Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 10, 1995 TAG: 9508100072
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
This year, the schools can buy more buses and computers and repair more roofs because of an improving economy and tight budget controls.
Because sales tax collections were higher than expected and spending was lower than expected in the fiscal year ending June 30, the schools had $1 million in leftover funds. Schools at the local level get 1 cent of the 41/2-cent state sales tax.
The school system also will receive $1.4 million as its share of the city's year-end surplus, said Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations.
The schools receive 36.4 percent of the city's surplus under a prior agreement. The formula originally was based on the relative personnel costs in the city budget and the school budget.
The schools spent less money on transportation and utilities than expected in the past year. Transportation costs were under budget because of reduced fuel costs, Kelley said. And utility costs were down because of lower utility usage.
He told the School Board this week that spending for administration and health services was also lower than budgeted.
Kelley said the school system will have no trouble spending the extra $2.4 million because it has a long list of capital maintenance and replacement needs, including buses, computers, modular classrooms and building repairs.
Kelley's report showed that the per-pupil spending for Roanoke schools in the past year was $6,497, which was $918 above the state average. Nearly three-fourths of the money was spent on teachers' salaries and other instructional expenses.
The average teacher salary was $34,826, which was up $2,237 from two years ago. Enrollment increased to 12,850, up 110 from the prior year. The enrollment has begun to increase in recent years after remaining stable during the 1980s.
In another matter, the board decided to solicit applications from city residents to serve on its Long-Range Planning Committee, which is studying the need for new or renovated high schools.
It decided to reduce the committee from 40 to 30 members, and to seek people who are willing to attend most meetings. In the past, many members have missed more than half the meetings.
Fourteen members from last year have been asked to serve again, and the board will seek applicants to fill the other slots.
Board member John Saunders said school officials should contact Parent Teacher Association leaders and other school groups to solicit applications.
"I think we should select people who are interested in serving on the committee and are willing to attend the meetings," Saunders said.
Board member Melinda Payne agreed that the board should select people who will be active, but it needs a cross-section of the community.
"I hope we can get gender, race and class diversity on the committee," Payne said.
Superintendent Wayne Harris said his staff will contact PTA leaders and others soon so the board can select the new members early in the new school year.
The board also asked Harris to prepare a relocation policy for paying moving costs and other expenses for people outside the Roanoke Valley who accept administrative positions in city schools.
Saunders said the school system has no defined policy for paying relocation costs for someone from Fairfax County, California or elsewhere who accepts a job in Roanoke.
Harris has recruited several principals and administrators from outside Roanoke since he became superintendent. Harris said he has negotiated the payment of part of their relocation cost, but the board has no formal policy on such expenses.
Saunders said he expects the school system will be doing more recruiting from other parts of the country.
Payne said the school system should find out whether other localities have such policies and what expenses they pay. Payne said Fairfax County does not have a written policy and does not pay relocation costs in all cases.
But Harris, who was an assistant superintendent in Fairfax before coming to Roanoke 21/2 years ago, said the county has an unwritten practice of paying relocation costs for top-level administrators.
If Roanoke adopts a policy, Payne said she wants to make sure everyone is treated the same. However, Harris said the city couldn't afford to pay relocation costs for all teachers who are hired from outside the Roanoke Valley.
Also, Harris told the board that he has appointed principals to fill three remaining vacancies:
Linda Brown, an assistant middle school principal in Fairfax County, becomes principal at William Ruffner Magnet Middle School. She has a doctoral degree from Virginia Tech.
Theresa Pritchard, a former teacher in Franklin County, becomes principal at Preston Park Primary School. She has a master's degree from Virginia Tech.
Ann Talton, a former teacher in Montgomery and Roanoke counties, becomes principal at Garden City Elementary School. She has a master's degree from Virginia Tech.
by CNB