THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 5, 1996 TAG: 9605040089
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 42 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Education
SOURCE: Denise Watson
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
A look at some of the action at Monday night's meeting of the Chesapeake School Board:
REZONING DECISION: The School Board voted 9-0 to approve a school attendance zone adjustment that will move about 125 Treakle Elementary School students to Camelot Elementary School beginning September 1997.
School officials said the move would alleviate crowding at Treakle.
The proposed zone adjustment has been a contentious point for some Treakle and Camelot parents during the past two months. At a January School Board meeting, some Treakle parents argued against the move, saying the Camelot neighborhood was plagued by random shootings and too dangerous for their children. Camelot residents were upset by the characterization but also challenged the zone change because they fear it will only overcrowd Camelot.
Moving the Treakle children is the only way to balance enrollment at the schools, school planners said. Treakle has no more room for expansion while Camelot's capacity will increase with the completion of an addition in 1997. The opening of a new middle school in the Deep Creek area in 1997 will also pull sixth-graders from Treakle and Camelot and leave more room at the elementary schools.
MONEY REPORT: Davida Mutter, assistant superintendent for budget and finance, reported that the school district's spending patterns were ``routine and typical'' for this time of year but there were certain highlights:
Rising gas prices might leave the district with lower energy account balances this year. With three months left in the fiscal year, Mutter said she was certain the district had enough to cover fuel costs but warned that it might be a budget concern next year if prices continue to climb.
The district predicts sales tax receipts to fall about $159,000 short of previous estimates but the loss will be offset by an increase in funds generated by the schools - such as tuition for adult education programs. This windfall is worth about $200,000.
The school system is expected to receive the full $1.1 million in Federal impact aid, money given to school districts with large military populations, and at least an additional $167,000 from previous federal aid and special education support payments.
GUIDANCE REGULATIONS: Deputy Superintendent William Russell presented a proposed policy to govern guidance and counseling programs used in the schools. The city must adopt a policy by July 1.
The proposed policy includes descriptions of academic, career, personal and social guidance and counseling. It also requires that written notification of the different services be sent to parents at least annually.
Parents can elect to exclude their children from some counseling. Proposed guidelines prohibit guidance counselors from using techniques such as hypnosis or other psycho-therapeutic therapies.
The guidelines have been a politically-charged issue on the state level, where Republicans pushed for required parental permission before students received any type of personal, social or non-academic counseling. Opponents fear the requirement will prevent some needy students from getting help.
A public hearing will be held May 13.
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE SCHOOLS CHESAPEAKE SCHOOL BOARD by CNB