After seven days of testimony, a grievance hearing for William Fleming High School Principal Susan Willis still has not ended.

Roanoke Schools Superintendent Rita Bishop said the hearing proceeded for half a day Saturday and will continue Wednesday and Thursday.

A state Department of Education investigation implicated Willis in schedule manipulation that kept dozens of students from taking Standards of Learning tests, which may have been intended to boost the school's performance on the federal benchmarks of No Child Left Behind.

A three-person, fact-finding panel has listened to testimony for more than 50 hours so far at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. Willis is reportedly paying for the facility. She opted for a closed-door hearing by the panel, whose members will make a recommendation to the Roanoke School Board when the hearing is complete. The school board then will decide whether Willis stays employed by the division.

City students start their school year Tuesday. The new, $57 million William Fleming will welcome its first classes with retired teacher and principal Doris Ennis as the school's interim leader.

-- Courtney Cutright