[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6249860,"mediaKeyId","3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8","parentId",3204583,"title","Superintendent’s Teacher of the Year roundtable recommends stronger PLC practice and supports for special populations","audioSeconds",1643,"startMs",7562000,"endMs",9205000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8&start=7562&end=9205","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8/thumbnail_7562000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6249860/North-Carolina/Superintendents-Teacher-of-the-Year-roundtable-recommends-stronger-PLC-practice-and-supports-for-special-populations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249860-5d82a9c39b66686acbc732e47396c6cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1777357914&Signature=lMUWUroFlEj3KnMRh2SS7ioigWpVmOFALUxprzu4cdi8ie8tGVF0x20U12WjMIpvWMJaZR4qyiKws2N0-Xm1V8Dw8jy-cxiX77VzJwoDdw7tBU-Fpshrsx-AjZHDK7p3wIWd73A91dFBWsRJPkljHvH7hGwuygQkEuMsjly69TEAFIGkT-RqsOGxQNKOrWQyrNH5L3wqeWMtbkLdUjYUMwMRmAud5r5V4NXE2KF4j6yVo9Fjw~gUyT4f4rcJ5CDCaQr-6R1GZuATLQ1GUT8qq9S98Ry10ctsh2LMIcLl0O70aAwJ7JgkyHqHR5GE8VEZVfD2d8AVWqtyG77gelPqJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-06T14:14:50Z","article","The Superintendent’s Teacher of the Year roundtable reported May 5 that teacher‑led review of North Carolina teacher‑working‑condition survey data produced measurable gains and concrete recommendations to strengthen professional learning communities (PLCs) and supports for students with special needs.

Theresa Rogers Thorpe, a second‑grade teacher from Pathways Elementary who served on the roundtable, and Mariah Morris, who coordinates the roundtable process, presented results from the district’s 2024 teacher‑working‑condition survey and the group’s follow‑up work. The roundtable is a superintendent‑led group of teacher‑of‑the‑year representatives who meet monthly to raise classroom concerns and develop recommendations for leadership.

The presenters said the district saw positive trends between the 2022 and 2024 working‑condition surveys in several items: “an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect” rose by 18.7 percent; “I feel comfortable raising issues and concerns” rose 15.43 percent; “an appropriate amount of time is provided for professional development” rose 12.78 percent; and “professional development is differentiated to meet teachers’ needs” rose 14.12 percent.

Roundtable members focused on two priority areas: (1) improving PLC practice so meetings reliably include collaborative lesson planning and protected planning time, and (2) strengthening supports for special populations (students with disabilities and multilingual learners). The team developed a “model PLC” that district leaders videotaped for principals and instructional coaches and are now using for coaching and school‑level implementation.

Ms. Morris said the roundtable’s special‑populations subgroup recommended maximizing common planning time in master schedules, ensuring EC (exceptional children) and ML (multilingual learner) staff can participate in PLCs, and extending supports to adapted‑curriculum classrooms as needed. The team also recommended continuing the roundtable next year and centering special populations in the next cycle.

Board members asked for clarifications about next steps. Presenters said the district will provide real‑time coaching for principals leading PLCs, circulate recommended protocols for protecting planning time, and work with schools to adopt locally appropriate approaches. The roundtable also announced the third annual Orange County Schools “Stars of Education” event scheduled for Aug. 18, 2025 at Cedar Ridge High School.

The board welcomed the recommendations and asked staff to integrate the roundtable’s products into principal coaching and district PD offerings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOE Meeting Mon May 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Superintendent’s Teacher of the Year roundtable reported improvements on teacher working‑condition survey indicators, recommended model PLC coaching and prioritized support for special populations; the board heard plans for continued implementation and a district ‘Stars of Education’ event.","taxTitle","Orange County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",38297,"location","North Carolina","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6249863,"Board highlights nurses, cafeteria staff and growing mental‑health supports; district reports staffing and service numbers",0,4922000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8&start=4922&end=4922","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8/thumbnail_4922000.jpg","/articles/6249863/North-Carolina/Board-highlights-nurses-cafeteria-staff-and-growing-mentalhealth-supports-district-reports-staffing-and-service-numbers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249863-931bac7549b0caa4566ff35659ef0e31/orig.mp4?Expires=1777357914&Signature=AxITvd7DmBU0bIewS1rfp8~N4eJ~Vv65ekY3cMkvTvlB6DREo8HoMOqSMcdJ5L4hXGAl7qi338prJPiE~kTUIYREcPmq05XL-30lDC0DPnd8x0hpwciXMssZQ8ydICX3ovLam~1b9-qpHiRhFaFWgGQxDhoQZ-Jzow-2~qIAw8sVjVPfAfafj8lALuqrh6YN8vJMoVP5Sjo0aRCS8ECfDxfk9Wrmcgq0NJx3C01RzW3P570ft3aOkjaQmyMpEwe49AjmSq3kn9wrYOn3RB6-~L0tkWgF0YD0Jc4tE7cg4DTBqSZ-aG2pbo2p3qnYhPQUOZOvo9qXtpVnzm8lIgK9Og__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Orange County Board of Education on May 5 recognized school nurses and school nutrition workers and received a report on the district’s mental‑health services and community partnerships.

