THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 14, 1995 TAG: 9505120192
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
As Suffolk prepares to break ground for a new elementary school next month, school officials and the City Council are already talking about building a second school to cope with an influx of students.
The Suffolk School District is now up to 2 percent growth, a rise caused mostly by development in the Harbour View area in northern Suffolk, according to retiring Superintendent Beverly Cox III.
As a result, Mayor S. Chris Jones suggested building two new elementary schools simultaneously. However, because the city is currently funding both the new elementary school and a new courthouse facility, there is little chance that two schools could be built in the near future.
``We've got to do minimal work on elementary schools now,'' said Jones, adding that more planning was needed for the future.
The School Board and the City Council met Wednesday night during an informal dinner at the Holiday Inn. The purpose was to touch base after the City Council approved the school district's budget of about $51 million last week.
Some council members said that the city was not looking toward the future in planning for school growth. This lack of planning has resulted in some elementary schools working at full capacity and using temporary classrooms to house students.
Councilman Charles F. Brown and J. Samuel ``Sammy'' Carter both said they were frustrated with temporary classrooms at various elementary schools, saying the temporary classrooms are a pall on Suffolk's school system.
``Temporary classrooms take away from education,'' said Brown.
As a result of this frustration, Jones suggested that the School District develop a long-range plan, telling the council where growth is expected, what it needs to handle that growth and how much it will cost.
``And we'd like that as soon as possible,'' added Jones.
There was talk of a tax increase. And despite a national trend against increasing taxes, Jones said, ``we've got to be willing to do what needs to be done.''
``We built those three new elementary schools, and we thought our work was done,'' said Jones. ``Everyone talked for three years. And instead of building a school every year, we put it off. Now, we've got to have a plan that makes sense.''
The newest elementary schools are Elephant's Fork, Kilby Shores and Nansemond Parkway.
Later in the meeting, Councilman Richard Harris said the schools and the City Council must get away from ``turf issues'' and combine efforts. ``Until we do,'' said Harris, ``we're going to have problems.''
The city now operates 10 high schools, three middle schools and 10 elementary schools for about 9,500 students. by CNB