THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 1, 1996 TAG: 9607300140
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Jon Glass
LENGTH: 86 lines
In its first meeting of the 1996-97 year last Thursday, the School Board re-elected Ulysses Turner chairman and elected Anita Poston vice chairwoman.
Turner, appointed by City Council in 1987, has served longer on the board than any current member. Board members first elected Turner chairman in 1994.
With unanimous board support, Turner begins his third one-year stint as chairman.
As vice chairwoman, Poston replaces former board member and vice chair Robert F. Williams, who was not re-appointed in June by City Council. Two years ago, after former chairwoman Lucy Wilson stepped off the board, Poston had challenged Turner for the chairmanship. Poston, appointed by City Council in 1990, is second in seniority in number of years on the board.
Turner said the school system had made progress toward its three goals during his past year as chairman: overall, records show, test scores were up, discipline violations were down and parental involvement increased. New principals named
After a relatively massive shifting of principals the past two school years, the coming year holds few changes: Only three schools will get new principals in 1996-97, and they all are the result of retirements.
School Superintendent Roy D. Nichols Jr. announced last week that Thomas McAnulty, who was acting senior director of personnel, will become principal of Sewells Point Elementary School. He replaces Bernard Chapel, who plans to retire this year.
The other two schools getting new principals are Lindenwood and Tidewater Park elementary. Shirley B. Pegram, former assistant principal at Granby Elementary, is replacing retiring Mamie Ratliff at Lindenwood.
Sylvia E. Spratley, former assistant principal at Coleman Place, will take over Tidewater Park from Jean Alexander, who also is retiring.
In the previous two years, Nichols had changed principals at 27 schools, including 16 in the 1994-95 school year after his first year in the job. The changes that year occurred largely as part of a realignment of school and central office staff. Nichols has said shuffling principals is a way to keep them fresh.
School spokesman George Raiss said no more changes in principal assignments are expected for the coming year. Volunteers add up
More than 10,000 people, including parents and community members from businesses, churches, civic groups, the military and other organizations, volunteered 185,892 hours in the city's schools during the past school year.
That's an increase over the 1994-95 year, when slightly more than 8,900 volunteers gave about 159,000 hours.
Superintendent Nichols reported last week that, at $5 per hour, the donated time and services during the 1995-96 year were worth $929,460.
In the coming year, the School Board hopes to better coordinate volunteer time, making sure that every school has specific tasks outlined for volunteers to help improve students' academic achievement. Budget adopted
The School Board last week officially adopted a $200.2 million operating budget to run the city's schools.
The budget includes nearly $5 million to provide average pay raises of 3.25 percent for teachers, administrators and classified employees such as secretaries and custodians.
The budget increased slightly more than $12 million over the previous year, a 6.4 percent increase. Buses getting new life
The School Board last week approved giving the city sheriff's office three surplus buses rather than sell them at auction for use in transporting jail inmates on work-release.
Superintendent Nichols said the buses were valued at $800 each, or a total of $2,400, but he recommended giving them to the sheriff's office, in large part because work-release participants have helped the school system save money.
A July 16 memo from the school system's budget office said the work-release participants during the past year worked in the school district's transportation department. The workers saved the school system $8,000 that had been budgeted to hire an outside contractor to clean the bus fleet inside and out, stated the memo from chief finance officer Mary Lou Roaseau.
The work-release participants also have helped with trash pick-up and various other custodial duties.
Nichols said the three buses, among nine that will be replaced this summer, had ``reached the end of their dependable life for us.''
KEYWORDS: NORFOLK SCHOOLS NORFOLK SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET APRROVE by CNB