Minutes 02-22-2022 Virtual Joint Meeting with the Schools

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17 Slide #1 LASK17 UPDATES At► 1. OCS follows all local Orange County mask mandates. 2. Decisions regarding masking plans are reviewed with the ABC Science Collaborative and the Orange County Health Department. 3. Plans are in place to lift mask requirements when mask mandate is lifted 4. High filtration masks (N95/KN95/3-Ply Surgical)are available to all staff members. 5. Parents/guardians can request high filtration masks for students. 6. Mask exemptions are authorized for individuals meeting waiver criteria. 7. Mask compliance checks continue to take place in schools and buildings. CHALLENGE. INSPIR. Jarwin Hester, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, said that change in the COVID-19 variant provided the opportunity to review masking and filtration. He said masks are readily available for staff members. He said there is a high compliance rate for masking in schools. Chair Carrie Doyle said that there was a presentation at the board meeting which informed the school district's decision to change the mask requirement. Dr. Felder said that the district also consulted with the Orange County Public Health department. She said both the ABC Collaborative and Public Health were in agreement. Commissioner McKee expressed his appreciation for the Orange County Schools for meeting in person and for allowing Orange County Government to have the opportunity to lift their mask mandate first. Chair Price asked for clarification of the time frame for mask relaxation. Sylvia Compton said lunch time rules are slowly being relaxed. Dr. Hamlett said that SB 173 is being discussed in the general assembly and that it will not allow districts to require masks if it becomes law. She said it would allow the parents to decide about masks for children. She said as of now, the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools district is still requiring masks. She said they are continuing to eat outdoors so they will continue to take advantage of that. She said they will discuss this topic again on March 3. ii. Mental Health Supports The districts did not have anything further to add. iii. Teacher retention & recruitment Board Member Rani Dasi said Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools is in a crisis for teacher recruitment and retention. She said in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, they had 228 and 246 resignations, respectively. She said in the current year, they have already had 198 resignations, an increase of seventy-seven from the same time frame last year. She said the district is working creatively to address teacher shortages. She said that other districts are beginning to outpace Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools ability to provide salary supplements.