Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 2, 1993 TAG: 9309020698
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-17 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
And school officials point to the 10-year record of the city's schools as a way of saying that bigness is not everything.
A decade ago, when Salem set up its own school system, many skeptics said the city did not have the resources to operate an independent school system.
But Salem officials scoffed.
In September 1986, three years into the new system, Superintendent Walter Hunt said, "Some people doubted that Salem could operate a quality school system. I think we have proved without a doubt that we can do better. It is more responsive to the needs of the people than when we were a part of Roanoke County and had absolutely no voice in decision-making."
Before 1983, Salem's schools were part of the Roanoke County system.
And today, as the Sept. 7 opening for the 1993-94 term nears, all Salem school administrators, teachers and other staff personnel are meeting at Salem High School in a staff convocation that is generally held every two years. A highlight of this event will be to commemorate the first 10 years of Salem schools as a separate division.
Featured speaker is Dr. Bill Purkey, an educational consultant from Greensboro, who will speak on "Invitational Learning" - ways to make schools attractive places.
Joe Kirby, director of instruction, said Purkey's talk is to begin about 10 a.m. and is open to the public.
Service pins will be awarded to 265 school employees who have been with the Salem system for the full 10 years.
Individual schools also plan events throughout the year to observe the 10-year anniversary.
Superintendent N. Wayne Tripp echoes the words of Hunt in 1986.
"Salem schools have been recognized as among the best in the state, nation and world," Tripp said.
They have been cited by the state and federal departments of education and the International Baccalaureate Organization, he said.
In the decade of independence, Tripp said, the school budget has risen from $11.3 million in 1983 to its current $19.5 million.
And teachers' salaries have advanced, he said.
In 1983, starting pay for a teacher in Salem was $13,500. Today it is $25,870.
In 1983, a teacher with 20 years experience was paid $21,200. Today the pay for a teacher with 23 years experience is $39,470.
"Our teacher salaries are the best in the Roanoke Valley," Tripp declared, "and among the best in Virginia."
Salem's schools have 264 teachers - up from 247 in 1983.
The school system had 412 employees in 1983. It now employs 438.
Tripp citied a long list of accomplishments which, he said, show that Salem's schools rank near the top. Among them are:
Students consistently scoring above state and national averages on all performance measures.
Students who have become a Rhodes Scholar, Jefferson Scholar, Echols Scholars, National Merit Scholars, Virginia Tech Presidential Scholars and National Vocational Award winners.
Extensive improvements to facilities, including a vocational wing to Salem High School in 1985; a $3.5 million renovation to Andrew Lewis Middle School in 1989-90; asbestos removal from all schools in 1985 and two additions under way at West Salem and South Salem elementary schools.
Establishment of new programs: Salem is one of first school systems in Virginia to have a Drug Abuse Resistance Education program; Salem High School is one of only three schools in Virginia to offer the International Baccalaureate program; all four of Salem's elementary schools are Physical Education Demonstration Schools; beginning this year, a Reading Recovery program will begin for first-graders having difficulty reading.
State and national awards of excellence have been awarded to Salem High School's art, music and literary programs.
In 1992, a Ninth Grade Transition Team was begun at Salem High School to ease the move from middle school to high school.
Salem was the first system in Virginia to require athletes and cheerleaders to sign pledges not to use alcohol or drugs. It also was among the first to ban the use of tobacco.
When Salem's one high school, one middle school and four elementary schools open Sept. 7, however, overall enrollment will be down, primarily because of a relatively small kindergarten class coming in, Kirby said.
It will be about 50 children smaller than the kindergarten class in the previous term.
But this drop is of no consequence, he said. "We have these fluctuations in enrollment."
Overall enrollment will be 3,660. In 1983, when Salem schools became independent, enrollment was 3,725.
Tripp said the low point in enrollment in the past 10 years was in 1987, when it dropped to 3,440.
"But we're on the rebound now," he said, noting that in the past 10 years the city has not increased its boundaries and has not had any major increase in population.
by CNB