Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 7, 1994 TAG: 9410080007
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A crowd of more than 200 parents of Hidden Valley students spent two hours Thursday night telling school administrators why they want their school left alone.
"You have two fine schools now, so why make a change?" asked Ali Iranmanesh. "You will do harm to them if you make a change in them."
Dozens of parents said the realignment is a temporary solution to an overcrowding problem that can't be eliminated until a new Cave Spring High School is built.
Both schools have grades six through nine. Cave Spring Junior High is overcrowded and operating at 110 percent, while Hidden Valley is using only 87 percent of its capacity.
Under the realignment proposal, the sixth- and seventh-graders would attend one school, and the eighth- and ninth-graders would be at the other school.
Besides easing overcrowding, school administrators have said the plan would help implement a middle school concept in Southwest County. It would also provide a better transition for students between ninth grade and senior high.
But the parents would not be swayed by James Gallion, assistant school superintendent, and other school administrators.
A straw poll showed that 199 parents opposed the proposal, and only seven favored it. Seven were undecided. Earlier this week, about 150 parents at Cave Spring said they opposed the proposal.
The Hidden Valley parents said the change would reduce sports and leadership opportunities for students; force the children to change schools every two years; require longer bus rides for many students; and be a short-term solution until a new Cave Spring High School is built.
Gallion said the realignment would have no impact or effect on the timing of the new school, which won't be completed for another five or six years.
The crowd became even more hostile when school administrators, in response to a question, said that 850 students from nearby localities attend county schools. The county's enrollment is 13,685, meaning that one of every 16 students comes from outside the county.
Two parents urged the county to stop taking outside students until the overcrowding is eliminated. Gallion said the county accepts students from other localities only if space is available. He said the county has accepted no additional students in the past two years.
Roanoke County and several other school divisions have a free tuition system where students can attend schools outside their home locality. Roanoke County has many students who are enrolled in other school divisions.
Martin Robison, executive assistant for county schools, said the number of students from other localities is much less than 850, but he did not have an immediate number.
Enrolling students from outside the county can be financially beneficial because state aid for schools is linked to enrollment.
Several parents said the School Board should wait until after the election to make the decision on realignment. Two new members will be chosen in November, but three will remain.
Gallion said school administrators will make a report to the board, which is expected to hold a public hearing this month.
by CNB