Board Notes - Regular Meeting for August 18, 2025
View all the business items below here
Watch the August 18, 2025 meeting here
The Orange County Board of Education held its first regular business meeting of the 2025-2026 school year on August 18, 2025.
The Board posts all meeting materials to Simbli and also displays a calendar of Board and committee meetings on the OCS website. Visit the Board’s page on Simbli for agendas and minutes. Minutes are attached to each meeting after approval by the Board at a future meeting.
RECOGNITIONS
Start of School for Hillsborough Elementary (July 16, 2025)
The Board heard an update from the start of the 2025-2026 school year at year-round Hillsborough Elementary, with the first day for students on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
The HES theme for this year is "Dolphins Diving Deep," in terms of explicit instruction and other areas, such as "Dolphin Dialogue," inspiring students and staff to state positions fully in words they are ready to stand behind.
Everyone -- including a number of new students and staff in the Dolphin Pod -- is having a great start to school, and there has already been plenty to celebrate!
Back to School Fair and Open Houses
Last spring, Orange County Schools announced the first-ever "Back To School Fair" to be hosted by the OCS Family Academy in the weeks before Open House and the start of the Traditional Calendar.
The Family Academy program and initiative, which offered monthly events in 2024-2025, is expanding even further in 2025-2026 to become the Family and Community Engagement Committee. F.A.C.E. is leading the way by delivering events and resources to help families, students, and members of our community better engage with schools and the district all year long.
Congratulations and thank you to the Family and Community Engagement Committee, district presenters and resource providers, community partners and supporters, to Orange High School staff for hosting the event, and especially all the families who attended to prepare for the coming school year in Orange County Schools!
Coming up on Thursday night, August 21, schools on the Traditional Calendar will host all families for Open House / "Meet the Teacher" Nights. The complete schedule is posted on school websites and the district's 2025-2026 "Back To School Guide," online all summer long and filled with resources at www.orangecountyfirst.com/backtoschool:
- Elementary Schools: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Middle Schools: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
- High Schools: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
OCS Finance Earns Certificate of Excellence for Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
Under the leadership of Chief Finance Officer Rhonda Rath, the OCS Finance team has earned the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting (COE) for their OCS FY2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, awarded annually by ASBO International (Association of School Business Officials). See more at www.orangecountyfirst.com.
CONSENT AGENDA
The Board approved Consent Agenda items, including meeting minutes, personnel report, financial updates, and contracts.
WORK SESSION (INFORMATION) ITEMS
Bond and Capital Planning Update
Chief Operations Officer Fredrick Davis, Steve Hess of Project Management Consultants North Carolina (PMCNC), and representatives from OREd provided updates to the Board on the status of 2024 Bond Referendum Projects and planning for the district's operational initiatives.
Student Wellness Update
Lewis Newman, Director of Health/PE, Athletics and Driver’s Education provided updates to the Board about the five elements of the Orange County Schools wellness plan, per Board Policy 6140.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
Mental Health Plan Update and Approval
Director of Student Engagement and Support Services Dr. Jessica Dreher and Mental Health/SEL Coordinator Daniel Kearns-Pickett reviewed information from the 2025 OCS Mental Health Plan to gain approval from the Board of Education to proceed with submission to NC Department of Public Instruction.
Click below for the schedule of Board and Board Committee meetings.
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