Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 2, 1994 TAG: 9402020183
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MARA LEE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Gilbert Linkous Elementary School Principal Ray Van Dyke, who will serve as the new school's leader, presented maps, charts, tables and a complete list of every street in the county to explain the decision of the eight-member redistricting committee.
Each elementary school had one teacher and one parent on the committee. The members remained anonymous to avoid political pressure, because the last time Montgomery County tried to redistrict 240 pupils, in 1989, the plan was scrapped because of public outcry.
The committee set out to fill each school at roughly 15 percent below capacity, to divide lines on logical boundaries, and to spread diversity - economic, racial and ability - in each elementary school.
Superintendent Herman Bartlett said before the meeting, "We want it to look like Montgomery County."
Only Price's Fork Elementary, west of town, will not gain any pupils. All others will trade pupils - Harding to Margaret Beeks and vice versa, and Harding to Gilbert Linkous. Linkous, Price's Fork and Beeks will contribute to the new school.
The numbers of minority, gifted and special education pupils will hold steady in each school. Only the number of children receiving free and reduced-price lunches will change - Price's Fork dropping from 35 percent to 26 percent, Harding Avenue going from 13 percent to 26 percent, which will allow the school to qualify for federal funds for a remedial reading program.
Here's what the plan looks like:
The new school will include children who live west of the 460 bypass, including Hethwood, Glade Road, Laurel Ridge and Meadowbrook. The district will also snake up to the county line along Craig Creek road.
Gilbert Linkous will change the most, with 51 percent of its students in different schools. It will keep only the area immediately around it, McBride Village, but will gain Preston Forest, Woodbine, Northside Park/Givens, and Countryside Estates.
Prices Fork will lose Merrimac Road and the Meadowbrook/Glade Road triangle that is now divided between it and Gilbert Linkous.
Harding Avenue will receive East Roanoke Street and Clay streets, and will give Margaret Beeks the Catawba Road area.
Margaret Beeks will change from a compact area to stretch out to the county line with the addition of Catawba.
Most schools will keep 60 percent to 75 percent of their pupils; 64 percent of the pupils among the four elementary schools will stay where they are.
Pupil-teacher ratios should decrease by at least one or two pupils in every grade in the four schools when the overcrowding is eased.
Van Dyke said the committee felt the plan couldn't be fairer. "I honestly don't know what a major bone of contention is going to be," he said.
Bartlett said, "We're going to try to please as many people as we can," but added that it's always hard to do that.
Van Dyke will visit Price's Fork Elementary on Tuesday, Gilbert Linkous next Wednesday, Harding Avenue on Feb. 10 and Margaret Beeks on Feb. 17 to hear questions from parents. All meetings will start at 7 p.m.
The committee will submit any revisions to the School Board at its March meeting. The board hopes to approve the plan then, so that parents will know new bus routes and assignments so they can arrange for day care.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***