Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 23, 1995 TAG: 9502230097
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The School Board approved a proposal by member Finn Pincus on Wednesday night to offer the courses before and after school hours. Part-time teachers would be hired.
"While I do not agree with all the arguments in support of this program, I do believe that drivers' education provides a valuable service to our students," Pincus said.
"I hope we can work this out so the kids won't have a wait to take driver ed."
Harris had wanted to eliminate driver education during the school year and save $82,500 in salaries and benefits for teachers.
The board didn't discuss driver education at William Fleming High School. Few students there take the course, Harris said.
The board also made decisions on several other budget issues, including an affirmation to step up its efforts to upgrade salaries for teachers to make them more competitive with other school divisions.
Harris is in the second year of a three-year plan for raising salaries. He has recommended an average raise of 4.25 percent.
He has recommended supplements to help raise city salaries closer to Roanoke County's.
Teachers with less than 10 years' experience in Roanoke make substantially less than their counterparts in the county. Roanoke ranks 41st in the state in this category, while Roanoke County ranks 26th. For some years of experience, the city salary is higher.
Board member John Saunders suggested that more money for pay raises be freed up by reducing the cleaning and custodial staffs and reassigning some personnel.
Saunders said the schools could save $415,000 in cleaning costs without hurting the schools' cleanliness.
Higher salaries will mean higher morale for teachers and a better teaching performance, he said.
But Harris said he worried that the cuts could reduce the level of cleanliness that the school staffs and community have come to expect.
Harris said he applauds Saunders' goal of competitive salaries. "It is a noble goal, and we are willing to go back to the drawing board and see what we can do," Harris said.
School Board members said they hope Harris can make budget adjustments that would provide more money for pay raises. But they said they are not ready to make the budget adjustments proposed by Saunders.
Harris told the board that he will try to develop more recommendations on the pay issue by next month when the board takes final action on the budget.
Nelson Harris, chairman of the School Board, said school officials are committed to competitive pay for city teachers.
"The administration will look into ways that we can provide larger raises next year," he said.
Also, the board approved a two-year plan for raising elementary principals' salaries in the city to make them comparable to those in the county.
In Roanoke, elementary principal salaries range from $2,000 to $5,412 below the county, depending on the size of the school.
The board approved a physical education program that will require elementary education schools to have 90 minutes of physical education classes a week. Pincus said the program will be phased in over several years. Two additional teachers will be added during the first year and two more the second year.
by CNB