Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 13, 1990 TAG: 9004131065
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Those were just some of the needs cited Thursday night by nine applicants for three School Board seats.
But they had some good things to say about the city's school system, too.
The applicants praised the quality and dedication of city teachers and principals, the Magnet School, other programs for gifted and talented students and programs for economically disadvantaged children.
They also said city schools provide a cultural and racial diversity that helps children to become better prepared for adult life than those in other school systems in which most students come from a similar racial, social and economic environment.
Four nearly four hours, City Council listened to the applicants talk about their philosophy of education and then interviewed them individually about what they think of city schools and what they would do as School Board members.
Two of the seats to be filled are now held by Sallye Coleman, who is seeking reappointment, and William White, who has not applied for a new term because he is running for City Council in the May 1 election.
The other seat has been held by Guy Byrd Jr., who resigned recently because he has taken a job in West Virginia.
While the applicants' answers differed on many questions, there were several recurring themes about what they view as the greatest weaknesses and needs in the schools.
Several said the city needs full-day kindergarten and should do more to help children succeed in the early primary grades.
Emanuel Edwards, a lawyer who grew up in Roanoke, said he saw the need for a preschool and kindergarten program in the 1960s when he was attending city schools. He said he was glad the city is talking about having a kindergarten program at all elementary schools.
Without a good preschool program, Edwards said, many children are lost educationally in their early primary grades and develop a poor self-concept.
Coleman also identified kindergarten as the school system's greatest need. The city has kindergarten at several schools, but school officials have estimated it would cost more than $500,000 to have a full-day program at all elementary schools.
Delvis McCadden said he also favors an expanded kindergarten program, but the thinks that poor public relations is the school system's greatest weakness. McCadden said school administrators need to develop a better working relationship with the School Board, City Council and city residents.
"We need to get parents involved, to get them concerned about their children, as we can deal with drugs and other things," said Lewis Peery. He thinks the city needs to raise teachers' salaries so they are comparable to Roanoke County teachers.
Charles Day said the schools need to work with parents, neighborhood organizations and others to "take a comprehensive approach" to drug abuse and dropout problems.
Finn Pincus said the school system's greatest strength is the quality of teachers and administrators and the diversity of its programs. He would like to see more emphasis placed on vocational education.
Denise Reedy said she thinks the schools need an alternative education program for children with behavorial and emotions problems who disrupt classrooms.
David Lisk said the schools need to have smaller classes in the first three grades so teachers can give more individual attention to children to make sure they master the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic.
"If they don't get it in the first three grades, they won't make it later," Lisk said.
John Geary said that greater parental involvement in their children's education will help reduce the dropout rate. He said he also thinks the schools need to put more emphasis on alcohol and drug abuse education in the lower elementary grades.
by CNB