THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 11, 1996 TAG: 9609100121
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Aleta Payne
LENGTH: 72 lines
PRO LITERACY
Although the vote was 8 to 3 on a motion to keep the Literacy Center open foranother year, extending the life of the highly successful remedial program was supported unanimously. Board members Daniel J. Arris, Tim Jackson and chairman Robert F. Hagans voted against the motion because it added the administrative responsibilities for the center to those already held by Hazel Jessee, principalof the Kemps Landing Magnet School, which shares a site with the center.
The three board members were concerned about shifting the administrative duties but did not oppose continuing the program unchanged. Literacy Center principal Robert R. Ambrose has been assigned for the time being to an assistant principal's job at the Career Development Center.
ARCHITECTURAL DEBATE
At their last meeting, some board members had questions about the city's nexthigh school, scheduled to open in 2001 in the Lake Ridge area off Princess Anne Road. The board had been asked to approve a $1.5 million contract for architectural and engineering services for the $41 million project, which has been in planning since January.
Board members had questions about the project, including the possibility of saving money by using plans from the division's newest high schools - Ocean Lakes and Tallwood. Although smaller than either school, the new high school will cost substantially more, which school officials attribute to spiraling construction costs.
Additional information provided at this meeting included the problems related to shrinking the plans for Ocean Lakes and Tallwood, both of which are larger by more than 15,000 square feet than Lake Ridge high school is planned to be.
The board was also told that one-third of the classrooms at Tallwood have no windows - a design the division is moving away from as it battles indoor air quality problems at some of its schools. And lingering community criticism over some of the architectural features at Ocean Lakes could raise questions over using that design again.
Still, board members questioned ways to trim the cost of new plans. Paul J. Lanteigne, who represents the Pungo Borough, suggested the possibility of sharing plans with another division building a high school during the same time frame.
Board members will once again be asked to vote on approving the fees for the architectural and engineering services at their next meeting.
MEETINGS ALTERED
Board members agreed to try doing things a little differently at their next two meetings. After previous discussions of how to shorten meetings and how to make them more accessible to the public, the board will try different starting times for the meetings with set times for recognition, public comment and disciplinary hearings involving students.
The meeting on Sept. 17 will begin at 3:30 followed by some closed session matters, the superintendent's report and committee reports. Recognitions and citizen's comments will take place at 6 p.m. followed by action and information items and the financial report. At 7:30 p.m., the board will return to closed session to hear student disciplinary matters. They will return to open session for voting and to hear board concerns.
The Oct. 1 meeting will follow the same format but at later times, with a 6 p.m. start, recognition and the hearing of citizens at 8 p.m. and students disciplinary matters at 9:30 p.m.
The board will have to vote to keep the new format after the trial period.
GOING FOR THE GOALS
The board formally approved the strategic planning goals created during a July retreat. Total quality management and continuous improvement will be imbedded in all eight of areas of focus. They are: curriculum, safe schools and discipline, finance, technology, diversity, employee development and accountability, community and parent involvement, and board efficiency. by CNB