ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 1, 1997 TAG: 9703030032
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Students at Hidden Valley Junior High School might not get the chance to trade their long summer vacation for shorter breaks during the next school year.
A proposal for an optional year-round schedule at the Roanoke County school apparently will hinge on whether the county can obtain grants or private funds to finance it.
And some county officials acknowledge that it might be difficult to obtain grant money in time for the next school year.
School Board member Jerry Canada said this week he would support the year-round plan only if the county can get grants to finance it for three or four years.
"The only way I'll vote for it is if we can get multiyear funding," Canada said.
Chairman Michael Stovall said he, too, is concerned about the potential cost of the plan in light of the county's budget pressures and school building needs.
School officials have developed a list of potential grants and contacted several funding organizations, but have received no commitments.
"The concern is whether at this late date we can get funds for next year," said Berkley Lucas, director of instructional personnel for county schools. "It's probably a little doubtful now."
School officials have estimated that it would cost about $140,000 a year to offer the year-round option.
Principal David Blevins said earlier that he is afraid that if the plan is delayed a year, students and parents would lose interest. Hidden Valley's Parent-Teacher Association supports the proposal.
The year-round plan would be voluntary, and the traditional schedule would still be offered.
Advocates of year-round schooling say it can help improve academic achievement and attendance; reduce burnout; provide remedial help sooner; and eliminate the need for review work in the fall, thereby providing more instruction time.
But some educators question its benefits and say it can be costly and disruptive. Some school systems in Florida discontinued year-round plans recently because of parent and teacher dissatisfaction and a lack of improvement in student achievement.
Paul Radike, a Roanoke County resident, told the board this week that there is scant evidence that year-round school helps improve academic achievement.
He said the Hidden Valley proposal is basically "just a dual calendar" that doesn't extend the school year or provide any benefits.
Year-round students would go to school 180 days a year, the same as in the traditional schedule. The year-round schedule calls for students to attend school for nine weeks and be off for three weeks throughout the year.
Radike said the county cannot justify spending money for the year-round plan when it faces severe budget pressures and more than $100 million in school building needs.
A residents' committee that has spent several months studying the county's school building needs will make its recommendations soon. The committee has urged the county not to fund new projects or programs until it makes its recommendations.
Stovall said he shared Radike's concerns, noting that he has received many letters and phone calls about the year-round proposal.
Critics of the American education system contend that the 180-day school calendar is outdated and that a longer school year is needed to prepare students to compete in the global economy.
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