ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 23, 1997 TAG: 9704230046
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER THE ROANOKE TIMES
Mike Stovall, chairman of the School Board, said his priority if re-elected will be renovating the schools and upgrading classroom technology.
Seven-year-old Page Stovall campaigned for her father the way politicians did before the 30-second television ad.
She dug her fingers into a box of green pencils and handed them to people as they arrived at the flagpole in front of William Byrd High School on Tuesday afternoon.
A message was stamped on the pencil: "Elect Mike Stovall, Roanoke County School Board."
Page, a second-grader at Herman L. Horn Elementary, already is a veteran campaigner, and she expects to hand out a lot more pencils by the November election. She worked for her father when he was elected three years ago, and she said she's ready for another campaign.
Stovall, a private investigator and former Vinton police officer, said his daughter helped inspire him to seek a second term.
"I love to see the children grow and develop, but sometimes you wonder if you're making a difference," he said. "But when Page comes home after school and I ask her what she learned that day and she begins telling me, then I know we're making a difference."
Stovall, 35, came back to William Byrd High, where he graduated in 1980, to announce his candidacy and talk about what he wants to do if he's re-elected. Besides Page, he was joined by his wife, Patsy, and his son, Patrick, 3.
His priority will be renovating county schools, as a residents' committee recommended recently. He said funding will be the biggest obstacle but said the School Board and Board of Supervisors can work together to finance the $120million improvement plan over the next decade.
Stovall, who has been board chairman since last July, said he would work to ensure school safety and discipline. He noted that four police officers have been placed in the county's high schools recently to ensure order.
"Schools are no place for alcohol, drugs or violence," he said. "If you come to school and violate the law, you will be charged."
Stovall said he wants the schools to upgrade their instructional technology. And the schools must provide equal educational opportunity for all students and implement the middle school concept in Southwest Roanoke County, he said.
As chairman, Stovall said he would try to improve communications between the School Board and Board of Supervisors. The schools could always use more money, he said, but he added that the supervisors have provided substantial increases in local school funds in the past two years.
Stovall said he wants to be on the board when Superintendent Deanna Gordon's contract comes up for renewal next year to help ensure that she remains in her post.
If he is re-elected, Stovall promised, he will remain accessible to parents and voters in his district, a main theme in his campaign three years ago. He has held town meetings and met with parents frequently during his first term.
Stovall won in a three-way contest in 1994. It is uncertain whether he will have opposition this year. By state law, School Board candidates must run as independents and can't be nominated by political parties.
The terms of two other board members, Jerry Canada in Hollins and Thomas Leggette in Windsor Hills, also end this year. They have not said whether they will seek re-election.
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS SCHOOL BOARDby CNB