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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-01-28, Page 4School no technological backwater Continuedipun Page 1, can be offered these courses on a more frequent and regu- lar basis. Mass sizes are part of this equation. To a certain extent, tech- nology allows you to tackle that old hug -bo these days. And Seaforth's high school is certainly no technological backwater. There are about 150 com- puters, many of them state- - of -the -art, at the local high school right now, which works out to little less than one computer for every two students, well above the provincial average. There are four computer labs at the local high school. Students can. take a course in algebra, for example; at their own. pace at any time of the day or night. The teacher is actually at another of Huron's high schools, and can come down "in person" at into-rvals when and if required. It's called "distance education." It's happening now. SDHS principal Eccles also . quibbles with the argument that eliminating the fifth year of high school, as the Ontario government plans to do, will exacerbate enrollment prob- lems to the extent that is being claimed here. 30 CREDITS In actual fact, that fifth year hasn't been required since the 1980s in Ontario high schools, he says. The way things have worked since around that time is - 30 credits (in advanced, general or basic levels) are required to gradu- ate, and go on, if that's what a student wants. In general, on average, you try for four credits per semes- ter, or eight credits per school year, although this certainly isn't written in stone. Four years times eight cred- its works out to 32, two more than than the 30 needed. It is• not uncommon for a student to take as many as 40 credits. What has changed dramati- cally recently, the SDHS principal admits, is the struc- ture of Ontario's school sys- tem and the its funding. "All Huron is now repre- sented by four trustees so there is not the same political protection," he says. "Local control is gone." And whereas under the funding system before Bill 160 and Perth -Huron amalga- mation came into being a school hoard could save money in one arca, say teach - Bruce Eccles ers or administration, and use it in another, for instance, buildings, it can no longer do this. MEMORIES GONERS? These categories have become what are termed six "envelopes," and monies .caved within each can't he switched, or channeled into another of these "envelopes." "A school board's hands are now tied, the SDHS principal says, for instance on build- ings. In any case, Seaforth District High School is alive and kicking, Eccles says, and it doesn't plan to just roll over and whither. Immediate cuts needed in Perth to meet shortfall BY RICK KEW Cuts in funding to Perth County schools to meet the $4.2 million shortfall in the Avon Maitland District School Board must be immcdiate,,said its director of education at a special meeting of the hoard Jan. 23 in Stratford. "The most desirable approach to deal with thc shortfall is to enter info an immediate and severe peri- od of extreme fiscal restraint," Paul Carroll said. Carroll said if the board did not resolve the issue now it would only have to do so later. However, the board approved his slate of spend- ing cuts which, will,total a minimum of $2.4 million, despite Penh trustees Wendy Anderson, Atje Tuyten and Ray Ford as well as Huron trustee Bob Allen voting against the measures. The cuts—which only effect Perth County schools—will take place in the following areas: $1 mil- lion in computer purchases, $500,000 in capital build- ing projects, $400,000 in equipment for schools and administration, $400,000 in plant maintenance and operations, $100,000 in school allocation funds.' School allocation funds, used on a discretionary basis by individual schools, were targeted, said Carroll, not to make teachers or stu- dents to a up the burden of the sho fall, but to Under- score the severity of the problem. He said principals will he asked to limit use of school allocation funds to class- room projects. Today (Wednesday), Carroll and Marilyn Marklcvitz, superintendent of business and 'finance at the board's Stratford centre, will meet with three offi- cials of the Ministry of Education and Training (MET). Carroll said they will appeal the MET decision regarding use of overlevy funds, which has con- tributed to the shortfall. He said the MET ruling on overlevy funds states they will only be consid- ered in "stub-ycar funding" (Jan. I, 1998 to Aug. 31, 1998) if the hoard in ques- tion limited its budget increases to two per cent in the 1997 year. The 4.36 per cent rate increase in the former Perth County Board of Education budget exceeded the min- istry guidelines, said Carroll, so, $1.7 million was deducted from the for- mula used to calculate stub - year funding for the Perth section of the new joint board. He said the AMDSB's position in the meeting with ministry officials is that the former Perth board had to increase the rate as a direct result of actions the min- istry had taken. Noting the former Huron and Perth boards were the lowest spending, per pupil, boards in thc province he said, they will be applying for a transition assists Ice grant and an undue hurdeh grant which would make up the $1.8 million remaining in he boards shortfall. Questioned on why the board would make $2.4 School board office Seaforth mares its pitch BY RICK KEW SSP News Staff The Avon