Food and Nutrition staff highlighted School Lunch Hero Day and described an ongoing district encouragement campaign for Teacher Appreciation Week. The district’s nutrition leader reported that the program served 714,659 meals for breakfast and lunch last school year and had served 647,938 meals so far this year.

On nursing, Lead Nurse Sylvia Compton told the board Orange County Schools currently has 13 school nurses (roughly one assigned per school), one float nurse and two health technicians. Susan Vaughn, the float nurse, described supporting all 13 schools on a rotating basis and urged continued retention of nursing staff as enrollment grows. The district reported total enrollment of 7,458 students during the presentation.

On mental health, Dr. Dreher (speaking on behalf of Mental Health Coordinator Daniel Kearns Pickett) summarized district efforts for Mental Health Awareness Month. The district reported partnerships with three in‑person school‑based agencies — Renaissance Wellness Services, Youth Extensions and Upward Change — and noted Piedmont Health provides a therapist at Eflin Cheeks Elementary with hopes to expand that model. The district continues to offer Gaggle Teletherapy for students and said it has implemented SPARX, a trauma‑informed digital intervention, in middle and some high schools. Staff also described a Teen Mental Health First Aid rollout to ninth graders at Cedar Ridge and Orange High School.

Dr. Dreher said staff were asked to include mental‑health updates in weekly communications, promote awareness activities on social media, and wear green for Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.

Board members praised cafeteria staff and school nurses and asked for future reporting on the scale of mental‑health services and whether demand and wait lists are changing. Several board members requested a later update quantifying how many students are being served through school‑based agencies and any observed wait‑list effects.","At its May 5 meeting the board recognized school nurses and nutrition staff and heard a status report on mental‑health services, including SPARX, Gaggle Teletherapy and community partners providing in‑school therapists.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6249867,"Board approves Orange County AIG plan for 2025–28 with new ID pathways and student conferences",1096,9537000,10633000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8&start=9537&end=10633","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8/thumbnail_9537000.jpg","/articles/6249867/North-Carolina/Board-approves-Orange-County-AIG-plan-for-202528-with-new-ID-pathways-and-student-conferences","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249867-cd82f048264ecf03c4ed826edb39f5aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1777357914&Signature=o1r~w8wcq0vdOEvnvKNBQSzeB6~aPDs33A0qFUff8r1cFHwj8cHCU0EXwTu7ovearaXlh8nsAOut4FRmugYGbmxRBclIsoTriUzlbR~T7sNBx5rQYFw2OY7qxoPo2lAQYgXwQ-nE1-FEKtaO6lWyvPo1MHtnODapbGfLhGzDj-6Xwu6PSIEIMpRmUYrcI9XBo4XvOzwDclmRlgaqzrp1HDmIdpyHQHmdxSLk6-JpDBSxkAKufIXjf2bPd~lVAwFa~nAr~ad0O8EEAx~DpZNL7KmxdzWQDJMHWjnCQx0Qb9fEbWY4BzMPmjWbJ9FQ58whJVHoOw1SOuiIOKUFH~uH1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Orange County Board of Education approved the district’s 2025–28 AIG (academically and intellectually gifted) plan at its May 5 meeting, accepting several changes staff described as updates to align the local plan with state guidance and to improve consistency in identification and service delivery.

Emily Myers, the district AIG lead, briefed the board on the changes, which include using a nationally normed achievement test (the Iowa) as part of the second identification pathway for second‑grade students who meet CogAT qualifying criteria; a revised portfolio process for alternative identification with district oversight; and new Individualized Differentiated Education Plans (IDEPs) for highly gifted students.

Myers also described procedural changes: AIG specialists will meet families in person to discuss identification decisions, transition meetings will be held as students enter sixth and ninth grades, and AIG specialists will provide annual professional development for classroom teachers. The plan also calls for clustering gifted students with classroom teachers who hold AIG licensure when feasible and for stronger high‑school data collection on participation in advanced coursework and dropout trends among identified AIG students.

