Agenda - 02-16-2021; 12-5 - Memorandum - Use of School Nurses and School Resource Officers by Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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2 - Orange County Schools 200 East King Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone: 919-732-8126 Fax: 919-732-8120 www.orangecountyfirst.com DATE: November 24, 2020 TO: Orange County Board of County Commissioners FROM: Dr. Monique Felder, Superintendent RE: School Nurses and School Resources Officers during remote instruction As a result of generous and supportive Orange County Commissioners, Orange County Schools is afforded a school nurse in each of our schools. During the first two quarters of the FY2021 academic year, even though our students have been in remote learning, School Nurses have remained instrumental in the education environment. These individuals have been instrumental in the development and implementation of the tiered return to school plans as well as advising on what Personal Protective Equipment supplies are needed for schools to open,for specific classrooms that contain special needs students, plans and processes for entrances to the school buildings, onto the school buses and setting up care rooms should students get sick as well as an attestation process for everyone. School Nurses have also worked with the Orange County Health Department to support contact tracing for the county as well as contact tracing with the Orange County Human Resources Department for Orange County School employees. Additionally, as the school district has continued to prepare and deliver meals throughout the community,our school nurses and school resource officers have been supporting staff with safety procedures for food distribution during this pandemic. School Resource Officers have been ever present ensuring the safety of our staff delivering food and supplies to our students throughout the County as well as assisting with the delivery and helping the School Social Workers with safety and welfare checks of our students and families affected by the pandemic. School Resource Officers continue to work with the School Social Workers to do Social and emotional well checks for identified students as need. We are excited to begin transitioning students back into the classroom beginning January 25. Our plans include having resource officers available and present to assist with the transition back to the in person school environment. School Resource Officers have already begun providing that support in several of our schools where some of our Special Education, Pre-K and Head start students have returned. We have seen and experienced the morphing of the traditional school model since March. Even though our students have not been in our buildings for in person instruction,we have remained committed to their educational needs as well as their social and emotion needs,which have only magnified. Without the continued backing and collaboration of our community partners,this journey would be even more difficult. Thank you for your continual support.