Maitland District School Board was slated to hear from another suitor last night (Tuesday) as another municipality on the Highway 8 corridor vies for thc oppor- tunity to become thc site for thc new school hoard's offices. Scheduled to makc a pre- sentation to the hoard al its regular meeting was a contin- gent from Seaforth composed of Mayor,Davc Scott and Coun. John BaII. The amalgamated heard, formed by the merger of the former Huron and Perth county public boards of edu- cation, heard a presentation from the City of Stratford Jan. 13, which proposed thc hoard should establish its headquarters in the buildings used by the former Perth County Board of Education on Water Street. Mayor Scott said recent speculation that Seaforth's high school could be closed, because of low enrollment, played a role in the town's bid for the board's offices. 'However, he emphasized the town's priority is to keep the high school open as a school. "It's a pretty fine line we (the town) arc walking," said the mayor, explaining thc town wants to sec thc high school put to good use if it is, in fact, closed. Scott admitted that Scaforth's high school enroll- ment will undoubtedly drop as St. Anne's Catholic school in Clinton offers Grade 12 classes, and OAC classes arc dronncd from the provincial curriculum. CONTINUED on Page 11. million in cuts, then appeal to MET with the argument it was the ministries doing which forced the shortfall, Marklcvitz said the board was building an overall case and wanted to show MET officials they had examined every alternative. She said the board real- izes the ministry has to he able to justify any relief they give AMDSB, whether in grant form or approval of its appeal, oth- erwise every board would ask for consideration. Remarking on the irony of the situation in which the lowest spending, per pupil, district school board has to appeal to the province for financial relief, Stratford trustee Ray Ford said, "This is a form of 'kelt-hole tax'. The boards who have not done the cutting arc not being penalized as the Avon Maitland board has been." Clothing needed continued from page 1. family. Anyone wanting to donate clothes or articles is asked to take them to the Walton School. Wanted arc boys sizes 6 and 6x as well as boys sizes 8-10. Shoes and boot sizes 13, 1 and 2. Womcns clothes size medium and mens large tops and 36 inch waist in pants arc needed. The tanker remained at the scene for several more hours as a precautionary measure in case of wind change. "There's a lot of barns and trees surrounding thc home," the fire chief said. The Olde Shed Holmesville (between Clinton and Godench) Holidays Are Over - It's Back To Work At The Olde Shed for Isabel at Busy Hands Boutique & Isabel's Ceramics and for Marilyn at Parasol Porcelain We're Having a Storewide Sale 20 (excluding consignment items) Re -opening Wed. February 4 - Regular Hours Wed. to Sat., 10-5 All Classes - Ceramics and China Painting Resuming Feb. 4 New Students Are Welcome! No Experience Necessary! For Ceramics Call Isabgi - Store - 482-1740 Rome 482-7600 For China Painting Call Marilyn - Store - 482-1777 Home 482-7655 ir7P•! NIMIPNIMF b'i14At'sArRIC1 "A high school is an impor- tant link to a community," he says, "something that diaws people back." As proof of this he says to look at all the former students who returned to SDHS dur- ing Homecoming celebra- tions a couple of summers ago. "There was a ton of people at this school," he points out, the place was packed. "A high school is for far more than academics. It is athletics, drama, a network of friends... "It draws you back into a rural community." If the school goes those memories will be goners to, he thinks. "Partly what we remember of Seaforth will be dimin- ished." (First of two parts. Next week: Exciting times at Seaforth high... SDHS makes and tries to market its own CD -Rom. Stay tuned.) McMaster Siemon 4'4r- INSURANCE /FA BROKERS INC. •AUTO •HO'..E •FARf.1 el RAVEL •CCM::r.:ERCIAL *LIFE INSURANCE BROKERS: [sill Siemon Vicki Siemon Anette McTaggart Dan Proctor Ken Hutchison 68 Ontario Rd. 348-9150 - Mitchell 1-800-561-0183 140, CORRECTION NOTICE We wish to draw your attention to the following in our current "'Great Savings Great Values" flyer. Page 2. Item 1. HiTop Rough Tote container 83L, 42-3734-6. Copy reads: $3.00 off, 42-3734-6, 'after mail -in rebate. Should read: Purchase 2 of 42-3734-6 and receive $3.00 mail -in rebate. We sincerely regret any inconvenience we may have caused you. cnote302/303-97 zones all exc. 919 alt THE HURON EXPOSITOR. January 28, 1109e-3 McLaughlin Chev-Olds Ltd. 13 Main St. Seaforth. 527-1140 'Service 'Selection 'Savings 'Satisfaction 'Leasing •Complete BODY SHOP Service MASSAGE BARBRA ELLIOTT A.N.T. Registered Massage Therapist For an appointment Call 527-1242 Seaforth Chiropractic Clinic TOTAL AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR ARCHIE'S - setvece eemote FULL SERVICE WITH A CLASS "A" MECHANIC We also carry a large supply of TIRES ALL BRANDS AVAILABLE 527-0881 24 Goderich St. E., Seaforth Seaforth Agricultural Society Something to smile about! Tom and Diane Peckitt were the lucky winners of four all -season radial tires, donated by Archie's Service Centre. From left: Larry Dolmage and Marc Robinet (Archie's Service Centre). Diane Peckitt (winner) and Betty Glanville (Seaforth Ag Society). TRACTOR ELIMINATION DRAW WINNERS Dec. 12/97: Maurice Quenneville, Tilbury Ont. 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