HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-09-10, Page 11It was like a homecoming when
Jim Binns found out that he would
be the principal at Grey Central
Public School, a place he had taught
at over 20 years prior.
Binns spent four years at Grey
Central 23 years ago. He split his
time, working as a resource teacher,
as well as a Grade 3 teacher.
“This move is definitely a
change,” Binns said. “But it’s also
like coming home.”
Binns says there are some
differences between Grey Central
and his previous home at Central
Perth Public School in Holmesville,
and while he has only been here for
a week, he thinks he has a pretty
good feel for the school and for the
area.
“The school is clean, the staff is
friendly and supportive. We have
good teachers here,” he said.
Binns has been doing his best to
connect with his new student body
since he arrived at Grey Central. He
has made a point to work bus duty in
the mornings and then after the final
bell of the day. He says that it’s
important to him to greet the
students on their way into school, by
name if possible, and then send them
on their way at the end of the day.
Binns says that a solid foundation
has been built at Grey Central over
the years and he wants to put his own
spin on things, adding to the
characteristics the Avon Maitland
District School Board thinks are
important to teach students.
He hopes to implement The
Virtues Program, based on a book
written by Linda Popov.
Instead of one virtue per month,
Binns plans on integrating the
program into the school board’s,
although Popov’s book contains over
50 virtues.
Binns says the programs are very
similar and they should work
seamlessly with one another and will
be beneficial to the students.
The Virtues Program will be
implemented throughout an
assembly held at the school every
two weeks. Binns says that not only
will these regular assemblies help to
familiarize the students with The
Virtues Program, but it will also help
to familiarize the students with their
new principal and vice versa.
He says the assemblies will also
help to recognize outstanding
students from Grey Central, where
they will be acknowledged and
awarded by exhibiting the current
virtue in their school or home lives.
Since sitting in the big chair at
Grey Central, Binns has had his
share of challenges. The school
underwent construction over the
summer, so there were some
adaptation issues and settling issues
when teachers first began to arrive.There was also an issue along theinternet relay system that caused theschool to be without internet forseveral days before the start of the
school year.
Binns says Grey Central was also
faced with nearly 20 more students
than was projected for the school
this fall. He says that hopefully no
drastic measures will have to be
taken in reshaping the school’s
classes, but there are certain
requirements that need to be met.
He also found that the majority ofthe school’s new students are inGrades 2 and 3. For these grades, theAvon Maitland District SchoolBoard has strict guidelines in regards
to class sizes, something Binns will
be addressing in the coming weeks.
With the increase in students,
Binns says it has been a challenge
transporting the students to Grey
Central. He said that while the
number of students attending the
school has gone up, there will be one
less bus travelling to the school,
going from five down to four.Binns currently lives in Mitchelland is the father of two children, 11-year-old Jimmy and nine-year-oldFranky.
Throughout his career, Binns has
taught on native reserves throughout
northern Ontario, Calgary and all
throughout southern Ontario after
graduating with a degree in history
and geography from Wilfrid Laurier
University and completing the
teacher education program at the
University of Western Ontario.
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2009. PAGE 11.
Welcome back
Jim Binns, Grey Central Public School’s new principal, says
his new post is a bit of a homecoming, as he taught there
over two decades ago. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Zach Drost
On Sept. 3 at 5:30 p.m. the South
Huron 4-H Sheep Club had the
opportunity to tour a milking sheep
farm.
Once all members met at the
Seaforth fairgrounds they began to
carpool to Cardiff’s farm east of
Brussels. Upon arrival members had
the opportunity to view the sheep
being milked in the new parlour and
were taught about the system as Mr.
Cardiff took them through each
stage of the milking process. This
involved touring the milkhouse,
seeing how the sheep were placed in
the parlour and given their grain as
they were milked. Once the sheep
were milked they were removed
from the parlour and a new set of
sheep were milked.
After, members were brought
through the nursery barn as well as
the area where the dry ewes and the
rams were placed in the various
sections of the barns.
During the tour members were
able to learn all about the equipment
used in the barn and about some of
the work involved in milking sheep.
Members returned to their cars
and went to Brussels park. They
opened the business part of the
meeting with the 4-H pledge. Amber
Brodie read the minutes of the last
meeting.
Members were given a
demonstration on tying a sheep
fleece, with paper twine, by leader
Deb Falconer.
Members are to bring their fleece
to the Seaforth fair to be judged.
Leaders reviewed various aspects
of getting ready for the Seaforth Fair
to be held on Sept. 11 which is the
sheep club’s achievement day. They
are to wash their lambs the night
before the fair and have them at the
fairgrounds between 8:30 and 9 a.m.
They will participate in a
showmanship and confirmation
class. Members must wear white
shirts and black pants. They will
complete a written test.
Former Grey teacher back as principal
“WHEN KIDS PLAY, THEY REMEMBER”
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MEETING NOTICE
MUNICIPALITY OF
MORRIS-TURNBERRY
The upcoming Council and
Committee meetings for the
Municipality of Morris-
Turnberry will be held:
Tuesday, September 15
at 8:00 pm
Regular Council Meeting
Thursday, September 24
at 7:30 pm
Special Council Meeting to
deal with Fire Services and
other issues.
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Sheep Club prepares for fair
By Matthew Swart
The sixth meeting of the Central
Huron Swine Club was held at the
Seaforth Fair grounds on Aug. 20.
The members met at the swine
barns to build a loading chute for the
pigs for easier loading after the fair.
Then the members went and finished
reading all the materials left in their
4-H books about transporting swine.
After the chute was completed the
members enjoyed a snack provided
by the Ryan family.
The members are preparing for
their achievement program to be held
at the Seaforth Fair on Friday, Sept.
11 at 10 a.m. Their 4-H projects will
be auctioned off at a live auction
later that evening. Everyone is
welcome to watch the showmanship
and conformation classes at the fair
and participate in the live auction.
Swine Club meets in Seaforth
The Friday night euchre at the
Cranbrook Hall had seven tables at
play. It was hosted by Jean and
Delphine Dewar.
Share-the-wealth was won by
Isabelle Craig and Mary Davidson.
Travelling lone-hand winner was
Jean Dewar.
Other winners were: high lady,
Yvonne Knight; low lady, Isabelle
Craig; ladies’ lone hands, Dorothy
Dilworth, Viola Adams and Marion
Harrison; high man, Allan Edgar;
low man, Allan Martin; men’s lone
hands, Adrian Verstoep.
Lucky tally winners were Eileen
Mann, Dorothy Martin, Leona
McDonald, Mary Davidson, Shirley
Verstoep, Leslie Knight, Mary
Huether, Keith Turnbull, Myrna
Burnett, Margaret Peebles, Mary
Craig, Florence Holmes, Marguerite
Beirnes, Neil Hatt, Delphine Dewar,
Murray Hoover, and Judy Hahn.
The next euchre will be on Friday,
Sept. 18 at 8 p.m.
Euchre party in Cranbrook