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9 <br /> Sherita Cobb said this is the same in OCS. <br /> Janet Gerry said one out of ten students seen is a non-payment slot. <br /> Commissioner Price asked if the districts feel overloaded now, and whether more staff <br /> will be needed in the future. <br /> Janet Gerry said there is one counselor in each elementary school, two in middle <br /> schools, and four at the high school level. She said social workers and nurses likely feel <br /> overloaded, but the schools are partnering with community agencies to provide the best <br /> service possible. <br /> Rani Dasi said there are increasing mental health needs and she is glad to be having <br /> this collaborative discussion, to assess the current status and adjust as necessary to plan for <br /> the future. <br /> Commissioner Rich asked if OCS and CHCCS collaborate on this issue. <br /> Janet Gerry said she used to work with Sherita Cobb, which has laid the groundwork <br /> for an increasingly collaborative relationship. <br /> Commissioner Rich asked if parents are being made aware of these services. <br /> Janet Gerry said this will be forthcoming on their school websites, and the point of <br /> contact will be the social workers. <br /> Sherita Cobb said OCS has a brochure of mental health services, which is shared in <br /> many ways with students and parents. <br /> 7. Information Item: <br /> • North Carolina School Boards Association —2017 Legislative Summary <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos said he has heard a lot of discussions about <br /> reviving/increasing vocational education classes around the country, and he would love to see <br /> more, well trained young tradespeople out there. He asked if this is a part of local <br /> conversations. <br /> James Barrett said one of the most popular classes in CHCCS is their bio-medical <br /> classes. He said CHCCS also has a fire academy. <br /> Tony McKnight said OCS has been working with the North Carolina Department of <br /> Commerce to connect students with registered apprenticeships, and OCS hopes to expand <br /> this. <br /> Dr. Todd Wirt said OCS has a comprehensive offering in this area, with a fire academy <br /> class having been added recently at Orange High School and a criminal justice program at <br /> Cedar Ridge High School. He said both of these programs feed into the EMT program at <br /> Durham Tech, which also offers a lot of trade programs as well. <br /> Tony McKnight said he has been to East Chapel Hill High School, and he is interested <br /> in going back. <br /> Commissioner Price reinforced what Commissioner Marcoplos was talking about, noting <br /> the connection between knowing a trade and successfully gaining employment. <br /> Commissioner Rich said it may be beneficial to have a follow up discussion during <br /> budget season. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos said there is growing knowledge about the perils of football <br /> and brain damage. He asked if there has been any discussion of doing baseline studies on <br /> children, who are playing football, and if there has been any medical testing or diagnoses; and <br /> if so he asked if students can take this medical information with them. He said this topic must <br /> be talked about. <br /> Steve Halkiotis said he read that participation in high school football across the country <br /> is falling. He said OCS has two nationally certified medical trainers at its high schools; board <br />