THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 24, 1996 TAG: 9603230105
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Vanee Vines
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
Here's a look at some of the action taken at Thursday's School Board meeting: Budget talks
The board briefly reviewed the proposed 1996-97 operating budget, which was released last week.
Overall, the $92.9 million spending plan is 9 percent more than the operating budget for this school year.
Most of the extra cash would come from the state and would be used to cover salaries and fringe benefits for new teachers; and to buy books.
The proposed plan also calls for a 5 percent increase - or $1.2 million more than the $24.2 million received for this school year - in the annual check from the city.
That would pay for postponed maintenance work, administrators said.
The district is seeking nearly 72 new workers. More than half of them would be reading teachers - one for each elementary school - or teachers hired to help reduce class size in kindergarten through third grade.
The proposed pay raise is 3.5 percent.
The board will vote on the budget this coming week and then submit it to City Council for approval.
The $1.2 million increase in local money basically would restore the $1 million cut in local 1995-96 funding.
At this point, however, the city's proposed operating budget for 1996-97 keeps local dollars for schools at the same level provided for 1995-96. Grad titles kept; new grading scale
The board unanimously voted to keep the valedictorian and salutatorian distinctions for seniors - while creating three new groupings to honor more academically talented graduates.
Beginning next school year in all three high schools, top students will be recognized with summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude labels.
The two senior class graduates with the highest and second-highest grade-point averages traditionally are named valedictorian and salutatorian.
In the past, seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or above also graduated with ``honor status.''
Some key details of the new policy to honor more graduates:
Students graduating with a GPA above 4.00 will be named summa cum laude; 3.75 to 4.00, magna cum laude; 3.50 to 3.749, cum laude; 3.00 to 3.49, ``honor'' graduate.
If the number five or above is in the hundredths column - before rounding - the GPA will be rounded up; if it's four or below, the GPA will be rounded down. Example: 3.44 will round to 3.4; 3.45 will round to 3.5.
A student cannot expect to have his GPA rounded to meet the minimum GPA required for one of the groupings. A 2.99 GPA, for example, will not be rounded to a 3.0 to fall into the ``honor'' graduate category.
Class rank will still be computed.
The board also approved a new grading scale.
Portsmouth's grading scale, one of the region's toughest, now tops out with an A grade assigned for scores of 95 or better.
In other area districts, an A is assigned for minimum scores ranging from 90 to 94, for instance. Under the new scale, to take effect next school year:
An A will be assigned for scores of 94 to 100. Current grading scale: 95 to 100.
A grade of B, 84 to 93. Current scale: 86 to 94.
A grade of C, 74 to 83. Current: 76 to 85.
A grade of D, 68 to 73. Current: 70 to 75.
An F grade, 67 and below. Current: 69 and below. Transportation scaled back
Beginning next school year, the district will no longer provide transportation to about 151 elementary students now enrolled at out-of-zone community schools they did not attend in 1994-95.
The board, concerned about the potential growth of elementary school busing under the ``open enrollment'' plan, urged the administration to stop busing students who fall into that category.
Such students are not ``grandfathered'' to attend out-of-zone community schools and will no longer be eligible for transportation.
Other elementary students who are now eligible for transportation will continue to get it, however.
And open enrollment will still allow elementary students to attend a school other than the assigned community school - when space is available.
The board unanimously approved the change.
Critics of school-choice plans say districts that don't offer blanket transportation to schools of choice penalize disadvantaged kids who lack the means to get to the desired schools.
After Thursday's meeting, several board members said the district couldn't afford to keep providing the service for all elementary students. Calendar approved
The board approved the 1996-97 calendar, which mirrors this year's calendar with 181 teaching days.
The 15-minute extension to the school day will be dropped at the end of this school year.
The board took that step to help make up days schools closed because of inclement weather.
For 1996-97, the board gave Superintendent Richard Trumble the authority to schedule make-up days for time lost because of bad weather.
KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH SCHOOL BOARD by CNB