Board Notes - Regular Meeting for January 26, 2026

The Orange County Board of Education held a regularly scheduled business meeting in a fully virtual format on January 26, 2026, for the safety of the public due to inclement weather conditions.

View all the business items below here

Watch the January 26, 2026, meeting here

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

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, January 19, 2026

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday honors the life, legacy, and birthday of Dr. King, a central leader of the Civil Rights Movement and a chief advocate for nonviolent activism. 

Observed on January 20, 2026, the holiday marks the 40th anniversary of its designation as a federal holiday and the 32nd anniversary of its recognition as a National Day of Service, emphasizing volunteerism and community improvement.

First observed as the only federal holiday commemorating an African American, the day was later designated by Congress in 1994 as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service—“A Day On, Not A Day Off.” 

Today, Dr. King is remembered for his enduring commitment to racial justice, economic equality, and human dignity, and his legacy continues to inspire generations.

January Is School Board Appreciation Month

January is School Board Appreciation Month in North Carolina, recognizing the dedication and service of local school board members across the state. 

Board members devote hundreds of hours each year to leading their districts through policymaking, hiring and supporting administrators, listening to staff, students, and families, and recognizing successful programs—all with a focus on student achievement. 

Beyond board meetings, members participate in ongoing training, attend community and school events, and work collaboratively with stakeholders to address evolving challenges in public education. 

The North Carolina School Boards Association thanks school board members for their continued commitment to ensuring strong leadership and positive outcomes for students, families, and communities statewide.

National School Counseling Week 2026 (Feb 2-6, 2026)

This item recognizes February 2–6, 2026, as National School Counseling Week, a time to highlight and raise awareness of the vital role school counselors play in supporting students, families, and staff. Sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), National School Counseling Week is observed annually during the first full week of February and focuses public attention on the unique contributions of school counselors in U.S. school systems. The week emphasizes the significant impact counselors have on student success and career readiness. The 2026 national theme is “School Counselors Amplify Student Success.”

Grant Award: NCDPI Digital Learning Initiative

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) will award Orange County Schools a Digital Learning Initiative (DLI) Impact Grant for the 2025–2026 cycle. Launched in 2017 as part of the North Carolina Digital Learning Plan, the competitive grant program supports innovative, locally developed digital learning models. Of 64 applications statewide, OCS was one of five recipients selected. 

The grant provides $95,000 annually for three years to support instructional strategies that promote equitable learning experiences, reduce opportunity gaps, remove systemic barriers, and ensure all students have access to the tools needed for academic success and future readiness.

Grant Award: NC Teaching Fellows Grant

Orange County Schools has been awarded the NC Teaching Fellows Pilot Grant to partner with the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program to develop a sustainable, diverse, and high-quality educator pipeline. 

This initiative supports the district's commitment to recruiting, supporting, and retaining effective teachers—particularly in high-need areas—through a grow-your-own approach to addressing recruitment and retention challenges. 

As part of this effort, the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission has awarded OCS a $55,000 recruitment grant to promote the Teaching Fellows program and the teaching profession, helping strengthen the future educator workforce and better reflect the diversity of the OCS student population.

CONSENT AGENDA

The Board approved a modified Consent Agenda, including meeting minutes, personnel report, financial updates, contracts, and policy updates.

Four policies were removed from the consent agenda for discussion or referral back to the policy committee: Board Policies 5120, 7210, 4023/7233 and 5102. The Financial Report for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026 was also pulled from the consent agenda for Board discussion.

Orange County Board of Education Resolution for International Holocaust Remembrance Day

The Orange County Board of Education read and adopted a January 2026 Resolution for International Holocaust Remembrance Day. 

Read the full resolution here

Superintendent Comments

• Dr. Danielle Jones opened her comments by reminding the community of the current work surrounding the Orange County Schools 2026-2031 Strategic Plan: “I am deeply grateful to the students, staff, and community members who have already shared their voices and perspectives in this work.”
• Dr. Jones recognized and thanked staff who have worked to ensure the safety of Orange County Schools during current inclement weather conditions: “Your around-the-clock commitment and dedication do not go unnoticed, and we are deeply grateful for all you’re doing to keep our community safe.”
• Dr. Jones also recognized Board Members in alignment with School Board Appreciation Month: “Our Board Members provide steady leadership throughout the year, thoughtful governance, and an unwavering support for the work of our staff as we strive to fulfill our mission in Orange County Schools.”

DISCUSSION/ACTION

Financial Report 2nd QTR FY2026 (Pulled from Consent Agenda)

The financial report below was removed from the consent agenda and discussed as an action item on the working agenda.

The enclosed report reflects the district's receipts and disbursements for the period July 1 through December 31, 2025 during Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026 which will end June 30, 2026) in comparison to FY2025.

Chief Finance Officer Rhonda Rath answered Board Member questions about the Financial Report 2nd QTR FY 2026, provided to the Board as information without any action required.

Read the full report here

WORK SESSION (INFORMATION) ITEMS

Mid-Year Discipline and Attendance Data

The Board received an update on first-semester discipline and attendance data from July 1, 2025, through December 19, 2025, as well as professional learning delivered to administrators and school-based staff on Board Policy 4305: Student Code of Conduct.

Read the full presentation

Update to Strategic Plan Priority 2

The Board received an update to Strategic Plan Priority 2: Excellence and Efficiency. The presentation reflected how OCS is working towards becoming a more efficient system by:

• Operating with clearer priorities that guide decisions
• Implementing systems and processes to reduce redundancies and increase coherence
• Collecting the necessary data to support making data-informed decisions
• Ensuring resources—time, talent and funding—are directed where they matter the most
• Aligning organizational structures to improve coordination and customer service

Read the full presentation