THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, October 26, 1994            TAG: 9410260451
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: VIRGINIA  
SOURCE: BY KAREN JOLLY DAVIS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: EASTVILLE                          LENGTH: Medium:   76 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: ***************************************************************** Clarification The Northampton County supervisors held public hearings on School Board appointments, but the names of those eventually placed on the board were not considered at those hearings. As stated in a story Wednesday, the status of those on the eight-member board is uncertain because the supervisors inadvertently failed to follow the provisions of a 1987 state law requiring appointees to be considered at a public hearing. Correction published Friday, October 28, 1994 on page A2. ***************************************************************** SCHOOL BOARD FATE IN DOUBT NORTHAMPTON APPOINTMENTS DIDN'T COMPLY WITH STATE LAW

The status of all eight members of the Northampton County School Board became uncertain Tuesday after it was discovered that county supervisors failed to hold public hearings on their appointments.

County Administrator Tom Harris said state law was changed in 1987 to require the hearings. He said Northampton had inadvertently overlooked the change.

``I believe the School Board members were appointed in good faith and have served in good faith,'' Harris said. ``I'm thankful we have discovered the problem. Now we can address the issue and move on.''

The impact of the oversight was uncertain, and officials could not say whether the School Board - which controls more than 70 percent of the county's budget - would have to be reappointed.

``I'm still trying to find out myself what it means,'' said schools Superintendent Dawn Goldstine.

Goldstine said she heard about the problem at noon Tuesday and called School Board members to inform them.

A public meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. on Nov. 7 at the courthouse to discuss the issue. Harris was unwilling to say what options the Board of Supervisors - the county's governing body - might have to correct the problem.

The School Board's major action since 1987 was the decision to close all five of the county's elementary schools and build two new ones. Those new schools have been completed and were opened last school year. The middle school, high school and administration offices were upgraded as well, and there have been significant changes in teaching methods.

Goldstine said the uncertainty over the board's status should not disrupt school functions.

``Until I have a reason to think that something has changed, it will be business as usual here,'' she said.

Northampton's six supervisors drew pubic criticism recently after they appointed Jo Anne Martin and Ruth Wise to the School Board. Neither had submitted applications for the job.

Martin has children in private school. Many parents said they doubted she could be fully committed to the public schools.

Tom Dixon, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said those who did apply for the two seats did not have the ``edge'' for which the supervisors were looking.

As a result of the controversy over Martin and Wise, Northampton's supervisors reviewed their appointment procedures, Harris said. Those procedures had been written in 1985. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Dawn Goldstine

KEYWORDS: NORTHAMPTON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD NORTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF

SUPERVISORS by CNB