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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-12-10, Page 1Special________J_________Sports | News ‘The Citizen’ features its special insert of Christmas carols See inside Madill Senior Boys volleyball team takes OFSSA bronze See page 8 Wingham hospital’s children’s program benefit from Shriners’ donation See page 28 Carroll says future exciting, frightening By Janice Becker Citizen staff Dealing with the transition and alleviating anxiety are the top pri­ orities for Paul Carroll, newly- appointed director of education for the amalgamated Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB), as he is handed the reigns. Carroll, current director of educa­ tion for the Huron County Board of Education, was appointed to the post for the Jan. 1 amalgamation of the HCBE with the Perth County Board of Education, at the Dec. 2 meeting of the LEIC (local Educa­ tion Improvement Committee). In accepting the position, Carroil said there are numerous issues to be dealt with in the few weeks before the official amalgamation and the coming months to balance the two systems. "This is an exciting time for me as well as frightening, given the speculation of the future," he said. However, Carroll points out that uncertainty is nothing new for him as he has been going through it since becoming HCBE director of education several years ago. The top priority in the amalgama­ tion is to guarantee a smooth transi­ tion for the 59 schools in the new board, he said. "We will work to focus on immediate needs and the anxiety of staff so it does not filler down to schools or the students." Carroll acknowledges there Is anxiety for the 90 board.staff which has been serving the needs of both counties. "They are anxious about where their jobs might be and if they will have one." The second phase of the amalga­ mation will be to look at recom­ mendations made by the working Parent will re-invest in Huron education By Bonnie Gropp Citizen staff It was meant for education and it should therefore be spent on educa­ tion. That is the feeling of parents across the province, who have stat­ ed they will take money saved from the withdrawl of service during the recent teachers' political protest against Bill 160, and return it to their schools. "I think if the government is going to give away money, I might as well take it and give it back to the board," said Janet Koehler of RR2, Brussels, whose children Police find pot Over $10,000 of marijuana was found following the execution of a search warrant at a Cone. 3 East Wawanosh residence, Dec. 3. No names have been released, and police are continuing their investigation. An OPP report stated that over four kgs of plant material was found in two different rooms. group over the past six to seven months and begin to enact key decisions to move towards transition for the merger, he said. Much of the initial work will be in the busi­ ness, operations and technology area where the administrations will have to combine two systems into one. "Currently, there are two payroll systems, for example," Carroll said. "It will have to go to one system by September.” While realigning the financial systems, the AMDSB will also look at the total spending allocation of its $130 million budget, he said. "We will shift the focus to schools and classrooms to bolster student needs. We will need a global per­ spective in looking for chunks of money which can be better spent on the front line." Much of that adjustment will be made through "stub year funding", which runs from January to August, to shift the financial year of the school boards. It had previously run by the calendar year. Beyond the finances, Carroll said the board will have to deal with program equity across the district and access the balance of need. Some of the programming which will requiring review include French as a second language (Perth currently offers less hours per week), junior kindergarten (Perth does not offer) industrial arts and family studies. In the secondary schools, a bal- Continued on page 23 attend Grey Central Public School. While Koehler admits there are many parents who did suffer because of the strike, she feels that as one of the others, she would rather see the money used for her child's education. "Most parents I know made do. For them to be offered this money is wrong. Lf the government really cares about education the money would be better spent in the class­ rooms," she said, adding that she sees the taetje as a way for the province to "buy favour". Paul Statia, principal at Grey, said that the focus of one discus­ sion at the November School Advi­ sory Council (SAC) meeting centred on this subject. "Mention was made by a few present at that time, that that was what they would do and it's happening around the province." Superintendent of Business at the Huron County Board of Education Janet Baird-Jackson said that the question has been raised by people from a number of schools in Huron. The reality is that the money saved through the withdrawal of Continued on page 12 Paul Carroll Blyth plans Christmas pageant Join everyone in Blyth Dec. 20, to celebrate the season with friends and neighbours. Various performers will entertain and everyone is invited to be one of the local stars. Get an act together and call Fran Cook at 523-4345 (day) or 523-9040 (eve) or Don Scrimgeour 523-4551. Photos with Santa, co-ordinateu by the Blyth Optimist Club, will be available from 6:15 - 7:15 p.m. Carol singing in the courtyard will precede the concert. Cash and canned donations will be collected for the Huron United Way. The hall rent is generously donated by the Blyth Legion Ladies Auxiliary. Sponsored by the Blyth Business Association, the Village Christmas will be held al the Blyth Memorial Community Hall at 7:30 p.m. Adults may join their friends for karaoke at the Blyth Inn following the pageant.