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

DATE: THURSDAY, April 7, 1994                   TAG: 9404070281
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: W-16   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: NEW CASTLE                                LENGTH: Short

CRAIG SEEKS WAIVER TO OPEN SCHOOLS EARLY

The Craig County School Board will seek a waiver from the State Board of Education to open schools before Labor Day.

The board voted Tuesday to seek the waiver to open schools before Sept. 5 based on the the number of days missed this past winter. Schools were closed 20 days because of snow and ice.

Under a new state regulation, school divisions that have missed an average of 10 or more days in five or more years during the last decade can qualify for a waiver.

Dallas Helems, school superintendent, told the board that the 20 days missed gave Craig an average of 11.6 days.

Helems said he feels this qualifies the county for the waiver.

The General Assembly had ruled that schools cannot open before Labor Day but added the waiver provision during its latest session.

by CNB