Minutes 05-29-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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economically robust community, it is vital that these children, and all our children, receive the support and resources they need to thrive. On behalf of all of the children in our care, please fully fund the school budgets for both the county and city school systems. Thank you. Kim Talikoff thanked the Board for their support. She is a 4th grade teacher in the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) and she asked the Board to fully fund their schools to include a teaching assistant (TA) in every class in their elementary schools. She said these TA's are co-teachers and are part of their essential services. She said it takes a team to provide basic services, and the schools are far away from meeting their goals in Orange County. She said she had the great privilege of working with the most wonderful TA this year, and if the state budget goes through there will be no TA's in grades 3-5 next year. She said TA's are invaluable, and she would not be able to compensate for that loss. She asked the Board to provide full funding and put TA's in every classroom. Jen Weinberg-Wolf is a parent and a representative of the school improvement team at Northside Elementary school. She said this school is a community of over 500 young scholars who are excited to learn and master teachers who are working on curriculum planning across grade levels. She implored the Board to fully fund CHCCS to support students and teachers. Kat Wilson is a parent of two children in CHCCS. She requested that the Board support students and staff by fully funding school systems. Benjamin Landman thanked the Board of County Commissioners for their continued support of the schools. He requested full funding for the CHCCS. He and his wife are acutely aware of the struggles the schools face, and they have supported them through the provision of supplies. He expressed support for a tax increase or creative allocation to fund the schools. Gayane Chambless read from the following written comments: My name is Gayane Chambless, and you probably expect me to talk to you about substance abuse. Today I wish to express my concern for those with mental health issues. As Kathleen pointed out, mental health issues are a mounting concern across the nation. It is an issue we in Orange County cannot ignore. I serve on the KidSCope Advisory Board, and as you've heard, their services save lives and save costs for our schools. Without early diagnosis and interventions, children can develop problems at home, in schools and into adulthood. According to the CDC, 1 in 5 children experience some mental disorder in a given year. How many children do we have in Orange County? What types of interventions are available to them? How are they receiving access? As you've heard, KidSCope is the only mental health provider in our County that is specially trained and focused on serving young children to help them and their families be successful. KidSCope offers one of the most cost-effective mental health measures in our community. Their programs are offered in both English and Spanish, providing cultural diversity. They can provide services, as you've heard, in the home, office, or child care center. I humbly ask you to fully fund the amount requested for KidSCope for 2014-15. Jennie Bell is speaking on behalf of Farmers Food Chair who requested fully funding for their proposal this year. She said Orange County has a rich agricultural history, yet one in five residents is food insecure. She said over 20,000 people in the County are at risk for hunger and malnutrition. She said her non-profit partners with social service agencies and food pantries to get fresh produce to kids, seniors, and everyone in between. She noted their partnership with Club Nova.