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

DATE: TUESDAY, February 21, 1995                   TAG: 9502210074
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ROANOKE SCHOOLS WILL KEEP TIME

Opening and closing middle and high schools at the same time of day in Roanoke would cost an additional $2 million because it would require 45 more buses.

Middle schools open at 7:40 a.m. and close at 2 p.m.; high schools open at 8:25 a.m. and close at 2:40 p.m.

One option would be to have a single opening time of 8:15 a.m. and a closing time of 2:30 for both. But Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations, said the high start-up costs preclude further consideration of unified hours.

Because of the staggered opening and closing times, some buses are used for both middle school and high school students. That couldn't be done if the schools opened and closed at the same time.

Keeping middle school students in class longer each day would help reduce opportunities for them to get into trouble, said School Board member John Saunders. But reports by Juvenile Court officials indicate that sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders are not getting into trouble during unsupervised time.

Last month, the School Board voted not to change the school day, despite a long report outlining several options and suggestions by Saunders.

Saunders asked for more information on opening and closing options, but the board voted again this month to keep the school day the same, saying that the lack of widespread support for change eliminates revisions for 1995-96.

Elementary schools open at 9 a.m. and close at 3:15.

by CNB