Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 23, 1991 TAG: 9102230160
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
PTA presidents voted Thursday night to form a special committee to work with the PTA County Council and the School Board to protect the student-teacher ratio in county schools and resolve complaints over the new bus schedule.
The vote, 5-1 with one abstention, followed a proposal by the Christiansburg Elementary School PTA that the PTA Council ask the Board of Supervisors to reject the School Board's 1991-92 budget because five secondary teaching jobs would be eliminated.
The Auburn High and Middle school PTA, however, asked that the question of school bus schedules also be taken up. In preparing its budget for the coming school year, the county School Board made the school bus schedule uniform at all county schools.
The change was made to eliminate 12 bus driver jobs and save $80,000 in a tight budget year. Some secondary students will be picked up at 6:45 a.m. under the new schedule instead of 7 a.m. under the current schedule. The proposed change has angered and concerned some parents for safety and child-care reasons.
The PTA presidents are to meet again next week to decide how they will deal with the issues.
Christiansburg Elementary School PTA President Charles Nelson said the presidents did not agree on whether to go directly to the supervisors with their concerns. Some felt they should work through the School Board, he said.
Although the bus issue was added to his PTA's proposal, Nelson said he was not disappointed with the vote. He said it indicates the PTAs want to get active in the development of school budgets and policy.
"We can now address as a group what's going to happen next year," he said.
by CNB