Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 12, 1993 TAG: 9303120273
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
PULASKI SCHOOL PLAN CONTAINS CUTS
The Pulaski County School Board got a look at 1993-94 budget recommendations totaling nearly $1.3 million Thursday night, including saving $215,000 by cutting employees.Superintendent William Asbury did not give the number and positions that would be affected if the reduction is accepted.
The recommendations also included considering the closing of Newbern Elementary School at the end of the 1993-94 school year.
Jefferson Elementary School in Pulaski is already slated for closing at the end of this school year. The board approved new attendance areas for Claremont, Critzer and Northwood Elementary Schools in the town, having held several sessions with parents on the changes.
One parent addressed the board Thursday about his daughter, in kindergarten this year, being able to be picked up by her grandmother from Claremont after school. But she will be moved to Northwood next year under the revised zones.
Asbury said similar concerns were expressed by other parents at the attendance-zone sessions. "It's one of the most difficult things to do, change schools . . . We'll do our best to listen, but we don't have a lot of wiggle room on out-of-boundary students," he said. "The numbers are pretty tight in our planning, as you know."
Nongraded pilot programs are planned for next year at Northwood and Claremont. An elementary math-science-technology demonstration school is planned for the start of the 1994-95 school year. The central office is to be reorganized by bringing teachers, parents and community members in planning teams.
The board is to complete its budget proposal in time for a public hearing next Thursday. It will present a budget to the county Board of Supervisors April 5.
As presented by Asbury, the budget would include a 3 percent salary increase for all employees and a 7.6 percent increase in health-benefit premiums.