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

DATE: THURSDAY, June 9, 1994                   TAG: 9406090040
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

STUDENTS BLAST PRINCIPAL FOR HIS COMMENTS ABOUT TEACHER

Blacksburg High School student Dennis Price was one of approximately 60 students at the standing-room-only meeting. He and four other students spoke out against the superintendent's conduct at a June 2 Student Council Association leadership conference where Bartlett had been asked to speak.

Not only did the students claim he dominated most of the meeting time, but they also were upset because of negative comments they said Bartlett made about Advanced Placement history teacher Delores Grapsas.

When a student asked Bartlett about the overcrowding of Advanced Placement classes at the high school, Price said the superintendent referred to a May 27 Roanoke Times & World-News article on the subject and wrongly criticized Grapsas' handling of her classes.

"There are two [AP classes] that total over 60 students and during the year we missed 17 days of this class due to inclement weather," Price said. "Needless to say, when this many students miss that much class, the teacher was forced to cut back on her assignments. However, the superintendent did not approve of this measure saying at the meeting, and I quote, 'When you cut out reading assignments and research papers then the class is not AP anymore.'"

Bartlett said later he thought the students misunderstood his comments.

In a climate survey released last month, the county's teachers gave Bartlett a grade of D+ and school principals gave him a D-. Communication was cited as one area that needs improvement.

The "climate survey clearly outlined problems of this administration," said Sandra Varner, president of Blacksburg High School's Parent-Teacher-Student Association. "I urge you to quickly review your own survey and act on it."

Varner also spoke on behalf of Grapsas.

"Her comments in the newspaper ... lament the loss of time and material because of large classes," Varner said. Varner said she feared Bartlett took the comments out of context.

"Ms. Grapsas' AP classes are legendary among students and parents," Varner said.

More than 25 parents attended the meeting to show their support for Grapsas. Because of time limitations, only 10 of the 22 people who signed up to speak were able to.

In other business:

nThe Montgomery County Council of Principals proposed what it calls a more fair and accurate pay scale for school principals, which would take effect during the 1994-1995 school calendar. All county school employees would receive a 2.5 percent pay increase during that time.

nAfter a lengthy debate, the board unanimously approved installing a countywide Homework Hotline. This will be the first system of its kind to be installed in any school system in the nation. Steve Critchfield, president of Tele-Works, Inc., is offering the $200,000 voice technology system at cost, $55,000. The School Board must invest $5,500 for the project, and the remainder of the money will be raised by the business community.