Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Strecker's nomination recognizes his efforts
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Alan Strecker came to Roanoke County's Northside High School five years ago to teach German, and since then enrollment in his foreign language classes has quadrupled.
But he works just as hard outside the classroom -- hosting exchange students, leading trips to Germany, sponsoring two chess teams and the German club, coaching boys tennis and leading the quiz bowl team.
And that's why the county chose Strecker as its nominee for Virginia Teacher of the Year. He will compete for the regional award, and the state winner will be chosen from eight regional finalists.
The school board also recognized the following staff awards at its Thursday meeting:
Roanoke County's Central Middle School faculty Sandy Beyers, Bonnie Pollock and Bud McWhorter received the Virginia Department of Education Award for Career and Technical Education.
Finance department employees David Atkins and Penny Hodge were awarded the Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials International.
Media specialist Chuck Lionberger received awards of merit, excellence and golden achievement from the National School Public Relations Association.
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The new $57 million William Fleming High School opened last week. It was the second major school renovation in the city in as many years. A new Patrick Henry High School opened in 2007 at a cost of $54 million.
But the work is not done. Fleming still needs a football stadium, field houses and practice fields, and repairs are needed at P.H. on the track and practice fields.
The Roanoke School Board has taken steps to ensure that the remaining projects are completed within budget.
To make that happen, the board adopted a memorandum of understanding with the contractor and the architect. If the projects cost more than budgeted, J.M. Turner & Co. and Rife & Wood Architects will bear the extra expenses. But if the two firms can get the work done for less, 50 percent of the excess will be awarded as a bonus. A third-party representative will oversee the agreement.
Fleming's stadium is expected to be complete for the 2010 football season.
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Volunteer Chris Craft said that more than 2,700 bags of school supplies were distributed to Roanoke students at the Back to School Extravaganza at Patrick Henry in August. The items were collected by Q99's Pack the Bus events at Walmart stores in Roanoke.
