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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-02-05, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009. The community-based committee charged with considering options for student accommodation in the Wingham vicinity has been granted a two-week extension on a deadline to provide a report to the Avon Maitland District School Board. “This current review is much too important and the resulting consequences much too significant to rush through in such a short period of time, especially with our changing circumstances (eg: weather) and our new united commitment to put forth a solution that would solve the problems the board is currently facing,” states a Jan. 22 letter to trustees, signed by Mark Beaven of the Central East North Huron Accommodation Review Committee (ARC). The board oversaw the formation of the ARC last fall, following a decision to examine accommodations in the area, including possible consolidation of schools. A Jan. 22 meeting was the third of five, as mandated by the board’s Accommodation Review policy, and a final report was to have been submitted on the fifth meeting: Feb. 26. But according to Beaven, who stood before trustees at their regular meeting Tuesday, Jan. 27 to reinforce the letter’s request, an elevated level of “unity” has developed among ARC members in recent weeks. And that’s because “a very strong, very aggressive proposal” has been formulated about which “people are excited; they want to know more. They are engaged; they have lots of questions.” Beaven didn’t expand on the proposal at the Jan. 27 meeting, but an outline was presented at the ARC’s Jan. 22 meeting. And that outline can now be viewed at the ARC’s website, which is linked to the Avon Maitland board’s site at www.yourschools.ca. Dubbed the “North Maitland Educational Centre of Excellence,” the presentation is described as “a concept paper for the creation of a new elementary school in the Wingham, Belgrave, Blyth area.” Graphics in the presentation outline a state-of-the-art facility that includes sought-after features such as a specialized, theatre-style music room, widespread skylights, a climbing wall as part of an extensive physical education complex, large classrooms that are situated around “cluster teaching areas,” and a cafeteria with a cathedral-style ceiling. “The timing of the vision . . . could not have been better,” states the presentation, which was written as if the new school had already been built. “It came at a time where the federal government had committed to new infrastructure monies to assist in softening the recession, and when a provincial government committed to funding the amalgamation of schools.” The presentation suggests the new school would house approximately 1,000 students currently attending four Wingham-area elementary schools. (Avon Maitland also includes Hullett Central Public School as part of the Central East North Huron process, but the Londesboro facility is not included in this proposal.) And it would cost between $21-26 million. No location is proposed, but the presentation suggests “there are numerous excellent possible locations.”And the biggest source of funding would be the federal government ($6 million), the provincial government ($6 million) and cost savings from closing four other schools ($8.1 million). In requesting a two-week extension to flesh out the full details, Beaven admitted the unity around the proposal “has come a little late in the review.” But he said, in the end, the public perception of the board’s ARC process will be improved significantly if there’s an opportunity for the community- based proposal to be fully presented. “I think we’ve been able to gather it down to the two weeks – as tight as we probably would like to go.” Education superintendent Mike Ash, who is overseeing the Central East North Huron ARC on behalf of Avon Maitland senior staff, recommended trustees grant only a one-week extension for the final report. Under questioning from trustees, he explained that staff must prepare its own recommendations in response to the ARC report – before the whole package is officially presented to trustees. And, with the accommodation review process requiring a 60-75 days between that presentation and the final trustee vote, any extension pushes the board close to the limit for making a decision during the current school year. Trustees eventually decided to grant the two-week extension, however, leaving open the possibility of gathering for a special meeting in early July to deal with the issue. THE EDITOR,I, along with other concernedparents, attended the ARC meetingin Wingham, on Thursday, Jan. 22. These meetings are reviewing the possible closure of five area schools – Wingham, Turnberry, East Wawanosh, Blyth and Hullett Central. It was the third official gathering and those of us who faithfully attend are shaking our heads at the lack of attendance at these meetings. The question that keeps running through my head is, “Why aren’t people coming out to show support for their schools?”I have approached people as towhy they haven’t come to the ARCgatherings. The main response I have heard is “The School Board is going to do what they want, why bother?” My response to that is, “How do you know that?” and “How can you take that chance with your kids’ school/friends?” It has been stressed at every meeting that no decision has been made. I need to believe that is true; however, with few supporters out, the board is feeling no pressure to follow the ARC’s recommendations. These meetings are going todetermine the fate of our schools, thedirection of our children’s education. It seemed evident to me that, after the first two official gatherings, there was a good possibility of the Grade 7/8s heading to F.E. Madill and two schools closing. The public showed their disapproval