HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-02-03, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011. PAGE 7.Continued from page 1saying. “We had two schools thatclosed, a Kindergarten to Grade 3and a Grade 4 to 8.”
She explained that the group went
through finding a new location,
building their new school, and
seeing students from Kindergarten
through Grade 6 move there during
Thanksgiving weekend of this
school year. The Grade 7 and 8
students moved to their local high
school.
Before the students got to the new
school, parents and concerned
citizens did a lot of work to prepare
the new school.
The duo explained that the
community helped move all the
necessary equipment from the old
schools to the new one over the
course of the long weekend, but that
their drive to enrich the school
started long before that.
A ‘core group’ of parents got
together and tackled fundraising to
make sure the school had what they
felt it needed.
Jill said they were surprised atwhat the school came equipped with,and what it didn’t.“Having seen this process all the
way through, I was surprised with
what the board did give to us,” she
said. “Everything they provided us
with was great, but some of the
things that were missing were
surprising.”
An example that Jill mentioned
many times was storage, stating that
things that used to be stored at the
school were currently in the homes
of the parents who fundraised for the
school.
One of the major spots that served
as storage, the stage in the gym, was
one thing the group wished they
could have raised funds for.
“We have a mobile stage that can
be moved in front of the gym to put
on shows, but it really isn’t the same
as a full stage,” she said. “Being able
to store mats and gym equipment
there, and being able to have a full
gym for an audience are things we
miss.”
The group did raise $315,000 toput towards the school, nearly half ofwhich came from a lead donor.“The major donor was a couple
that just believed in schools,” Jill
said.
The funds went towards projects
like Library upgrades, SMART
Boards, playground equipment, a
milk cooler and a staff room.
One of the major points of their
fundraising success was the lead
donor.
“It’s a lot easier to ask people for
money when you can say we’ve
already raised X amount of dollars,”
Jill said, adding that they got money
from companies that were
recognized through naming things in
the new school.
Some of the funds also came from
a Trillium grant, since the outdoor,
‘green’ gym that makes up some of
the playground equipment could
also be shared by a nearby seniors’
centre.
The most important part of the
project was knowing what needed to
be upgraded, according to theTaylors.“We had to know what to raisemoney for,” she said. “You need to start a group right now and, throughyour school’s current administration,be in touch with what the school willhave and what it will need.”
Continued from page 1
implement the program delivery
benefits associated with
congregating students,” the release
stated.
The decision to amalgamate will
also allow the other schools
affected, Grey Central, Hullett
Central and Elma Township Public
Schools to not have to integrate an
influx of new students halfway
through the 2012-13 school year.
Steve Howe, Manager of
Communications for the board,
stated that, while the board still
hopes for the Ontario Municipal
Board (OMB) appeals to be cleared
up that are currently preventing the
school build from starting in
Wingham, this process will continue
regardless of the site of the new
school.
“In all likelihood, the plan to drop
from four schools to two will
happen regardless of the site,” Howe
said. “In two to three months we will
know whether the Wingham site will
work.”
Howe stated that the plan is
independent of the final build site
and will go ahead whether the
current proposed site adjacent to
F.E. Madill Secondary School in
Wingham is finalized or if the board
has to look into alternative school
sites.
Parents can help with school transition
News on Wingham site
expected by spring
Walk for Memories
The Alzheimer Society of Huron held its annual Walk for
Memories fundraiser on Saturday, with several walks
happening throughout Huron County, including Goderich,
Clinton and in Wingham at F.E. Madill Secondary School.
Phyllis Henhoeffer, left, and Jean Culliton, were some of
the participants in Wingham who helped raised over
$11,500 in Wingham alone and over $45,000 throughout
Huron County, surpassing the society’s goal of $40,000.
(Vicky Bremner photo)
Building bridges
From left to right; Jessica McNichol, Kyle Gottschalk, Ally Glousher, Hannah Ortman and
Logan Chalmers begin to understand not only the mathematics of building a bridge, but those
of funding it as well. The Blyth Public School students have to build a bridge using a ledger to
keep track of all the girders, cables and other building supplies they buy to stay under budget.
(Denny Scott photo)
Before
February 18th
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