Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510160057
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Bedford County
District 1:
Russell ``Butch'' Wright: ``Yes. Our students spend less time in school than any other country. I would look at a longer day and longer year with an open mind.''
Wesley Gordon Jr.: Did not respond.
District 5:
Eugene Erb: ``I support a longer school year, not a longer school day. Although the people should again rule by majority vote, I believe a three-month vacation is too long to allow a smooth transition into the next grade level.''
Betty Earle: Did not respond.
District 6:
Hunter Hale Jr.: ``I would support a longer school day which would allow time for children to have more directions in the classes they are taking. As for the school year, I would support an extended year for students. To be out of school for 21/2 months each summer is just too long to be away from the classroom.''
Shirley McCabe: Did not respond.
District 7:
Stanley Butler: ``I believe we may need to see how time is spent now. There is probably enough time if the time is used wisely. Another approach is to lengthen the school year but divide the year into quarters. This method is similar to the European system.''
Benny Shrader: ``Yes. I feel that test scores and overall student success could be improved with both longer school days and longer school years. If I could recognize that local support existed, I would be in favor.''
Botetourt County
Valley District:
Michael Beahm: ``I favor a longer school day rather than a longer school year because it would be easier and less expensive to initiate. The most immediate problem [would] regard transportation during hours of darkness, especially in rural areas and larger counties. I am also concerned that younger children could not cope with a longer day. ...''
Fincastle District:
Sally Eads: ``I would support a longer year with one- or two-week breaks at regular intervals. It would be more expensive and would involve changing child-care arrangements. I would also like to see fewer interruptions of the normal school day.''
David Emeigh: ``No.''
L.W. ``Jack'' Leffel Jr.: ``This is once more a question of efficiency. Extra time is like extra money. It does not guarantee quality or success, Before hours are increased, one must see if the present time allocation could not be used more efficiently for core subjects.''
Blue Ridge District:
James Ruhland: Did not respond.
Craig County:
Alleghany District:
James Cady: Did not respond.
Simmonsville District:
Bonnie Hutchison: Did not respond.
Rodney Williams: Did not respond.
New Castle District:
Thomas Zimmerman: Did not respond.
Two at-large seats:
Patrick Myers: Did not respond.
Brenda Allen: Did not respond.
Robert Knepp: ``No. I think we should push for wiser use of study-hall periods and limiting the number of study halls that students can have. More effort should be focused on keeping high school students in school in the afternoons. When we do better with the time already available, then it will be prudent to consider other options.''
Hettie Farley: Did not respond.
Floyd County
District A:
Clay Link: Did not respond.
District B:
David Sulzen: ``I would not support a longer school day, because I believe we are already pushing or even exceeding the limits of students' attention spans. I would also not support a longer school year, because I believe the summer is important as family time for the students and development and rejuvenation time for the teachers. ...''
Cheryl Whitlock-Allen: Did not respond.
District C:
Howard Cundiff Jr.: Did not respond.
District D:
Marie Mathis: ``No. Teachers should be qualified to teach in the presently allotted time.''
Margaret Hubbard: Did not respond.
District E:
Douglas Phillips: Did not respond.
Louellen Sharp: Did not respond.
Franklin County
Blackwater District:
Shirley Jamison: Did not respond.
Van Flora: ``No. Franklin County is a rural county with long bus routes. Some kids are away from home nine-10 hours per day. I feel this is long enough.''
Boone District:
Guy Buford: Did not respond.
Snow Creek District:
Terry Lovell: ``I would support both. It would give us better use of facilities. ... But other points would have to be considered such as increased workloads for employees.''
G.B. Washburn Jr.: ``No to both. I would support only if it can be proven to beneficial to the students and teachers - and not cost much more.''
Union Hall District:
Perry D. Hambrick: ``Yes. It's only a matter of time before schools are in operation year round. ...''
Rocky Mount District:
Steve Flora: Did not respond.
Gills Creek District:
Jack Newbill: Did not respond.
