Laserfiche WebLink
<br />8 <br /> <br />APRIL 28, 1983 <br /> <br />THURSDAY <br /> <br />(2) the School Board's 1983-84 budget contemplates a reduction in <br />custodial personnel, administrative staff, and classroom teachers <br />but an increase in (personnel for) special services; <br /> <br />(3) efforts are being made and implemented to provide more intensive <br />instruction through parallel scheduling, which will enable <br />teachers to deal more effectively with students in a more cost- <br />efficient manner; <br /> <br />(4) measures have already been instituted to meet some of the <br />recommendations recently announced by the Presidential Commission <br />(on education); <br /> <br />(5) in the vocational training area, the trend is now from emphasis <br />on building trades to emphasis on other trades, such as auto <br />mechanics; and, <br /> <br />(6) the lack of home influence upon students, increasingly apparent <br />over the last several years, is making the school system's role <br />more difficult and, indeed, placing upon it a responsibility <br />for which it should not be charged. <br /> <br />Other matters pointed out by Dr. Calkins indicated that 229 tuition students (i.e., <br /> <br />students outside of the City School System) are attending Martinsville Public Schools and <br /> <br />(that) the teacher-pupil ratio (on which additional information is to be supplied) is <br /> <br />calculated in accordance with State requirements and standards. Too, one or more repre- <br /> <br />sentatives observed that, of all and among all college graduates in the professional fields, <br /> <br />those in public education are at the bottom of salary scales. <br /> <br />In response to a query from Vice-Mayor Oakes as to the justification of the School Board's <br /> <br />recommended across-the-board 8.8% salary-wage increase, which Vice-Mayor Oakes viewed as <br /> <br />being too much, particularly in comparison with the lesser increase recommended for City <br /> <br />employees by City Manager Edmonds (through assumption by the City of employees' contri- <br /> <br />but ions to the Virginia Supplemental Retirement System in lieu of actual increase in the <br /> <br />City's pay plan), School Board members Edwards and Varn, supported by Dr. Lawrence, Mr. <br /> <br />Cumberledge, and Mr. Finley (the last named representing, also, the Martinsville Education <br /> <br />Association), noted that duties and responsibilities of all personnel are continually <br />