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Superintendent reports $24M in student scholarships, announces Verizon program expansion and ELA gains
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Fitzhugh told the board students have earned over $24 million in scholarships so far this year, announced expansion of the Verizon Innovative Learning program to two additional schools, and presented ELA diagnostic gains including a 10‑point increase in kindergarten benchmark performance.
Superintendent Dr. Fitzhugh told the Orange Board of Education on March 12 that students have earned more than $24 million in scholarships to date this academic year and credited school leaders for supporting graduates in pursuing postsecondary opportunities.
Dr. Fitzhugh announced the Verizon Innovative Learning program will expand to two additional schools, joining Rosa Parks Community School and Cleveland Street School. He also noted national recognition for Orange Preparatory Academy and the STEM Innovation Academy of the Oranges, and thanked principals and student ambassadors for their work.
On school safety, Dr. Fitzhugh reviewed statutory drill requirements under 18A, noting monthly fire and security drills and annual active‑shooter, evacuation, bomb threat and lockdown drills, and urged families to review notifications and discuss procedures with students.
Ms. Harris presented fall‑to‑winter ELA diagnostic results. She reported that 46% of kindergarten students tested at or above benchmark on the Acadience assessment, a 10‑percentage‑point gain from the previous year, while reporting mixed growth among multilingual learners and students with disabilities in grades 3–8. Ms. Harris described a shift away from pullout models for multilingual support toward in‑classroom support to increase peer interactions and consistent attendance, and said some grade levels—particularly sixth and seventh—showed notable progress.
Facilities updates included plans to open Forest Annex for grades K–2 in the 2025–2026 school year, classroom painting and floor refinishing, gym upgrades and planned smart‑board installations. Mr. Vasquez and Mr. Ballard said punch‑list items for Cleveland Street and high‑school projects are being completed.
What happens next: District staff will continue implementation of Verizon program expansion, monitor literacy interventions, and proceed with Forest Annex renovations ahead of the 2025–2026 opening.
