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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1978-01-25, Page 9USED CARS & TRUCKS 1977 Monte Carlo V8 Automatic Silver Finish $5995. Licn. LUN340 1976 Granada $3488 2 door 6 cyl. Automatic Licn JUD 083 NO REASONABLE OFFER WILL BE REFUSED 1975 Cutlass $4 195 • 4 Door V8 Automatic Brown Finish Licn. LK4981 1974 Monte Carlo V8 Automatic Bucket Seats $3695. Brown Finish Licn. LRB333 OVER 25 OTHER MODELS To choose from 1/2 ton pick-up 6 cyl automatic Q %ow u 1975 GMC Truck L7Q Licn D14897 1974 Chev. Truck $3478 1/2 ton pick-up V8• automatic Licn. C62931 1972 Fargo Truck $1978 1/2 ton 6 cyl, low mileage Licn. 021869 It's A BUYERS MARKET at WRIGHT-TAYLOR LTD 13 Main Street sedfort Phone 527-1750 bntarib NO< i+kb , WATCH FOR.OUR N Dairy .Systems Ltd. Sales, Service and installation of UNIVERSAL pipelines and Milking Products. R.R. 4 Walton Brussels 887-6063 THE BRUSSELS POST, JANUARY 25, 1978 L-9 RC board studies enrolment by Wilma Oke Concerned about declining enrolment, the members of the Huron-Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School Board have begun a detailed study of the problem, At a board meeting in Dublin Monday night William Eckert, Director of Education, presented researched data pertaining to present and projected enrolments as contained in a report prepared by administrative staff. He said, the researched data in the report has been translated into alter- natives for review and debate. Donald Crowley, Board chairman, pointed out that the board to this point* has made no decisions but plans to arrange formal meetings with interested groups to disseminate the information contained in the report and solicit comment from parents and ratepayers, Mr. Eckert said the admini, strativc staff report indicates that "enrolments began to decline sharply beginning in September, 1977, (5.4%) and will continue to drop a further 15% over the next five years. Although the system enrolment has declined 20% since 1970 (3,507) pupils compared to 2,834 in 1977), the Ministry has, through the General Legislature Grant Plan provided the funding necessary to maintain revenues without impacting the local mill rate. The current enrolment declines coupled with provincial monetary restraints means we must reduce ordinary expenditures in 1978". Fixed Costs Mr. Eckert said the report observes that many costs are fixed such as heat, hydro, maintenance, financing and audit costs, etc. and the natural geography prohibits the closing of classrodms at rates proportional to the actual decline in enrol- ments. Expenditures which exceed grantable ceilings" contained in ministry regulations are assessable 100 per cent to the local taxpayer and some decisions to' be taken toward meeting the* objective of reduced expenditure cannot be implemented in total until September of 1978. He said the Board objective relative le declining enrolments is to define. and study the *problem, review alternatives and * determine solutions while maintaining :and improving the quality of programs and services. Alternatives Mr. Eckert said a number of alternatives will be 'receiving further consideration by the Board, The Report outlined, the results that Would come 'from the Board staffing Grades 1 and 2 at a ratio of one teacher to 24 students; Grades 3 to 6 at a ratio of:one teacher to 26 students; Grades 7, and 8 at.a,, ratio .of one te4cber fo'28, students; and- if Kindergarten continued to be Staffed at the.present,ratio of one half-time teaCher for the number of•, students enrolled. It Was illustrated that based‘ on a , pOjected enrolment •of 2648 students; this particular staffing ratio would require the Board to staff the schools with 103.40 teachers. Currently, there are 111.15 classroom teachers on Staff, if the staffing ratio tot Grades 1 and 2 was 25-1, with Grades,34; at 3011 and Grades 7 and 8 at 35.1 with the Kinderga r tens being staffed at one half-time teacher per class the number of teachers required for September, 1978 would be 90.90. Further consideration will also be given to integrating Kinder- garten and Grade one pupils in all schools wherever feasible and if it were considered, in all cases where the number of Kinder- garten pupils enrolled falls below twelve (12). If this were done and if the average number of Students in a classroom fell between 22 and 32 that *the number of teachers reqicired for September, 1978, would be 92.60. Further study and consider- ation is to be given to the possibility of consolidating the Dublin/St. Columban school attendance areas to reduce the total number of classrooms in use from 11 to 8. Such a redistribution it was pointed out might be effected by housing the Grades Kindergarten to 4 students in St. Columban and the Grades 5 to 8 students at Dublin. Such an ,, organization would avoid the need for triple grades and permit the Board to eliminate one portable classroom and fully utiliie the facilities at St. Columban. Alternately, the consolidation of - Seaforth/St. Columban school attendance areas with a redistribution of Grades K-4 to St. Columban and Grades 5-8 to Seaforth is also being given consideration. The Board will, decide by mid-February what changes will be implemented by September of this year. ,Changes to be implemente-d by, September of 1979 will be decided by April, 1978. The standing committees for the board were elected with .the first named chairman: Building and Property-Keith Montgomery, William Kinahan, Vincent Young, John O'Leary, Arthur Haid with Ed Rowland, the , administration contact; Personnel-Ted Geoffrey, Donald Crowley, Mickey Vere, Ronald Marcy, Ronald Murray with • William Eckert, admini- stration contact; Transportation- Greg Fleming, Da vid Teahen, William Kinahan, John O'Drowsky, Michael Connolly with Jack Lane, adininistration contact; Finance and 'Insurance- David reahen, ,Donald Crowley, -*Michael Connolly, John O'Drowsky, Greg Fleming with Jack Lane, administration contact.* The ad hoc committees-- Trustee-elergy Liaison; Arthur Haid, Ted Geoffrey, Michael Connolly with 'Joseph. Mills, administration contact; Early School Leaving: Ronald* Marcy, Da vid Teahen with Joseph Mills, administration contact; Declining einplments: Ronald Murray,. Ronald Marcy,. John O'Leary, Donald Crowley, Mickey Vere, with William Eckert, Joseph Mills and Jack Lane, all administration. contacts; Assessment: John. O'Drowsky, Keith Montgomery, Greg Fleming, Arthur Haid, with Ed Rowland, administration contact; Teacher Negotiations: Vincent Young, Mickey Vere,7 Ronald . Murray, John O'Leary with William Eckert, admini- stration contact. Board representative to the Huron-Perth Tuberculosis and Re'spiratory Diseases Association, William Kinahan; and to the Stratford Public Library Board, Dan , Devlin of Stratford was renamed with a second represen- tative to be named at a later date.. In accordance with the by-laws Donald Crowley, board chairman, shall serve as " ex-officia"- member of all standing committees and Education matters are'to be dealt with by the board as a committee-of-the- whole. The law firm, Donnolly- and Murphy of Goderich was named solicitor .for the board. The members of .the negotiation committee wilt attend* the Ontario -Schools Trustees Council • .provincial . salary conference in Toronto January 26, 27 and 28, The next meeting of the board will be January 30. The meeting was adjourned about midnight. Operation Liferttile If you are otherwise in good health, regular vigorous physical activity for.at least 30 minutes three times a week will help shape up an even healthier you in a mat- ter of months.