ASHEBORO – Dr. Ryan Moody will start his job as the new principal of Asheboro High School in mid-July.
He should know his way around.
Moody’s hiring was announced last week. He comes after serving as principal of Morehead High School in Eden for four years.
Moody replaces Dr. Penny Crooks, who has been with the city school system since 2003 and held the title of principal at the high school since 2019. She’s taking a position in the central office.
Moody spent part of his youth in Asheboro schools. His mother, Nancy Moody, was an administrator for the city schools, and his father, David Moody, also worked in the system.
Moody graduated from The Citadel in 2005 and later earned degrees from Western Carolina and High Point.
Moody’s background also includes several stops in Guilford County Schools. He taught marketing for six years at Ragsdale High School, where he was an assistant football and assistant track and field coach. He held the title of assistant principal at Hairston Middle School and Grimsley High School, which is his alma mater.
Moody is married and has four children.
From Eden, words of congratulations for Moody poured in from officials with Rockingham County Schools.
“We appreciate your leadership, support and love for our students, staff and community at Morehead High School,” wrote Sonja Parks, assistant superintendent for operations and logistics.
Cindy Corcoran and Stephanie Ellis, both in Rockingham County Schools leadership roles, also expressed appreciation for Moody’s service to the high school.
Moody’s accomplishments with Morehead include increased student attendance and increased graduation rates, according to information from Asheboro City Schools.
ASHEBORO — In a technically non-partisan race, the Randolph County Republican Party showed the strength of its ground game as the four candidates backed by the GOP swept to victory Tuesday in the race for Asheboro City School Board.
Hailey Lee (L) and current Asheboro School Board member Gidget Kidd react to Lee winning a seat on the ACS board Tuesday, November 2, 2021 (The North State Journal)
In a race that featured seven candidates where voters could pick their top four, the Republican Party backed only four candidates and fielded poll workers who handed out yellow cards with the party’s recommendations.
With masks mandates, vaccines requirements and critical race theory as key issues, incumbents Baxter Hammer and Beth Knott cruised to victory with newcomers Hailey Trollinger Lee and Adam Hurley joining them.
Asheboro City School Board candidates respond to candidate survey
ASHEBORO – Municipal elections in Randolph County begin this week with early voting with election day on Nov. 2. The contest for Asheboro City School Board has seven candidates vying for four seats. Voters are allowed to select their top four candidates on the ballot.
North State Journal circulated a survey to all of the candidates with the same questions. Each candidate was given the same amount of space to respond to each question. Their responses are below.
Adam Hurley
What office are you seeking? Asheboro City School Board
Are you an incumbent? No
Please list your educational background (including degree and institution) High School Diploma
What is your occupation? Heating and Air
What area of public policy are you most passionate about and why? Equity & Inclusion
What is your position on Critical Race Theory (CRT)? I am vehemently opposed to the adoption or move toward critical race theory
What makes you uniquely qualified for the office you seek?
I have held various leadership roles and am ready to stand up for parents.
What is your position on K-12 students being required by the government to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if it is approved by the FDA? I’m opposed to any government body requiring the Covid vaccine.
What is the primary change that you will seek if you are elected to public office? We need to focus on improving learning for our students.
Why are you running for office? Because we need bold leaders who will stand for what’s right.
Kathryn Thill
What office are you seeking? Asheboro City Schools Board of Education
Are you an incumbent? No
Please list your educational background (including degree and institution) BA Psychology, Lenoir Rhyne University
What is your occupation? Licensed Real Estate Agent
What area of public policy are you most passionate about and why? Educator Retention & Recruitment, & its long-term impact on student success.
What is your position on Critical Race Theory (CRT)? CRT is not meant for K-12 classrooms, ACS has no plan to adopt this.
What makes you uniquely qualified for the office you seek?
I’m committed to transparency, honesty & advocacy for students & families.
What is your position on K-12 students being required by the government to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if it is approved by the FDA? Vaccines should be a conversation between families and their pediatrician, not the school board.
What is the primary change that you will seek if you are elected to public office? My goal is to think creatively to engage our great community in supporting our district! Asheboro has so many wonderful businesses and individuals, I’d like to see how we can work together to support (& recruit) educators, and provide dynamic learning opportunities for our students. These opportunities will be more important than ever, as our teachers work diligently to cover lost ground due to Covid. Students across the country are further behind than ever before, and our teachers will need as much support as we can give them as they work tirelessly to engage and enhance the learning of our children.
Why are you running for office? I want to be a voice for our families, students, and educators.
