Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 17, 1993 TAG: 9308170009
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOANNE ANDERSON
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
At BETHEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, the "Wee Deliver" program, an in-school mail service, was so successful at its debut last year that it will be an integral part of school life in the coming year, according to principal Luther Kirk. Here's how it works:
Each classroom has a name. Last year, there was Kindergarten Alley, Bookasaurus Lane, Kesler Knoll, Senior Lane (the fifth-grade class, of course, the highest in the school) and others. The administration office was Public Square. Each pupil, teacher and staff member had a number.
Thus, every person working in or attending Bethel Elementary had an address.
A directory was compiled and published by the kids.
Sometimes pupils in the higher grades wrote to younger children, or they wrote to the secretaries, teachers or other students. Kirk said he received a lot of mail.
The children were responsible for picking up the mail, sorting and delivering it.
School Business Days at CHRISTIANSBURG MIDDLE SCHOOL will be Sept. 1, 7-9 p.m., and Sept. 2, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
During these times, parents may pay school fees in the gymnasium for textbooks, $26; lockers, $3; and an optional physical education uniform, $16.
Parents will receive students schedules, applications and registration forms, the school's annual report and student handbook.
A student-assignment notebook may be purchased for $3.50.
For more information, call Bill Fletcher or Barbara Clark at 382-5168.
\ RIVERLAWN SCHOOL, off Virginia 114 in the Fairlawn section of Pulaski County, will hold an open house Sept. 1 at 3:30-7 p.m.
Parents will receive their child's class assignment and school information. The book-rental fee of $22 will be collected.
Parents are asked to have correct change or to write a check to Riverlawn School.
\ BELVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in Radford will collect book-rental fees of $26 per pupil on Aug. 30, Aug. 31 and Sept. 2, 7 a.m.-5 p.m., and on Sept. 1, 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
Orientation for kindergartners and new pupils will be Sept. 2 at 10 a.m.
\ CHRISTIANSBURG PRIMARY SCHOOL will hold orientation for kindergarten pupils and their parents on Sept. 1, 7-9 p.m.
Children and parents may meet the teachers and pay the $26-per-pupil book-rental fee.
First- and second-graders and parents may meet teachers and pay fees on Sept. 2, 1-4 p.m.
For more information, call 382-5175.
While the students are camping, swimming and relaxing on summer vacation, many teachers are taking turns at being students.
\ NANCY KENT and SANDRA CAUTHEN of Dublin Middle School and SU-SU SADLER and LARRY ALTIZER of Pulaski Middle School have been designated lead teachers for the Virginia Quality Education in Sciences and Technology initiative.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the project's goal is to help young people understand science and math and acquire skills, knowledge and attitudes that can help them in everyday life. The teachers spent two weeks in July learning about the program.
As lead teachers, they will stay current on trends in math and science, and help determine school needs, pick instructional materials and manage math and science equipment and supplies.
Several New River Valley teachers attended a "TEACHING ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS" course offered by the Center for Economic Education at Virginia Tech in July.
"Economic illiteracy is a big problem," said Mike Ellerbrock, the center's director and teacher of the class.
"This class will help teachers fuse economics into other school subjects or create a separate economics class."
Participants received three graduate credits, along with housing, food, books and expenses during the two-week course.
The program was funded with grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and other organizations.
The VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY and VIRGINIA TECH'S DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY are offering a one-credit graduate course on entomology for elementary teachers for teacher recertification during the fall semester.
The course is designed to provide training in entomology so teachers can easily incorporate studies of insects in the science curriculum.
The 13-hour class will meet four consecutive Thursday evenings, 6-8, from Sept. 23 through Oct. 14, and one Saturday for a field trip on Oct. 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
For more information, call Reese Voshell at 231-5707 or the museum at 231-3001.
Of course, not all students are swimming, camping and relaxing:
Ninth-grader\ ELIZABETH WEBB of Blacksburg Middle School spent nearly two weeks in Bemidji, Minn., at the Spanish language village of Concordia College.
Each year the college selects young people to attend its unique program of language instruction, living experiences and cultural lessons.
Webb was issued a passport, exchanged her money and participated in celebrations of Spanish holidays and historical events.
She is the daughter of Clark Webb and Peg Sorrentino of Blacksburg.
Joanne Anderson is filling in for Melissa DeVaughn, who is hiking the Appalachian Trail. If you have an interesting news item from your school, please write to Classnotes at the New River Current in care of the Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley Bureau, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, Va. 24073.
by CNB