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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 14, 1995                   TAG: 9506140073
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI                                LENGTH: Medium

2 MORE PULASKI SCHOOL BOARD INCUMBENTS TO SEEK ELECTION

The last two incumbents on the Pulaski County School Board who had not declared their intentions to seek new terms in the county's first School Board election have become candidates.

All but one of the incumbents faces opposition.

Sybil Atkinson, who has held the Robinson District seat since 1992, and Carolyn Brown, the Cloyd District representative since 1991, have announced their intentions to seek new terms.

Atkinson, who faces a challenge from former board member Rhea Saltz, is also chairperson of the new Board of Economic Development for the town of Pulaski. She is also a director of the new Community National Bank, and a member of the Governor's Commission on Champion Schools.

A former teacher, Atkinson is the widow of former county Circuit Court Clerk Gerry Atkinson and has three daughters, one of whom is a junior at Pulaski County High School.

Brown, who has opposition from former School Board employee and Radford University professor emeritus Beth Nelson, is a First Virginia Bank-Southwest branch manager. She has served on Parent/Teacher advisory committees, with the Parent-Teacher Organization, and as a coach for Little League girls basketball. She has also worked with the Radford Chamber of Commerce.

She and her husband, Montie, have two sons, one of whom is also a junior at Pulaski County High School.

Brown and Atkinson both stressed, in their separate statements, the educational progress that has been made in Pulaski County and improvement in educational standards and student-teacher ratios.

In the Ingles District, board Chairman Ron Chaffin is being challenged by Barbara Chrisley. Dr. Nathan Tuck, the Massie District representative, has opposition from Jeff Bain.

Only Draper District representative Lewis Pratt remained unopposed Tuesday was the final day for candidates to qualify for the Nov. 7 election. It will be the first time Pulaski County voters have elected a School Board.

by CNB