Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 3, 1993 TAG: 9306030329
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURA WILLIAMSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That was the upshot of a meeting Wednesday between the Roanoke Parent Teacher Association's Central Council and two school administration representatives who gathered to set priorities for Roanoke schools for the next three years.
The meeting was one of 14 requested by the city's new superintendent, E. Wayne Harris, who takes office July 1. Harris requested the meetings to expand a process for public input previously restricted to a single public hearing before the School Board at its July planning session.
PTA Central Council President Marsha Ellison applauded Harris for reaching out to parents, but said she will reserve judgment on the new process until she sees how many PTA priorities the School Board adopts.
"I'm kind of a bottom-line person," she said. "I want to see what's going to come of this."
The procedure received higher praise from Lissy Runyon, a spokesman for the school system and facilitator of Wednesday's meeting. Along with ombudsman Annie Harman, she led parents through a two-hour process in which they whittled their lengthy "wish lists" down to 10 top priorities.
The voting procedure was more effective than a public hearing, said Runyon, because it "gave everyone an equal opportunity for input. There's less potential for one or more vocal people to monopolize [the procedure]."
Here's what the 30 parents voted to request from the School Board at its July 7 meeting:
Lower teacher-pupil ratios to accommodate individualized instruction. Specifically, they want one teacher for every 18 students in kindergarten through second grade and one teacher for every 22 students in grades three through five.
Financial support from City Council to provide equal resources in all schools.
Subject-area supervisors to ensure smooth transitions in course work from middle schools to high schools and specific guidelines for teachers in each subject so that they know where they need to improve.
Higher teachers' salaries so that Roanoke can lead the valley in teacher compensation.
Safer schools, with more consistent written policies for handling discipline.
Divisionwide adoption of the teaching concepts from PLATO, a program for gifted elementary students. This would include team teaching, for example.
Schools that are friendlier toward parents, staff and students.
Meetings with high school students to determine their problems and needs.
Better communication between parents and teachers.
More money for alternative education programs.
Smaller elementary school classes long have been a priority for parents, who will see some progress toward that goal when the city hires five more elementary-school teachers this year.
Richard Kelley, executive for business affairs for the city school system, said the new teachers would reduce average class size by half a student on a districtwide basis. Elementary-school classes now average 22 students to every one teacher, not including special education classes, which are smaller.
by CNB