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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 6, 1991                   TAG: 9103060448
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: NEAL THOMPSON EDUCATION WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

NEW CAVE SPRING HIGH STILL SEVERAL YEARS AWAY

For a brief moment a few months back, it looked as if Roanoke County was taking its first steps toward a new Cave Spring High School.

School Board members have said they eventually will need to build a new school in the county's southern end to compensate for growth and crowding at Cave Spring High School and at Cave Spring and Hidden Valley junior high schools.

But now, the school administration has recommended that the School Board not adopt any plans for construction - at least not this year.

Instead, science labs may be added to Cave Spring High and air-conditioning and other renovations done at Cave Spring Junior High to help delay the need for a new school. Those recommendations were contained in one of four options researched by James Gallion, county director of administration.

The other three options were: build a new high school; expand the existing high school; reorganize both junior high schools so that one held grades six and seven and the other grades eight and nine.

Gallion said he chose the "status quo" option because it was the least expensive. And even though enrollment in south county schools is nearing capacity, they will be able to handle projected enrollment increases for eight to 10 years. So, a new school does not need to be built immediately.

However, to cover bases in the event that enrollment jumps and a new middle or high school is needed, Gallion also recommended that the School Board look into buying land in the Cave Spring area.

"We still recommend looking into building a new school if it's needed," Gallion said.

If the board finds a new school is needed, the land would be available. If not, the land could be used for athletic fields.

Gallion suggested that about 40 acres be purchased as soon as possible, because "in the Cave Spring area, land is pretty scarce." If the board waited a few years and found it needed the land, it could be too expensive, he said.

"I think it would be good business sense to begin looking at purchasing a site for a new school," said Martha Cobble, principal at Cave Spring Junior High.

Cobble said a new high school would be "utopia." It would allow ninth-graders to move from the junior high to the new high school, making the junior high a true middle school for grades six to eight.

But, in the meantime, renovations will help accommodate students there, she said.

"We feel we're probably at capacity at this time. But we feel we can handle it with some improvement to our facility," Cobble said.

by CNB