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25 <br /> Ralph Warren indicated that the expansion items need to be <br /> related to the long range goals of the individual school system <br /> rather than to the goal of merger. <br /> Moses Carey asked if staff discussed the concept of having <br /> expansion requests related to specific system goals . <br /> Neil Pedersen indicated that it had been discussed , however the <br /> difficulty is that the systems may have different standards and <br /> those standards may be appropriate for each system. For example , <br /> Orange County may want to reduce class size and Chapel Hill- <br /> Carrboro may not have the class rooms for that to be an option . <br /> Moses Carey indicated that the consensus of the group at the last <br /> meeting was that the goal of having one system doesn ' t require <br /> that both systems agree on current educational priorities. The <br /> important issue here is that we be able to articulate and explain <br /> each system in a way that the public understands that the "gap" <br /> is not increasing . Expansion items need to be presented to the <br /> Board of Commissioners in priority order with an explanation of <br /> how they relate to the goal of the merger of the systems. <br /> Mary Bushnell commented that as each system moved closer to <br /> excellence the gap between the schools should automatically <br /> lessen . <br /> Ralph Warren illustrated the difficulty the systems are faced <br /> with by using the example of technological improvements. The <br /> outcomes might be expected to be quite different in Chapel Hill- <br /> Carrboro where the level of technology is quite high , than in <br /> Orange County where currently less is being offered to students . <br /> Moses Carey mentioned that adding new programs causes people to <br /> want to see the potential long-range result. They want to see <br /> how these programs are going to help prepare us for one system in <br /> the future . Explaining the need for a 52 million dollar bond <br /> requires that we be prepared to explain the reasons for the <br /> differences in the two systems. He pointed out that we will <br /> always have increasing numbers of exceptional children in this <br /> community because we have created a climate which encourages <br /> people to come to Orange County to live and educate their <br /> children. <br /> Neil Pedersen indicated that it may not be critical that each <br /> program be in the most appropriate category , unless the Board of <br /> County Commissioners agree to fund all of priority #one and #two <br /> categories . <br /> Verla Insko stated that correct catagorization is very important <br /> to her. In voting for the school ' s budget, it is very important <br /> that it be clear if the final approved budget will fund the <br /> schools at the current year' s level or below that level . <br /> 2 <br /> • <br />