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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-11-06, Page 28The Avon Maitland DistrictSchool Board has taken a renewedlook into the future of studentenrolment in Huron and Perth Counties, and it doesn’t look any better than it did two years ago. And that’s without taking into account recent job losses in several area communities. At a regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 28, business superintendent Janet Baird-Jackson provided a report about work undertaken last winter by the Toronto-based demographics consultant firm Watson and Associates. Baird- Jackson noted the information in the report isn’t new to trustees, since they were present when it was explained to area-wide school council representatives last spring. In 2005, in keeping with 15-year planning requirements from the provincial Education Ministry, Watson and Associates was contracted to analyze economic and population projections from various local sources. That work was undertaken prior to the completion the 2006 federal census, however, so the board felt it would be prudent to have the consultant update the research. “The projections confirm thecontinued pattern of enrolmentdecrease across the district, withsome individual school differences,”states a news release about thereport.In an interview after the meeting, Baird-Jackson explained the Watson and Associates update also confirmed the projected timetable for the enrolment decline to work its way through the Avon Maitland board’s schools. Currently, it’s showing up in the primary and junior age groups, and the board has “a five to seven-year window before it hits secondary schools.” “As the board has fewer secondary schools, and they are further apart, dealing with enrolment decline and programming issues will be more difficult in the secondary panel than it has and will be in elementary schools,” the news release states. Also at the Oct. 28 meeting, Baird-Jackson informed trustees about the results of another key update: a “reassessment” by architects and Avon Maitland officials of the capital needs – facilities repair and maintenance of heating and cooling systems – at each school. Though the Education Ministry has required two different versions of facilities reviews in the past five years, the last such board- based assessment was undertakennine years ago, following theamalgamation of the former Huronand Perth boards.According to Baird-Jackson, theadvantage of a locally-based update(she says she plans on conducting the next review in five years instead of nine) is that the provincially- mandated reviews sometimes paint unnecessarily black-and-white pictures. For example, the provincial review might declare that an asphalt roof has a specific life span, but a locally-generated review might show that a particular roof could last much longer. Still, although the recent review showed no glaring concerns about work that should already have been completed, the business superintendent admits it’s not necessarily all good news. “The bottom line (in both the provincially-mandated reviews and the recent update) is the same: there’s more work to be done than there is funding,” Baird-Jackson noted. Taking into account both the facilities update and the enrolment projection update, she said Avon Maitland trustees were not surprised by the results. But she conceded they confirm the direction already set by the board: examining schools for possible closure and consolidation.“It certainly helps define ourdirection,” Baird-Jackson said.Interestingly, the Huron-PerthCatholic District School Board alsorecently completed a locally-generated facilities review. Business superintendent Gerry Thuss presented results from that review at that board’s regular meeting Monday, Oct. 27. And he expressed confidence that the board will be able to complete the necessary work in all schools using the available funding. “Over a 10-year period, we hopefully will be able to match our funding through capital renewal programs, with what we can do in the schools,” Thuss said in an interview after the meeting. In neither case, however, wererecent job losses in places likeGoderich, Wingham and St. Marystaken into account. And those havebeen significant.When asked about the possibleeffects of those job losses, Baird- Jackson offered no answers. But she did note that, when Watson and Associates conducted its original enrolment study, a representative responded to concerns from trustees by stating that the projections didn’t take into account “unusual future growth.” At the time, they didn’t mention “unusual future retraction,” but, Baird-Jackson noted, it should be assumed that the models might be inaccurate in the opposite direction if an economic downturn persists PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2008.AMDSB takes fresh look at future enrolment The fifth annual celebration of work sponsored by the Huron District Labour Council, Business as Usual, will be open to artists of all media, including the traditional photographers. Sculpture, paintings, multi-media , fabric art – all ways of paying tribute to the joy and creativity of honest labour will be accepted . Jim Vance, president of the Huron District Labour Council stated,” many artists in other media said they would like to join the celebration of Business as Usual. Our Labour Council of area unions is proud to continue to sponsor this show. There is no charge for entry but each artist is asked to limit their entries to two only. Artists may sell their work directly to the buyer.” This non-juried show will run during the month of January, 2009, at the Goderich Co-op Gallery with intake of art and photos brought to the Goderich Co-op Gallery by Dec. 30, 2008. The opening will be on Friday, Jan. 2 at 5:30 p.m., refreshments will be available and the Viewer’s Choice Award will be presented. Jerry and Carol McDonnell, curators, felt that the continuation of this show is even more important in the present economic climate. They stated, “Huron County has taken the brunt of recent factory closings. We have faith that the future of the County and its workforce will remain strong”. For more information about this show, contact the curators at 519-523-9715. A scary trail Some of the older Blyth Public School students put on a haunted house for the younger students on Halloween last week. The house included scary tunnels and all kinds of scary obstacles, all occupied by a costumed assistant. From left: Becca Chalmers, Ronnie Vercruyssen and Christina Eckert. (Shawn Loughlin photo) The NutcrackerONTARIOBALLETTHEATRE’STheNutcrackeris coming... Sunday, December 7 at 3:00 pm Blyth Memorial Hall Box Office:(519) 523-9300 or Toll Free:1-877-862-5984 This year give a gift that will last all year long Send a one year subscription for The Citizen to: Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prov.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Postal Code. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date to start subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return with payment to: The Citizen Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 or Box 152, Brussels, ON N0G 1H0 For U.S. and foreign subscription rates call our office at 519-523-4792 ❑❑ Payment Enclosed Please send a gift card from 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE CITIZEN FOR ONLY $34.00 By Stew SlaterSpecial to The Citizen HDLC broadens show’s scope