Lance Martin Herald Senior Staff Writer

Lindsay Gjerde | Daily Herald Alice Vaughan, left, and Deborah Boone, both from Halifax Community College, stopped by the Halifax County Tourism booth Thursday afternoon at the new teacher reception put on by the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce. Advertisement

ROANOKE RAPIDS - School administrators across the Roanoke Valley say they are happy with the new teachers they are getting for the upcoming school year.

About 121 teachers assembled at Kirkwood Adams Community Center Thursday, where area businesses set up booths during the Chamber of Commerce-sponsored new teachers' reception to show them what the Roanoke Valley has to offer.

“It makes me feel so welcome,” said Ann Davis, who is not a new teacher, but the new principal of Rich Square-Creecy Elementary School in Rich Square. “I think it's great. Everyone is so welcoming.”

Brenda Taylor, who runs the Initial Licensed Teacher Program for Northampton County Schools, was also impressed with the event. “It gets better every year. It gives the teachers an opportunity to meet and talk with community representatives. It gives teachers a chance to talk to each other.”

Taylor said she is impressed with their new hires. “The group coming in is raring and ready to go. We've got quite a few experienced teachers coming in.”

Elie Bracy, superintendent of Weldon City Schools, said his new teaching corps is also prepared. “This year we were fortunate as far as teacher recruiting.”

While they still have vacancies in the Exceptional Children's area, new teachers in the Halifax County Schools system are prepared for the start of school, Director of Personnel Selma Allen said. “We've got a wonderful group coming in.”

State Rep. Lucy Allen wished the teachers a successful year while Lori Medlin, executive director of Halifax County Tourism, told them, “You've chosen a great place to come and teach.

“There are lots of new jobs coming in the area. It's really an exciting time to be in the Roanoke Valley.”

Medlin also encouraged the teachers to take advantage of the educational attractions in the area such as Historic Halifax, the Roanoke Canal Museum and Sylvan Heights, a waterfowl research facility in Scotland Neck which has become a branch of the N.C. Zoo.

Roanoke Rapids Mayor Drewery Beale urged the teachers to call him if they needed him for anything. “If you don't get any other numbers, write this down,” he said as he gave them his cell phone number. “If there's anything I can do for you, feel free to call. We have great school systems. When next year ends you'll be able to say the same thing.”

Patsy Ferguson, business/education manager of the Chamber, said following the event this was the third one the Chamber has held and probably the best attended one. Forty or more businesses donated items to fill goodie bags the new teachers took home with them, she said.

“I'm so pleased to have so many young, vibrant faces here in the Roanoke Valley,” she told the teachers.