County schools stress discourse

As the Orange County Board of Education prepares to tackle a variety of districtwide issues in the new year, school officials say they have taken significant steps to open the lines of communication between schools and parents.

“We’re trying lots and lots of things to increase our visibility and the flow of communication to our various publics,” said Superintendent Shirley Carraway. “Our board has taken communication very seriously. We’ve heard that loud and clear from the community.”

Board member Elizabeth Brown said the focus on communication stemmed from concerns among parents that the previous board was not willing to listen to their concerns.

“If you don’t have the cooperation and support of parents, it’s very difficult,” said board member Delores Simpson.

Anne D’Annunzio, spokeswoman for county schools, said one of the first things the board did this school year was to implement an e-mail notification system called The Loop to alert parents about district information.

The board also created a brochure and updated its Web site — http://www.orange.k12.nc.us — to help the public identify and contact board members, D’Annunzio said.

She added that the board’s most recent step, implementing a system called Connect-ED, allows school officials to contact every parent in the district by phone within minutes with emergency messages or news of upcoming events.

Also, board members encourage parents to come to meetings and to voice their opinions, Simpson said.

Board members are optimistic that increased communication will help the district deal with issues that raise public concern, such as redistricting and high school reform.

“We have big things to tackle in the near future, and we want to make sure we hear from the community,” said Chairwoman Libbie Hough.

D’Annunzio said the board plans to hold such a public session for feedback on redistricting. “Any time you redistrict a school system, it can be very emotional,” she said. “This is a way the board hopes to make the public heard and the decision fair.”

Board members said they hope to hold more town hall-style meetings that center on specific issues.

In addition to the board’s actions, Carraway also has taken a number of steps to increase her accessibility to the public. “How can I do my job if I don’t know what people think?” she said. “I think it’s critical in my role that communication be open, frequent and honest.”

D’Annunzio said Carraway initiated a Parent Leadership Council to act as a liaison between the district and the community.

Carraway’s monthly “lunches with the superintendent” are open to anyone who wishes to discuss school issues, D’Annunzio said.

Carraway also meets with a Student Advisory Council on a quarterly basis to determine issues that matter to students.

Efforts already have helped the district acquire special teachers and social workers, as well as pleasant board meetings, D’Annunzio said.

“We want our school board to be the best it can be,” Simpson said.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.