ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 3, 1997 TAG: 9704030006
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER THE ROANOKE TIMES
The goal is to make it easier for families to schedule vacations that won't conflict with school.
Soon, families and students in Roanoke County can schedule their 1999 vacations so they won't conflict with the school calendar.
School officials have started working on the calendar for the 1999-2000 school year.
They've already completed the school schedule for the next two years - 1997-98 and 1998-99.
The School Board has approved the 1997-98 calendar and is expected to approve the 1998-99 schedule this month.
County schools will open Aug. 25 in the upcoming school year and Aug. 24 in 1998.
School officials are planning further ahead because they want parents, students and teachers to know the school schedule.
In the past, parents complained that they had already planned vacations or other trips when the school calendar was adopted.
Roanoke County qualifies for a waiver for opening school before Labor Day through 1999-2000, said James Gallion, assistant superintendent.
Localities can obtain waivers if they have missed an average of at least eight days because of bad weather in at least five out of the prior 10 years, Gallion said.
The county tries to open schools before Labor Day so it will have more options to make up days that are missed.
The opening date for Roanoke and Salem is expected to coincide with Roanoke County's in the upcoming year.
At its meeting next week, the Roanoke School Board will consider a calendar that calls for city schools also to open Aug. 25. City school officials also are discussing the proposed 1998-99 calendar, but the board may not be asked to approve it now.
Roanoke County schools will get a full two-week winter break during the next two years. The county's spring break will be a week and one day each year.
The calendar for each school year includes seven days to make up for bad weather without taking away Saturdays or vacations and without increasing the length of the school day.
Gallion said school officials will look into the possibility of scheduling "remediation time" in the 1999-2000 calendar to provide special assistance to students who have fallen behind or encountered problems in their studies.
He said the calendars for the next two years are based on the traditional school year and do not include year-round schooling or block scheduling, which are being studied.
School officials proposed an optional year-round schedule for Hidden Valley Junior High for next year, but the School Board rejected the plan because of a lack of funds.
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