ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 31, 1996 TAG: 9604010098
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: Guest Column
SOURCE: SHARON P. TROY
The Blacksburg Middle School PTA Board is disappointed and frustrated with the Montgomery County School Board and the Board of Supervisors for continuing to postpone a decision to move forward on a new middle school. The board is dismayed that the recommendations of the Facility Use Space Study Committee are being disregarded.
This committee included a teacher and a parent from each Blacksburg elementary, middle and high school. It held public meetings and heard many strong and conflicting opinions. After considering the pros and cons of building a new school vs. renovating the existing one, and purchasing land vs. building on site, the study committee reached an ingenious compromise: Keep the present site but build a new building on it. After completing the new school, the old building would be razed and the existing football field would be relocated.
The committee had good reasons for its recommendation. Among the more obvious ones are disruption of education and safety during construction. Also, the presence of asbestos in the existing building could make the cost of renovation equal or exceed the cost of a whole new building. Need we remind you of the Squires [Student Center] renovation at Virginia Tech?
Enrollment at Blacksburg Middle School is causing many problems. Classes, hallways, restrooms and gyms are filled far beyond the capacity for effective teaching and safety. Students are eating lunch at 10:08 a.m. The cafeteria noise exceeds acceptable standards. We invite the School Board and the Board of Supervisors to visit and eat lunch at 10:08 a.m., rush down over-crowded halls, attend a manic gym class, try to find a restroom, and learn something. Perhaps they will LEARN that it is time to move forward and begin plans to follow the recommendations of their space study committee.
The PTA Board finds the location of eight trailers that serve as classrooms to be an embarrassment to our community and county. These trailers stand out each day and tell the community how we value education locally. Other school systems use trailers to meet short-term needs. These trailers have been at our school for the past four years and unless we move forward quickly, they will likely be there another four.
Parents, please call, e-mail, or write your School Board representative and your County Supervisor today before they meet once again on April 9 to "re-visit" this aging issue.
Sharon P. Troy is president of the Blacksburg Middle School PTA.
LENGTH: Medium: 51 linesby CNB