Myers said the district currently identifies 1,343 formally‑identified AIG students served by 12 full‑time AIG specialists across the district and that the plan revision resulted from stakeholder feedback, including an advisory committee and DPI review. The plan will be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) ahead of the July 15 deadline.

Board members asked about clustering and potential unintended effects. Myers said clustering is intended to reduce “singletons” in classrooms and to allow teachers with AIG certification to deliver differentiated instruction for small groups (for example 4–6 students in a classroom of 24), not to segregate students or create whole tracked classrooms. The board approved the plan after brief discussion.

The approved plan also expands AIG advisory‑committee meetings to twice annually (not just in revision years), increases district communications to families (quarterly newsletters), and asks district staff to explore community partnerships to support AIG programming across K–12.","The board approved the district's 2025–28 academically and intellectually gifted (AIG) plan, which adds a nationally normed assessment to the identification pathway, a streamlined portfolio process, and individualized differentiated education plans for highly gifted students.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6249874,"Board approves CTE year‑2 assurances; students qualify for national SkillsUSA and DECA events",1340,6638000,7978000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8&start=6638&end=7978","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8/thumbnail_6638000.jpg","/articles/6249874/North-Carolina/Board-approves-CTE-year2-assurances-students-qualify-for-national-SkillsUSA-and-DECA-events","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249874-25baa69eda2217e889a73bd466664372/orig.mp4?Expires=1777357914&Signature=MNGShGu3Rw~ZdNWP2LRJtTXAlvhr3~bnYySDQ7-u2dxsWNMiXZK5xLwp9aP1OXdqX4fzr03z8MDfj0VHIfz3N5qBx0dpjqLOTZXm8PuWzZmiuWrAyXA~1xCVsa1pba3uEUW1opX4lTBSnseg~t0LhLTXEc1tnd1c6MAQX3v4034wr9Z6RkowO0yl~sTYUmSeilBk04a-tWgvr7LVjxq79EW8BDfL~dD59uzmX0W~jQ9t6R5T5RIWdGeD2qxSlJMywxD7Gjybm5D-6G9EfPasL3FJUBM~pMiyhDWYz5C4uLcYnm-dohc3nB-slpFiQn-J4Rgz9JNepIsK8K4OlUSFBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Orange County Board of Education approved the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) assurances for the Year‑2 local application on May 5 and heard presentations from teachers and students who recently qualified for national competitions.

Ms. Braxton, the district CTE director, told the board that CTE delivered industry‑aligned credentials at no cost to students and that 1,430 individual credentials were earned in the 2023–24 school year — a substantial increase from the prior year. She said district partners, including local fire departments and emergency services, stepped in during an instructor vacancy to keep public‑safety instruction and practical labs on schedule.

Braxton described grants that expanded health‑science equipment and programs and announced plans to apply for a DPI grade‑expansion grant to fund summer planning for broad middle‑school career‑exploration activities. Those activities would include the Be Pro Be Proud skilled‑trades truck, field trips, and lesson materials for all middle‑school students.

Woodworking teacher and SkillsUSA advisor Avery Pipkin introduced two Cedar Ridge juniors who qualified for nationals: Josh Sissom (qualified for National SkillsUSA) and Tyson Oswald (second place at state, also heading to nationals). Pipkin described the SkillsUSA competition format as a timed, closed‑task environment where students must complete projects with no outside assistance.

Ms. Connor Budington reported that Cedar Ridge and Orange High School students attended the international DECA conference; Ellie Garman and Quinn Finnegan earned top placements at the state level and represented the district at international competition.

Board member comments praised the breadth of CTE options and their role in both student retention and career pathways. A motion to approve the CTE assurances for the 2025–26 school year passed following a motion and second; the board chair called the vote and the motion carried.

District staff said they would continue work with the joint CTE business advisory council (a multi‑district body with minutes and membership posted on the district website), pursue grant funding for green‑house and health‑science expansions, and proceed with the DPI application to support middle‑school career exploration and summer programming.

