Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 7, 1993 TAG: 9311070078
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The 25-member Focus 2006 Strategic Planning Commission's final report includes ideas that would cost money - for salaries, computers and child care for staff and students, for instance.
Other suggestions involve social issues such as multicultural instruction and "educational equity" between town and rural students.
It's a lot to digest.
Just trying to decide what to do next with the results took the Montgomery School Board nearly three hours Saturday.
In the end, the board scheduled six three-hour meetings to plow through the results in detail.
Meanwhile, School Superintendent Herman Bartlett Jr. and his staff are preparing cost estimates for the proposals. Bartlett said because the staff is already preparing the 1994-95 budget, the Focus 2006 recommendations likely would not affect budget requests until the next year, 1995-96.
Board member Lou Herrmann, though, said there may be some ideas that don't involve new spending that the School Board could implement sooner.
If the size of the 18 reports prepared during the yearlong study is any indication, the School Board will need every minute of the 18 hours of public meetings between Thursday and Dec. 4.
Member Donald Lacy of Blacksburg said if the board doesn't invest "sweat equity" into the voluminous documents - the work of more than 200 people from all areas of Montgomery - the ambitious final report summarizing the studies will end up on a shelf, unused.
The School Board also agreed, with Christiansburg member David Moore abstaining, to keep the Focus 2006 commission on line for now.
Board members agreed to form a successor group to help with follow-ups but bogged down on when to make appointments to the new group - or even what to call it.
Several members seemed to find the final report's suggested name - the Focus 2006 Progress Commission - disagreeable.
The word "progress," Lafayette member Rebecca Raines said, "makes me feel like we've already accepted the ideas."
In the meantime, study participants will be asked to come to the six special board meetings and answer questions about the reports and their recommendations.
The important thing, School Board Chairman Roy Vickers said, is to capitalize on the momentum of the Focus 2006 report, to honor the work of the many volunteers involved and to show a commitment to taking their work seriously.
Board members will finish going through the reports in early December but concede that further work on the recommendations probably will have to wait until the school budget is delivered to the Montgomery Board of Supervisors Feb. 1.
The School Board's Focus 2006 work sessions will be held at school headquarters at 200 Junkin St. in Christiansburg. All are open to the public, and all except the Nov. 20 and Dec. 4 meetings will begin at 7:30 p.m. Those two Saturday meetings will begin at 7 a.m. Following a schedule suggested by member Virginia Kennedy, the board will meet:
Thursday to consider academic preparation, family and school teamwork and social influences and "system values."
Nov. 20 to study reports on the educational needs of a diverse student body, equity and community diversity and volunteerism.
Nov. 23 to probe emerging programs, life and work skills and vocational education and technological preparation.
Nov. 30 to consider reports on relationships with other institutions, teamwork between schools and businesses and school leadership roles and responsibilities.
Dec. 2 to look at reports on facilities and auxiliary services, health and safety, and organization and funding.
Dec. 4 to study reports on personnel, school readiness and needs of younger children, and the school year and student climate.
The Focus 2006 commission's report is available at all school libraries and the Blacksburg branch and Christiansburg headquarters of the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library.
by CNB