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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2006-04-20, Page 1All her eggs in one basket Joy Pizzati of Magnetawan shyly showed off her haul from the Easter Egg Hunt on the Greenway Trail in Blyth on Saturday afternoon. While little ones searched for eggs, older children enjoyed a scavenger hunt. (Vicky Bremner photo) Initiative to build character NEI I NORTH HURON PUBLISHING COMPANY INC Inside this week Pg. 8 Pg. 9 Minor hockey presents awards Hullett students win for public speaking Pg P0, Spring car care g. 11 section begins P2 . 21 Blyth speakers get . certificates Pg. 27 Brussels Lions set to celebrate • A i e Cldt zen 1111111111=1.11MrAmIne corffnuojtiesillavtAlid Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 22 No. 16 Thursday, April 20, 2006 $1 (93c + 7c GST) Gallery displays student artwork A sure sign of spring in Huron County is the opening of the student show at the Blyth ^ Festival Art Gallery. Dozens of works by budding Batemans and virtual van Goghs in single- and multi-media .., presentations will fill the Bainton Gallery beginning with the official opening at 7 p.m., Friday, Apr. 21. This annual show runs until May 18 and is an exciting venue for student creativity and features the best works of young people in Grades 7 - 12. The Avon Maitland District School Board encompasses F. E. Madill in Wingham, Central Huron Secondary in Clinton, Goderich District Collegiate Institute, South Huron District Secondary in Exeter, Mitchell District Secondary, St. Mary's District Collegiate and Vocational Institute, Stratford Central Secondary, Stratford Northwestern Secondary and Listowel District Secondary School. The Huron Perth Catholic School Board is represented by works from St. Anne's Catholic Secondary in Clinton and St. Michael's Catholic Secondary School in Stratford. A few special pieces from elementary school pupils will also be displayed. A wide range .of artistic media will be featured including mixed media; sculpture, photography, drawing, painting, printmaking, and digital illustration. This is a wonderful opportunity to - see exciting art,. full of youthful energy and the promise of careers yet to come. The student show is presented by the Blyth Festival Art Gallery. All teachers, students, parents and the public are invited to come help open this exhibition. Refreshments will he served. The show will he available for viewing during the Blyth Festival hox office hours and continues until May 18. Issue heats up in Grey By Heather Crawford Citizen staff De-amalgamation, was the hot topic of a meeting with Grey residents on Wednesday, April 12. The purpose of the meeting, according to organizers John Gillis and Glen Howling was for GreY residents to voice their opinions on de-amalgamation and to address questions. A petition was drafted for residents to sign and there was a plan for residents in attendance to vote on whether or not to send a petition to Queen's Park in Toronto. However, councillors from Huron East said they were offended by a letter sent out to advertise the meeting and wanted to address the ratepayers. The letter stated that "Many decisions [that Huron East council makes] are made behind closed doors, these decisions should be made public or attached to the minutes of the meeting." Mayor Joe Seili said this was not true and he was offended that the letter stated he wasn't open with his constituents. "If a ratepayer comes to a meeting to discuss something that isn't on the agenda I have always allowed them to speak." he said. Gillis informed everyone despite the presence of councillors, that questions and comments were reserved for the residents of Grey only. "You accuse council. of withholding information but you're doing the same thing. If I ran my business like you say I run council then I deserve to be fired," Seili said, visibly upset about council not being able to address the concerns. Despite Gillis's comment that only Grey residents speak, councillor Mark Beaven gave a presentation that addressed the concerns in the letter. A man in the audience stood up and asked, "Who's meeting is this?" "I will leave if that's what you want me to do," Beaven said but other people present showed interest in what he had to say. "I'm against de-amalgamation but I will still represent the people in Grey on whatever d4cision you make as long as it's an informed decision,- he said. "If 1 just read your letter and heard [one sidel I would think, 'damn right, that's not fair,- he said. In a fast and furious presentation, Beaven outlined the Huron East budget as to how it relates to residents of Grey. The biggest difference from how the budget was described by Howling was that Huron East did not have deficit financing this year. "Grey, Brussels, McKillop and Tuckersmith have the lowest tax rates in the county right now," Beaven said. He offered to sit down with each and every resident to go over the budget and the figures to see where Continued on page 6 By Stew Slater Special ta The Citizen The Character Education initiative of the Avon Maitland District. School Board was launched last week, in advance of full implementation across Huron and Perth Counties next September. Character Education aims to promote positive personality traits among students, through existing curriculum and school activities. Ten traits were identified during a series of community forums last fall, and work is now underway to determine how teachers and administrators can. promote those traits in the classroom and school. A board-wide committee is directing the process, while other groups associated with the board — including trustee, student trustees and school councils -- have been discussing related issues. That included a meeting April 12 at St. Marys DCVI high school, in which school council representatives and other interested people from the area gathered to discuss character education. I would be very interested in working on using the youth, using the students in the schools to promote this concept in the wider community," said Perth District Health Unit representative Carol McDougall, who attended .the St. Marys meeting. She already works with both the Avon Maitland and Catholic school boards on a pilot project promoting physical activity and nutritious eating in schools, and praised the Character Education idea. Involving the wider community fits right in with the vision of Avon Maitland education superintendent Ted Doherty, who oversees the initiative. Following a regular board meeting Tuesday, April 11, he said, "we hope to have these attributes seen in arenas, in shopping malls, to see community groups adopt them as something they talk about and something they work into their programs." Stratford Northwestern Secondary School student trustee Thea Van Den Tempel, who represented her group at the April 11 board meeting, said high school students welcome the initiative, although they might not be as receptive if it's not delivered creatively." Teachers have to show (the positive personality traits) but they can't just preach it," Van Den Tempel advised. She suggested student-led activities or home room challenges as possible alternatives. A launch for the Character Education initiative was held Thursday, April 13 at the board's Seaforth headquarters.