Five takeaways from last week's Orange County School Board meeting
Many important topics were discussed at the last Orange County School Board meeting.
EDUCATION
New board member Deon Temne hopes to address diversity in CHCCS
On Nov. 5, Temne along with Ashton Powell and Jillian La Serna were elected to serve their first terms on the CHCCS Board of Education. Returning member Rani Dasi was also chosen to serve another term on the board.
Meet the new principal for FPG Bilingüe Elementary School
The current assistant principal of Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe, Karen Galassi-Ferrer, will assume the role of the principal in January.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools board approves updates to child abuse policy
This policy discussion follows a lawsuit filed against CHCCS in May that accused the school district of failing to prevent sexual abuse within schools.
Meet Jillian La Serna, a former principal newly elected to the CHCCS board
“I hope to bring my expertise on education,” La Serna said. “I’m bringing that background knowledge to ask questions and to make data-based decisions for our district to try to improve education for every single student in the district.”
CHCCS students combat pollution from cars with Driving is Exhausting campaign
An organization run by local students, "Driving is Exhausting," is urging parents to reduce emissions by turning off their engines in the carpool line.
Local schools see four mass violence threats in two months
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged two Cedar Ridge High School students for communicating threats of mass violence in the last couple months, and are offering a reward to anyone with information leading to the arrest of the third person who threatened the school. The Chapel Hill Police Department arrested a student with the same charge in relation to a threat against East Chapel Hill High School. With four threats of mass violence in two local schools since September, law enforcement and school officials are stressing the importance of communication in responding to and preventing these situations.
CHCCS excels in student success, but racial disparities persist
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools will implement new measures for ensuring equity in classrooms.
'I can’t afford to be a teacher': The battle for teacher raises continues
After years of what they deem as unreasonable salaries, teachers are starting to speak out, especially after Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill to raise average salaries for educators in North Carolina.
State Superintendent Mark Johnson announces run for lieutenant governor
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson announced Tuesday that he will forgo reelection in 2020 and instead run for lieutenant governor.
Ashton Powell is focused on students and mental health as he joins the CHCCS Board
Powell will focus on putting students first by mending the gap between students and the Board.
Who won in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro local elections?
Tuesday's local election saw little changes in some areas of Chapel Hill and Carrboro but major potential upsets in others.
A look inside Indy Week's candidate endorsements and how they impacted the election
Indy Week, a weekly newspaper based in Durham, is one of the few organizations that endorses candidates in Orange County elections. Candidates say Indy endorsements are important to their campaigns, but how much do they actually impact voters?
Dasi reelected and three newcomers gain seats on the CHCCS Board
Incumbent Rani Dasi, and newcomers Jillian La Serna, Deon Temne and Ashton Powell won seats on the board, unofficial vote counts show.
Something old, something blue: Orange County voter turnout
The local elections taking place throughout Orange County came to an end Tuesday night, giving way to a surprising voter turnout that nonetheless does not reflect the population as a whole.
Scroggs Elementary School supports family after student dies in car crash
A fundraiser has been set up to support a Scroggs Elementary School student who lost his mother and middle-school aged sister in an Oct. 21 car accident.
Cedar Ridge High School senior arrested for sending threat of mass violence
According to a press release, high school senior Dylan George sent a text message to a classmate saying there was going to be a school shooting at Cedar Ridge. The classmate’s parents immediately called 911.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools suspend use of dogs in random drug searches
On Sept. 3, parents were alerted by email to a random search that occurred at Carrboro High School.
CHCCS Board discusses Glenwood Elementary's zoning process
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district met on Monday to discuss the changes being made to Glenwood Elementary School’s policy on enrolling new students.
Meet the new superintendent of Orange County Schools
The Orange County Board of Education has appointed a new permanent superintendent after interviewing and considering over 30 candidates.