Baxter Hammer
What office are you seeking? Asheboro City Schools Board of Education
Are you an incumbent? Yes
Please list your educational background (including degree and institution) BS Business and Accounting Elon University
What is your occupation? Plant Controller with The Timken Company
What area of public policy are you most passionate about and why? No answer.
What is your position on Critical Race Theory (CRT)? No answer.
What makes you uniquely qualified for the office you seek?
No answer.
What is your position on K-12 students being required by the government to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if it is approved by the FDA? No answer.
What is the primary change that you will seek if you are elected to public office? No answer.
Why are you running for office? No answer.
Hailey Trollinger Lee
What office are you seeking? Asheboro City School Board of Education
Are you an incumbent? No
Please list your educational background (including degree and institution) Asheboro High School.
Kneaded Energy School of Massage (LBMT)
What is your occupation? I am a stay-at-home mom and work as a substitute teacher.
What area of public policy are you most passionate about and why? Staff dev./retention. Teachers are the key asset to our students’ education.
What is your position on Critical Race Theory (CRT)? I do not support the teaching of Critical Race Theory in K-12.
What makes you uniquely qualified for the office you seek?
My passion and concern for our teachers, students and the next generation.
What is your position on K-12 students being required by the government to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if it is approved by the FDA? I do not support any government mandate that takes away parent choice.
What is the primary change that you will seek if you are elected to public office? I am not seeking office with a focus to necessarily change. My focus will be to work alongside the other board members to make sure ACS continues to focus on our teachers, students and families. Working together to ensure the highest quality of education for our students.
Why are you running for office? To serve our community. To advocate for all teachers, parents and students.
Beth Knott
What office are you seeking? Asheboro City Board of Education
Are you an incumbent? Yes
Please list your educational background (including degree and institution) “North Carolina State University- BS- Zoology
University of North Carolina -Greensboro- MA, Audiology
University of Florida-Doctor of Audiology
Randolph Community College- Integrative Health Coaching Certification
What is your occupation? Integrative Health Coach
What area of public policy are you most passionate about and why? School calendar flexibility. Calendar needs be set by the local district.
What is your position on Critical Race Theory (CRT)? I support our statement released by Asheboro City Schools. See website.
What makes you uniquely qualified for the office you seek?
Asheboro native, current ACS parent, incumbent experience
What is your position on K-12 students being required by the government to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if it is approved by the FDA? My decisions are based data presented. This data is not available yet.
What is the primary change that you will seek if you are elected to public office? My role as a school board member is to be an advocate for students, educators and staff. Every decision I make I must first ask “Is this what’s best for our students? ” That is a value I will never wavier from regardless of the decision at hand.
Why are you running for office? To continue the work we set forth to accomplish in Asheboro City Schools.
Todd Dulaney
What office are you seeking? Asheboro City Schools Board of Education
Are you an incumbent? No
Please list your educational background (including degree and institution) Sinclair Community College, Associate Degree
Wright State University, Bachelor’s Degree
What is your occupation? Executive editor, Our State magazine
What area of public policy are you most passionate about and why? Education. The success of our community depends on our schools.
What is your position on Critical Race Theory (CRT)? I want a seat at the table when the board of education discusses it.
What makes you uniquely qualified for the office you seek?
My day job is to celebrate NC; I will do the same for our great schools.
What is your position on K-12 students being required by the government to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if it is approved by the FDA? I follow laws, even the ones I disagree with, and so do my children.
What is the primary change that you will seek if you are elected to public office? Increased transparency, communication, and community involvement.
Why are you running for office? To ensure my child, and all ACS students, have the best education possible.
Bob Williams
What office are you seeking? Asheboro City Board of Education
Are you an incumbent? No
Please list your educational background (including degree and institution) AHS, High Point University, UNC-CH LAW School
What is your occupation? Retired lawyer
What area of public policy are you most passionate about and why? Educating children for our future
What is your position on Critical Race Theory (CRT)? All history should be taught without any shame placed any child’s ancestors
What makes you uniquely qualified for the office you seek?
My education, experience, and connections with Asheboro as a native here.
What is your position on K-12 students being required by the government to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if it is approved by the FDA? For their health they should receive shots required by schools.
What is the primary change that you will seek if you are elected to public office? Higher level of funding and more resources for teachers.
Why are you running for office? To help teachers educate children to succeed in life and work.
Adam Hurley
Kathryn Thill
Baxter Hammer
Hailey Trollinger Lee
Beth Knott
Todd Dulaney
Bob Williams