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Board Notes - Regular Meeting for November 4, 2024

Watch the November 4 Board Meeting


The Orange County Board of Education held a regular business meeting on November 4, 2024, the only full Board meeting this month. View all the business items below 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

Native American Heritage Month

As of 10/25/2024, 21 students identify as Indigenous across eight Orange County schools. Creating and sustaining inclusive, affirming, and relevant spaces requires recognizing and honoring the value, contributions, and resilience of our Indigenous community. Raising and deepening our awareness of the histories, cultures, and issues affecting Native American communities can foster understanding of their challenges, broaden recognition of their contributions, and drive the systemic change needed to co-construct an equitable future.

Staff presented steps everyone can take to honor, celebrate, and deepen our awareness of Native American Heritage Month, by embracing the diverse cultures, traditions, and enduring contributions of Indigenous peoples. To become informed and mindful of Native American Heritage Month, visit the recognition page here.
 

Exceptional Children (EC) Teacher of Excellence

Orange County Schools is excited to announce that Mr. Jean Pierre “JP” Joubert of A.L. Stanback Middle School has been selected as our NCDPI 2024 Educator of Excellence!

EC Teacher of Excellence Jean Pierre "JP" Joubert of A.L. Stanback Middle School, recognized by the Orange County Board of Education and Dr. Danielle Jones, OCS Superintendent


This honor recognizes Mr. Joubert’s extraordinary commitment, skill, and compassion in working with students with disabilities. His dedication to bringing fresh and effective teaching approaches, and championing each student’s success reflects the very best. Mr. Joubert’s unwavering focus on helping all students reach their full potential truly sets him apart.

He will be formally recognized at a ceremony for all the EC Teachers of Excellence in the state hosted by the Council for Exceptional Children, during NC DPI’s 73rd Conference on Exceptional Children in Greensboro on Thursday, November 14.
 

National Career Development Month

November is National Career Development Month. Each year, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper proclaims November as North Carolina Career Development Month, and November 11-15, 2024 is National Career Development Week. During that week, Wednesday, November 13, 2024, is set aside as National Career Development Day, and here in NC we recognize our Career Development Coordinators.

Career Development Coordinators (CDCs) work collaboratively with a vast number of stakeholders to ensure that every student has access to resources that make a difference. They help students through classroom lessons, career development plans, career/job fairs, and field trips to business, industry, and postsecondary sites. As the teacher of record for CTE Internship courses, they help numerous OCS students expand their career opportunities each year.  
 

Career Development Coordinators 2024 Recognition by the Orange County Board of Education - Nick Montgomery and Stephanie Smith


Orange County Schools would like to recognize the important work of the OCS Career Development Coordinators (CDCs): Nick Montgomery at Orange High School, and Stephanie Smith at Cedar Ridge High School.
 

Veterans Day

OCS schools and offices are closed Monday, November 11 for Veterans Day, in honor of veterans of the United States Armed Forces, which is always observed officially on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls. 

Veterans Day is set aside to thank and honor ALL who served honorably in the military—in wartime or peacetime—to thank living veterans for their service, acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and underscore the fact that all who served, not only those who died, have sacrificed and done their duty.

Join us in thanking and honoring all the current and former students, staff, families, and community members of Orange County Schools who have served in our nation's military.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

The Board approved Consent Agenda items including meeting minutes, personnel report, budget amendment, setting annual tuition rates for out-of-district students, contracts and change orders, grant applications, policy updates, and the Low-Performing School District Support Plan. To learn how the Board considers and adopts new and updated Board Policies, see Board Policy 2410.

 

WORK SESSION (INFORMATION) ITEMS

Finance Audit Report (Anderson Smith Wike)

The Board's independent certified public accountants, Anderson, Smith, Wike PLLC, have audited the financial statements of the government activities, business type activities, major funds and the aggregate remaining fund information of the Orange County Board of Education, for the year ended June 30, 2024.

Click here for audit report documents and the complete abstract for the Board.
 

Beginning of Year Data Review – mCLASS/aimsWeb

Schools administer universal screeners (DIBELS, aimswebPlus) to determine if students have the foundational skills necessary to access grade-level standards. Results allow teachers to quickly adjust instruction to respond to individual student or student group needs. The screener can help teachers determine how an intervention addresses the need and whether that student is gaining the intended skills.

Staff led the Board in a review and discussion of Beginning of Year (BOY) Data for:

  • Reading K-3 on DIBELS 8 (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)/mCLASS
    • In January with Middle of Year (MOY), OCS will expand DIBELS to Reading for K-5
  • Math K-8 and Reading 4-8 on aimswebPlus universal screener
  • Beginning of Grade (BOG) for Reading in Grade 3 only

For a review of trends in assessment data and action steps to improve instruction and student outcomes, see the presentation in slides and on the meeting video.
 

CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) 1st Quarter Update

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a meal-service option (part of the National School Lunch Act) that enables high-need schools to serve breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost to student families. CEP reduces the need for family meal applications, relying on the percentage of students directly certified for free meals and a standard multiplier to establish a federal reimbursement rate for Orange County Schools’ School Nutrition Services.

The following groupings were approved to operate under CEP for School Year 2024-2025, with their respective Identified Student Percentage (ISP) for federal reimbursement:

  • Grouping 1: Central Elementary, Efland-Cheeks Global Elementary, and New Hope Elementary (94.06%)
  • Grouping 2: Partnership Academy (100%)

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) makes a positive impact by increasing access to meals for all low-income students, reducing administrative burdens for schools, and improving health equity. Thanks to the Board’s decision to enroll in CEP, more OCS students participate in the school meal program which supports overall student health and learning. This improves school engagement and academic performance, and it has resulted in a number of other positive outcomes already this year for students, schools, and School Nutrition Services.

Click here for the slide presentation, and here for the meeting video.

 

Click below for the schedule of Board and Board Committee meetings.

Board Meeting Schedule

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