ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 15, 1995 TAG: 9512150103
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Construction is to begin immediately on a gymnasium for Northside High School, even though $2.8 million to complete the project won't be assured until after an April 2 bond referendum.
Because Northside wants to have the gym ready for next year's basketball season, Roanoke County school officials have split the project into two phases so work can start.
The first phase will cost $3.1 million and include the erection of the shell structure for the gymnasium and other facilities. The School Board has enough money to cover this portion.
Thursday night, the board approved a contract with R.L. Price Construction Inc. of Salem for the initial phase. Homer Duff, director of facilities and operations for county schools, said the contractor has agreed to split the project and proceed, with the understanding that the second phase would be financed with funds from the bond referendum.
If voters reject the referendum, which also includes $33.6 million for a new Cave Spring High School, school officials still could seek funds from the Board of Supervisors to finish the Northside project.
Price submitted the low bid of $5.67 million for the gymnasium and other facilities, which was $2.5 million higher than the amount previously allocated. In addition, school officials need about $300,000 for equipment and furnishings.
The Board of Supervisors agreed earlier this week to include funds in the bond referendum to complete the Northside gym and related facilities.
The project also includes a 350-seat auditorium and four classrooms at Northside Middle School, which is near the high school. The gym will be used by the high school basketball team, but it will be built at the middle school.
On another matter Thursday night, school administrators were urged to correct problems in the county's special education program instead of attacking a recent federal report citing the program's deficiencies.
Lisa Merrill, who lost a bid for the Windsor Hills District seat on the School Board last year, told the board that school officials should quit blaming the report on misinformation.
"We spend a lot of time refuting the report, but I wish the time was spent on corrective action," said Merrill, the mother of a daughter in special education.
Merrill said she finds it difficult to believe that special education teachers and other school employees gave inaccurate information to investigators from the Office of Special Education Programs.
Eddie Kolb, director of pupil personnel services, told the board the report contains many inaccuracies. The federal investigators said the county does not offer counseling and an extended school year to special education students. Neither does it offer educable and trainable students the option of being placed in regular classrooms, the report said. But Kolb has disputed most of the findings.
The board also approved resolutions commending members Frank Thomas and Maurice "Buck" Mitchell for their service to county schools. It was the last meeting for the two longtime members.
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