THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605180122
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Vanee Vines
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Action from Thursday's School Board meeting: Alternative ed plan approved
The board approved a plan to merge adult and alternative education offerings while expanding them to include more courses for teens who are academically behind.
The administration said it wanted to add more depth to offerings and also provide a place for dropouts and at-risk youngsters who have failed in a regular setting.
The district will now target underachieving high school students for many of the courses. The administration said it didn't intend to steer students with serious behavioral problems that way.
City high schools offer adult education and ``community interest'' courses after the regular school day.
Some classes focus on hobbies while others teach job skills or prepare residents for the high school equivalency exam.
Next school year, the same types of courses will also be offered at Woodrow Wilson High School, as part of what will be called the ``Excel Campus.''
More classes in subjects ranging from algebra to world geography also will be offered.
Administrators said the initiative would be paid for with ``existing funds.''
Tuition will be free for residents 20 years of age or younger who aren't enrolled elsewhere and decide to enroll at the campus for academic credit.
Some city students may be allowed to transfer from their regular schools to Excel and back.
Transportation may not be provided. Guidance policy considered
It might be best if parents were forced to indicate whether they want the district to offer some forms of ``personal/social counseling'' to their kids, the board said.
That approach is known as one that compels parents to ``opt in.''
The board discussed a new guidance and counseling policy; the final vote may be taken at next month's meeting.
The state Board of Education told districts to adopt a policy by July 1.
Board member Lawrence I'Anson Jr. urged the board to embrace a policy calling for parents' written consent before students get personal/social counseling, that is, as the proposed policy reads:
``. . . Individual or small-group, multi-session counseling which focuses on the specific concerns of the participant(s).''
Academic and career guidance automatically would be provided - unless parents specifically said they didn't want their kids to get it. Budget shuffle
The board approved $1.2 million in cuts to next fiscal year's $92.9 million operating budget, which it passed in March.
The board didn't get an extra $1.2 million requested from the city to help pay for maintenance work.
The extra money was built into the spending plan, however.
The administration said it would spike $1.2 million in secondary maintenance projects from the 1996-97 budget. Block scheduling
Wilson and I.C. Norcom high schools will begin ``block scheduling'' this fall.
The board approved their plans Thursday. Churchland High made the move this school year.
Block scheduling basically doubles the consecutive time spent in some classes.
A key goal is to provide more time for in-depth lessons that are hard to cram into the typical class period of about 50 minutes.
KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH SCHOOLS by CNB