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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-11-02, Page 23School boards juggle issues By Donna Cansfield, President Ontario Public School Boards' Association The public school trustees you elect in November's local govern­ ment elections will face a full agenda of issues. During their term in office, they will experience continued pressure for change and improvement in Ontario's public education system. They will have to juggle a challenging mix of local and provincial issues. One question that tops the list for parents, teachers and employers is, "Are our public schools providing children with the education they need?" Be assured that school boards and the provincial government are working on answers. New, more standardized curriculum is being developed for use across the province with an emphasis on the basic skills of literacy, mathematics and problem-solving. The Ministry of Education and Training is developing regular testing programs to measure students' progress. At the same time, school boards are developing their own methods for measuring students' and . schools' achievement and sharing that information with parents and their communities. Of course, no one argues about higher academic standards. But some educators and parents wonder how more standardized, outcomes- oriented schools can also be flexible enough to respond to individual differences among children. School boards and teachers are being challenged to find answers to that question as they implement Ontario's policies of integrating children with special needs into regular classrooms and destreaming grade nine classes. Dwindling resources will continue to shape the agenda for most boards. In a concerted effort to concentrate limited resources in ’he classroom, school boards have Wingham man wins draw The Wingham and District Community Living Association held its draw for the second Early Bird prize of $500 for the annual lottery, dinner and dance on Friday, Oct. 21. The winner was Joe Reinhardt of Parents meet Continued from page 15 serve another term and Connie Bos was elected as a Goderich representative. The Willing Workers, a committee which raises funds by providing dinners and receptions, reported on a very successful year. Kim Burgsma, the chairperson of the Willing Workers, presented a cheque for $10,000 to the PT A on behalf of the committee. Deb Damsma presided over a discussion as to how to allocate the funds in the PTA accounts. It was decided that new tables and chairs would be purchased for the school gym, $1,000 would be set aside to purchase library books, and several thousands ‘would be allocated to a new photocopier. Sid Bruinsma, chairman of the school board, closed the meeting with words of appreciation for the tireless efforts of the Willing Workers Committee and of the PTA board. He led everyone in a brief devotional after which the meeting was adjourned. already made sifmificant chanrcs ’o the way they operatc-by reducing administrative costs, by forging co­ operative relationships and by reducing duplication wherever possible. But the' task of restructuring is far from complete. The next three years will see more merged bus routes, shared purchasing policies, multiple-use facilities and joint programs. Those are the good news stories. They may also see fewer support services for children in need, larger classes with fewer learning materials, reduced counselling and consultant services and fewer extra-curricular activities. During the past two decades, public schools have tried to be all things to all people. Of course, they must continue to provide elemen­ tary and secondary education to anyone who comes to their door. But many also provide skills training and adjustment programs, health and social support services, meal programs and child-care. The current fiscal crisis in government is forcing them to take a hard look at all their programs. During the next term of office, local school boards will be taking the pulse of their communities to see what services matter most and how much their taxpayers are willing to pay for them. The very existence of school boards, which are Ontario's oldest form of government, will be on the agenda during the next three years. What is the best size for the school board? How many boards does Ontario need? What is the best relationship for boards to have with parents and other sectors of the public? Public education in Ontario is at a critical time. School boards will be making decisions about classroom programs, budgets, taxes and their own role in education in a climate of growing interest about quality and cost. As locally elected representatives, trustees must make sure that local concerns are part of the province-wide juggling act. Wingham. The winning ticket was drawn by Lloyd Carter, president of People First. The remaining 20 draws will be held at the dinner and dance on Nov. 5 in Brussels Community Centre. Ten draws will be held for $1,000 and 10 draws for $100. This is the Association's main fundraising event and a few tickets are still available from the maximum of 300 tickets to be sold. Call 357-3562 for further information. For Strong Local Government In Grey Township FOR REEVE RE-ELECT Armstrong, Leona THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2,1994. PAGE 23. Donations for the adventurers The Blyth Legion, represented by John Battye, right ,and the Blyth Lions' Alex Blair, left, donated a total of $1,100 to the Venturers, Scouts, Cubs and Beavers. Accepting on behalf of the clubs are, second from left: Chris Knox, John Storey, Shawn Drost and Allan Storey. In back is Group Committee Chair Barb Knox. Breakfast helps students succeed September is here, and house-, holds across the nation are making the adjustment to school days. For many, that means a hectic morning rush. But no matter how frantic things are, it will provide rewards to your children to put breakfast at the top of your "To Do" list. Many teachers have noticed that children who skip breakfast are inattentive and learn poorly. Some researchers have also observed that breakfast skippers may exhibit behaviours such as apathy, disinterest and irritability that isolate them socially. These observations are backed by studies that show the overall intake of several key nutrients is lower among those who go without breakfast. For instance, a 1992 study of the eating habits of primary school children in southern Ontario noted that children who ate breakfast were more likely to consume diets that were adequate in all four food groups as compared to children who went without breakfast. According to Susan Mah, a public health nutritionist in Ontario, a healthy breakfast is one that includes at least three of the four food groups recommended in Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. "Try quick and easy foods for breakfast, including leftovers from last night's dinner," says Ms Mah. "These foods may be more appealing to your children, and will help add variety to their diet too." Some suggestions include: • Cold pizza slice and a piece of fruit • Peanut butter and jelly sand­ wich on whole wheat bread with fruit juice • Leftover steak or roast and tomato slices on a bagel with a glass of milk • Trail mix (seed, nuts and dried fruit) and cheese . • Hard-cooked egg, whole wheat roll and fruit Ms Mah notes that these are "grab-and-go" meals, so that when time is short, kids can eat them while travelling to school or just before class. PRINTING IS OUR BUSINESS • Colour Printing • Posters • Letterheads Envelopes Business Cards Business Forms Brochures Flyers Carbonless Forms Labels WE CAN DO IT ALL! PRINTING. SERV BLYTH PRINTING INC BLYTH X 523-9211 "Also keep in mind that kids learn from your example," says Ms Mah. "If you make breakfast an important meal in your life, it is more likely your children will too." • For more information, call 905- 821-4943. HELPING THE WORLD WRITE NOW CODE Self-sufficiency through literacy in the developing world For information, call 1-800-661-2633