ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, March 7, 1996                TAG: 9603070027
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU 

SCHOOLS SEEK EARLIER START DATE

Montgomery County schools will seek the state's approval to begin the 1996-97 school year before Labor Day.

The county School Board voted Tuesday to ask the state Department of Education to waive the law requiring most of Virginia's school divisions to delay opening until after the holiday.

The law, known as the "King's Dominion Bill," causes school calendar problems in areas of Western Virginia that have severe winter weather and lots of snow days.

Schools that have at least eight snow days over a period of five years can apply for an exception to the law.

Montgomery schools have missed an average of 9.8 snow days over the past decade, school officials said. This year, 11 days have been missed, and another snow day will force the school to shorten its spring break.

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