Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 30, 1994 TAG: 9408300083
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
She was back again Monday, making sure that the children - especially those entering kindergarten, first and second grade - didn't get lost.
Clad in a bright red dress, Mongan stood on the sidewalk at Glen Cove Elementary School with about a dozen teachers to guide the children as they left their buses.
Mongan, Glen Cove's librarian, helped put tags with bus numbers on the small children so they would know which bus to ride home at the end of the day
Fourth- and fifth-graders at the Roanoke County school, which has an enrollment of about 525, also helped guide the younger children to the right rooms.
``I just like to do it - to help them,'' said Cole Williams, a fifth-grader.
Even Glen Cove's principal, Mary Lee Hunt, gave a helping hand. She was stationed in the school's cafeteria, directing children who came with their parents.
It took Hunt and the teachers less than 45 minutes to get the children tagged and escorted to the right rooms.
Hundreds of teachers and children in upper elementary grades looked out for the small children as about 22,035 students returned to school in Roanoke County, Botetourt County, Salem and Craig County.
At South Salem Elementary, teachers provided a smooth welcome for 70 kindergartners on opening day. By mid-morning, the youngsters were settling in for the year.
``Everything has gone well,'' said Joe Coleman, South Salem's principal.
At Cave Spring and Northside, the two largest high schools in Roanoke County, attendance was high and close to projections.
This is the first time in nearly a decade that schools in the valley have opened before Labor Day. School administrators had worried that some students might be out of town on vacation the first week.
Roanoke schools won't open until Sept. 7 because they were not eligible to open before Labor Day.
In Roanoke County, 13,411 students were in school on the first day, a figure close to the estimate. ``It looks like we have had a good response. We'll probably get some more after Labor Day,'' said Marty Robison, executive assistant for Roanoke County schools.
In Botetourt County, Superintendent Clarence McClure said the attendance was 4,312, which was about as expected. ``We had a good turnout, and we expect to get about 25 more,'' McClure said.
In Salem, 3,600 students were in school on opening day, about 200 below the projection. Superintendent Wayne Tripp said he expects about 125 more students to enroll by next week. He believes that the early opening date might be a factor in the low attendance count.
At Cave Spring High, some students complained that the summer break was shortened.
``It's kind of weird. We go to school one week, and then we are off three days next week,'' said Dana Lazzuri, a sophomore. ``We'll forget everything we have learned.''
Janelle Blankenship, a senior, said she didn't want to come back to school so early, but it will enable the students to have more breaks during the school year. ``Just as long as we can keep spring break, it's OK with me,'' she said.
Another student, Josh Plott, said the School Board should have developed a calendar that would have allowed students to stay on break until after Labor Day.
Despite student complaints, Martha Cobble, Cave Spring's principal, said attendance was high for opening day. She said the attendance was 1,151, about 50 below the estimate. She expects enrollment to increase after Labor Day.
Cobble, who spent part of the lunch period checking on the cafeteria and talking with students, said the first day had gone smoothly.
by CNB