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The Citizen, 2001-07-04, Page 10Check out The Citizen's WEBSITE at www.northhuron.on.ca Multiple sclerosis never hits just one person. It affects the entire family. ,M 41 Multiple Sclerosis ghi Society of Canada 1.800.268.7582 www.mssociety.ca Presentation Crystal Taylor was atthe Blyth Public School last week pre- senting principal Willi Laurie with a cheque for track and field endevours on behalf of the Blyth Legion. • Colour Printing • Posters • Letterheads • Envelopes • Business Cards • Business Forms • Brochures • Flyers • Carbonless Forms • Labels PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY. JULY 4, 2001. Ecker visits Exeter By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Just as school boards across the province grapple with a June 30 deadline for submitting balanced 2001-02 budgets, with many of those boards pleading for much greater government funding, Ontario Education Minister Janet Ecker slipped virtually unnoticed into her home town of Exeter recently for a public appearance at her alma mater elementary school. Under the "Good News" section of the Avon Maitland District School Board's final regular meeting of the school year, Tuesday, June 26, South Huron trustee Randy Wagler explained Ecker spoke at a ceremony for graduates of Exeter Public School. Ecker, now a Toronto-area MPP and deputy premier in the Conservative government, attended both Exeter Public and South Huron District High School. "She remi- nisced about her time in Exeter and gave the students some words of wis- dom and motivation," Wagler explained. "It was just a typical kind of graduation speech." The Avon Maitland board recently sent a letter to the education ministry, requesting a meeting with Ecker to discuss what it sees as funding short- falls. There has been no response. But Wagler said Ecker wanted her recent homecoming to be "apoliti- cal," so both the principal and vice- principal of Exeter Public School kept it a secret for about two weeks after receiving confirmation she would attend. Wagler himself knew about the visit only a few days in advance, and he also kept it secret from both the public and the media. -During her visit, Ecker did not dis- cuss any of the number of issues cur- rently facing Ontario's education system. Run away winners Blyth Public School students were awarded track and field honours by Legion representative Crystal Taylor at the annual awards assembly held last week. Avon Maitland school board has high profile at OPSBA By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Profile was high for the Avon Maitland District School Board dur- ing the recent annual general meet- ing of the Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA) in Kingston. Wingham-area trustee Colleen Schenk, veteran OPSBA representa- tive and currently co-chair of the Avon Maitland board, was elected Western Region vice-president at the June 16 meeting of the province- wide lobby group. She becomes one of five regional vice-presidents, and now represents school boards from Windsor to Woodstock to Owen Sound on the OPSBA's executive committee. "I think rural boards like our own will now have a more influential voice at the association," Schenk said at the Avon Maitland board's June 26 meeting. During the meet- ing, formerly alternative representa- tive Don Brillinger was appointed to replace Schenk at the OPSBA level until the annual election of Avon Maitland officers next autumn. The Pound Foolish Healthwise Carrying extra weight is hard on your body. Lose those extra potinds • eat sensibly, be. physically active and consult your doctor. 000,1~116/7 ' 47.,,-. Keep Your 1 1 ,.,..21; 1 Kids Safe 1 - Learn ' r-1---- , First Aid Injuries kill more children under 19 than I I all other causes of death 1 1 combined. 1 1 1 i Call Red Cross for courses 1 1 near you. 1 I i i 1 + Canadian Red Cross 1 1 S. i association's constitution states Schenk, cannot hold both positions. Also at the Kingston meeting, a motion brought forward by the Avon Maitland board was the only one to pass unanimously. The motion called on the provincial government to reinstate some sort of programming akin to the outgoing Basic-level courses, for students who have trou- ble with courses geared toward stu- dents proceeding to post-secondary training. "I just feel really strongly about special education," Schenk explained, adding "there's nothing that adequately fills that gap" in the province's new four-year high school curriculum. She says' some courses equivalent to the outgoing Basic subjects have been included in the new curriculum, but not enough to inspire some teenagers to remain in school. About half a dozen motions were brought forward from different school boards at this year's annual general meeting, Schenk reports. And finally, the Avon Maitland board's distance education program received significant interest at the OPSBA meeting, following a pres- entation by board staff member Laurie Hazzard. The program, which is a partnership with another largely rural board near Peterborough, pro- vides a wide slate of provincially- approved courses — in both core subjects and specialized areas — over computer-based communica- tions systems. It allows schools to offer classes which might not other- wise be available due to inadequate registration numbers or lack of suit- able staff members.