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Board Notes - Regular Meeting for September 9, 2024

Click here to view all the business items below on the Board's Simbli page.

RECOGNITIONS

  • Start of School, Traditional Calendar

  • Patriot Day, and National Day of Service and Remembrance

  • September is Attendance Awareness Month

    • As we move forward this attendance awareness month and throughout the year, OCS continues to commit to:

  1. Raising awareness about the importance of regular attendance
  2. Supporting families in overcoming barriers to attendance
  3. Celebrating improvements in attendance rates and
  4. Continually educating our community about this crucial issue
  • Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) National Competition: Orange High School's Family and Consumer Science program area is a state and national member of the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA–Career and Technical Student Organization, or CTSO).

    Kayla McMann and Sofia Deloera with Coach Heath Wrenn, winners in FCCLA Culinary competitions at the state and national level in 2024
    • Orange High School students Sofia Deloera and Kayla McCann competed at the state-level competition (February 16, 2024) and both qualified for the national competition this summer. 
    • Both students attended workshops and competed in Seattle from June 29 through July 3rd at the National FCCLA Leadership Conference. 
    • Sofia Deloera placed Bronze at State Events and Silver at National Events, and Kayla McCann placed Silver at both State and Nationals. Both students expressed gratitude for being able to participate and engage with students and mentors at such a high level. 
    • OHS Foods teacher Heath Wrenn congratulated his students on the second consecutive year of Panther student chefs qualifying for this national culinary competition, and he thanked sponsors who made the trip possible.

CONSENT AGENDA

The Board approved Consent Agenda items including meeting minutes, personnel report, Fiscal Year 2024 budget amendments, change orders for construction and paving at Orange High and Orange Middle Schools, a Safer Schools Federal Grant application for School Resource Officers, and a Branching Minds (MTSS) pilot proposal for Cedar Ridge High School.

In addition, the full Board approved “First Read” on a number of policies in two main categories:

  • Priority updates of three policies: 
    • 1020 Vision, Mission, and Goals, 
    • 3460 Graduation Requirements
    • 3620 Extracurricular Activities and Student Organizations
  • Ongoing NC School Boards Association (NCSBA) Policy Manual Project updates

To learn how the Board considers and adopts new and updated Board Policies, see Board Policy 2410.

DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS

2024 State Accountability Results Strategic Plan Priority 1 Update

Dr. Sheldon Lanier, Chief Equity and Student Achievement Officer, presented accountability (state testing) results from the 2023-2024 school year, delivered by the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to the NC State Board of Education on September 4, 2024. Dr. Julie Pack, Chief Academic Officer, provided an update on OCS Strategic Plan Priority 1: Teaching Tomorrow’s Leaders, with a request to the Board to revise goals and terminology in the district’s plan.

For a complete report on how school accountability ratings use student growth in tested subjects and other factors to designate a growth index and letter grade for each school, visit NC DPI. These and other data are also included in a statewide dashboard here.

OCS 2023-2024 accountability results include these and other highlights:

  • School Growth Index: 12 out of 13 schools Met or Exceeded Growth (92.3%, highest among all Triangle districts) as calculated by EVAAS (NC’s Educator Value-Added Assessment System)
  • School Performance Grade: 10 out of 13 schools earned a B or C, up from eight in 2022-2023
  • Grade Level Proficiency: Overall, 55% of students achieved grade-level proficiency (GLP) on tested subjects

OCS 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, Priority 1: Teaching Tomorrow’s Leaders:

  • Staff presented these Goals for Priority 1 along with reports on current progress in 2023-2024:
    • Goal 1: Increase the percentage of all OCS students demonstrating Grade Level Proficiency: Improved but short of annual, long-range goals
    • Goal 2: Increase the percentage of schools meeting or exceeding growth: Improved and exceeding annual, long-range goals
    • Goal 3: Increase the graduation rate from 90.2% to a minimum of 92% by 2026: Decreased and short of annual, long-range goals
       
  • After the review and progress reports, staff requested Board approval for the following amendments to goals as stated in the OCS Strategic Plan:
    • Goal 1: By 2026, at least 65% of OCS students will achieve grade level proficiency (average increase of 5% per year for each of the next two years)
    • Goal 2:  By 2026, at least 90% of schools will meet or exceed growth as measured by the state model (maintain with at least 12 out of 13 schools at these levels)
    • Goal 3: By 2026, the OCS 4-year cohort graduation rate will be at least 92%.

The Board approved the recommended amendments, and further updates will be forthcoming on these and other areas within the OCS Strategic Plan.

For complete analysis of results and strategies for improving student outcomes, click here to view the data and strategic plan presentation and watch the discussion on the OCS YouTube channel. 

WORK SESSION (INFORMATION) ITEMS

Summer 2024 Programs Report

Staff presented updates on various academic and support programs tailored to students in Summer 2024, including attendance and performance data where available. View the entire presentation here.

Read to Achieve Summer Camp: 3 Weeks

State-legislated Read to Achieve Camp (based on middle-of-year reading results), required for eligible 2nd and 3rd grade students demonstrating difficulty with reading, and offered to OCS Kindergarten and 1st grade students as well. A significant number of students realized growth and demonstrated proficiency over the summer.

STEAM Camp: 2 Weeks

Thanks to the Burroughs Wellcome Foundation, OCS was able to offer STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) programming for 120 middle school students meeting at Gravelly Hill Middle School with CTE, Math, and Science teachers.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Updates

Federal ESSER funds and other local partnerships made several programs possible in CTE for summer career explorations.

  • Project Lead the Way
    • 8th-12th graders interested in Engineering, at Orange High with OCS and Durham Tech instructors
  • StartUp High
    • Two one-week camps for middle school students, starting at Gravelly Hill Middle and exploring businesses in downtown Hillsborough
  • Summer Career Accelerator Programs, “Grow Your Own” OCS Interns
    • 15 interns at OCS departments for career exploration, including Transportation, Maintenance, School Nutrition, Operations, Communications, and Summer Scholars to serve students directly
    • Several interns indicated interest in working for OCS in the future
  • Summer Careers Academy, “Building Our Futures”
    • Collaboration with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and business professionals.
    • Teachers provide instruction, local businesses employ students under ApprenticeshipNC.

Website Update

Staff presented the newly-updated OCS district and school websites for the Board, Visit the new website at orangecountyfirst.com, and explore the 13 school pages at orangecountyfirst.com/schools.

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