THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 4, 1995 TAG: 9505020090
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Jon Glass
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Nichols' pact extended
In a unanimous show of support for Superintendent Roy D. Nichols Jr., the School Board last week voted to extend his contract for another four years.
Nichols, who is nearing the end of his second year, said he plans to accept the offer.
``I have no interest in leaving,'' Nichols said. ``I'm excited about that and I'm flattered the board would consider doing that.''
Nichols was superintendent of schools in Marietta, Ga., before he was recruited in 1993 to replace Gene Carter, who left after nine years as superintendent for an executive director position with an international educators group in Alexandria.
Board Chairman Ulysses Turner said Nichols had ``met or exceeded'' the goals set out for him by the School Board.''
``Under your leadership community involvement in the schools is up, student achievement is up, the average daily attendance is up and more students are passing the Literacy Passport Test,'' Turner said. ``We are very pleased with your performance.''
The board hired Nichols on a three-year contract. Turner said the board, which met in closed session to discuss the matter, decided to drop the third year and offer a new four-year contract.
Nichols now earns a base salary of $117,200. Details on salary and other benefits in the new contract will be negotiated later, board members said.
Magnet school resolution
The School Board last week passed a resolution to ``limit racial isolation'' in the city's schools as part of its plan to apply for a federal grant to create a cluster of ``magnet'' schools of choice.
Superintendent Nichols earlier this year announced an ambitious proposal calling for nearly a dozen magnet schools, which would focus on specialized fields of study such as math and science, the arts and foreign language and international issues.
Nichols said last week that his initial effort will focus on creating magnet programs at the city's 10 majority-black community schools. The goal, he said, will be to attract white students into the schools.
Nichols said he wants ``to try to make some dramatic changes in our inner-city schools.''
The district could receive up to $12 million over three years.
Passing the resolution was required to be considered for the money, Nichols said. In part, the resolution read: ``All new magnet schools will have voluntary student enrollment with the purpose of strengthening academic opportunities and to eliminate, reduce and/or prevent minority group isolation.''
KEYWORDS: NORFOLK SCHOOLS by CNB