THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 17, 1995 TAG: 9509160107
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Vanee Vines
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Here's a look at some of the action taken at Thursday's School Board meeting:
Construction contract awarded; CIP approved
The board unanimously voted to pay Virtexco Corp. of Norfolk $6.2 million for construction of the new elementary school in Harbour View. The school's total cost is estimated at $7.7 million. It's scheduled to open in the fall of 1996.
The board also adopted its 10-year capital-improvements plan, which will now be taken up by the City Council for final approval. In addition to renovation and other work, the $105.7 million plan calls for the construction of four new elementary schools, including the Harbour View-area school; one new middle school and one new high school. It also would cover the cost to install air conditioning systems next year at the nine schools that currently lack them.
(An upcoming edition of the Sun will feature a story on the thinking behind the proposed CIP and what parents and taxpayers can expect for city schoolchildren.) Enrollment growth
By Thursday, the district's student enrollment had reached a high of 10,043, excluding preschool students in the Early Start program. In previous years, the district's annual growth rate ranged from about 1 percent to 2 percent. By Thursday, districtwide enrollment was up 5 percent, compared with the same time in 1994.
The total enrollment, including preschoolers, was 10,107 on Thursday - 382 more students than the district anticipated for the spring 1996 count required by the state.
The good news is that increasing numbers of students attract additional state dollars. If the increase levels off at 200 students by next spring, for example, the state will give Suffolk another $525,000 in basic aid.
On Thursday, the board approved a measure asking the council to let it spend any extra state money on elementary school books and up to 24 more teachers and classroom assistants next spring, after the state verifies the enrollment increase. by CNB