Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 24, 1994 TAG: 9406290036
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By ROBERT FREIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Also, technology should be a more integral part of classrooms, science and math should be given more emphasis, students with learning disadvantages should be identified as early as possible and preschool programs should be expanded.
Those five visions top a list of 13 goals to improve public education developed by the Focus 2006 committee and endorsed by the county School Board this week.
Focus 2006, a panel appointed in 1992, involved 222 citizens who spent nearly 6,000 volunteer hours producing a 350-page report.
The top-13 list of priorities was created after educators and citizens voted on their preferences.
Among the other goals for 2006: enhanced vocational and technical education; upgraded school facilities; equal access to education for all students; increased programs for gifted students; more art, music and humanities classes; expanded counseling and nursing services; expanded adult education; and a closer working relationship with social service agencies.
Focus 2006 has been the source of controversy between some panel members and School Superintendent Herman Bartlett, whom they accused of undermining the effort. Bartlett has denied the charge and praised Focus 2006's report as "innovative."
The 13 priorities were approved by the board without comment. Now they will be used to guide the preparation of long-range planning documents for county schools. A new panel has been appointed to oversee the implementation of Focus 2006's goals.
In other action, the board endorsed a plan developed by another task force that calls for increased funding and staffing for gifted programs in county schools.
The plan calls for four resources teachers to be hired by the 1995-96 school year to aid gifted elementary students in each of the county's primary attendence zones.
About 1,300 county students have been identified as gifted. However, only one administrator, two coordinators and one part-time test conductor are assigned to the gifted program.
By voting to approve the plan, the School Board also agreed to investigate an International Baccalaureate degree for high school students- an intensive two-year program involving foreign language, community service and other challenging components.
Additionally, the county will begin to review creation of a magnet school, which would open in 1995 if the resources are available.
The magnet school would offer all qualified students - not just those classified as gifted - the opportunity to study a specific program such as science and technology or performing arts.
by CNB