Miranda Adkins | So Salem

Students (from left), Korey Tatarka, Lindsey Siska, Kaitlyn Salvia, Michael Ripa. Standing, Curtis Hicks, Ray Bemis, Brooks Michael, SHS art teacher Michael Gibson, Sally Southard, Alan Seibert.

With a grant from the Governor's office for substance abuse prevention, the Salem planning prevention team of RAYSAC was able to sponsor a poster contest with five winners and buy a week's worth of billboard space on Boulevard to promote Red Ribbon Week.

Lindsey Siska placed first, Kaitlyn Salvia second, Korey Tatarka third, Kristin Borzotra fourth, and Michael Ripa fifth. They were awarded gift certificates to Mac and Bob's and Target.

Salvia's poster was incorporated into a billboard design that is set to be displayed from now through the third week of October.

RAYSAC is a group of parents, citizens, and students who try to keep Roanoke Valley's youth away from substance abuse. They are the sponsors of Red Ribbon Week (which is coming up on its 14th year) the last week of October each year for Salem, Roanoke County, Roanoke City, and Craig and Botetourt County schools. This year's Red Ribbon Week is Oct. 26 through 30, and it's designed to call attention to the importance of staying drug free in creative ways.

For more information, visit www.raysac.org or call Ray Bemis at 982-1427. 

South Salem' s Fall Festival set for Oct. 24

South Salem Elementary School is hosting a fall festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. We will have hay rides, pumpkin painting, costume contest, trick-or-treating, scarecrow making, tattoos, face painting, lots of food, obstacle course, potato sack racing, milking the cow race, ring toss, caterpillar blow up, and lots more.

The rain date is Nov. 7.

Submitted by Jeannie Gallagher

Salem School Board on flu vaccines, retirement changes

Salem City Schools announced at the Oct. 13 school board meeting that it will host free and voluntary H1N1 flu virus vaccinations for their students later this month in a partnership with the local health department. Schools are in the process of sending consent forms home with students for parents and guardians to decide whether their children will get the vaccine or not.

"We are advising the parents to talk to their physician or call the flu hotline," in making that decision, said Darryl Helems, Salem's director of student services. The school board also clarified that parents would be welcome to accompany their child or children on the day of the vaccination. At the time of the school board meeting, the health department did not know whether they'd receive the nasal spray form or the injectable form of the vaccine because of the rush to mass-produce it.

"We are the host, we are not the healthcare provider," emphasized Superintendent Alan Seibert.

The Salem School Board also did a first reading on changes they expect to make to the retirement Extended-work incentive program while ratifying it for this upcoming year. The program allows retired school employees to serve 20 or 24 school days every year mentoring, substitute teaching for an annual supplement that doesn't exceed 15 percent of their salary the year they retired.

The number of years a retiree can participate will change from seven to five years. That change will not affect current participants. Also, the window of opportunity that school employees have to enter into the program has been cut down a month. They must declare their participation between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31 of the year.