
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 7, 1991                   TAG: 9103070179
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: DUBLIN                                LENGTH: Medium

GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL CHIEF RESIGNS

Michael L. Bentley, named as the first director of the Southwest Virginia Governor's School for Science, Mathematics and Technology just a year ago, cleaned out his desk Wednesday following his resignation.

The resignation is not effective until June 30, but the school's governing board granted Bentley an immediate START JUMP TYPE HERE START JUMP TYPE HERE leave of absence following two closed sessions during its regular meeting Tuesday.

Bentley said he needed the leave to complete a three-year project with Christine Ebert of the University of South Carolina faculty. The project is a textbook on methods of teaching science. It's aimed at college science teachers and scheduled by Wadworth Publishing Co. of San Francisco to come out in 1994.

"I have a deadline and there are four chapters that I have to do," Bentley said.

The board continued its meeting to next Tuesday to consider who to name as acting director until a new one can be hired.

The regional Governor's School accepted its first students last fall from Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Pulaski and Wythe counties and the city of Galax. It is on the Pulaski County High School campus and the students commute from their localities each day.

Bentley was named as director Feb. 18, 1990, when he was heading the National College of Education's science program in Evanston, Ill. He started immediately as a consultant and moved into the director's position last June.

Some dissention between Bentley and the board became obvious at last month's board meeting, when the board agreed with Floyd County Superintendent Douglas Phillips and Pulaski County Superintendent William Asbury not to accept a monthly report from Bentley because it was not an agenda item for public information.

Bentley, obviously miffed, passed out the report anyway, telling board members they could read it or throw it away.

Most of the classes at the magnet school have been taught by Bentley or by Carolyn Linkous, the assistant director, along with part-time teachers. Bentley's classes Wednesday were canceled. The board will have to secure a replacement teacher or teachers for his subject areas.

by CNB