ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, January 19, 1997               TAG: 9701200063
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: B-4  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER  STAFF WRITER

COUNTY SEEKS INPUT ON SCHOOL BUILDINGS

Roanoke County residents can voice their opinions on the county's school buildings at a series of community meetings in the next two weeks.

A 22-member committee that is studying the physical condition of all 28 schools in the county has scheduled the meetings to hear from parents and others before making its recommendations to the School Board in early March.

All of the meetings will begin at 7 p.m. and will be held in the libraries at the county's high schools. The schedule is: William Byrd, Tuesday; Northside, Wednesday; Cave Spring, Thursday; and Glenvar, Jan. 29.

The study committee was appointed by the School Board and Board of Supervisors after the defeat of a $37.4 million school bond referendum last April.

School officials decided to undertake the countywide study to counter complaints of favoritism during the bond referendum campaign last spring. Ninety percent of the money in the defeated issue would have been spent on a new Cave Spring High School, with smaller amounts for half a dozen other projects.

The bond issue was approved by voters in Southwest County, but it was rejected overwhelmingly in other parts of the county.

Martin & Associates, a Roanoke Valley architectural and engineering firm, has worked with the committee to assess the school needs.

Committee members, architects, engineers and educators have made at least five visits to each school as part of the six-month study.

At each school, a local group was established to identify the needs and meet with committee members and consultants during the site visits.

Marty Robison, assistant superintendent, said the committee wants to give residents a final opportunity to express any concerns before reviewing the data and preparing a report.

The meetings will be held only to receive comments, he said. No recommendations or proposals will be made at the sessions by the committee members or consultants.

Representatives from the consultant team and committee will be at the meetings to record the residents' views.

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