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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-05-30, Page 14OLD TYME JAMBOREE Hosted by The Optimist Club of Monkton & District at the Elma-Logan Recreation Complex Monkton, Ontario Sunday, June 3rd, 2001 1:00 p.m. - ? Beef Barbeque Dinner 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Admission JAMBOREE $4.00, DINNER $9.00 Free Admission & Meal for all participants, musicians, singers and entertainers EVERYONE WELCOME PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 2001. School bd. considers solutions to enrolment drop By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen A day before the first meeting of four specially-mandated Community Accommodation Study Committees (CASCs) looking into solutions for projected enrolment changes in the Avon Maitland District School Board, supporters of Downie Central Public School secured a voting position on the Stratford-based committee through a trustee vote. Trustees voted 6-1 in favour of a motion brought forward by Perth East/South trustee Carol Bennewies at a regular board meeting, Tuesday, May 22. With the vote, Downie's school council retains its existing vot- ing membership in the South Study Area CASC, which includes schools in and around St. Marys, Exeter and Mitchell, but also becomes the only school in the district to have full rep- resentation on two CASCs, Bennewies said she brought the motion forward in response to a request from a Downie school council representative. She explained that a significant number of Downie Central students normally proceed to attend secondary schools in Stratford, out- side the South Study Area, and wish to have input in the Stratford portion of the board's accommodation review process. Speaking on behalf of Superintendent Bill Gerth, who was absent from the meeting but is co- ordinating the accommodation review process, Director of Education Lorne Rachlis cautioned the board on approving the motion. He explained that the boundaries for the four CASCs were determined, to a large extent, by examining which high schools accepted most of an elemen- tary school's graduating students. But several schools, besides Downie, send similar numbers of stu- dents to different high schools, which complicated the boundary-making _process. Rachlis suggested that accepting the Downie request could set a precedent for further CASC membership alter- ations just as the community reviews were set to begin. (The first CASC meeting was May 2) in Clinton, with the first Stratford- area session scheduled for May 24.) South Huron trustee Randy Wagler cast the only dissenting vote, arguing that DOwnie supporters could easily approach members of the Stratford CASC and request the right to serve as non-voting members or to submit information from a Downie perspec- tive. They could also make their con- cerns known in the South Study Area meetings, he said, with full confidence that all of the information gathered by all CASCs will eventually be present- ed to school board members. "I don't see a tremendous advantage to being on two (CASCs)," Wagler said. And, following the meeting, Wagler admit- ted he was concerned about opening the door for other such requests, even from schools which may only send a small number of graduates into a neighbouring CASC study area. But both Stratford trustees offered strong support for Bennewies's motion. "If the purpose of this whole stage of the (accommodation review) process is getting as much public involvement as possible, what is the danger of setting this precedent?" asked Meg Westley. And Rod Brown argued that the sit- uation at Downie was significantly different from that of other schools, since a large number of students are bused from within Stratford city limits to the RR2 St. Pauls school. Contacted the day after the meeting, Gerth agreed with Brown and shared little of Rachlis's apparent concern. He confirmed that significant numbers of graduates proceed to more than one CASC area from several Avon Maitland elementary schools, includ- ing Brookside' at RR7 Lucknow (Goderich and Wingham). Blyth Public School (Clinton and Wingham), and Milverton Public _School (Listowel and Stratford). but he clarified that, with Downie, the situation is unique because not all students come from the same relative- ly homogeneous rural landscape. He added that other schools were welcome -to pursue secondary CASC memberships through the same process chosen by Downie supporters. In fact, Gerth admitted that he may have had a hand in the Downie school council's decision to lobby Bennewies. He explained that a coun- cil member contacted him a few days previously, requesting Downie repre- sentation- on the Stratford CASC. The superintendent advised the caller that the CASCs were created through a motion of the board of trustees, and that the only way to alter membership is through a similar trustee vote. Committee prioritizes what's important with schools By Clint Haggart Clinton News-Record The Community Accommodation Study Committee (CASC) held its first meeting at Central Huron Secondary School on May 23. According to board policy, depend- ing on the number of schools in the district, there will be one voting mem- ber from each school council. A