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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2010-08-26, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2010. Shore Cleanup returns Writer asks Dombrowsky to halt ARC processTHE EDITOR,Honourable Leona Dombrowsky Minister of Education 101 Bloor St. W. Toronto, ON M5S 0A1 Dear Honourable Minister: I am writing to implore you to stop the Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) processes in rural Ontario communities. Being an MPP from a rural area yourself, former Minister of Agriculture and a former trustee in the Separate School Education system, I’m sure you realize how vital schools are in maintaining rural communities that are already under major stresses from urbanization and a changing farming economy. Doubtless, the ARC process was initially conceived to give communities a voice in the face of declining rural school enrolment, however, it has developed into a process that demoralizes participants and pits rural communities against each other in a desperate bid for viability. It has become a huge waste of time for dedicated community members who become part of the ARC only to watch school board senior staff steer boards of trustees to decisions that were already predetermined. As well, it is depressing to realize the amount of precious school board (taxpayer) dollars wasted on these ARC meetings that could have been better spent educating our children and maintaining our schools. And lastly, the school board trustees and senior staff have lost the confidence of the communities they are supposed to represent. Having had recent personal experience as an ARC member for the Avon Maitland District School Board, I was extremely disappointed to see after eight months and 500hours of my volunteer time (the two other members from our school put in as much time), the trustees vote to implement the same option that senior board staff had proposed at the beginning of the process. Although I was told by other people in my region, many of whom had been through an ARC in the last 10 years, that I was wasting my time, I went into the process with an open mind and an optimistic outlook. Our Hensall group took its responsibilities to heart and with an amazing outpouring of support from our 1,300 residents, hosted three community meetings, produced four newsletters, put up 200 “We love Hensall Public School” signs (purchased by individual householders and businesses), did a survey of community values, concerns and wishes and kept everyone informed with regular emails. Our community members came up with wonderful ideas for the elementary and secondary school scenarios. It soon became abundantly clear “Friends of Hensall Public School” were not in favour of closing schools in viable villages and vehemently opposed to putting Grade 7 and 8 students in the high schools to fill excess “Baby Boomer” space. All of this information was communicated to the board of trustees in the form of delegations at regular board meetings and direct correspondence with trustees. We faithfully attended every ARC and board of trustees meeting to keep on top of the every- changing dollar estimations and enrolment projections. At the board meeting on June 8, prior to the trustees’ decision, after all delegations had done their finalpresentations, a Dr. Hewitt was introduced to expound upon the benefits of Grade 7 and 8 students in the high school. At the end of her presentation, she did mention one major problem to this trend is the fact that high school teachers with specialized training can’t teach elementary children. In order to do that, we need a complete overhaul of the teachers’ unions in Ontario. Next, one of the trustees asked for an updated renovation figure if the board of trustees chose to put the Grade 7 and 8 students in the high school. We were waiting for the $300,000 figure we had been given all through the process and were shocked to hear $1.3 million. Nowhere in eight months of meetings had the senior staff been upfront enough to tell us that by pushing the Grade 7 and 8 students into the high school they could trigger capital grants to upgrade the high school and better compete against the Separate School Board and their high school up the road that the Avon Maitland District School Board. was losing students to. We all left that night dejected, already knowing what the final decision would be and that it was all about money. Two weeks later, on June 22, decision night, we listened to the trustees to give all kinds of reasons why the Grade 7 and 8 students in South Huron needed to be in the high school (except the need of major capital improvements one) against the wishes of all five school communities in the South Huron region. We listened as they also closed two of five schools. There was no discussion of any individual school’s merits, the ideas from themany community members who were engaged in the process of possible boundary changes. It was all over in less than an hour. We left and they began the same discussion for the ARC in East Huron/North Perth. The next morning we were stunned to learn from those who had witnessed the later discussions that the board of trustees, an hour later, had made a decision to close two schools in the Listowel area and request provincial funding to build a new K-8 school. Not a K-6 (as we were told was inevitable across the province) and an addition to the high school. We also found out that there was plenty of discussion on the merits of each school and a comment of how well the school community had worked with the board toward a solution. The board felt there was potential for growth in Listowel, even though the town’s major employer had closed down leaving 500 people unemployed. Our suggestions that the 300 new job announcements in South Huron would change enrolment projections and that the board of trustees should avoid constricting space too much, fell on deaf ears. This process was so negative that several people involved with the ARC became sick from the stress. What does that teach our children who were watching this unfold? Public institutions only give lip service to community ideas and concerns? School boards are big on asking communities to support them financially and to be physically involved in their school but boards will close those same schools without concern of how thecommunity is impacted. What could I have done with 400 hours of volunteer time? I could have run at least six extra 4-H Clubs or helped with Hensall’s new community revitalization plan or volunteered even more in my children’s school or better yet, I could have spent much more time with my young family. All are positive things for my family and my community. In closing, my suggestion is to stop the ARC process in rural Ontario. Unless this process changes to give school communities and municipalities actual voting rights, then just have one meeting for public delegations, do away with school ARC members and let the staff and board make the decisions they intend to make anyway. Something has to be done to leave your boards of trustees with a vestige of credibility or respect and stop wasting everyone’s time and money, please! Sincerely, Mary Lynn MacDonald. What do false teeth, a disco ball and cigarette butts have in common? They are all items recovered from along Canada’s shorelines during the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. With over 900 cleanup sites registered across Canada, it is not too late to register for the 17th annual Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup as a site co-ordinator or cleanup participant. Most shoreline litter originates from land and land- based activities, so by stepping up and signing up, we are all taking action to stop one of the most widespread pollution problems endangering our oceans and waterways. Plus, what peculiar item do you think you’ll find along your shoreline? Registration as a site co-ordinator ends September 10, but anyone can sign up as a cleanup participant until September 18. Local sites that have already been registered include: • The Wingham Community Trail in Wingham, which runs alongside the Maitland River. • The mouth of the Bayfield River - between Lake Huron and where the Bayfield River meets Highway 21. • Bayfield River Road - Lake Huron South of the Bayfield River Road. • Telephone Road Gully - Entrance from a private property on Lane of Pines Road. • Bluewater Beach along Cove Road in Goderich. • Goderich Waterfront on Lake Huron - Approximately 6.5 kilometres, including where the Maitland River Meets Lake Huron. • Lower Maitland River Valley - South of where Highway 21 crosses the river, accessible by The Maitland Trail. • Port Albert on Lake Huron - Just north of Goderich on Highway 21 Some of the more unusual items found in the past include a message in a bottle (the message said, “Please don’t litter”), false teeth, a living room set, a canoe made out of duct tape, wedding dress, disco ball, a hotel safe, a toboggan, a mini trampoline and a clothesline complete with poles and pins. Now in its 17th year, this year’s Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup takes place from September 18–26. For more information or to register please visit www.shorelinecleanup.ca The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is a national conservation partnership between the Vancouver Aquarium and WWF-Canada that aims to promote understanding of shoreline litter issues by engaging Canadians annually to clean up their local shorelines through removing shoreline litter. In 2009, nearly 57,000 Canadians registered to cleanup 1,568 sites across Canada. Over 160,900 kilograms of litter were removed from a cumulative distance of 2,500 kilometres of shoreline, which is equivalent to the approximate driving distance from Vancouver to the Manitoba/Ontario border. For more information on the program, check out shorelinecleanup.ca or call 1-877- 427-2422. Letters to the Editor REPRINTS OF PHOTOS taken by Citizen photographers are available to purchase. 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