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

DATE: FRIDAY, February 18, 1994                   TAG: 9402180367
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-9   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: PULASKI                                LENGTH: Medium

PULASKI SCHOOLS CHIEF IN FAVOR OF JUNE CLASSES

Superintendent Bill Asbury said that not making up as much of the time lost to weather as possible would be the real punishment.

``We are in the business of educating children, and we have only so many days to do that job each year. Our community has invested in the educational program and that is our purpose for being,'' he said.

Pulaski County has already lost 17 days to the unusually severe weather this year, and Asbury said it is likely schools will have to close for even more snow days. Five more days would be the equivalent of a month, with weekends, lost to students.

Pulaski County plans to make up 13 of the days, which would take the school year to June 17, and account for the remaining lost time by using ``banked time'' accumulated by having school days slightly longer than the state requires.

In terms of cost alone, Asbury said, the county loses $55,000 per day in teacher payrolls when there are no classes. ``We do not think we can afford to give away that much professional time, especially when our students need it so badly - not to mention the taxpayers who might have a problem with the misuse of their tax dollars,'' he said.

Asbury said concerns have been expressed about having classes in 90- or 100-degree temperatures.

In checking with Appalachian Power Co., he said, at no time from 1988 through 1993 was the average maximum temperature higher than 79 degrees during the first 17 days of June, and that average was reached only in 1991. Average highs ranged in the other years from 73 to 78 degrees.

``I do believe that some members of our community ought to be more worried about children being in school receiving a quality education than not being in school,'' he said. ``We need more time - not less - to do the job in today's world.''

Asbury said school officials realize that family vacations are important and require planning. ``That is why we announced our revised calendar in early January,'' he said.

He pointed out that many other countries hold school not only through June but through the entire summer.

``In such an unusual year, we need to work together and salvage our children's education as much as possible,'' he said.