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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1997-10-29, Page 1•VOL,.• Z33' WK. 44 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER. 29,1997 651' INCLUDES G.S.M.. QRestructuring plan passes first hurdle Teachers at Lucknow ,Central, Public School were out demonstrating •very early Monday morning: Talks between teachers' union heads and the govenhment,over Brill 160, broke down on Sunday. Province. Province wide 2.1 minion;students are out of school as about 126,000 teachers walked.' off the job.,.(Livingston Photo) by Pat Halpin After more than a year )f discussion and one insuc.cessful bid ' for provincial endorsation.,, •Bruce county's revamped restructUring, plan has passed thefirst hurdle in the race toward a Janizary 1999.implementation date. Last. Tuesday, county council ,approved the plan in a split recorded vote: That greenlight has to be; followed by .approval from a' majority, of rnunicipali= 'tiesand: the blessing of the province before restructur- ing can go into effect B ;.e's Te structuri ri;g plan 'calls for widespread • by Cale Cowan Workwill continue, on Bill 160. 'whetherOntario teachers are part'o'f the process or not. `Huron MPP Helen Johns ,said Monday morn- : ing her Tory government.. will continue with 'public • , hearings, on the controver- sial 'Education Quality • Improvement Act 13ut"that doesn't mean;• s;he isn't disappoit:ted talks between the. Ontario • 'Teachers -Federation .:arid the education . ministry cameto a. stop on.Sunday but she's'even •'rriore disappointed• .teachers decided to, hit the. bricks Monday morning: • "`I'm very disappointed they've walked out,". she said Monday froth Toronto. Where' she •was,•tied' with .her work on the' Com: , mittee studying the prob., leins of Ontario: Hydro As she spoke; however hundreds of Huron tea ;h-.. • ers: were'gaaherin.g in. Exeter, planning a march the fourth this year on her Exeter constituency office. - , `'`In the last two weeks the education minister has changed and has only been: able to,meet. With 'teachers for three or tour days;,"i she. said; reasoning, that was not enough time :to find, common ground. • But Johus;lie .her gov `ern,ment, ;now says there . tiiay he room for, compro- mise on Bill :.l 60, on major '-points like fundingand;' centralized provincial con- trol over tssues.;like class size.. • • Previously, she had stood steadfastly•b,y the. bill, claiming the proposed legislation was the only means, of correcting fund- ing disparity between rural •.and urban school systems. .However, while she believes common ground can be reached, she. said ;it's' now up to the teachers '.. to, return .to the bargaining, ''table. • • • With a'..governrnent- appointed mediator and ministry officials. willing • to, talk, Johns' said the teachers need to realize their job action is only • ,hurting:theeir students: "A strike hurts the: par- • ents. and the kids especial- ly," ' she said.r "Lt's them I feel. the most regret for." For her part Johnswho met with Huron: 1111i On leaders last 'month'. sar`d she will• stay: Out of the fray as long as n;egotia tions ' regardin•g ,>B il l 1,6(). continue:'' As a ray of hope 'for. parents dealing. with : kids unexpectedly at home,. Johns. said legislation to pay $40 a day '• to cover day care costs will, be ,hustled through while theministry of education will' also,' vide instructional equip-. men( and docurnents to help parents assist thcir children in staying current with the curriculum. • , The Tories. she .said,. will also continue to, press individual, school boards, to assi;it parents and stu bstentsrike, during the• ,,illegal As (or predicting .a: res- olution to the impasse. 'Johns was hesitant, brit hopeful the ewe sides would get back together at , the bargaining table, "I think they will when both sides °decide they want to move. forwar;d'. with quality education," , she said. "We're • prepared to be there'.any time the union asks us; ' m • • amalgamations that will see the county's 30• exist-, ing •municipalities remod- elled into •.eight•new units. Six of the new municipali- ties have opted to use a township designation, While two have chosen to• be called towns. . • The . t'o'wns' will .be ,' formed by the amalgama- tion.. :of Wiartqn, Hepworth, Albemarle and ' 1• Arhrabel'township ,induct-. . ing Sauble .Beach; and the amalgamated muni.oipality of Port ,Elgin S,aitgeen. town -ship .S,outhannpton Currently, :Bruce county has six. towns, ;several vi1-•, • �lages and 16 townships Not all municipalities are happy with the restruc=, turing plan, which had to survive several last,minute amendments;fromoppo- nents. C-hesley reeve , Danard Bell said the 1999 ,implementation date does= n't give municipalities` enough time to settle details of amalgamation: 9The'.province doesn't. seemn to he in any hurry 'to get: us the figures, out to tell what•the:: effect will be," Bell said. ;;; But Lindsay township reeve Milt McIver, who. chaired a similar •county- restructuritg;cbmmittee.. I see 'Waiting' page 3 • :traeuriecular programs ►n't be cut int board • 1 • by Pat l-hiiipin as the Local' 'Education, was, never a plan ,to•'cut Fears that arn:aigarriat-..' 'Improvement•Cornrnrttee those programs tinder' i rig the. Bruce and.,Grey (LELC),' recommends that: amalgarnation hoards of education will ::' 'vocal, and instrumental "`That's wrong entirely. mean the''end of music and music programs and extra_ What'we're looking for: is •extracurrir:ular prograrifs. curricular athletics:contin-'best ,.practrces, in.. both have. been put to..rest `by'i comnrii.ittee making recom men ations on the amalgal" rn.atiin: process,: ue•to he offere,dby .the, hoards," Motz said "We`re.• new district board. • going to try to incorporate y Gre board' chair Ron ; those prae;ttces; into the ; Motz said in spite.of con- 'new 'district board." The'committee, known cern from the public, there ••'see'Important',;page 2 F&h«1: pro ',am 1 be ands( by Pat . Halpin Parents will have a big say in deciding one cit the majcir 4:urri'Culum issues • faring the 'amalgamation : of the Bruce and Grey. county boards of. educa;- ,tion.; , Grey board supervisor, Mary Anne Alton told the ; • amalgamation • committee for the two board ,that' • School • ' ' Community Advisory, Councils, which include parents, ,will .be . surveyed to decide whether to..expand.•the• drey board's • French imniersion : and core • French. programs into; Bruce. county. .. ' ..see tots' page 2 Ghoulish :faces such as this one.wilibe found.. on Lucknow streets Friday night as kids go out trick or,treating. ;Julie Philips had an opportu nity, to try our her,' scary costume at. the Kinettes" annual •Halloween party, held at Morrison Berries on Saturday. (Heim photo)