vot- ing member would be chosen by council in each municipality. If a council did not choose anyone, the regional superintendent would choose someone from that community. The director of education would choose a non-voting supervisory offi- cer and the principal of each school would be a non-voting member. The committee was directed to report on: • The advantages and disadvantages of the educational experience of all students within the area. • Enrolment and population statistics and future development plans for the area. • The state of repairs of schools in the area. • The use of eduCational facilities in the area. • The existing program at identified schools and its availability at all schools considered as reasonable alternatives. • Current and potential alternative uses of the schools. • The availability of a full range of facilities such as an adequate resource centre, administrative area, remedial facilities, general purpose rooms, space for the delivery of services such as school resource teacher and for other services pro- vided from outside the school. • The working conditions provided for the-teachers at the school. • Access and student safety factors. • The opportunity for a full range of extracurricular activities for pupils. According to a May 8 Director's Action Report, secondary school reform will result in a significant sin- gular decrease in student enrolment beginning in Sept 2003. This decrease, calle4 the Double Cohort, is a result of the termination of the OAC program. OAC students will graduate at the same time Grade 12 students graduate. Funding for public schools is based on student enrolment. A . decision was made that the municipal representatives and the school representatives in each com- munity would hand in separate reports on what makes the schools in their community special. Jeff Williams, supervisory officer, had the voting members split up into groups of people with whom they were not familiar and asked them to identify what was important to them concerning their schools. In regards to buildings, the voting members identified safety, sufficient size to house students, efficient, well organized and maintained, stimulating and comfortable and well groomed. Space to play and nature to enjoy were identified as a need on school property. The members identified the follow- ing as important programs: the virtue program (taught at Holmesville Public School and a few other schools), which teaches morals by announce- ment in the mornings and assemblies on Fridays; reading programs; pro- grams that relate to daily life; more French; more music; fundamentals (grammar, mathematics, etc.); disci- pline; a broad range for future options and current programs that are well taught. One school representative said resources should be fairly distributed throughout the schools so no commu- nity is at a disadvantage. The members said they would like the staff to be: fair, caring, responsi- ble, involved in extracurricular activi- ties, motivated, professional, life-long learners, able to use their specialty training, competent, nurturing, under- standing, have a good sense of com- munity and good communication skills. One member said class sizes should be smaller and more manageable because it would help the teachers with discipline and respect. Other things the members felt were important in schools include a move- ment towards junior high schools, parental support at school, efficiency and affordability, playground safety, an opportunity to experience success, positive social interactions and school pride. Reinforcing the fact that school clo- sures are not wanted, some members noted that small "warm" community schools and the shortest possible bus trips are ideal. The next meeting is scheduled for June 28 at 7 p.m. at Central Huron Secondary School and all CASC meetings are open to the public. A Salute to the Blyth Festival The Blyth Festival, the largest tourist attraction in northern Huron County is planning its biggest season in years. Early ticket sales for this six-play season with four world premieres, indicate great interest for the season which begins with Paul Thompson's spectacular production of The Outdoor Donnellys, taking place in various locations all over the village of Blyth. As a salute to the Festival and a way of allowing advertisers to reach some of that audience, The Citizen will be publishing a special section in time for the official season opening on June 15. The section will feature profiles of the stars, the playwrights and the people behind the scenes who put the magic on stage. This special section will not only be included in the June 13 issue of The Citizen, but also will be included in the Goderich Signal-Star, Clinton News-Record, Huron Expositor in Seaforth, Lucknow Sentinel, Wingham Advance-Times and Listowel Banner. There will also be copies at the theatre for Festival visitors. In all, 22,000 copies will be printed, delivering a huge audience to you at a bargain advertising rate. We invite you to take advantage of this special occasion, to both advertise your own business and promote the Festival so it will remain such an important cultural and economic part of life in Huron County. Reserve your space by calling Jeannette McNeil or Alan Young at 523-4792