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15 <br /> <br />As a result of COVID-19, Governor Cooper closed schools beginning March 16, 2020 through <br />May 15, 2020 to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. <br /> <br />As quantitative and qualitative data have been reviewed, it has become apparent that certain <br />areas require more focus to impact student achievement. The data is reflecting that focus is <br />needed in three areas: <br /> <br />1. Literacy <br />2. Climate and Culture <br />3. Stakeholder Engagement <br /> <br />Focusing on each area through the lens of Equity. Equity and data will continue to drive the <br />work so that every Orange County student receives what they need to succeed. The driving <br />vehicle will be the goals outlined in the Orange County Schools strategic plan. <br /> <br />1. Challenge and engage every learner to achieve at his/her full potential <br />2. Engage in two-way communication with our stakeholders and diverse community <br />3. Create a career destination for employees <br />4. Provide safe and sustainable operations to support optimal learning facilities and <br />maintenance <br />5. Accountable, equitable and transparent management of human and financial <br />resources <br /> <br />FOCI I - LITERACY: <br />Literacy is a civil right. It is the ability to read, write, listen, speak and think critically across all <br />disciplines. It should not be viewed as a subject that is taught, rather a civil right we must <br />provide. For our students to be able to engage effectively in the society they live in, we must <br />ensure that they are literate. Literacy is a gateway to opportunity but unfortunately can be a <br />gatekeeper. Research indicates that there is a high cost to low literacy. The Annie E. Casey <br />Foundation reports that 9 out of 10 high school dropouts struggled to read in the 3rd grade. <br /> <br />Youth who fail to complete high school by age 20 are seven times more likely to be poor as <br />reported by The Urban Institute. It is also reported from the United State of Justice that two- <br />thirds of all youth in the juvenile court system could not read in the fourth grade. Finally, it is <br />alarming to read from the National Commission on Writing that $3.1 billion is spent annually to <br />improve the literacy skills of entry-level workers. The statistics are sobering and speak to the <br />need to focus on literacy. Furthermore, Orange County students deserve to be equipped to <br />participate in civic life through means such as accessing and navigating health care systems. <br />They deserve to be prepared for higher education which on average requires 80 pages of <br />independent reading per week. Data tells us that up to sixty percent of community college <br />freshmen are assigned to remedial reading courses because they are not adequately prepared. <br /> <br />It is recognize that the Orange County Schools literacy data is disproportionate and does not <br />reflect the potential of our students. As a result, Literacy is a primary focus of the work as we <br />budget and plan for the 2020-2021 school year. <br /> <br />FOCI II - CULTURE & CLIMATE: <br />Climate is observable habits that characterize life in the school or office while culture is the <br />beliefs that reflect that deeper foundation of how we operate. This plays out for our students as <br />Social and Emotional Learning. Social and Emotional learning is the process through which <br />children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and