Orange County NC Website
Staff has now conducted on-site visits to all elementary schools to refine and confirm survey <br /> information provided by principals wherein they identified space within each building that was <br /> presently being used for other purposes but could serve as full-sized classrooms if needed. <br /> Examples of space for reclamation as classrooms include such things as: <br /> • staff offices in areas developed from subdivided classrooms, <br /> • teacher work rooms, <br /> • book rooms and <br /> • moving foreign language to a cart. <br /> These proposals will be vetted by a staff work group reviewing instructional impacts. <br /> The information, summarized on the attached spreadsheet identifies 51 spaces that principals <br /> have identified as potential classroom space. Note these calculations contemplate the continued <br /> use of mobile units currently on school sites. While approximately 23 of the identified spaces <br /> would require some level of renovation, such as removing subdividing walls, installing <br /> equipment and adding furnishings, the physical classroom space to meet the legislated class size <br /> in 2020-21 appears to be available within current facilities. <br /> Identification of vacant or unused/underutilized spaces that could serve as classrooms is also a <br /> primary strategy in other districts. Some have considered art and music on carts. Please note <br /> this is NOT a consideration used in our analysis. Music and Art instruction would remain in <br /> their individual classrooms. At this time, it does not appear necessary for CHCCS to move <br /> toward more aggressive strategies used in other districts to meet the class size legislation, such <br /> as: <br /> • Assigning two Teachers of Record to one classroom when the classroom exceeds <br /> statutory limits <br /> • Blended grade classes <br /> • Significant increases in upper grade class sizes (size is not statutorily stipulated). <br /> Suggested next steps: <br /> • Receive Board feedback on the information presented and incorporate into future <br /> iterations of the implementation plan; and <br /> • Via utilization of a staff work group,prepare a business case articulating instructional and <br /> fiscal impacts, including, but not limited to facility renovations and a phasing plan for <br /> renovations to be presented to the Board at an upcoming meeting. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: to be determined <br /> PERSONNEL IMPACT: to be determined <br />