of Orange County School Board met on monday night inside Whitted Building in Hillsboro Discuss the latest COVID-19 guidelines, the upcoming budget, and state and countywide awareness.
what's new?
- The board recognized librarians across the county for their accomplishments. School Library Month.
- “School librarians do many things: build relationships, get to know children deeply, and build a sense of community and place.” sarah smileysaid a board member. “I've seen that over and over again as kids progress through their careers within the system.”
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The board also announced that the Orange County Schools Job Fair will be held this Saturday at 9 a.m. at Cedar Ridge High School.
- Joyce Hatcher, OCS Head of Human Capital and Head of Organizational DevelopmentThat's what I said last year. The district provided six jobs. They hope to offer even more services this year.
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The board also recognized members Jennifer Moore and Will Atherton as recipients of the North Carolina School Boards Association's 2022-23 Certificate of Achievement.
- This certificate will be awarded to individuals who have earned in the following periods: 101 and 200 hours of NCSBA Academy Education Board Training.
What decisions were made?
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The board approved authorizing a study and public hearing to determine whether to close and replace Hillsboro Elementary School if OCS obtains funding to build a new elementary school.
- The building opened in 1952 and is in need of extensive repairs and renovations.
- The potential cost to rebuild is $49.5 million, while the projected cost to renovate the existing school is $30 million.
- When a school closes and is rebuilt, students and staff must be relocated.
- CDC's COVID-19 protocols have been updated.It was recommended that school policies be changed accordingly.
- Until CDC guidelines were updated on March 1st, students and staff who previously had to quarantine for five days now only need to quarantine for 24 hours after their symptoms abate and their fever subsides. .
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Sylvia Compton Head nurse of OCS, Said Distinguishing symptoms is an important factor to consider when determining shelter-in-place time, as some symptoms last longer than others.
- “School nurses assess and understand the medical, social, and emotional circumstances of every individual.” This applies when we're talking about exclusions, whether it's COVID-19 or any other respiratory disease. ”He said.
- The board also 2025 budget.
- under current recordUnder the revised budget, OCS employees will receive a 3% salary increase and increased retirement benefits.
- The total budget increase for 2025 is just over $5 million, which includes increased field trips for students and STEM training for teachers.
What's next?
- The board will meet again on Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m. at the Whitted Building in Hillsboro.
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