July - SkyLine Membership Corporation

JULY 2007
CONNECTIONS
Published monthly for customers of SkyLine Membership Corporation and SkyBest Communications
CUSTOMER
SERVICE
ALLEGHANY
372-1350
ASHE
877-1350
846-1350
AVERY
898-1350
WATAUGA
963-1350
JOHNSON
739-1350
OUTSIDE
LOCAL SERVICE AREA
1-800-759-2226
REPAIR SERVICE
LOCAL CALLS
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
New Telephone Number for Ashe County High School
Local Schools Upgrade Services through SkyBest
Even though school is officially out for the summer, the
doors to several Ashe County schools are wide open with
activity, from summer school and upcoming sports and
technology camps to construction and operational
projects, including improvements to their communications services and systems. The school system
has been working with SkyBest Communications
on several telecommunications-related enhancements at the schools in the past few years, and
the latest projects have included local service,
new phone and paging systems for the high school and a
campus wireless network for all five schools in the county.
By changing local service providers, Ashe County High
School will have a new telephone number. To help make the
transition a bit easier, only the prefix number will change, so
instead of 246-2400, the new number will be 846-2400. The
new number is effective July 1, and SkyBest is helping to
make the public (and especially school parents) aware
of the school’s new number through this newsletter
and other school communications.
Along with local service, the school chose a
Voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephone system. This system
is feature-rich with voice mail and seven-digit
numbers for every phone extension. A combination of
the new system and ISDN/PRI, a special interface, will allow
each phone to have a unique 911 address. An emergency call
placed from any phone throughout the school’s facilities will
deliver the caller’s exact location to the dispatcher. The
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
611
www.skyline.org
www.skybest.com
WORTH NOTING:
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4TH
SkyLine/SkyBest
Customer Service Centers
to Close for Holiday
ASHE COUNTY
RELAY FOR LIFE
Friday, July 20, 6 p.m.
Ashe County High
School
SKYBEST TO OFFER DISCOUNTED TICKETS
AND SPECIAL PRIZES!
AT AN APPALACHIAN SUMMER FESTIVAL
Customers of SkyLine and SkyBest attending any of the
Mainstage Series performances can get discounts on
admission and a chance to win some great prizes.
Be sure to see the enclosed coupon entry form,
which is included with this month’s billing statement.
Simply complete this form with your contact information
and bring it with you to any of the nine Mainstage events.
Winners will be announced during intermission in the
Farthing Auditorium lobby.
The events sponsored by SkyBest Communications are:
This sponsorship affords customers a 10-percent
discount on admission to their choice of the nine
events.
To order tickets, call the ASU Farthing Auditorium
Box Office at 1-800-841-ARTS (2787). Be sure to have
your local telephone number available and identify
yourself as a SkyLine or SkyBest customer.
Visit our Web site at www.skyline.org or
www.appsummer.org for more information
about the Festival.
Shen Wei Dance Arts
July 7, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium
Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra
July 8, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium
Mystical Arts of Tibet
July 13, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium
Ellis & Delfeayo Marsalis
July 14, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium
Mark Morris Dance Group
July 17, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium
STAFF
JOHN DIXON
Old Crow Medicine Show
July 20, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium
Chief Executive Officer
Bruce Hornsby
SANDIE BOWER
July 21, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium
Chief Marketing & Sales Officer
Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra
KIM SHEPHERD
July 22, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium
Customer Service Manager
KAREN P. POWELL
Public Relations Director
& Editor
N.C. Symphony Pops
July 25, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium
Bruce Hornsby, Old Crow Medicine Show, Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra
SEE INSERT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN SPECIAL PRIZES!
100580
ASHE COUNTY SCHOOLS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
WATAUGA COUNTY
school previously did not have either voice mail or direct-dial numbers
assigned to most of the phones in the building.
The new paging system is designed especially for school environments
and will provide broader coverage, reaching areas that did not have paging
access previously. The paging system is integrated with the phone system,
which means SkyBest as the single provider will maintain both phone and
paging systems.
Another significant addition to all five schools in the county (Blue Ridge,
Mountain View, Westwood, Ashe County Middle and Ashe County High)
will be the installation of a campus wireless network, which is part of
SkyBest’s most recent service offerings – data network solutions. Wi-Fi is
short for "Wireless Fidelity," which is used to commonly describe the
underlying technology of wireless local area networks (WLAN). The Wi-Fi
network will enable students and faculty to maintain mobile connectivity
throughout the school campus and have access to network resources,
including school schedules and announcements.
“Realizing the vital role public education plays in our community, we
value the opportunity to offer technology-based communications services
and support that will complement the schools’ commitment to providing a
top-notch primary and secondary education to the young people of this
area,” said John Dixon, SkyLine Chief Executive Officer.
Beginning July 1, dial 846-2400 to reach Ashe County High School.
MATT BOLICK
University of South Carolina
Parents: Charles & Cynthia
Bolick
WATAUGA COUNTY
ELISHA HODGES
Davidson County
Community College
Parents: Lee & Lisa Hodges
JOHNSON COUNTY
BRADLEY MCQUEEN
University of Tennessee
Parents: Kenneth & Lisa
McQueen
JOHNSON COUNTY
AMANDA FARLEY
Northeast State
Community College
Parents: James & Lisa Farley
AVERY COUNTY
SAMANTHA JONES
UNC-Wilmington
Parents: Bruce & Eva Jones
Area Students
Receive
Scholarships
Sponsored Locally
By SkyLine
Frank James-SkyLine
Scholarship
This scholarship honors
the memory of longtime
director and former SkyLine
President Frank James and
is awarded to children of
SkyLine members who
reside in our five-county
service area. The scholarship
awards will be officially
presented to the students
at SkyLine's Annual Meeting
in early October.
Annually, SkyLine awards
$1,000 scholarships, renewable for up to four years, to
students pursuing a four-year
college degree and $500
scholarships, renewable for
up to two years, to students
pursuing a community/
technical college degree or
vocational program.
Foundation for Rural
Service Scholarship
This scholarship is offered
through the Foundation for
Rural Service (FRS), the
advocacy organization of the
National Telecommunications
Cooperative Association
(NTCA), of which SkyLine is
a member. Nationally, 25,
one-time $2,500 scholarships
are awarded to rural high
school seniors from 14
regions across the U.S.
SkyLine, as the local
sponsor, provides $500 of
the $2,500 award if a student
is chosen from areas served
by SkyLine and SkyBest.
The program gives
particular emphasis to those
students who plan to return
to their community following
college.
ASHE COUNTY
NICOLE ROSE
Wilkes Community College
Grandparents: David & Janet
Blevins
ASHE COUNTY
CHRIS LYALL
Appalachian State University
Parents: Jean-Claude Lyall &
Sherrie Ashley
ALLEGHANY COUNTY
LINDSAY ASHLEY
UNC-Greensboro
Parents: Chris & Karen Ashley
ALLEGHANY COUNTY
MICHELLE HENSON
NC State University
Parents: Mr. & Mrs. Jackie
Henson
ALLEGHANY COUNTY
JESSICA MILES
Surry Community College
Parents: Gary & Janie Miles
AVERY COUNTY
FRS SCHOLARSHIP
ALLEGHANY COUNTY
BRETT SHOMAKER
UNC-Charlotte
Parent: Judy Laws Shomaker
RAY PHIPPS
Haywood Community College
Parents: Mark & Rita Phipps
MONICA MILES
Surry Community College
Parents: Gary & Janie Miles