Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 1 · column 5 of 6 · from the scan, no model involved
School
budget
By WILLIAM WESLEY TALBOTT
Rappahannock Ncwi Staff Writer
Rappahannock County School Superintendent Robert Estabrook asked for a school budget that “represents a 14 percent increase over last year’s allotment” during a special school board session held Tuesday night.
He expressed his concern about Rappahannock’s teachers; “recruiting has been a challenge in recent years,” said Mr. Estabrook, “I hope our teachers will stay with us.” He said that county teachers are doing an excellent job.
Mr. Estabrook indicated that the preparation of a budget was a difficult task. “I do have to exercise judgement,” he said, “by being fair to the teachers and keeping faith with the taxpayers. ”
“The budget is an attempt to find that balance,” he said.
The budget seeks a 12 percent average increase for teachers. “I have real concerns about the teachers,” said Mr. Estabrook, “and we should know that we rank 127th out of 135 school divisions in Virginia.”
“We have had significant turnover,” he stated.
Because of a 60 percent loss of chapter one monies since 1980 Mr. Estabrook will be asking the school board to assume two new teachers and two aides. “We have a number of youngsters in both schools showing some very real needs and deficiencies,” said Mr. Estabrook, “it would frighten me to think that we would not offer some form of remediation.”
“My eyes are on the youngsters,” he said.
Continued on page 16
91.7%