HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-09-20, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2007.When administrators from the
Avon Maitland District School
Board delivered a report to trustees
on Tuesday, Sept, 11,
recommending they begin studying
major potential changes in three
communities, they included a
caution that “the board should
consider . . . its financial capacity to
deal with three reviews . . . at one
time.”
For Perth South/West Perth trustee
Carol Bennewies, concerns about
financial capacity may eventually
pale in comparison to concerns
about her own capacity to keep up
with what will surely be a hectic
meeting schedule. Two of the
communities identified – Mitchell
and St. Marys – lie within the
territory represented by Bennewies,
and she told reporters after the Sept.
11 decision that she hopes to attend
every meeting regarding potential
changes in each town.
“Trustee (Randy) Wagler (of
South Huron) has offered to fill in if
there’s an overlap of meetings,” said
the resident of RR2, Staffa. But, she
added, “I want to be involved with
each (community). I feel a real
connection with both areas.”
Regarding simultaneous
accommodation reviews in
Goderich, Mitchell and Stratford,
various trustees said at the Sept. 11
meeting that they welcome the
challenge, noting that many
residents in those communities just
want to see something done to
ensure future stability in their
schools. And Bennewies, one of just
three from the nine-member board
remaining from when the board
closed three elementary schools and
one secondary school between 2000-
02, noted the scope of that review
was much larger.
“When I look back at the last
accommodation review process,
when we had something like 54
schools to look at, and realize Isurvived that, then I think I can dothis.”Another thing the veteran trustee
took home from that painful 2000-
02 experience, she said, is that “any
of those negative comments are
directed at the office of the trustee,
and not at me personally.”
Indeed, anyone who has spent
time observing the Avon Maitland
District School Board would likely
agree that it’s difficult not to like
Bennewies. For a number of years,
she faithfully advocated for students
with special needs as a trustee
representative on the special
education advisory committee. Now
serving in other capacities, she
nonetheless continues to bring
across the image of being concerned
for those students and parents who
find themselves left in the shadows.
This Mitchell/St. Marys double-
whammy accommodation review
might be her biggest challenge yet,
however.
In Mitchell, the prospect of
change is seen by many as a last-
ditch effort to save a high school that
has been affected by the town’s
proximity to Stratford’s three larger
high schools (both public and
Catholic) – all of which offer a wider
range of programming.
“What is unique about Mitchell is
the significant decline in the
secondary enrolment,” education
director Geoff Williams told trustees
at the Sept. 11 meeting. In Goderich
and St. Marys, the decline is still in
the elementary group, which is
basically similar to what’s
happening in many areas across the
province, and acting now represents
an effort to be proactive for when
that decline eventually reaches the
secondary age.
But in Mitchell – home to the
board’s smallest high school at just
over 400 students – the secondary
decline is already, according to
Williams, “very dramatic.”
Most likely, the proposed solution
will be closing the aging Mitchell
Public School, shifting Grades 7 and
8 students into what will become an
isolated section of Mitchell District
High School, and placing the rest of
the elementary students in the
nearby (and relatively new) Upper
Thames Elementary School.“I think in Mitchell, they wouldjust like to have something done,”Bennewies told fellow trustees prior
to the vote about the Mitchell
review. “You can be creative. But I
think if you wait until (the high
school) can no longer exist because
it can’t offer a full range of
programs, then it’s too late.”
In St. Marys, meanwhile, the
process of change could be
expedited if a joint application is
approved to have both St. Marys
Central and Arthur Meighen
elementary schools declared
“Prohibitive to Repair.” If that
happens – according to Williams,
“we can reasonably expect to hear
more (from the Education ministry)
in mid-October” – then construction
on a new school to replace both
facilities would begin as early as the
spring of 2008.
In any case, early hints are that the
outcome in St. Marys will be similar
to that in Mitchell: one elementary
school housing kindergarten to
Grade 6; and Grades 7 and 8
students relocated to an isolated
section of the high school. In St.
Marys, that would likely demand a
significant addition to the high
school.
Complicating the St. Marys
situation, however, is the perceived
heritage value of the two existing
elementary schools. In a town which
prides itself for its attractive
architecture – much of it made from
local limestone – Arthur Meighen
and especially St. Marys Central are
considered by many to be prime
attractions.
A quarter century ago, heritage-
minded residents already succeeded
in saving another discarded
limestone elementary school – the
former West Ward school – from the
wrecking ball, instead seeing it
converted to a still-operating
municipal daycare centre.
Bennewies seems eager to meet
these challenges – or at least assist
community members in meeting
them.
“I guess I’m very positive in
trusting in the people that are in the
schools and in the community,”
Bennewies said. “I think they’ll
know what’s best.”
Get set... Go!
These Blyth Public School girls let their feet do the talking
when the race was on last week at the 87th annual
Belgrave, Blyth, Brussels School Fair. The top three in each
race were awarded prizes that consisted of school supplies,
to get them all ready for this school year. Front, from left:
Logan Chalmers, Jessie McNichol and Ally Glousher. (Shawn
Loughlin photo)
AMDSB recommendationincludes caution for trustees
The Huron County Health Unit is
holding a free child car seat clinic
on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. at McGee Motors Ltd. in
Goderich. Appointments are not
necessary.
Trained inspectors will check car
seats for proper installation and
recalls. They can explain how to
make children as safe as possible in
a car collision.
Properly installed, a car seat or
booster seat reduces the odds of
your child being injured or killed in
a collision by 75 per cent.
When using a car seat or booster
seat, the restraint must match the
child’s weight and age.
Participants at the car seat clinic
are asked to bring their car seat
instructions and vehicle owner’s
manual. Tether bolts will be
installed free of charge by a
technician on GM vehicles only.
Families will also be provided
with information on child safety,
and be eligible for a draw for a
combination booster seat. There
will be refreshments and a
supervised children’s play area.
Call the Huron County Health
Unit’s Car Seat Help Line at 519-
482-3416 (toll-free 1-877-837-
6143) for more information.
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