ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, September 14, 1996 TAG: 9609160102
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Pulaski County school officials will be seeking more than $500,000 for five building maintenance projects from the county Board of Supervisors.
The School Board chose the five from a list of "critical needs," in the words of Superintendent Bill Asbury.
The projects include: a roof replacement at Newbern Elementary School; roofing over the band and choral section of the Pulaski County High School building; an electrical service upgrade at Claremont Elementary School; and two upgrades at Dublin Middle School - an elevator to allow access for the disabled and modifications to make restrooms accessible to the disabled.
"We have no funds for these projects in our budget. We're asking the Board of Supervisors to help us," Asbury said. "We've invested over $2 million in the past five years [in building upgrades] and we still have severe needs ... We have to do major work on our buildings."
A number of the computers at Claremont Elementary cannot be used, he said, because the electrical wiring is inadequate to handle them. "We're at the point now where we have to scream bloody murder to someone to help us," Asbury said.
"We can't act because we don't have the money. We react when the roof falls in," board member Rhea Saltz said.
The Pulaski School Board approved Jeff Bain's motion to seek the money from the Board of Supervisors. "Our needs are very real and they've got to be met," Bain said.
The board also promoted Ronnie Nichols as the school system's director of operations and transportation.
Nichols had been the assistant director under Harry DeHaven, who died Aug. 22 after 26 years with the school system. The board recognized DeHaven's professional and personal accomplishments Thursday night, which Associate Superintendent Phyllis Bishop noted would have been DeHaven's birthday.
The board learned that Nancy Ballinger, the school system's gifted and talented coordinator, has resigned to take a similar position in Montgomery County. Pulaski County will be advertising for candidates to replace her, as well as interviewing for a new school psychologist position approved by the board Thursday.
Eddie Simmers, parent of a Pulaski County High School student, noted that the school has dropped its cross-country team and suggested that the board allow another option for students interested in cross country running: a part-time or volunteer coach or letting students' parents transport them to another school where the sport is sanctioned by the Virginia High School League. The last option would allow Pulaski County students to compete in their own school's name, except in district competition, but train at the school where the activity is VHSL-sanctioned.
The board voted to stay in Virginians for Improved Education, the organization that grew out of a coalition of mostly rural school systems working to eliminate what it called disparities in state funding of education. The organization meets next week in Roanoke to decide its direction and activities for the coming year in providing a voice for rural schools in Richmond.
Asbury has been asked to succeed Kenneth Walker as the group's chairman. He said he has not decided whether to accept because it would involve a commitment of time "I'm not sure I've got."
LENGTH: Medium: 64 linesby CNB