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

DATE: SATURDAY, December 31, 1994                   TAG: 9501030073
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

2 MEMBERS HAVE DONE HOMEWORK

They'll have to help find funds for a new Cave Spring high school, a raise for Roanoke County teachers and renovations at several schools.

If that's not enough, Leggette and Stovall will have to help decide whether the county's high schools will switch to block schedules with longer class periods.

The two men will face these issues once they become members of the Roanoke County School Board on Sunday.

Since November, Leggette and Stovall, winners in the county's first school board election, have been quietly preparing themselves to become board members.

Incumbent Jerry Canada also was a winner in the uncontested race for the Hollins District seat.

All three agree that money is the big issue - or more precisely, a lack of money.

Leggette, who represents the Windsor Hills District, said the Board of Supervisors will have to decide whether to issue bonds worth approximately $25million to pay for the new high school.

Such a bond issue could require a 6-cent increase in the county's real estate tax rate.

If the county does have a referendum on the issue, Leggette said, the School Board will have to help convince voters of the need for a new high school.

``We need to prepare [voters] for the referendum if we are going to have one,'' he said. ``We need to provide the information to show what we need.''

Not only does the county need a new high school to ease overcrowding, but some laboratories and instructional equipment are ``not up to snuff,'' Leggette said.

The supervisors voted 3-2 against a bond referendum this year. But Supervisor Fuzzy Minnix, who cast the deciding vote, said he would support a referendum next November because there would be time to educate voters on the issue.

Leggette said he believes the county may be able to provide more money for schools now that other large projects, such as the Spring Hollow Reservoir and the Smith Gap Landfill, are finished.

``I think education is the most important service that government provides,'' Leggette said. ``I hope we can focus more on schools now.''

Stovall, who will represent the Vinton District, believes that the supervisors should provide more money for schools, especially for teacher salaries.

He favors dividing county tax revenue equally between the School Board and the Board of Supervisors.

He believes that the School Board should have the power of taxation, but he doubts that will happen soon.

Canada said that preliminary budget estimates indicate that state funds for county schools will be about the same as this year's, forcing the School Board to look to the supervisors for more local funds.

``It looks like we are going to need more money again from the county,'' Canada said.

To keep a campaign promise, Leggette is setting up a parents' advisory committee, which will include representatives from the five elementary schools, two junior high schools and one high school within his district.

During the campaign, Leggette said he heard complaints from parents that important decisions often are made without their input.

By creating an advisory committee and distributing a newsletter, Leggette hopes to improve communication between parents and school officials.