The board’s action releases state and federal CTE funds for next year once the signed assurances are returned by the chair, superintendent and finance officer, Ms. Rhonda Rath.","The board approved the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Year‑2 assurances and heard student successes from SkillsUSA and DECA. Staff outlined grant support, growth in industry credentials and plans to expand middle‑school career exploration.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6249880,"Orange County board backs new K–5 at Gravelly Hill, directs redistricting and master plan work",2254,11093000,13347000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8&start=11093&end=13347","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204583-e6fa8de9df01e078622ca64c3ec066a8/thumbnail_11093000.jpg","/articles/6249880/North-Carolina/Orange-County-board-backs-new-K5-at-Gravelly-Hill-directs-redistricting-and-master-plan-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249880-cc62534d4effb667a8d0883637a51278/orig.mp4?Expires=1777357914&Signature=PK2zcEzEyph7UF8ln0h1uhOXScng4zZj9T17UVMbdY-T5Ob0KUe9g2c5Vy~J1jaTrcWUIz95p86nYoyqokzq6-YHd7x0X9iidIDTYfyzC~fBc9UQ8DZ5Q8tWA4C~0d8Gwg4xvxkbbHx~dJuH~Vcz1BuGUc6PBAiMZr8sM72a55jyl2mxFFYYhuvB5oBQLXWhebNetDVuwC6Ay-bOzx5S3QhqJWoe3nPAUxcjeBLxoHDFz04MVgKKQOO2WK0~soQnhfP-khd14XosneNP41uXhKQK9z5KSEv6bJHw9QJ7NY8p6CXlaSEz~cf8ujCmDyqrLXYcZuZLIVjw87msNn5CZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Orange County Board of Education members voted May 5 to direct staff to pursue a new K–5 elementary school adjacent to Gravely Hill Middle School and to begin redistricting and a district portfolio master plan to guide remaining bond work.

The board’s move sets the district’s next design and public-engagement steps for a bond package the district has been developing since late 2024. Superintendent Dr. Jones said staff will use the decision to select and brief a design team, pursue a preferred project-delivery method and produce the attendance-zone work needed to right‑size building usage across Orange County Schools.

The decision matters because the district is balancing aging buildings, uneven enrollment trends and roughly $125 million in bond capacity to prioritize construction and renovations. Project consultants summarized two main strategies the board had reviewed: build a new K–5 at a county‑owned site near Gravely Hill, or replace facilities with a new K–8 on the Orange Middle / Orange High campus. The board’s vote favored the K–5 option and directed staff to proceed with the related planning steps.

Steve Hess, a consultant working with district staff, said the next steps include hiring a design team and completing a redistricting study. “The utilization rate you choose — industry guidance tends to be 85 to 95 percent — will determine how many facilities we need to keep and where to invest the bond money,” Hess said.

Board and staff presentations described several inputs to the decision: historical enrollment trends, multiple enrollment projections (including a Wolpert facilities review and independent demographic projections), facility‑condition indexes, and community feedback collected in several public sessions this spring. Staff emphasized that final renovation scopes and exact building sizes will be determined during design and after the redistricting work.

Board members asked detailed questions about site zoning, traffic and the possible effects of a recently approved charter school in the western portion of the county. Board member Carrie Hazard noted local zoning and watershed constraints near the Gravelly Hill site and urged staff to test enrollment sensitivity, particularly given how openings of charter schools have previously affected enrollment patterns. Hess and district staff said traffic and site utilities are part of the design team's scope and that a traffic consultant has already flagged workable approaches to campus circulation at the Orange Middle / Orange High campus.

Mr. Atherton moved the motion directing staff to pursue the K–5 strategy together with a district master plan and redistricting process; Ms. Dole seconded. The motion passed 6–1. Board materials and staff comments made clear that the vote was a directional step to begin design and planning, not a final authorization of construction contracts, final school sizes, or specific renovation scopes.

District staff said they will return with design‑stage cost estimates, a recommended project delivery method, refined enrollment projections from a retained demographic vendor, and proposed attendance zones. Those studies will inform final project budgets and the sequence of renovations or replacements tied to the bond funding.

What’s next: staff will issue an RFQ/RFP for design services and restart the paused redistricting work, using board direction on an optimal utilization rate to guide school sizes and the distribution of bond dollars. The board and staff said they expect multiple public meetings and a transparent schedule of decision points before any construction contracts are signed.","The Orange County Board of Education voted to pursue a new K–5 school adjacent to Gravely Hill Middle School as the initial project for its bond program and asked staff to pair that work with a district-wide redistricting and facilities master plan.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Superintendent’s Teacher of the Year roundtable recommends stronger PLC practice and supports for special populations

Board highlights nurses, cafeteria staff and growing mental‑health supports; district reports staffing and service numbers

Board approves Orange County AIG plan for 2025–28 with new ID pathways and student conferences

Board approves CTE year‑2 assurances; students qualify for national SkillsUSA and DECA events

Orange County board backs new K–5 at Gravelly Hill, directs redistricting and master plan work