Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 29, 1990 TAG: 9006290072
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KARIN ROBBINS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Medium
Gillispie said, "We've had good memories for sure. When I see this I can think about some all-night meetings we've had. I think we have a lot to be proud of in our school system, thanks to a lot of hard work from our employees and administration, and I can look forward to reading the newspapers about the continued growth."
When asked if he planned to run for a seat on the Giles County Board of Supervisors next year, Gillispie said, "At the moment I have no plans to run, although a lot of people have called to ask me that."
Gillispie plans to focus on environmental issues. He represents the real-estate sector in a three-year program that involves five states. The program is funded by the Clinch River Association.
"The emphasis of the group is to take measures to try to reclaim the land . . . especially in the southwestern Appalachian region," he said.
"We are hoping to establish a severance tax to create trust funds and replenish the land."
Other board members praised Gillispie, who is being replaced by Bruce Hedrick Jr.
Board member Ronald Whitehead said, "I served one year with you Kerry, but I remember several years ago you were a student of mine."
McCracken said, "A lot of my decision to come here was based on what you shared with me as an applicant for the position."
McCracken also praised Gillispie for his professionalism.
In another School Board matter, McCracken announced a plan to convey positive attitudes about the county's schools.
"I am trying to issue a personal challenge on the basis that if everyone shares one positive comment a week about the students, job performance, anything involving the public schools, that will generate over 150,000 positive comments for the schools system."
Included in McCracken's plan to get positive responses to the parents is a newsletter that goes out to parents twice a year - once at Christmas and once at the end of the school year.
School Board Chairman J.B. Buckland said that for the coming year teachers would receive one paid personal leave day. Currently, teachers receive two unpaid personal leave days.
Although teachers in the audience joked with Buckland, saying they had been asking for paid personal personal leave for about 12 years, he said "this the first time we've had money in the budget for paid personal leave."
Regarding corporal punishment, McCracken said, "The policy on corporal punishment was corrected in July 1989, when it was a new mandate that corporal punishment no longer be administered."
Yet, corporal punishment still is included in student handlbooks and various sets of written rules. That is merely an "editorial problem," McCracken said.
by CNB