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

DATE: TUESDAY, May 15, 1990                   TAG: 9005150388
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

EDUCATOR, LAWYER JOIN BOARD

Edwards and Pincus are both in their 30s and will be the youngest board members. Both won on their second try for a board seat.

Sallye Coleman, a board member for six years and current vice chairman, was also narrowly reappointed on a 4-3 vote to fill the third seat.

Edwards, 37, is a former staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society for the Roanoke Valley. A graduate of the University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary Law School, Edwards is also a former teacher at the Beaumont Learning Center. He first applied for the board two years ago.

During his public interview earlier by council, Edwards said he thought that a preschool and a full kindergarten program were needed in city schools.

Edwards, 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.

Pincus, 34, is director of the Electronic Computer Programming Institute in Roanoke. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and two master's degrees from Virginia Tech, one in business administration and the other in counseling and student personnel. He first applied to the board last year.

Pincus said Monday night he hopes that his educational background and experience will be helpful on the board.

"I'm in the business of education and I hope that was one of the reasons I was appointed," he said.

During his earlier interview by council, Pincus said the school system's greatest strength is the quality of teachers and administrators and the diversity of its programs. He said he would like to see more emphasis placed on vocational education.

Coleman was the only incumbent who sought reappointment. A retired school administrator, she is a graduate of Virginia State University and has done graduate work at the University of Virginia and other schools.

William White, a board member for five years, did not seek a new term because he ran for a council seat, which he won in last week's election.

The third seat had been held by Guy Byrd Jr., who resigned recently because he has taken a job in Charleston, W.Va.

Coleman was appointed to fill the remaining two years of Byrd's term. She told council earlier she would be willing to fill Byrd's unexpired term rather than accept a new three-year term.

Pincus will take his seat on the board immediately because he wasappointed to fill Coleman's unexpired term, in addition to a three-year term beginning July 1.

Pincus was chosen for the longer term because he received five votes, one more than Edwards in the balloting for the two seats with three-year terms. Edwards will take his seat July 1 when White's term ends.