Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools' new superintendent shares priorities, challenges and solutions

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Classrooms are full and hallways are busy at McDougle Middle School in Chapel Hill. It's the first week of school for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System.

Enjoying every moment of the first week of school was first-year Superintendent Dr. Rodney Trice.

"What I love to see is all the smiles on our students' faces. All of our teachers are really geared up," said Trice.

He walked the halls of McDougle Middle School with School Board Chairman Dr. George Griffin before sitting down with ABC11 Eyewitness News.

Dr. Trice discussed his priorities for the new school year, which include addressing absenteeism.

"We've made some pretty good gains in terms of reducing chronic absenteeism. We want our students to be here. We have a lot of evidence that when our students are here, they tend to perform well," Trice explained.

Trice said he is also looking ahead to new opportunities for high school students. "Whether that's, you know, partnering with Durham Tech and earning an associate's degree or four-year university, or entering the military or career pathways."

Trice said his focus centers on student success for all 12,000 students in the district. Sharing in that same commitment is the school board chair.

"If you walk around here, you'll see lots of special programs for students," said Griffin." Our exceptional children's programs, career and technical education programs, and mental health supports. We put a lot of our resources into those kinds of services, and we want to maintain them."

Griffin shared his excitement for the new school year, along with some of the challenges that come with it, such as federal funding uncertainty and an increase in students leaving public schools for other options.

"We are paying attention to why students leave. What are the reasons? But I wouldn't describe it as a threat as much as it is a funding reality. When our numbers decline, then our financial resources decline, and then that affects everybody," Griffin explained.

Despite the challenges, Griffin and Trice said it's shaping up to be a strong start to the new year.

"I really look forward to making stronger connections with parents and students and kind of shaping the next 25 years of our district."