At-large (one seat):
Amanda Davis: ``I do not support a longer school day because I believe children's attention span is lost after a certain time frame and I think the school day is already long enough. As for a longer school year, I may favor a short, optional two-four week session during the summer for students.''
William Helm Jr.: Did not respond.
Giles County:
Western District:
J. Lewis Webb: Did not respond.
Central District:
Joseph Gollehon: Did not respond.
Carolyn Linkous: Did not respond.
Mary-Paul ``Widget'' Shannon: ``School day, yes. School year, no. My high school day was 8 to 3:08. We may have had more than 30 minutes for lunch, but one needs more time for lunch - even high school students. Kids who have jobs only during the summer usually save that money, so they don't have to work during the school year and can concentrate on school.''
Eastern District:
Jeffrey Wiegand: ``More important than a longer school day or school year to improve core academics is a more demanding curriculum, more involved parents and more motivated students. I also believe that a revised school year calendar (still 180 days, but with more and shorter breaks) may be a better solution.''
Ronald Whitehead: Did not respond.
At large (two seats):
J.B. Buckland: Did not respond.
John Billos: Did not respond.
Phillip Morris: Did not respond.
Montgomery County
District B:
Robert Anderson: ``No, the time limits that are now in place are adequate. Just concentrate on the basics. We should look at subjects that are not important or productive and eliminate these.''
Bernard Jortner: ``I would need to study this issue further. One question to be answered is whether current time in school is optimally utilized.''
Oscar Williams: ``I support a longer school year. A longer school year would provide more instructional time for core and other subjects. I am not a supporter of a longer school day.''
District E:
Jack LeDoux: ``No. There is plenty of time for basic subjects. Just eliminate such things as `drivers ed' and `bachelor living' for example."
Victor Sheppard: Did not respond.
Michael Smith: Did not respond.
District F:
Richard Edwards: ``No. Another quick-fix to a problem that hasn't even been defined. The notion appears to be punitive. Has anyone looked at the idea that perhaps the students are spending too much time in class? Can anyone explain why we teach history for one hour a day and algebra for one hour a day?"
James Klagge: ``This is a complicated issue that touches on many concerns. However, I think it is worth investigating further the possible value of having more school time. For example, when I was growing up we didn't need to learn about computers. Now students do. Yet if we provide no additional time for that, then something has to go.''
District G:
Peggy Arrington: ``In general I believe that we need to use our instructional time more wisely, and so I am not generally in favor of longer school days, or years. I believe that we are currently hampered by the state requirement that students spend a fixed number of hours in class to receive credit for a course. This is an example of how I'd like to see one of our high schools get 'charter' status or exemption from the regulation of Carnegie units for class credit - and see if we can't do better for all students.''
Wat Hopkins: ``Under some circumstances I would consider extending the day. Without more information, at this time I would not be in favor of extending the school year.''
Roanoke County
Catawba District:
William ``Bill'' Brown: ``I do not feel a longer school day is necessary. It is hard to fit in any activity after school already.''
John Reed: ``I am sure working mothers would appreciate a longer school day. Some of the extra time should be used for special activities - music, sports, school paper, study. I also would favor a full school year on a voluntary basis. Old habits are hard to break - even bad ones.''
Marion Roark: Did not respond.
Cave Spring District:
William Irvin III: ``Many studies are being done on these issues. I would support a longer day and/or year if it can be proven to substantially improve the quality of education.''
Carol White: ``Yes. Many areas have year-round schools. The advantages are that many children tend to forget a lot of things over a long summer break. More frequent, but shorter vacations, would decrease the amount of time spent on reviewing the previous year's material.''
Vern Jordahl: ``The number of hours that school children attend school in the U.S. is significantly below that of most other countries. The performance level of our students reflects these shorter school hours and shortened school year. Overstretched teachers are pressed for time to teach the subjects they must test. The result is that students are often tested on material that they have never really learned. ...''
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB