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The Citizen, 2009-05-07, Page 1Around the negotiating table, labour harmony arrived last week between the Avon Maitland District School Board and its elementary teachers. In newspapers around Huron and Perth Counties, however, a full-page advertisement from the teachers’ union told an entirely different tale. “Why do Grade 4-8 students in the Avon Maitland District School Board have to sit in the second largest classes in Ontario?” asks the ad from the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO). “It’s a disgrace and it’s hurting your children’s education.” “They targeted us. The ad was specifically structured for the Avon Maitland and Bluewater (Grey and Bruce Counties) boards,” said Avon Maitland trustee Doug Pratley, when asked about the ETFO ad. At a regular meeting Tuesday, April 28, Pratley and fellow trustees approved a four-year collective agreement with the local chapter of the union. Coupled with a teacher ratification vote May 1, it brought to a close a protracted, occasionally high-profile series of negotiations. The pre-existing deal expired Aug. 31, 2008. At one point last year, the ruling McGuinty government imposed a deadline on ETFO and school boards, informing them that, if the deadline wasn’t met, the province would provide only enough funding for two-year deals instead of the expected four-year pacts. That deadline passed and the province said it would stick to its word. Eventually, however, the Education Ministry renewed its four- year commitment and imposed a new deadline for the end of April. The Avon Maitland deal, which came in conjunction with a separate deal for elementary supply teachers, was achieved just prior to that new deadline. “This deal benefits my members as well as the local community,” said Kim Finlayson, president of ETFO’s Avon Maitland occasional teacher local, in a news release. The Belgrave arena board’s proposed agreement with the Twp. of North Huron was floated to the public for the first time last week to much fanfare. “The aim of the new agreement is to put the control back in the hands of the public,” said North Huron councillor and author of the agreement Greg McClinchey. “We want this to be a community centre in the true sense. The community’s centre.” Currently, there is a status quo, but some confusion as to who is responsible for what, McClinchey said. Since amalgamation, he said, the community centre’s role has been unclear. This agreement, which would stand for a proposed five years, would put everything in writing, not just for five years McClinchey hopes, but for 25 or 50 years, or perhaps, even longer. Councillor and current board chair Paul Gowing said that in recent years, requirements put on public facilities have made it difficult to keep these buildings community- run. “There have been increased requirements, which have complicated the running of these centres,” he said. “We have to worry about liability, health and safety, accessibility and alcohol concerns. The new agreement would not make the community centre a licensed facility. If someone wishes to have a licensed event, they would have to license it themselves and obtain their own insurance, which is how the system is currently being run. The new agreement would involve the Belgrave arena board becoming incorporated, or registering as a non- profit organization. If this status is attained, the board is free to operate as it pleases with no interference from North Huron. However, insurance costs would be lowered significantly, as the board would be able to piggy-back onto North Huron’s insurance policy. Without bringing alcohol licensing into the picture, which according to North Huron reeve Neil Well done Spring’s warm weather brings out the skipping ropes and at Brussels Public School it was all for a good cause. Students and staff raised $1,200, with more coming in, for the Heart and Stroke Foundation during the annual Jump Rope for Heart event on Friday afternoon. Ashley Stevenson, left, and Tiffany Struthers lift off. (Bonnie Gropp photo) The ‘hot stove’ representatives from the Central East North Huron Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) are encouraging the public to join their fight against the Avon Maitland District School Board staff’s recommendations. At issue is the option to close Blyth and Turnberry Central Public Schools and move Grade 7 and 8s from Turnberry and Wingham into F.E. Madill Secondary School. Blyth students would be sent to East Wawanosh and Hullett Central Public Schools. The increased numbers this would bring to those schools could result in the necessity for portables. The ARC had proposed closing Wingham, Turnberry, Blyth and East Wawanosh, and building a new, larger centre of excellence for kindergarten to Grade 8. The final decision will be made by the board of trustees in June. ARC co-chair Mark Beaven said that a number of delegations have asked to speak at the ‘travelling’ school board meeting to be held in Wingham Public School May 12. “The main thing for us is to get the public’s support to help make sure the trustees listen.” Beaven said the hot stove members remain committed to the idea of a brand new school. “There are two issues here. The first is putting the Grade 7 and 8s into the high school. This is one that the community is clearly 100 per cent against,” said Beaven. A survey distributed during the ARC meetings showed a high disapproval rating, among parents, students and staff, for such a move. There is a greater issue to be addressed as far as Beaven’s concerned, however. “In my opinion this is a real opportunity we’re missing out on for our children. That’s what this is about, what’s in the best interest of these kids. If someone can tell me that overloading two aging schools with portables is better for our kids, then fine.” Beaven added that he also found it ironic for Northeast Huron trustee Colleen Schenk to have been quoted in the daily media as saying that children here need high technology. “How are they going to get that in portables?” said Beaven. He said people don’t have to stand up and give a speech to help get the point across. “We want voices, but numbers alone are important too. If the board thinks the community will let this happen, they will make it happen. We need to keep this fight strong and hopefully the board of trustees will see we are not just going to let this be.” ETFO ad tells a different story CitizenTh e $1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, May 7, 2009 Volume 25 No. 18SPECIAL- Pg. 12Spring home and gardensection begins ART - Pg. 35 Student Show 2009 opensthis ThursdayNEWS- Pg. 7AMDSB director explainsreasons behind decisionPublications 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: ARC’s ‘hot stove’ prepares for battle By Bonnie Gropp The Citizen Agreement puts public in control By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Continued on page 6 By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Continued on page 6