
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 11, 1990                   TAG: 9004110372
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: By SHARON HODGE SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

BOARD SENDS BACK MIDDLE-SCHOOL PLAN

A plan that would restructure Martinsville Junior High was sent back to educators for revisions by the city School Board on Tuesday.

Gayle Keith, principal of the junior high, said all schools with sixth, seventh and eighth grades must comply with state middle-school changes within five years.

If the School Board adopts the plan, Martinsville could be one of the leaders in middle-school planning, rather than a follower, Keith told School Board members. She added that special funding is available to pilot programs.

The plan, which would not require an increase in teaching staff, would place pupils in core groups of 100. Courses would be rotated within that group. Keith told the board that by matching teachers' personalities with pupils' needs, the team concept would offer pupils support during the difficult adjustment associated with the middle-school grades.

Board member Johnnie Jones said he was concerned how the needs of special education and gifted and talented pupils would be met. Chairman Worth Carter Jr. said he requested more detailed information on the number of teaching positions involved with the revised curriculum.

Keith said that with the middle-school concept, she will request changing the grading period from six weeks to nine weeks. She said she will postpone requesting a change in the grading period until the board approves the core-team plan.

by CNB