The Citizen, 2009-04-09, Page 1Following approval by trustees
from both the Avon Maitland and
Catholic district school boards, it’s
now official that students across
Huron and Perth Counties will hit
the books prior to Labour Day next
September.
The London-based Thames
Valley District School Board broke
ranks with its Catholic counterpart,
and opted to leave students home
but asked teachers to attend
consecutive professional
development (PD) days prior to
Labour Day.
But in the London and District
Catholic board – as with the boards
in Huron-Perth and most other
districts across Ontario – PA days
will be spread evenly through the
2009-10 school schedule, and
classes will begin Sept. 1.
The unconventionally early
commencement of school activities
came about due mainly to quirks in
the calendar – including a Labour
Day that falls on Sept. 7. But last
year’s addition of a new statutory
holiday in February also played a
role. Taken together, these factors
made it impossible for school
boards to spread their PA days
throughout the year and schedule
the proper number of instructional
days between Sept. 1 and June
30.
Trustees of both boards in Huron
and Perth, who became aware of the
challenges months before the 2009-
10 school calendars came up for
approval during their meetings in
late March, voted unanimously in
favour of sending students back to
school for three days prior to
Labour Day.
But there were a couple of
questions.
Catholic trustee Vince McInnes
(North Perth/Perth East) wondered
if it’s essential that the two boards
in Huron-Perth coordinate their
schedules. Board chair Jim
McDade responded that “I think,
personally, for both counties, it’s a
good thing to do. It just makes
sense.”
Avon Maitland trustee Randy
Wagler (South Huron), meanwhile,
wondered if administration had
considered the Thames Valley
board’s approach.
Education superintendent Pat
Stanley responded that it was felt
that teachers, students and parents
would probably appreciate
maintaining such traditions as a
“turn-around” day between high
school semesters and a PA day
devoted to parent/teacher
interviews.
“In looking at how best to deliver
professional development days to
staff, and to provide for
parent/teacher interviews, we felt
that the inclusion of three
(classroom) days prior to Labour
Day was the best approach,”
Stanley said.
For Huron students it’s back
to school before Labour Day
Waiting...
Dinner wasn’t quite served yet, but it was getting there, and diners were getting eager. It was
the Blyth Community Church of God’s April Fool’s Day dinner at the Blyth Community Centre
last week and plenty of people were able to make it out for the lasagna. Here, keeping the
garlic bread company is, from left: Josh Kuperus, Jurell Barrett, Alishia Kuperus, Brianna
Kuperus, Nicole Kuperus and Karissa Kuperus. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
The request to assist in a study to
determine the need of a crosswalk in
Belgrave has been denied by county
council.
A letter had been sent to the
county from Morris-Turnberry
asking that they proceed with a
traffic impact study for London
Road in Belgrave to determine the
need for a crosswalk. The township
also asked the county to share the
costs with Morris-Turnberry and
North Huron.
An engineer’s study would cost
between $3,000-$4,500 with the
county share a third of that. “The
traffic study comes at a relatively
low cost and the public works
department would cost share if
directed by county council,” public
works director Dave Laurie
included in his report to council’s
committee of the whole.
According to Laurie, design
guidelines are established in the
Transportation Association of
Canada Design Manual, the Ontario
Traffic Manual and the Manual of
Despite the sunny and mild
conditions on Sunday, much of
Huron County awoke to snow on the
ground on Monday morning, after a
late blast of winter weather hit most
of Ontario.
In addition to the snow, wind was
gusting at up to 60 km/hour and
there was also reduced visibility.
Early Monday morning, Blyth
firefighters and OPP officers were
called to the scene of a downed
power line just south of Blyth on
Hullett-McKillop Road.
Officials at Hydro One are
blaming high winds and winter
conditions for the downed power
lines which put one truck driver in a
very dangerous position when his
truck became entangled in the wires
just after 8 a.m. Monday morning.
The Hensall Co-op truck had just
left Londesborough when it became
ensnared in the fallen, but active,
power lines. Firefighters and police
officers reported to the scene, but
were helpless as the truck was
energized, said fire chief Paul
Josling.
The emergency workers blocked
the road and ushered traffic along
Hwy. 4 while they waited for Hydro
One to arrive and cut the power.
Afterwards, the driver was
removed from the truck unharmed
and power was restored to the Blyth
area at approximately 10:30 a.m.
Over 10,000 Hydro One
customers across Midwestern
Ontario woke up to a power outage
on Monday morning due to high
winds, icy rain and snowfall.
Over 3,300 Hydro One customers
in the Listowel area were without
power, while 5,700 in the Walkerton
area were also in the dark, in
addition to approximately 300
around Owen Sound and an
undetermined amount in the Clinton
distribution area.
Most customers, however, were
back on-line by noon that day.
The Citizen will be closed April
10 in recognition of Good Friday.
The staff will enjoy the three-day
weekend, but will be back at their
desks on Easter Monday.
CitizenTh
e
$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, April 9, 2009
Volume 25 No. 14SPECIAL- Pg. 11Spring car care sectionbegins RECOGNITION - Pg. 27 Blyth Festival volunteersget provincial awardCOMMUNITY- Pg. 2Kids Care launches springaction programPublications 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 Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
Winter
takes
last
stand
Offices
closed
Good
Friday
There was some great news
coming from behind closed doors at
county council April 1.
Following a closed session,
council appointed Dr. Nancy
Cameron as the new full-time
medical officer of health for Huron
County, effective April 6.
“We are honoured to have her,”
said warden Ken Oke of South
Huron. “With so many areas looking
for a medical officer of health, this is
a very good thing for the county.
And we secured one in under a year
so we’re quite fortunate.”
Council also adopted a single-
leadership model.
Oke commended human resources
director Darcy Michaud and chair of
the health board, councillor Bernie
MacLellan for their hard work.
“We’ve been teasing councillor
MacLellan that this has been his
full-time job,” said Oke.
The MOH resides in Mitchell.
Oke explained that Dr. Cameron had
come to the area to look after an
aging parent. “She was looking for a
position and we were had one.”
New
MOH for
Huron
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
County
says no to
crosswalk
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
Continued on page 3