HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-02-07, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2008.
All smiles
Dalton Hamilton is all smiles now, but he wasn’t that way earlier
last week when branches from a nearby tree pierced his bedroom
window when the tree uprooted in some of the highest winds the
county has seen all winter. With winds nearing 100 km/h, a tree
across the driveway from the house uprooted and landed on the
roof of the house, with some branches making their way through
Dalton’s window and into his bedroom. Too scared to turn on the
light, Dalton ran to alert his parents, who had already heard the
commotion. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Outgoing provincial legislation
sets out a list of student
misbehaviour for which suspension
from school was the only response.
But as of Feb. 1, principals are now
being asked to consider a range of
options for discipline.
And as part of the same
amendments to Ontario’s Education
Act, students from Huron and Perth
Counties who are expelled from
school should soon be getting
directed to alternative programming
close to home, rather than in a
neighbouring jurisdiction.
Expulsions, however, are not a
common occurrence, says an
education superintendent at the
Huron-Perth Catholic District
School Board.
“We don’t anticipate expelling any
students,” said Dan Parr, who
introduced motions for amendments
to board policy at the board’s regular
meeting Monday, Jan. 28. “We don’t
have a history of expulsion at this
board.”
Still, the changes to the Act,
passed last year under Bill 212 and
coming into force Feb. 1, include a
delineation of the responsibilities of
teachers, principals, administrators
and trustees when it comes to
student discipline, suspension and
expulsion.
And both Parr’s board and the
Avon Maitland District School
Board responded by making
amendments to existing policy.
The Avon Maitland board revised
its trustee-led Discipline Committee,
which formerly met rarely to deal
only with appeals to student
expulsions, to comply with the
legislation. Now, that committee has
sole authority to hand out
expulsions, and must also be
consulted for all appeals to
suspensions.
According to Parr, the legislation
doesn’t state that such a committee
must exist on an ongoing basis. So
the Huron-Perth board will put
together a trustee-led committee if
and when the need arises.
Teachers no longer have the
authority to hand out suspensions;
that’s now in the hands of principals
alone. And, whereas the outgoing
legislation set out a list of
misbehaviours that required
suspension, “it’s now one of several
options,” Parr explained.
Again, in a practical sense, not
much should change. Parr says
meetings with parents, detentions
and other options have always been
used by principals in the district, but
now the Education Ministry makes
consideration of those measures
mandatory.
“What I’ve just described to you:
that’s just good teaching practice,”
he said.
Another change is that alternative
programming must be provided
within the district for suspended and
expelled students. Attendance at
such programming will, most likely,
be a condition of return to school by
the student – among conditions
which must now be set out by the
discipline committee.
“In the past, there was no
requirement for alternative
programming, particularly for
students who were under limited
suspension, so they could sit home
and do nothing for 20 days or 30
days or 40 days,” explained Avon
Maitland board chair Meg Westley.
“It’s a significant change.”
According to Avon Maitland
education superintendent Ted
Doherty, “the changes came with
some money from the government to
provide some of that alternative
programming.”As a result, the board
has stepped up its partnerships with
a variety of community service
agencies in Huron and Perth
Counties, including the Perth-based
Choices for Change, the District
Health Units, and the Huron
Addictions program.
Principals get range of discipline options
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PUBLIC NOTICE
Re: 2008 County of Huron Budget
Warden J. Bezaire and Councillors of the Corporation of the
County of Huron invite you to attend a Public Meeting where the
Draft 2008 County of Huron Budget will be presented.
February 16, 2008 10 a.m. Holmesville Community Centre
Following the budget presentation, there
will be a question period.
A copy of the draft budget will be available from the Clerks
Department. Written comments and questions will be received up
to February 13, 2008.
Barbara A. Leamen
County Clerk
The Corporation of the County of Huron
1 Court House Square
Goderich, Ontario N7A 1M2
(519) 524-8394
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
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