and are totally against this happening. In reaction to this possibility, the five school ARC committees have proposed closing four schools and building one large, state-of-the-art school. I’m not sure what the outcomewill be, but I do know I admire theunity and passion these five schoolcommittees have shown, collaborating to find a solution to the problem. Things need to change. I understand that. Our schools cannot continue to remain half full, with the school board maintaining these buildings with funds that should go towards the children’s education. So the board of trustees is stuck with making a difficult decision. No matter what decision is made, children and communities are going to be hurt. At the end of this whole process, adecision may be made that we don’tagree with and those who didn’t attend will likely say, “ See, I knew that was going to happen.” My response to them will be, “I guess we will never know how things could have turned out.” One thing for sure, my children will know their mother supports their school, their friends, their education, their community. Will yours? Kim Hunking A Proud Supporter of Hullett et al Letter to the editorMom encourages people to attend ARC meeting Trustees grant extension to Central East North Huron ARC By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Beginning next January, the sale of bottled water will be prohibited on all property owned by the Avon Maitland District School Board, “except where required for medical or emergency purposes.” Doug Pratley, the senior trustee representative on the board’s Environmental Leadership and Education Committee, presented the recommendation at a regular board meeting Tuesday, Jan. 27. But the passage of Pratley’s motion – which eventually received unanimous support – did not come without some discussion. Some trustees wondered if it might make more sense to first direct staff to undertake a study into the possible impact of such a ban. Indeed, Pratley’s motion recommends such a study – according to his report, it would “include the issues of water fountains or coolers in schools, contractual obligations to suppliers . . . reasonable timeline for introduction of the ban, special circumstances such as medical needs or field days et cetera, (and) possible ‘pushback’ from parents, suppliers and the industry.” But that study would happen after the approval of the ban. Top administrator Chuck Reid advised doing the study first. But Pratley stuck to his guns. “Let’s make a statement for our students. Let’s make a statement about the planet. Folks, this is not space science. If (administrators) come back and tell us that this is going to cost us an unbelievable amount of money, then maybe we can put our eco-ethics away for a while.” Also expressing reservations about the exact recommendation was Perth South/West Perth representative Carol Bennewies. She wondered why the board would continue to allow the sale of carbonated beverages but ban the sale of water. Pratley first responded with a joke, saying, “when we have fountains that spew Coke, then it wouldn’t make much sense to put Coke in the machines.” But he followed that up by noting, “we’re going in baby steps. We’re starting with bottled water.” Perth East trustee Tina Traschel, who operates a business that serves many students, spoke in favour of the notion of beginning with bottled water instead of pop. She suggested some students “are way ahead of a lot of us on this,” and has heard repeatedly about concern about the environmental effects of the bottled beverage and bottled water industries. Her business has complied with requests to cease the sale of bottled water, and has decided to only sell pop in cans. Student trustee Luke McIntosh also expressed reservations about the ban, saying a lot of students are reluctant to drink from school fountains due to low water pressure and misgivings about water quality. But this inspired Stratford trustee Meg Westley to speak up: “I would be astonished to hear that there is not drinkable water in all of our schools. That would be illegal and immoral.” (Indeed, schools – particularly those not linked to municipal supplies – are required to follow regular testing regimes.) Approval of the ban means administrators must now conduct the impact study with the knowledge that it will be implemented. But Pratley suggested trustees could probably be lenient with the Jan. 1, 2010 timeline if it’s determined that some sites are unable to comply for legitimate reasons. And he noted students and staff will still be allowed to bring bottled water onto Avon Maitland property if it’s purchased elsewhere. AMDSB bans bottled water By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen By Myrla Frank, Secretary Members of the Wingham and District Hospital Auxiliary were pleased to learn at the January meeting that their donation of an electric bed had arrived at the hospital and was already in use. Each year the Auxiliary makes a donation to the hospital of an item to be used in patient care. The electric bed will be appreciated by patients and by nursing staff. Volunteers work hard all year to raise funds for their projects. They operate the gift shop in the hospital foyer, hold a rummage sale spring and fall and run other profitable events. This year the spring rummage sale will be held in the Wingham Legion on April 15 and 16. This year Wingham will host the spring conference for Region 2 of the Hospital Auxiliaries of Ontario. It will be held April 27 at the North Huron Wescast Complex, and the committee is making plans for an interesting and enjoyable day for the attendees. Wingham’s tradition of country music will be used for the Swing into Spring theme. The Auxiliary always needs more volunteers, and would be happy to welcome new members at any time. Phone 519-357-2201 for more information. WDH Auxiliary donation arrives