DATE: Wednesday, April 16, 1997             TAG: 9704160477

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: STAFF REPORT

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   24 lines

CITY WON'T CLOSE COOKE, OFFICIALS ASSURE WORRIERS

City officials want to dispel any myths about W.T. Cooke Elementary School closing, they said Tuesday.

There are no proposals by the City Council or the School Board to close Cooke or transfer students, said E. Dean Block, the city's budget director.

Cooke is one of eight schools being considered for modernization and renovation. But because of the needs at Cooke, the Beach's oldest school, it has been pushed to the head of the list of this modernization package.

School officials asked City Council for money to modernize Cooke in fiscal year 1997-98, which begins July 1, but city officials denied that request.

City officials have proposed, instead, asking voters in a referendum in November 1998 whether they support spending an estimated $40 million to modernize the eight schools.

Superintendent Timothy R. Jenney said Tuesday no decision on how to proceed on Cooke could be made until design work is done on the school. KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOLS

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