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page 3 <br /> <br />Orange County Schools <br />200 East King Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />Phone: 919-732-8126 | Fax: 919-732-8120 | todd.wirt@orange.k12.nc.us <br />www.orangecountyfirst.com <br /> <br />Dr. Todd Wirt, Superintendent <br /> <br /> <br />April, 2018 <br /> <br /> <br />In my third budget presentation as the Superintendent of Orange County Schools, we find <br />ourselves facing unique challenges to our school system. We currently are experiencing a decline <br />in enrollment, and are on the verge of significant residential growth in our community. We also <br />find ourselves facing continued state mandates that must be met. <br /> <br />Under the leadership of our Board of Education we have continued to improve academic <br />achievement through the implementation of a new pre-K to eighth grade literacy framework and a <br />renewed commitment to a deeper implementation of our 1:1 laptop program. We have a renewed <br />focus on equity in our school system and have taken significant steps to improving outcomes and <br />opportunities: <br /> <br /> Provide Universal Free Breakfast for all kindergarten through fifth grade students <br /> Implemented Restorative Justice in several schools with a long-term plan for implementation <br />in all 13 schools <br /> Developed a new Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) plan that created additional <br />pathways for identification of students and a K-1 talent nurturing program aimed at <br />identifying talent at an early age to create more diversity in our gifted program <br /> Implemented a new math placement process for middle school also aimed at providing more <br />opportunities for students to take advanced level math <br /> Diversified staff recruitment efforts including a grow your own initiative aimed at creating a <br />more diverse workforce that is representative of our community <br /> Implementing a dual-language program at New Hope Elementary to serve the diverse <br />population and to create globally minded students <br /> Implemented poverty band funding allocation to Title 1 schools to ensure the funding is <br />matched to need in our schools <br /> <br />Orange County Commissioners have and continue to be responsive to our educational needs, but <br />we face new mandates from the state and possible changes at the federal level with regards to <br />funding. <br /> <br />The mission of the Orange County Schools is to provide learning opportunities that develop <br />resourceful citizens prepared to engage in an ever changing and diverse world. As we work to <br />realize this mission, we should celebrate our accomplishments: <br /> <br /> 12 out of 13 schools met or exceeded growth as measured by EVAAS (Education Value <br />Added Assessment System) <br /> 91.8% of our teachers met or exceeded growth as measured by EVAAS <br /> District Performance Composite grew by 1.2% <br /> 6,744 breakfasts, 11,133 lunches and 211 snacks served through our summer food service <br />program <br />continued <br />AGENDA ITEM # 1 <br />ATTACHMENT A