Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2010-04-22, Page 1Having received recommenda- tions last week for the closure of Zurich Public School, Stephen Central Public School (R.R. 1 Crediton), Grey Central Public School (Ethel), Wallace Public School (Gowanstown) and Listowel Central Public School, it should be no surprise to trustees of the Avon Maitland District School Board that people are going to have something to say in response. “I kind of liken this to a debate: we gave our points, they gave their points, and now it’s time for a rebuttal,” offered Mary Lynn MacDonald, a member of the Hensall Public school council, who participated on one of two separate Accommodation Review Committees (ARCs) that were established by the board in September, 2009 to conduct public consultation into possible changes. Leading up to the release of last week’s staff recommendations, ARCs in Bluewater/South Huron and Huron East/North Perth submitted their own reports. Included with those reports were a number of “minority reports” from factions within the ARCs which didn’t agree with the majority recommendations. In addition, over the past few months, three 10- minute delegations relating directly to the process have been presented to the board: one by MacDonald; one by Alicia Deitner, past chair of the Grey Central school council; and one by Huron County Warden Bert Dykstra. According to the board timetable, the decision-making process will culminate with trustee votes for both districts on June 22. Before that happens, however, it’s expected trustees will hear several more delegations. Indeed, to make it easier for the public to respond, the board’s next two regular meetings will take place in the communities that are facing potential changes: Tuesday, April 27 at Elma Township Public School in Atwood; and Tuesday, May 11 at South Huron District High School (SHDHS) in Exeter. Despite the fact both Deitner and MacDonald have already appeared before the board, they expect to make new presentations. The school Deitner represents has now officially been named for closure, and she aims to change minds. “People have said to me, ‘it’s over. The board had already made up its mind. It’s not worth fighting anymore.’ But I tell them that’s not how I’m looking at it,” she said last week. “There’s still a lot of work to do. “The final decision is made by the trustees,” she said. “We’ve already done a lot of work, and I’m not willing to stop now. MacDonald, meanwhile, represents a school that’s recommended to remain open, including maintaining its role as home for a number of Special Education students from across the region. But that doesn’t mean she’s entirely happy with the April 13 staff recommendations. “We can live with some of the things,” she commented. “We were glad they kept the Special Education together . . . but our big thing is that nobody wants the 7s and 8s in the high school.” The staff report recommends placing all of the region’s Grade 7-8 students together at one facility – either as a separate section of SHDHS, or (depending on the board’s ability to secure Education Ministry funding) as part of a new Kindergarten-to-Grade-12 school on the grounds of the high school and nearby Exeter Public School. MacDonald’s group is considering bringing forth a different proposal: keeping Usborne open as a Grade 7-8 “middle school.” “Why would we close two schools when there wouldn’t be enough room at this point to accommodate all the students in the high school?” she asked, referring to what she believes is a very unlikely dream of securing money for the “superschool.” As an alternative, MacDonald noted, the Usborne proposal will be brought forward in a delegation and “we’ll see if (trustees) bite on it.” Deitner’s focus, of course, is saving her own community’s school. She argues the staff proposal – placing K-6 students from two schools into Brussels Public School, and transferring Grades 7-8s from both sites to Elma – would lead to the loss of a well-maintained, easily- accessible, relatively new school (Grey Central) with an expansive playground and adjacent “Environmental Learning Grounds.” “If you look at this totally as an outsider; if you don’t have any ties to any one of the schools through relatives or whatever, and then if you walk into Brussels and then walk into Grey Central, it’s a no-brainer,” she said. For the Ethel school’s place on the potential closure list, Deitner puts part of the blame on Huron County council – specifically, comments made by Dykstra in his recent delegation to the board. At the time, Dykstra urged trustees that, given the choice, they should vote to keep a “town school” open as opposed to a “country school.” “That’s just unacceptable,” she said. “I guess farmers aren’t entitled to have their children educated in rural schools.” MacDonald, too, is wary of plans that might eventually see too many small schools close. She believes that, through the Bluewater/South Huron ARC process that identified the smaller Zurich and Usborne for closure, “it became abundantly clear” that schools with fewer than 150 students are more likely to be targetted for consideration. But she noted a series of recent economic development announcements in the area could bring hundreds of jobs . . . and new students. And advances in communications technology increase the possibilities for rural- based employment. “People are starting to migrate out of urban centres. They’re looking at ways of keeping their costs of living down,” MacDonald offered. That won’t be the only criticism aimed at the Avon Maitland board over the next few weeks. And some of that criticism, to be sure, will probably be delivered with greater intensity than they’ve seen so far this year. “When you know they’re going to have to close one school or another, it’s pretty hard to be diplomatic,” Deitner conceded. Fire funding The Emergency Services Training Centre in Blyth received $1,500,000 in funding, half from the provincial government and half from The Township of North Huron, to build a state-of-the- art teaching facility at the corner of Blyth Road and London Road. From left: fire chief John Black, Huron-Perth MP Ben Lobb and ESTC personnel David Sparling, Matt Townsend and Jeff Howson. Video of the announcement and demonstrations of the unique equipment are available online at www.northhuron.on.ca. (Aislinn Bremner photo) Citizens respond to staff recommendation The Emergency Training Service Centre in Blyth is about to get a facelift thanks to federal and municipal grants. Ben Lobb, Minister of Parliament for Huron-Bruce, dropped by the training centre on April 16 to announce that $750,000 will be given to the centre to upgrade its current classroom facilities as part of the Community Adjustment Fund, which is a significant part of the federal government’s current funding program. The grant will be matched locally by North Huron Council. The centre, which was recognized as a great community growth opportunity, will benefit from the unique opportunity this upgrade is providing, according to Reeve Neil Vincent of North Huron Township Council. “Expanding the services of the training centre will not only enhance it,” he said. “But bring more people into the community.” Lobb, who reportedly has been promoting the centre to fire protection agencies wherever he visits, said that this is a great recognition. “I think this is an excellent announcement for the community and for the area,” he said. “[The Community Adjustment Fund] is to diversify small and rural economies, and I can’t think of a better way to diversify our economy here in Blyth... than to [upgrade] a facility such as this. “[The upgraded facilities will] bring in more students, more training, and subsequently... provide economic stimulus to local restaurants and local hotels.” Lobb also said that, given that 2010 will be the centre’s busiest year yet, this upgrade will make things “bigger and better” in 2011. Matt Townsend, a representative from the ETSC, said that the $1.5 million in grants will be used to build a state-of-the-art tech centre to the west of the current grounds, on the corner of County Roads 25 and 4. “The tech centre will house equipment and more classroom space,” he said. “It will also provide amenities for visitors from out of the area, like an area for them to clean up before they travel home, since this is dirty work we’re doing.” The completion date for the new building is set to be in January of 2011, with ground being broken in the near future. Centre receives $1.5 million in upgrades CitizenTh e $1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, April 22, 2010 Volume 26 No. 16FUNDRAISER- Pg. 12Event held for youngman with cancer SEVERANCES - Pg. 14 Huron County councildebates its official planSPORTS- Pg. 8Blyth native makes asplash at CornellPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK: By Denny Scott The Citizen By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen