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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 2, 1990                   TAG: 9005020448
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: MARGARET CAMLIN NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

BOARD URGED TO KEEP SCHOOL COUNSELOR

The counselor, Fran Weiss, also received support from guidance counselors and teachers through petitions handed to the board during a crowded public forum.

Kathy Decker, a social worker for the school system, said Weiss is "reliable, thorough and completely professional. She's always been creative and persistent to motivate students to stay in school" or she would arrange alternatives.

"We feel that Mrs. Weiss is a valuable member of our profession and do not want to lose a person of her caliber," said Lila Lorton, a counselor at Christiansburg High School, speaking for the county's middle and secondary counselors.

Lorton gave the board a letter of support for Weiss signed by 15 counselors.

The board approved Superintendent Harold Dodge's recommendation in early April to change Weiss' contract from 11 to 10 months next fall. Weiss says Dodge told her she will be reassigned as a classroom teacher, a position she's not held in 25 years.

If Weiss is removed from her job, "you will lose students, because you would have lost me if it weren't for her," said Kathryn Sutphin, who graduated in 1986.

Clifton Woods, a Virginia Tech student and a 1989 graduate of Shawsville High, said he had lots of problems his junior and senior years and came close to dropping out.

But Weiss helped him work through the crises, he said. "Even now, if I have a problem, she always has an open door."

Doug Dowe, who has four children who were students at the high school, said he can't understand why someone with 12 years of experience in counseling would be transferred to a teaching position.

"Where's the system going, to do something like this?" he asked. "She's proven herself, and I think she should be given an opportunity to continue her tenure there."

The audience applauded several times in response to remarks in support of the counselor.

Other concerns were raised by citizens during a 30-minute public forum before the board's other business.

Bonnie Shelor, sister-in-law of fired personnel director T.O. Williams, said Williams is not the one who should leave the school system.

"The man that should leave is Harold Dodge," she said to applause from the audience.

Williams has sued Dodge for $100,000, alleging he was fired without cause. The board voted 7-2 to approve Dodge's decision not to renew Williams' contract.

Shelor said the School Board did not give Williams a fair shake.

"You never gave T.O. an opportunity to defend himself or respond to allegations or to tell his side of the story," she said.

The board did not respond to any of the testimonies or discuss Weiss' situation, but proceeded with its regular meeting.

In a 5-3 vote, the board adopted a new attendance policy that requires students not to miss more than 18 class periods during a school year.

The new policy, unlike the old one, does not differentiate excused from unexcused absences. There is, however, an appeals process.

Any exceptions to the policy must be approved by a local school review panel, composed of an assistant principal and two teachers.

Earlier at the meeting, Jeff Morrill, Blacksburg High School's student council president, said the new policy will likely increase the drop-out rate and "almost condones missing days up to the limit." He urged the board to use incentives, rather than punitive measures, to keep students from missing school.

Students would lose credit for the classes they missed more than 18 times, but their class ranking would not be affected.

Board members James Hassall, Lou Herrmann and Donald Lacy voted against the policy. Kimberly Helms was absent.

Also, the board unanimously voted for a proposal of member Richard Zody to ask the attorney general for an opinion on the constitutionality of the state's funding formula for education.

The board also met in a closed session to discuss a personnel report and personnel matters, a legal matter, real estate and a student matter.