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

DATE: FRIDAY, July 9, 1993                   TAG: 9307090193
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

RADFORD SCHOOL BOARD ELECTS LEADER

The 42-year-old businessman, who has been vice chairman, was elected unanimously at the board's annual reorganizational meeting Thursday. He succeeds John McPhail, who resigned.

"It's a long way from Margaret Pierce's classroom to this chair," Gentry said after his colleagues voted. Pierce, a retired Radford High School Spanish teacher, was one of Gentry's favorites.

Gentry was reappointed this spring to his third term on the board.

John "Chip" Craig will be the board's new vice chairman. The board also welcomed former City Councilman Guy Wohlford as its newest member. City Council picked Wohlford to serve the year remaining on McPhail's term.

Jean Smith and Assistant Superintendent Randy Wright were named clerk and deputy clerk, respectively.

In other business, the board considered a suggestion from Barbara Mayo, chairwoman of the School Health Advisory Board, that it consider hiring a school nurse.

Mayo briefed the board on her group's investigation into the issue, which found concerns about elementary pupils who get sick during the school day or who need medications.

"The schools have no place to put a sick child," she said.

Mayo told the board that a school nurse also could help older students deal with "sensitive issues" and with the family-life curriculum at the intermediate and high schools.

Craig suggested the board explore state funding for the position.

In other business, board member Betty Plott distributed to her colleagues a letter to the board signed by 29 McHarg Elementary School professional staffers in support of a full-day kindergarten program for city schools.

"I think it's important the board members know how they feel," she said.

Plott has been plugging a full-day kindergarten program for several months. The letter said a full-day program would better prepare Radford's kindergarten pupils for first grade.

The board also voted unanimously to accept its first 28 tuition students for the 1993-94 school year. The list included five new students from outside the city.

Last year, the board took in a total of 155 tuition students to enhance its flagging enrollment. Nonresident students pay $100 a year to attend city schools.