ROANOKE TIMES

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

DATE: FRIDAY, July 20, 1990                   TAG: 9007200068
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: FLOYD                                LENGTH: Medium


SCHOOL BOARD DECIDES NOT TO JOIN STATE'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN

The Floyd County School Board changed its mind Wednesday and decided to stay with its existing health insurance plan for employees instead of joining the state insurance plan.

The board had previously embraced the state insurance plan, which, like the current plan, has Blue Cross and Blue Shield as the carrier. But after receiving a higher than expected rate quote last Friday, the school system re-evaluated its insurance options.

Administrative Assistant David Harman told the board at its monthly meeting that the current plan provides better services. Based on last year's plan enrollment, it would cost the system just $3,800, while costs to individuals would be reduced by a total of $12,500 per year.

Reba Goff, president of the Floyd County Education Association, said the teachers' group would support the current plan if the board agreed to increase its share of the cost in the same way it would have to under the state plan.

Under the state plan, the cost of insurance is shared by the individual and the school system. But the share to be paid by the individual decreases from 50 percent of individual premiums and 100 percent of family-plan premiums in 1990-91 to 20 percent of individual and 80 percent of family-plan costs in 1993-94.

In other business, the board delayed until August consideration of two parental requests for elementary redistricting exemptions.

"I told them if they wanted to have their attorney [Jean Arnold] here, we'd wait until next month," said Chris Reilly, a Stuart attorney hired by the parents seeking the exemption. "I may have conversations with them in the interim, so I don't want to say anything that might jeopordize those."

Also, the School Board approved plans for using its federal drug free school grant. The system will extend peer counseling to the elementary schools, expand Drug Awareness Week activities and begin a parenting program. Floyd County schools will receive $12,312 annually for three years.

Finally, the board took care of some administrative details. Hourly cafeteria workers were given a 10-cents-per-hour raise while managers received a 3 to 4 percent pay increase.

Lunch prices were increased by 10 cents to $1.10 at the high school and by 5 cents to $1 at the elementary school.

Textbook rental fees were held at their present level: $10 for kindergarten; $22 for grades 1-3; $25 for grades 4-7; and $27 for grades 8-12.

Finally, the board funded pay supplements for the head teachers at the each of the county's four elementary schools. The annual stipends will be $300 for the head teachers at the larger two schools - Check and Floyd - and $200 at Indian Valley and Willis.



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