ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 25, 1997 TAG: 9703250073
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER THE ROANOKE TIMES
Roanoke County school officials expect many parents to fight the proposals.
Roanoke County should redraw attendance lines for schools rather than routinely expand buildings to ease overcrowding, a study committee says.
School officials must be willing to change attendance boundaries and risk dissent to save money, said the residents' panel, which has recommended a $120 million school improvement plan.
If approved, the recommendation would be a change in the schools' policy of making few revisions in attendance zones.
"It would be a difference in philosophy," Superintendent Deanna Gordon said.
In the past, school officials have often encountered strong opposition when they have proposed changing attendance boundaries.
School Board member Jerry Canada said the redistricting of students can "make logical sense" in some cases, but it can be an emotional issue for parents and children.
Canada said it might require more buses, too.
The committee said money is the easiest way to solve a problem, but it is rarely the best solution. The redistricting of students should be the county's priority for reducing school overcrowding, the panel said.
In addition to recommending a new policy approach, it proposed four specific boundary changes:
Move Mason's Cove Elementary from the Northside Middle and Northside High attendance zone to the Glenvar Middle and Glenvar High after an addition is built at Glenvar.
Transfer 40 to 60 pupils from Cave Spring Elementary to Back Creek Elementary at the beginning of the next school year.
Shift 80 to 100 pupils from Penn Forest Elementary to Clearbrook Elementary after Clearbrook has been renovated.
Build the proposed new high school in South Roanoke County in an area that would allow children from Mount Pleasant to attend it instead of William Byrd High School.
Without these changes, the cost for the school improvements would be higher, the panel said.
School officials said Monday that some parents apparently were unaware of the redistricting recommendations, which were overshadowed by proposals for new schools and renovations when the committee's report was released last week.
Ronald Hodges, Mason's Cove principal, said a few parents have voiced concern about shifting the school to the Glenvar attendance zone. It could require a long bus ride for some children, depending on how the buses are routed.
Ellen Walton, Mount Pleasant principal, said she hasn't heard much reaction to the redistricting recommendation because many parents apparently haven't heard about it.
Chairman Michael Stovall said the School Board will have a public meeting soon to hear residents' comments.
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