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

DATE: THURSDAY, February 9, 1995                   TAG: 9502090063
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-11   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN                                LENGTH: Medium

CROWDING AT GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE THIS YEAR

The growing number of students at the Southwest Virginia Governor's School apparently will stay in their crowded building on the Pulaski County High School campus for the near future.

Giles County Superintendent Robert McCracken, superintendent-in-charge of the Governor's School board, said area legislators will be hard-pressed to restore cuts to school funding for the coming year. Any start on a bigger building is apparently out of the question for now.

Pulaski County Superintendent Bill Asbury doubted that any schools would see money for capital projects in the coming year. Requests for millions of state dollars for school construction projects have been building up for years across the state.

``It's getting worse. The buildings are just getting older. The needs are greater'' in school systems throughout Virginia, Asbury said.

``I don't think our project stands a chance unless they get ready to invest in everybody, and I don't think they are,'' Asbury told the Governor's School board Tuesday. ``I don't see any daylight toward school construction now.''

Another approach might be to seek increased state per-pupil funding for the school, and use the increase for debt service on a new building, he said. The localities from which the school draws students - Pulaski, Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Smyth and Wythe counties and the city of Galax - would have to agree to let the money go for that purpose.

The Governor's School is still working toward a computer superhighway connection with the Internet, mainly through a NASA grant covering the necessary equipment. A NASA team was scheduled to start installation work today but had to postpone it because some of the equipment is not ready.

Pat Duncan, the school's director, still hopes the work would be done by April. She has been looking into ways to extend the Internet connection to schools in the Governor's School service area.

Bob Carlson, a member of the school's faculty, estimates that the remaining cost to the school for the Internet connection will be about $11,000. The school plans to use funds budgeted for improvements for the present facility, such as buying new laboratory and computer equipment and other classroom improvement. But those funds won't cover all Internet connection costs.

The Governor's School Educational Foundation Inc. voted last month to donate $3,500 to the project. The foundation will also seek donations from other sources.

by CNB