DATE: Sunday, September 14, 1997            TAG: 9709120160

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 10   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: Nancy Young 

                                            LENGTH:   81 lines

SCHOOL BULLETIN BOARD - CHESAPEAKE

Here's a look at what happened at the School Board meeting Monday: The public speaks

It was a busy night for public hearings, as the School Board heard from citizens on both the administration's proposed five-year building plan, as well a proposal to require a minimum 2.0 GPA for students who participate in Virginia High School League activities, including sports, cheerleading and the yearbook.

All of the eight people who came to speak on the $163 million Capital Improvement Plan had one project on their mind: a site for the new middle school in Western Branch. They disapproved of a proposed site in Sunray, saying it wasn't centrally located to the students it would eventually serve and that it was too near a set of railroad tracks. About another 25 Western Branch residents came in support of the speakers.

The board also received a petition against the Sunray site containing 363 signatures. The petitioners said they would rather the district push back the proposed school opening in the year 2000 if it meant finding a better site.

Fourteen people spoke on the 2.0 proposal, nine were for it, five were against it.

Those who were for the proposal echoed the theme that if you raise expectations, students will rise to the challenge. Some expressed dismay that a minimum wasn't already required.

``Our message should not be, `Oh please stay in school. We'll give you a game to play,'' said Bob Woods.

But those who were against the proposal feared that it would mean excluding children who could really benefit by participation in sports and other activities - even if they can't make a C in class.

``You view these activities as though they are not learning activities,'' said Azarie Waters. ``You talk like it's fun and games. It's a lot of hard work. These students put in time and energy without expecting anything in return, not even a grade.'' Building for the future (Part One)

Following the public hearings, the board held its first work session the proposed superintendent's Capital Improvement Plan 1997-2007. The topic that dominated was the future of two new high schools - one in the Grassfield area of southern Chesapeake and another in the Kempsville Road/Centerville Turnpike/Elbow Road area.

In the administration proposal, the first wouldn't begin construction until 2003, with a projected opening in 2006. The second wouldn't be under construction until 2006 (the projected opening is not included in the plan because it falls beyond 2007).

School Board members said that was too long to wait given bulging enrollments - particularly for the high school in southern Chesapeake - and asked to see a revision of the plan that moves those projects up by one or two years. They also asked that a proposed elementary school project in the Southeastern Elementary attendance zone area be moved up one year, to 1998 - again citing concerns about growing student populations.

Board members said it was better to be safe than sorry.

``Once we push a project back, it's extremely difficult to push it forward again,'' said board member James J. Wheaton. The future of Truitt - and of South Norfolk schools?

The board heard a presentation on options for the use of the Truitt Junior High School building, which is currently the temporary home of Norfolk Highlands Primary, but which will be free in 1998.

A study of what to do with the building began in Nov. 1996, with the eventual decision that it would be used to ease school crowding in South Norfolk.

The administration and a community advisory board both recommended an option that would change Rena B. Wright Primary to a K-2 school (it is currently a K-3 school), with children in that attendance zone going to the Truitt school for grades 3-5. In addition, some children who currently attend Thurgood Marshall Elementary School would attend Wright and Truitt and some children who currently attend Wright Primary would attend Portlock Primary School and G.W. Carver Intermediate School.

Some board members wanted the administration to further explore making all or most of the schools in South Norfolk elementary schools serving children in grades K-5. They argued such a move might increase parental involvement and a feeling of stability for students because they would remain in the same school longer. Look for that to come up again at the next regular board meeting on Sept.29.

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