Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 8, 1994 TAG: 9403080191
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By MARA LEE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Because of Mother Nature's interruptions, teachers worry, though, that students may find standardized tests more of a hurdle this year.
Floyd County has missed 23 days this year. In January, students went nine days and missed 12. But Floyd plans to finish classes on June 8th. Superintendent Terry Arbogast said the system will more than meet its minimum hours, but added that he wanted to make sure that time is put to the best use for students.
Floyd may add more time to the school day. "It could mean a very minute change in the beginning or ending time," he said. Administrators will decide Thursday.
"They tell me there might be some more storms," he said, referring to a weather forecast that suggests ice may be coming tonight or Wednesday. "I don't know," he said with a defeated chuckle.
Pulaski has missed 20 days, and has June 17th scheduled as the last day. The system is prepared to miss seven more days through banked time, or extra minutes on the state required school day.
Pulaski had 10 days built in as snow days.
Both Giles and Montgomery counties have missed 17 days. Montgomery plans to finish June 17th, and has one more day of grace through banked time. Past that, Superintendent Herman Bartlett said, "I really do not anticipate asking for a waiver. I really think it's important that the students of Montgomery County go the minimum."
Bartlett said that snow routes, a possibility for next year, could have saved four or five days. "That certainly would've taken some of the pain out."
Montgomery County officials said they worried about lost time in preparing for advanced placement tests. More than 60 percent of the high schoolers in advanced-placement classes in Montgomery County take the tests, which cost more $71 each. The tests are scheduled for mid-April. Assistant Superintendent Jim Sellers said he talked to the national coordinator. "This is one of the very first years she's been inundated with calls [to postpone]," he said. "She was very noncommittal."
If the test day remains the same, teachers may give afternoon tutorials to prepare the students, he said.
Giles County Superintendent Robert McCracken said he also was worried about standardized testing preparation, though he mentioned the Iowa Test for Basic Skills, given to fourth-, sixth- and 11th-graders. The test is not based on facts learned during the year, but McCracken still worried that the lack of continuity could hurt scores.
"Part of it is having the kids consistently thinking about school and what they're doing," he said. Giles will make up the latest string of its 17 missed days on Saturday, April 9, June 13 and June14. McCracken said though the rules were somewhat in question, he thought that Giles would not qualify for a waiver unless the system missed three more days.
Radford schools have missed just 13 days, but will end later than any other New River Valley school - June 20th. Assistant Superintendent Randy Wright said that could be attributed to the three days off for Thanksgiving or not canceling staff development days and parent-teacher conference days.
The city's School Board passed a resolution to ask for a waiver to shorten the school year.
"We'll keep our fingers crossed that we don't miss any more," Wright said.
by CNB