Lorraine Lange says she has simple plans for how she'll operate Roanoke County schools for the next two months: "Go back to normal."

Lange is acting as the school system's superintendent until June 1, when Superintendent Linda Weber is scheduled to return from a voluntary leave of absence. Weber's paid leave officially begins Saturday, but her last day was Tuesday. Weber took off the rest of the week with vacation time.

Mike Stovall, chairman of the Roanoke County School Board, said people may notice a difference while Lange is in the superintendent's post. She and Weber have different management styles, he said.

"The one thing I've always admired about her," he said, referring to Lange, "is she'll take your views ... whether she agrees with them or not." He wouldn't say whether Weber does the same.

Questions about Weber's management style are what led to her March 20 announcement that she would take a temporary leave.

Two days earlier, parents began circulating a petition seeking Weber's resignation, saying that teachers in the school system are too intimidated by her to speak up. The issue came to the forefront after the resignation of Randy Meck, Cave Spring High School's athletic director.

Meck has said he was told by administrators that he either could resign or return to teaching, and that he believes that happened because he said someone should be held accountable for the delays in work at athletic fields.

The school system has hired former administrator Marty Robison to gather input from teachers about Weber's leadership. Robison served in the school system under former Superintendent Deanna Gordon, who immediately preceded Weber.

"We just hope people will talk to him" so the situation with Weber can be resolved, Lange said. She said he was hired to look into concerns "so that everybody employed by the school system can do their job."

Weber said she took her leave for that very reason -- so people could focus on the schools and on upcoming Standards of Learning tests, not on her.

"We just need to focus and get back on track," Lange said. "We need to move forward."

Lange has votes of confidence from school board members, the Roanoke County Education Association and Weber.

When Weber announced her plans to take a leave and said Lange would fill in, she said: "Lorraine is extremely capable."

"She's been with the county for many, many years in many different capacities," said Sarah Hollett, president of the RCEA. "She knows the direction the county wants to go in in improving our test scores."

Lange has worked in the county school system for more than 30 years. She started out as a teacher in 1971 and worked her way up to central office.

Because of her background, Lange said she's comfortable filling in for Weber.

"I've been around for a long time," she said, "so I do feel comfortable in what I'm doing."

Stovall called Lange "a champion of public education." Roanoke County residents, he said, "can rest assured our school division ... is in great hands."