Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 17, 1994 TAG: 9411170099
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
"The highest priority as we see it at this point is to hire more teachers to reduce class sizes and address expanding enrollments," said Jim Johnson, president of the Blacksburg High School Parent-Teacher-Student Association.
Johnson also asked the board to increase teacher's salaries, improve technology and act on a countywide facilities study that shows the need for improvements at almost every school.
Johnson was one of a handful of Blacksburg residents to speak on budget issues at a public hearing Tuesday night at the high school.
Most of the speakers expressed similar sentiments.
"If there is one subject that our Board of Supervisors seem to understand, it is that class size is conducive to learning," said County Council PTA President Regina Smith. "It is important that you be willing to ask for the teachers we need."
Sandra Varner, a parent and Blacksburg High PTSA member, commended the board for its work in reducing class sizes at the elementary level, but urged the members not to ignore the middle and high schools.
"We ask that you not lose sight of the need for more teachers and better technology for those students who will very soon" graduate from high school, Varner said.
"I think everything that we've heard so far ... are things that are certainly high on the [Focus 2006 Planning Commission] priority list," Superintendent Herman Bartlett said Wednesday. The 1995-1996 school budget will be based on the priorities set by that commission. "We've heard no conflicts from anyone at this stage in time."
However, two high school students spoke against an initiative by the School Board to use interactive video classrooms to teach certain subjects. A machine cannot replace a teacher, they said.
"While technology is important, too much technology can decrease the value of education," said Blacksburg High School student Brian Diffell. "One of the most important parts of education is the personal effect a teacher provides in the classroom."
Interactive video - using two-way television screens to offer classes to students at many locations - is strongly supported by Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, who has successfully helped link 12 Southwest Virginia schools via television.
"I think it offers an excellent opportunity for students," said Garda Browning, who taught 18 students from Lee and Thomas Walker high schools in a combined calculus class. Lee students attended the class "live," while Thomas Walker students attended via interactive television. "I couldn't tell any difference one way or the other between the students here or the students there," Browning said.
Interactive video classrooms are "a little different than teaching in a regular classroom," Browning, a 33-year teaching veteran, said. "There's nothing to be frightened about but you do have to plan a little differently and I think it's very important that the teachers have some hands-on training before teaching the class."
"To not look at [interactive video classrooms] would be a totally closed-mind approach with what's happening with the telecommunications revolution," Bartlett said. "This is the kind of technology that school divisions can affordably offer to enhance the curriculum."
The school budget will be in a transition period this year as school administrators try to trim paperwork and data collection from the process.
"This is a way to clean the budget process so it's totally understandable to everyone," Bartlett said.
The remaining budget hearings will be held Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at Christiansburg High School and Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m. at Shawsville High and Middle School.
by CNB