Orange County NC Website
percentage points in this budget cycle. He also spoke about the inequity of capital funding for <br />CHCCS High Schaal #3. He said that the OCS Middle School #3 is fully funded for cost <br />overruns and the high school was told to build an incomplete school. He said that the 60140 <br />funding formula that is about to be adopted appears to take away the revenue streams agreed <br />to earlier when the interlocal agreements were signed and it puts CHCCS in a similar debt <br />situation that the County Commissioners just fixed for OCS far Cedar Ridge High School. He <br />asked that his taxes be raised to fully fund the schools. <br />Mitch Cox is an employee of OCS and the Chair of the Orange High School Governance <br />Team. He urged the County Commissioners to fully fund bath school systems' budgets. He <br />underscored some items in the OCS budget -three teachers at high school level for freshman <br />academies, reading resource teachers at the middle and high school levels, a literacy specialist, <br />a social worker, and a psychologist are needed. He said that, given the results of the recent <br />study comparing and contrasting the OCS and CHCCS, he knows the County Commissioners <br />are aware of the additional support that the OCS requires for middle and high school levels. <br />There are also needs far staff development associated with the High Five program, which <br />promotes high school reform among five school districts through sharing of ideas and pooling of <br />resources. He asked for the County Commissioners to support the entire budgets for both <br />school systems. <br />Pat Bauman is a resident of Chapel Hill and a CHCCS parent. She urged the County <br />Commissioners to fully fund both of the proposed school budgets. She said that, when <br />choosing a place to settle and raise their son, her family chose Chapel Hill because of the value <br />placed on education and the quality of education. He said that the County Commissioners have <br />an opportunity and a responsibility to demonstrate their beliefs in the value of education by fully <br />funding the proposed school budgets. She said that less than full funding would cause positions <br />to be eliminated and programs to be cut. <br />Matt Kleissler is a fifth grade student at McDougle Elementary School. He is concerned <br />about the proposed budget cuts for 2005-2006. He is concerned about not having school <br />supplies such as books, calculators, computers, and maps. He is also concerned about losing <br />teacher assistants. He said that the budget cuts would also decrease school safety because <br />they could lose a school resource officer. He said that his class has done a lot to help save <br />money because they recycle and conserve energy by not using all of the lights. They also <br />report leaky water fountains. <br />Donna Parke is a Media Assistant at Carrboro Elementary School. For the past 16 <br />years, she has been a taxpayer, a parent, and a volunteer in the CHCCS. She has worked as <br />an assistant in the district since 1993. At the April 21 ~ board meeting, she spoke about the <br />budget cuts proposed by the Superintendent and the need to retain all classroom assistants. <br />She asked the County Commissioners to fully fund the Superintendent's proposed budget. The <br />proposed budget is bare banes and there are no bells and whistles or fluff. She said that if the <br />budget were not fully funded, cuts would need to be made by the Superintendent and the Board <br />of Education. Since the largest part of the budget is personnel, people will be losing their jobs. <br />She said that because of the No Child Left Behind Act and End of Grade (EOG) testing, the <br />pressure to do well is enormous. She said that if we are to leave no child behind, she asks the <br />County Commissioners to leave no assistant behind and fully fund the budget. <br />Mark Horst is a PTA officer at Seawell Elementary. He said that he is encouraged by <br />the Manager's budget because it strives to cover State mandates and expenses without State <br />money. However, without additional funding, they risk losing teacher assistants, Spanish and <br />science resource teachers, and administrative support staff. He said that teacher assistants <br />serve more than just in the classroom, but they supervise children throughout the day at recess, <br />lunch, and other capacities. He said that the Department of Public Instruction is preparing for <br />science end of grade tests, and without additional funds, the schools will lose support staff for <br />