Board Notes - Special Called Meeting for December 11, 2025
The Orange County Board of Education held a special-called business meeting on December 11, 2025, at 200 E. King Street. The original meeting on Monday, December 8, was canceled for the safety of the public due to inclement weather.
View all the business items below here
Watch the December 11, 2025, 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
Special Education Day
Special Education Day is rooted in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which legally ensures that students with disabilities have access to a public education that meets their unique needs.
- Enhancing Access: Reducing disparities to increase success for students with disabilities.
- Inclusive Environments: Cultivating welcoming, culturally affirming, and supportive settings for students, families, and staff.
- Equity Leadership: Building capacity among staff to reinforce equitable, individualized student support.
- Family/Community Partnerships: Strengthening collaboration with families and the community for student success.
- Equitable Resource Allocation: Ensuring policies and resources reflect and support the diverse needs of students with disabilities for their overall success.
Click here to learn more about Special Education Day
North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA) 2025 Construction Trades Teacher of the Year - Mr. Avery Pipkin
Mr. Avery Pipkin has joined a select group of North Carolina teachers awarded this prestigious statewide honor by NCHBA, chartered in 1963. Mr. Pipkin was formally recognized at an NCHBA Board Meeting in Wilmington on December 11, 2025 and will return at a future meeting to be recognized in person. (The Special Called Board meeting was scheduled for December 11 due to weather on Monday, December 8.)
Holly Fraccaro, President and CEO of the Durham, Orange, and Chatham Counties HBA, nominated Mr. Pipkin after working with him during the past four summers (2022-2025) as an instructor in the "Summer Careers Academy: Building our Future" program.
What a fabulous honor for Mr. Pipkin, Cedar Ridge High School, and Orange County Schools!
Classified Employees of the Month Fall 2025
This school year, the Orange County Schools Human Resources Department re-introduced the Classified Employee of the Month program. The purpose of this program is to recognize classified employees who provide essential support, including:
- Administrative Staff (e.g., office assistants, clerks)
- Custodians and maintenance workers
- Bus drivers and transportation staff
- Teacher assistants (paraprofessionals)
- School nutrition staff
- Technology support personnel
- Physical and Occupational Therapists
Nominations are reviewed anonymously by nine Central Office staff members to ensure impartiality. Votes are cast based solely on how the nominee's work supports the OCS Strategic Plan goals. Eligibility requires nominees to have a minimum of six months of continuous service with OCS.
Click here to read about our Classified Employee of the Month Program
Karen Riley
Data Manager at Gravelly Hill Middle School
September 2025 Classified Employee of The Month
Kimberly Guinness
Bookkeeper at River Park Elementary School
October 2025 Classified Employee of the Month
Christi Hemingway
Cafeteria Manager at A.L. Stanback Middle School
November 2025 Classified Employee of the Month
David Hughes
Transportation Technician
December 2025 Classified Employee of the Month
CONSENT AGENDA
The Board approved Consent Agenda items, including meeting minutes, personnel report, financial updates, and contracts, as well as several policy updates.
Reaffirming Resolution of Support for Immigrant Students and Families
The Board recognizes local concerns raised by potential changes in how federal immigration laws and policies are enforced and the impact this may have on public schools and students, and hereby intends to address these concerns. The Board read aloud and reaffirmed its February 2, 2025, Resolution on Support for Immigrant Students and Families.
Click here to read the full resolution
Superintendent Comments
- Dr. Danielle Jones opened her comments by thanking school staff and the district support services team for ensuring every student feels welcomed and supported: “Thank you for the continuous support you provide to our students and their families and for taking on more than anyone could reasonably expect.”
- Dr. Jones thanked community members who provide support to OCS students and their families.
- Dr. Jones also shared comments about the first episode of “Be In The Know,” a new video series to help connect families and students to resources and support. The first episode highlighted the role of OCS Social Workers and their commitment to students and families.
WORK SESSION (INFORMATION) ITEMS
Environmental Health & Safety Update - Fall 2025 Indoor Air Quality Report
The Board received an update about the Fall 2025 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Testing. In order to ensure a clean, healthy, and safe environment in all OCS buildings, IAQ’s are conducted using First Call Cleaning & Restoration, Inc., to test for mold, CO2 and other air quality indicators.
Highlights include:
- All schools rated from Fair to Very Good for Fall 2025.
- Four schools had a change in IAQ ratings from Spring to Fall 2025.
- OCS schools have committed to preventative maintenance to avoid degradation of indoor air quality and more costly repairs.
Click here to read the full presentation
Exceptional Children (EC) Programming Update
Stacey Burns, Executive Director of Exceptional Children (EC) and Pre-K Services, provided the Board with an overview of the EC and Pre-K Programming department's progress, priorities, and challenges.
Guided by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and district strategic goals, the department focuses on fostering inclusive learning environments and ensuring equitable access to high-quality education for students with disabilities.
Click here to read the full presentation
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
Spot Redistricting Recommendation (2026-2027 School Year)
In 2022, the Orange County Board of Education voted to spot-reassign new Mebane neighborhoods from Orange High School to Cedar Ridge High School. From those neighborhoods, currently 27 students are utilizing bus transportation to Cedar Ridge High School.
Due to reduced enrollment at Orange High School and the increased transportation burden to service these neighborhoods, staff presented two possible options and recommended reassigning all rising 9th graders and students new to Orange County Schools (OCS) in these neighborhoods, effective for the 2026-2027 school year.
The Board approved this option, and the 27 students currently attending CRHS will receive bus transportation through a community hub stop until the conclusion of the 2028-2029 school year.
Click here to read full presentation
Request for Quote (RFQ) - Elementary Designer and Project Management: Selection Recommendation
Orange County Schools (OCS) is initiating the planning, design, and construction of a new elementary school, a critical facility improvement authorized by the 2024 Bond Referendum, to address continued district growth and long-term instructional needs.
After a preliminary selection of qualified bidders and interviews of both firms offering design and project management services, staff recommended KEi/Clark Nexsen for design services and PMCnc for project management services to construct the new elementary school.
The Board approved the recommendations, which enables the district to negotiate potential contracts for services with the selected firms, which will be brought back to the Board for approval at a future meeting.
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