ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 15, 1996 TAG: 9603150085
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Neither snow nor ice will halt the spring break for Roanoke County students.
Despite missing 13 days because of bad weather this winter, county students will get a full week off in April.
A divided School Board voted Thursday night to lengthen the school day by 10 minutes to help make up the lost time rather than reduce the spring break.
Representatives for the Roanoke County Education Association - a teachers' organization - and the County Council of the Parent-Teacher Association favored the longer day over a shorter break.
County schools will be closed April 8-12.
Roanoke students will get only a two-day break, April 8-9. The city School Board voted earlier to use three days of break to make up missed days.
County board member Thomas Leggette, who voted to keep the full break, said a majority of parents who contacted him favored the longer school day. Leggette said he believes the longer day will provide quality instruction time.
"I have found that longer classes often lead to better learning experiences," said Leggette, who has taught at a community college.
But board Chairman Jerry Canada, who wanted to use part of the break to make up some missed days, said he's not sure that a longer day will provide the same quality of instruction.
"This is a no-win situation for the board. I respect the board's decision, but I can't support the motion," Canada said. "I think we have an obligation to make up the lost time in the way that will provide the best quality time."
With the longer school day, the county will make up six missed days and use "banked" time to make up the other seven. Banked time is accumulated instructional time beyond the state minimum requirement of 51/2 hours a day, or 990 hours a year.
Students will attend 173 days this year, compared with a normal year of 180 days.
Board member Marion Roark said she shared Canada's concerns, saying she doesn't like to use so much banked time to make up the missed days.
The vote to keep the full break was 3-2, with Canada and Roark dissenting. Board members Michael Stovall and William Irvin joined Leggette in supporting the longer day to gain additional banked time.
James Gallion, assistant superintendent, said the 10 minutes will be added in the afternoon beginning April 1. Children will continue to be picked up at the same time in the morning, but will return home 10 minutes later.
Under the new schedule, the day for elementary schools will extend from 7:50 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. High schools' days will run from 8:25 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
County students might start to school before Labor Day next year because they have had so many snow days in recent years. School officials said that would help the schools avoid facing a similar decision on spring break next year if there is a lot of bad weather.
The county is eligible for a waiver from the state ban on a pre-Labor Day opening because it has averaged nine missed days during five of the past 10 years.
Localities are allowed to open early if they have averaged eight missed days during five of the past 10 years because of bad weather.
Gallion told the board that the county's calendar committee will submit an option that would call for school to begin before Labor Day. The board may make a decision next month on next year's opening day.
Several board members said the county ought to build more makeup days into next year's calendar so it will be better prepared if there are many missed days.
"I think we ought to include days that we can let the children off if we don't need them," Leggette said. "It will be easier to have days that we don't need rather than trying to find makeup days."
"This has been an extraordinary winter," Superintendent Deanna Gordon said. "Let's hope we don't have another like this next year."
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