ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 18, 1997 TAG: 9704180065
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER THE ROANOKE TIMES
The next academic year is set, but residents can express their views on the following two terms in May.
Like their counterparts in Roanoke County, students and parents in Roanoke can now plan more accurately for the next several years.
City school officials have developed calendars through the year 2000 so families can schedule vacations and other activities to avoid conflicts with schools.
The School Board has approved the schedule for the next school year and will take action next month on the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 calendars.
Schools will open before Labor Day in all three years. Starting dates will be Aug. 25 for the next academic year, Aug. 31 in 1998 and Aug. 30 in 1999.
To give residents a chance to express their views, the board has delayed formal approval of the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 calendars until its May meeting.
"If anybody objects, this will give them a chance to do it," said Harry Davis, a board member.
Roanoke can qualify for a pre-Labor Day opening because it operates a regional special education program with Roanoke County, Superintendent Wayne Harris said.
Localities can obtain permission from the state to open before Labor Day if they have missed an average of at least eight days because of bad weather in at least five out of the prior 10 years.
Roanoke hasn't missed enough days to qualify for a waiver alone, but it can open before Labor Day because Roanoke County has met the requirement, Harris said.
School officials prefer to open before Labor Day because it gives them more options to make up missed days. The legislature has rejected repeated requests by schools in Western Virginia to lift the ban on pre-Labor Day openings.
Roanoke will have two full weeks for winter break and a full week for spring break during the next school year. Schools will be closed on Memorial Day, and the last day will be June 10. Four makeup days are built into the calendar for next year planned.
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