THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609130219
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Denise Watson
LENGTH: 82 lines
Here's a look at some of the action from Monday night's School Board meeting. Capital improvement
The board held the first public hearing on the proposed capital improvement plan, the district's guide for projects costing $100,000 or more. No citizens showed up to discuss the 10-year plan, but school officials highlighted portions of the first five years of the proposal:
Spending $197.5 million on 23 projects, including construction, addition and renovation work;
Building two new middle schools and three elementary schools during the next five years;
And buying eight land sites for future schools.
Board members discussed meeting soon with the City Council to request money and begin architectural plans for schools in January or February, instead of waiting until March when the Council typically approves the school system's budget.
``That two months could give us the extra time needed to complete projects on time,'' board member James J. Wheaton said, in light of ongoing construction at Hickory High School which opened for classes on Sept. 3.
Wheaton also contested one point in the CIP which called for deplaying construction on an additional elementary school in the Southeastern area of the city. Southeastern Elementary is near capacity yet school officials want to delay construction of a new school until 1998 instead of beginning this year.
Len Wright, director of planning and development, said growth in that area is tapering off and officials need to monitor growth patterns over the next two years to choose the best location for the school. Wheaton suggested holding the work for only one year and revisiting the issue next year.
The second public hearing and a School Board vote on the plan will be on Monday, Sept. 30.
Attendance zone
Director of Planning and Development Len Wright outlined proposed attendance zone changes that will send sixth, seven and eighth graders to the new middle school on Cedar Road when it's completed in September of 1997.
Wright said that after reviewing such criteria as allowing for transportation efficiency and population growth, the school district is offering two options:
Option 1 which will have a boundary line moving south from the Portsmouth-Chesapeake city line to Military Highway South between Route 17 (George Washington Highway North) and Deep Creek Boulevard. The boundary then follows Route 17 to the Deep Creek waterway and continues along the waterway to the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River. School officials prefer this option.
Option 2 will have a boundary line moving south from the Portsmouth-Chesapeake city line along Cavalier Boulevard to Military Highway South. The boundary then follows Military Highway South to the east before moving south along Route 17 to the Deep Creek waterway. The boundary then follows the Deep Creek waterway to the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River.
Both options cut through the Deep Creek Elementary attendance zone.
The next session on the zone changes will be held Monday, Oct. 14.
Construction progress
School officials said construction will continue at Hickory High School untilthe end of December.
While the gymnasium area, chorus and band rooms are scheduled to be completed in mid-October; work on the auditorium isn't expected to be completed until the end of the semester.
Students have also been relying on boxed lunches while work and testing continues on the cafeteria, but officials hope the cafeteria will be ready to prepare hot meals this week. by CNB