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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-03-15, Page 15THE CITIZEN. THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2007. PAGE 15. The Huron-Perth local of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) is concerned that the Avon Maitland District School Board does not retain enough psychologists, counselors, therapists, speech language pathologists and other social service professionals as part of its staff. “The professional service personnel is really where this board is falling short,” said OSSTF District 8 president Judy Cairncross, following a presentation to the board Tuesday, Feb. 27. Officially, the presentation – which also included the local president of the OSSTF bargaining unit representing clerical workers and educational assistants – informed trustees about a province- wide OSSTF initiative called the Students First Plan. It has four pillars: diverse course options; reducing class sizes; support programs for those with special needs; and a positive learning environment. “We recognize that without appropriate funding, these things can’t be achieved,” Cairncross told trustees, before asking that the board send a letter of support to the education ministry regarding the Students First Plan. But the District 8 president made efforts to localize her presentation by placing particular emphasis on certain points. Interviewed after the meeting, Cairncross was quick to confirm her organization’s opposition to contracting out. During the presentation, she mentioned the practice when discussing school maintenance, as well as social services to students. “We’re very against outsourcing,” Cairncross agreed, adding the practice affects both the “support programs” and “positive learning environment” segments of the OSSTF initiative. “If these people are only in the school for a certain amount of time to do a certain job and then they’re gone, they never become part of the school community. If they’re on staff, they do become part of that community.” OSSTF’s call for an adequate range of course options for secondary school students also has resonance in Huron and Perth Counties, Cairncross said. She suggested the province’s recent decision to increase the number of compulsory credits to 18 leaves fewer opportunities to take “elective” subjects. But often, students aren’t quite ready to make life-determining decisions about which elective subjects to take, and if there are fewer courses available in a small school then they might not be able to keep as many doors open for their future. “In the small schools in our area, the kids are really pressured. They have to make choices constantly about which courses they should take,” the District 8 president said. Asked if the teachers’union would prefer to see more specialized courses even if it leads to extremely small class sizes, she responded, “our kids need the opportunity. The opportunities are there in the urban areas and they should be available here.” The Avon Maitland DistrictSchool Board is seeking 22individuals to come up with amethod for establishing the value of a school to its surroundingcommunity.To be called the Generic SchoolValuation Template (GSVT)Advisory Committee, the board’sgoal is to include school boardtrustees (two) and staff (10), school council representatives (six),business community members (two)and municipal politicians (two).Following approval of the committeeat a regular meeting Tuesday, Feb.27, advertisements will now bepublished seeking volunteers.The committee is a requirement ofthe provincial government’s newschool closure guidelines. Its aimmust be to create a GSVT for theboard to use when determining thevalue to the community of anyschool facing potential accommodation changes. “The GSVT Advisory Committee will advise the board on what the generic valuation template will look like, and when that is approved it will then be placed in board policy and will be considered by the local committees associated with each of the affected schools,” explained education director Geoff Williams. Also at the Feb. 27 meeting, trustees were provided with a seventh draft of the board’s own revised accommodation review policy, which is being rewritten to comply with the new provincial guidelines. It’s expected that at the board’s next meeting, March 27, final decisions will be made about both the membership in the GSVT Advisory Committee and the final version of the board’s accommodation review policy. “We certainly have been through it a lot. I wonder if anybody can do it from memory yet,” board chair Jenny Versteeg commented, referring to the draft policy.Interviewed after the meeting,Williams agreed that the pieces arefalling into place to enable to boardto begin an accommodation reviewprocess as early as this spring. It’squite possible schools could be named for potential consolidation or closure at that time, with the board planning for two full years of public consultation and preparation before the changes would take effect. “We’ve been very up-front about that,” Williams said, citing continuing trends towards declining enrolment. “It would be unrealistic to say that things aren’t going to change over the next five years.” Regarding the first step – the work of the GSVT Advisory Committee – Williams said this would probably entail two or three meetings. “It won’t be a difficult task,” he predicted, “but it may be difficult to get the number of people we’re hoping to attract.” He added the board hopes it’s the start of a comprehensive process that involves members of the communities at all steps along the way, and ends with people feeling the right decisions have been made. “That may be optimistic, but we’ve got to try for that.” OSSTF says board falling short Custom Farm Services Varna, Ontario Phone Pete or Bill for details 519-233-3218 “We are committed to offering the complete package” • Custom Farm Services (Planting,spraying,combining,etc.) • Storing & marketing of crops • Seed corn,soybeans & spring cereals offered from these companies: AMDSB seeks people to study schools community valueBy Stew SlaterSpecial to The Citizen Batteries not included Grade 4 student Colton Hastings sells his clock without batteries project to judge Marilyn Mitchell March 7 at Brussels Public School’s science fair. 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