ROANOKE TIMES 

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

DATE: TUESDAY, March 14, 1995                   TAG: 9503140132
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ROANOKE SCHOOLS GET TRAINING GRANT

The Roanoke school system has been chosen to participate in a regional leadership academy for school management teams and has received a $75,000 grant from NationsBank to help finance it.

Roanoke is one of four school systems chosen this year for the Southern Regional Education Board Leadership Academy. The others were El Paso, Texas; Vicksburg, Miss.; and Auburn, Ala.

The four localities were selected from 400 applicants in 15 Southeastern states, said Alton Crews, director of the Southern Regional Education Board. The leadership academy is designed to provide additional management training for school systems that have shown steady improvement, Crews said.

Roanoke was selected partly because it has shown gradual progress in many areas in recent years, he said.

The $2 million academy program is limited to 12 school systems. Eight were selected in prior years, including Newport News and Winston-Salem, N.C. NationsBank has provided $1 million to support the seminars and supply on-site help. It also has provided grants to the localities.

Roanoke's selection was announced at a luncheon Monday attended by top school and city officials.

``NationsBank is proud to participate with the Roanoke city school system and [the Southern Regional Education Board] in developing leadership skills for the 21st century. In addition, we want to set an example for schools throughout the state and the Southeast,'' said Doug Waters, NationsBank's region executive.

The five-member management team will attend the Southern Regional Education Board seminars annually for four years. Nationally known experts will present seminars focusing on education practices and political and social issues.

The Roanoke team will be composed of Superintendent Wayne Harris; School Board Chairman Nelson Harris; Rita Bishop, assistant superintendent for instructional services and learning organizations; Carolyn Haley, principal of Round Hill Primary School; and Heather Simmons, a teacher at Addison Aerospace Magnet Middle School. 


 by CNB