Editor’s Note: Although we had something in mind like the recent interview with Henderson Police Chief Glen Allen, our discussion with Ms. Deryl von Williams was so broad and ranged over so many topics that the above format would have been inappropriate. The conversation has been truncated to cover the basics of the new private school.
Home in Henderson spoke to Deryl von Williams at her place of business, The Everything Store, on Garnett Street this past Monday, August 7.
The interview was requested by Home in Henderson because of several comment posts made by Von Williams regarding the school.
A press release regarding the school may be viewed here.
Von Williams told Home in Henderson that the name of the school will be the Vance County Learning Center. It will be located on 90 South Lake Lodge Road Extention in Henderson, specifically in the Fellowship Hall of the Greater Ransom Way of the Cross Temple.
Johnny L. Alston is the bishop of that church.
“…[it] will house fifty students,” von Williams said. “When we get fifty more, we’ll go into the sanctuary proper. On the side of the sanctuary there are classrooms set up that will house another hundred students.”
“I want to start out with twenty-five students,” von Williams said. “I don’t want to do fifty because to start initially I will be the only instructor with volunteers, retired teachers. I want to duplicate what I’m doing. I don’t want to duplicate what the school system is doing because what the school system is doing is not working. I want to utilize the retired teachers because I believe in the old school method, but I don’t want them to bring something that may be a problem from the public school system. I don’t know what’s wrong there…but it’s not working… I don’t want them to contaminate my project. It’s like a virus.”
Von Williams informed Home in Henderson that her school would have an adult/student ratio of four to 25. The layout would be one classroom with four pods, each pod consisting of groups of three grades each: grades 1-3, grades 4-6, grades 7-9, and grades 10-12. Mechanically, volunteers will help to lay out class work while von Williams provides the actual instruction.
The pod system, von Williams stated, would allow her to accelerate student learning easily.
Von Williams indicated that she eventually would like for each pod to be taught by its own teacher, leaving her to teach non-academic such as social and life skills and customer relations.
She stated that she wants her students to be able to get into college.
Von Williams continued by saying, “I believe I have the solution.” She spoke about a summer camp she held where she worked with students and identified their weaknesses.
Home in Henderson was shown a folder containing information on 22 students.
“These students were identified because…people come to me when there’s a problem [with their child in the school]. I’m tired of it,” she said.
Von Williams related a story about an intervention she did where a child was misbehaving because she could not see without eyeglasses. Once she obtained glasses, the problem was solved.
“Children don’t know what’s best for them,” von Williams said. “They don’t have wisdom. They feel you. If they feel if you’re not for them, they react in a way that’s detrimental to themselves.”
As far as teaching experience, von Williams mentioned that she taught in the prison system for Vance-Granville Community College.
Private schools in North Carolina do not require state certified teacher faculty.
“[Dr. Norm Shearin, Superintendant of Vance County Schools] mentioned the same thing,” von Williams said, referring to her lack of teaching credentials. “I said, listen, you have school bus drivers in your classrooms now with no clue. You have substitute teachers who teach all year.”
In the continuing conversation about teaching credentials, von Williams informed Home in Henderson that she has two years of college experience. She said that she decided to discontinue her formal education on the advice of a professor who said that there was no need to memorize material that could be referenced in books.
“I had the choice of sitting in class or doing what I was learning to do,” von Williams said.
Von Williams stated that she chose to take an opportunity to enter broadcast journalism, which she did for four years in New York.
“When you suspend them, I’m going to take them,” von Williams said. She said she was not going to emulate Life Force Academy in just keeping students for the length of their suspensions.
Home in Henderson asked von Williams how she planned to approach the issue of accountability. She responded that if parents want to place children back into regular school, she will keep records. She also said that she would probably get testing materials from California.
The California Achievement Test is a standard national tool of learning measurement.
When asked about funding sources, von Williams stated that she is not funded to date other than with her own money. She said that members of the business community said they will help.
The school’s budget may be viewed here.
The costs to attend the school are minimal. A $25 registration fee is assessed, and parents are required to purchase at least one school polo shirt for $19.95, although two are recommended.
Von Williams indicated that there would be evening courses and that those would have fees attached. She said that those courses would fund the school.
“The community needs to take this program in hand,” von Williams stated.
“A lot of families don’t value education,” von Williams said. “I’m going to give aid to the children and the parents. I believe I can get there because I’m going to educate everybody, as much as they want to be educated. I’m not going to ram it down their throats, because they’re coming to me.”
Von Williams was asked by Home in Henderson how she knew whether or not the adults registering their students for the school were looking to avoid limits placed upon them by the public school system.
“One, they’re coming to me,” von Williams responded. “This first batch, they know me. They know what I expect…and they know I will tell them straight up when they are not meeting my expectations. I’ve already explained to them that for every ten days your child is in my school you give me a day. I don’t care what you do. Clean a toilet. Cook. Attend a trip. I expect something from you.”
When asked if she would be willing to expel a child if a parent did not meet the participation obligation, von Williams said, “I believe they will comply.”
She also said that there would be degrees of compliance. She also indicated that she would get “some of her days” from parents.
In terms of discipline, von Williams indicated that “if Johnny is acting very badly, I will have somebody come get you. Instead of watching your soap, you can stay in my class.”
Out-of-school suspension is not an option at the Vance County Learning Center.
“We’re going to force her to her job,” von Williams said, referring to a hypothetical female parent.
She expressed the opinion that if parents were sufficiently inconvenienced, the negative behavior of the student would not be repeated.
“I told Dr. Shearin that you should run to help me. I’m taking your problems,” von Williams said.
The course offerings and dress code may be viewed here.
Von Williams told Home in Henderson that she would hire teachers on a per diem basis to teach subjects with which she is not comfortable.
The demographics of the student body at the time of the interview were 20 African-American and 2 European-American children. There are an equal number of boys and girls.
Von Williams stated that she was going to go before the Vance County Board of Education to let them know what she is doing. She said that this is to let them know where the students are going and that the program exists.