Agenda - 06-06-2017 - 8-a - Minutes

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1 Pam Jones said OCS does annual updates on utilities, and practices green building any 2 time there is a renovation completed. She said an example of this is the Geothermal system for 3 OHS, which should be very successful at reducing energy consumption. 4 Commissioner Marcoplos asked if this information could be shared with the BOCC. 5 Todd LoFrese said CHCCS have a Sustainability Coordinate who works with the schools 6 in a variety of ways, one of which is utility reduction. He said this employee works closely with 7 facilities and maintenance staff in monitoring HVAC systems, electrical systems, etc. He said 8 CHCCS reduced its utility budget by a few hundred thousand dollars last year. 9 Todd LoFrese said CHCCS also have a high performance school building policy, and 10 completes an annual report. 11 Steve Halkiotis said the State projects that OCS will be a -7 in growth, and he disagrees 12 with the State on this point. He said Hillsborough is growing by leaps and bounds. He said he 13 sent out a letter to the Town of Hillsborough, with copies to the Board of County 14 Commissioners, about OCS concerns about Collins Ridge. He said he expects OCS to have an 15 additional 150 students next year. 16 Commissioner Jacobs asked if OCS is interested in working with Orange County to put 17 Wi-Fi on school buses to bring the internet to rural areas. 18 Dr. Todd Wirt said he has discussed this with the OCS technology officer, and he said 19 such a proposal could be helpful to OCS students on the ride home from school. He said this 20 type of program has been successful when the bus resides at the home of the driver at night, 21 but this is not the current practice for OCS buses. He said he lives in a rural area of Orange 22 County, and it is difficult for him to secure Wi-Fi access, and he imagines a bus would be even 23 more challenging. He said OCS is open to it, but it would require some dramatic changes to 24 current practices. 25 Chair Dorosin referred to the universal breakfasts and summer programs, and asked if 26 these were well utilized. 27 Dr. Todd Wirt said the universal breakfast fluctuates between 28 to 40% of a student 28 body, given the school that is participating. He said the fluctuations are not consistent. He said 29 OCS would like to be more aggressive in its marketing of this program. 30 Dr. Todd Wirt said the Read to Achieve camp had 450 students, who had been 31 identified as needing additional support in reading. He said this was a three-week, half-day 32 camp, with transportation provided. He said a greater number of students are expected this 33 year, and it will be offered at the 4th and 5th grade level for the first time. He said the target is 34 200 students. 35 Chair Dorosin referred to the increasing Free and Reduced Lunch program, noting some 36 schools are above 50%. He said there is a program now that schools above a certain 37 percentage can offer a free lunch to everyone, and asked if there is a school that has this 38 practice in OCS. 39 Dr. Todd Wirt said no, and the school with the highest percentage is 68-71% FRL. 40 Rani Dasi referred to Commissioner Price's question about the discrepancy between the 41 CHCCS BOE budget and the superintendent's budget, and said the superintendent line may be 42 a previous edition of the budget. 43 Chair Dorosin said he wanted to go around the circle and allow everyone to say 44 something in the spirit of collaboration and community. 45 Dr. Todd Wirt said it is always important to keep perspective. He said he has worked in 46 four different schools systems, and many are less fortunate than those in Orange County. He 47 said the schools here are allowed to express needs, and schools are very fortunate here. 48 Pam Jones said she has the unique perspective of having sat on the County side, as 49 well as the school side. She said she is proud of the BOCC and the schools, and said both are 50 known statewide for their efforts.