Minutes - 19990603 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

and diverse that too much time is being spent servicing the equipment. The Chapel Hill/Carrboro School District has recognized this need by establishing technology as a priority in its proposed budget request. Additional technicians are needed, as well as providing longer tech support contracts to retain employees. She strongly urges the Commissioners to take whatever means are necessary to provide full funding to the Chapel Hill/Carrboro School District to ensure the success of the technology program. Chair Gordon stated that all persons who had signed up to speak had done so, but if there were other interested members of the audience, they were welcomed to provide their comments. Steven Scroggs stated his support for funding the full budget. All of his family are graduates of the Chapel Hill/Carrboro School District and the new elementary school is named for his mother, Mary Scroggs. He asked various members of the audience to stand up who are teachers whose salaries are capped. He believes these teachers are irreplaceable, they work with hard-to-reach students, and their loss would be immeasurable. Each of these teachers has touched their students in long-lasting ways. As a parent, he stated that his son was taught by Judy Jones, a previous speaker. Without her help, Mr. Scroggs does not know if his son would still be in school. The County needs to support such teachers in any manner possible. He fears that his son may not make it through the school system and asked the Commissioners to fully fund the budget so that no more children suffer like his son. Jane Bedford said that she has been involved with the Chapel Hill/Carrboro School District for seven (7) years. She expressed her support of Maria Palmer's previous remarks regarding support for Hispanic children, as well as all other children in Orange County. Fully funding the school districts can only serve to the good of the County and its citizens. She previously sent a letter to the Commissioners on behalf of lifting the cap on supplements for experienced teachers. She supports the Excellent Schools Act. She believes it is necessary to hire technical staff at secondary schools. Students with limited English proficiency already have enough obstacles to overcome and funding is needed to expand that program. The school population rate is growing at such a rate that funding is necessary to lower class size in an effort to meet goals. Not reducing class size will make a tremendous negative difference in student performance. To meet the needs of these special students, Ms. Bedford sincerely recommends full funding of the budget for the Chapel Hill/Carrboro School District. Chair Gordon asked if any other citizens or if any of the Commissioners had any further questions or comments. Without response she thanked all the audience members for taking the time to appear at the public hearing to share their thoughts with the Board of County Commissioners. 3. ADJOURNMENT With no further items to be considered, Chair Gordon adjourned the meeting at 9:00 p.m. The next meeting as listed on the regular meeting calendar is scheduled for June 8 at 5:00 p.m. in the Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Alice M. Gordon, Chair Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk