THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 20, 1996 TAG: 9610180200
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 60 lines
Here's a look at some of the action taken at Monday night's meeting of the Chesapeake School Board: Middle school rezoning
School Board members discussed proposed attendance zone changes that will send sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders to the new middle school on Cedar Road when it is completed in September 1997.
Two options are being considered:
Option 1 has a boundary line running south from the Portsmouth-Chesapeake city limits to Military Highway South between Route 17 (George Washington Highway North) and Deep Creek Boulevard. The boundary follows Route 17 to the Deep Creek waterway and continues along the waterway to the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River. Officials prefer this option.
Option 2 has a boundary line running south from the Portsmouth-Chesapeake city limits along Cavalier Boulevard to Military Highway South. The boundary follows Military Highway South east before moving south along Route 17 to the Deep Creek waterway and follows the Deep Creek waterway to the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River.
The next session and public hearing on the zone changes will be on Oct. 28. Site acquisition
The School Board members approved hiring a land acquisition consultant to help the district locate and purchase school sites.
The consultant will help find the land, research zone and title issues and negotiate a reasonable market price for the school system. School officials are willing to pay up to $35,000 per site for the work.
Board members approved a ``one-shot'' deal - meaning a consultant would go through the purchasing process once and then school officials and board members will evaluate the work. If they're satisfied, the consultant would be hired for additional work.
Superintendent W. Randolph Nichols and assistant superintendent for operations Steven Gilbert had requested the help at previous meetings. They've said they didn't have the staff expertise to handle the numerous land purchases the district will have to make in the future. Hickory construction
The architect in charge of construction of Hickory High School, William Deal, told the board that the school's gymnasium and girls' and boys' locker rooms should be completed between Nov. 15 and Dec. 1. The auditorium and surrounding classes, including the band and choral rooms, will be completed no later than Jan. 1.
These deadlines were pushed back from a mid-October completion for the gym and mid-December for the auditorium.
The school's football stadium will be ready for the homecoming game on Oct. 25, but concession stands and restrooms will not be working. Deal said the contractor will make temporary provisions for those areas, however.
Deal asked board members, who have been frustrated with construction delays, to be more understanding. A wetter-than-normal summer and snowy winter delayed the contractor's work, he said, and the contractor, A.D. Whittaker of Ashland, was too optimistic on deadlines.
But when asked if he felt the latest deadlines were feasible, Deal said, ``I suspect these deadlines will slip also.'' by CNB