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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-03-18, Page 22 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Marsh IS HISS Proposal from Par 1. ASE stands for Alternate Scarborough Education. The two high schools are popular, and have waiting lists. Transportation becomes morc of a- problem when applying the concept to a rural area, Parr says. Under the SDHS proposal independent study in Seaforth would be available to any student in the system that wished to pursue this direction. RURAL PROBLEM But getting here would be the students' problem, or more likely their.parents'. since you can't get a license tri this province until your 16 -years -of age, and under the graduated licensing sys- tem you can't drive on your own until closer to 17. . So under the SDHS propos- al, senior students or "Grades 11. 12 and OAC will be taught utilizing an indepen- dent study, tutorial or small group mode of delivery." In addition: • student timetables would have two scheduled .periods per week per course. The remainder of the students' time would he spent with one-on-one and with small group interaction with the teacher: • The Grade 10 program would maintain a traditional timetable. but with indepen- dent study skills becoming a focus:. • Grade y would be modi- fied as mandated by the provincial government: • The school would contin- _ue to provide a dedicated fiasic level program to pro - wide for the learning needs of basic level students and facil- itates thc integration of its CLN (challenged learping - necds) students: Parr says the director of education -Carroll supports the proposal. He adds it has received a "mixed" reaction from thc teachers' union (OSSTF). Teacher workload might pose a problem. The vice principal adds reaction of teaching staff at the school to the proposal has also var- ied. but not necessarily along lines one might expect. He says some of the older staff at SDHS appear to be the most enthusiastic. , The proposal would accom- modate students at both ends of the spectrum, those that wished to speed up (for example. if they wished to , finish their studies and get a job so as to finance post -sec- ondary studies) or slow, down (ic. studying at their own pace) their education, the vice-principal says. , He believes the local high school could maintain an enrollment of more than 300 under the. scheme. OAC students 'would be given a choice between the tratlitionaf mode of curricu- lum delivery or independent study in the transition year. _1998-99. Students in Grade 11.. ' l 12 would begin their year with a special preparato- ry course in time manage- ment and study skills. Among other benefits of schooling focused on inde- pendent study might bc the creation of partnerships with local business, industry and service clubs. the potential for year-round schooling as a result of flexible completion dates. the ability to offer vir- tually:every course outlined in current curriculum docu- ments and increased student - teacher contact. AN EVOLUTION Thc program, as presented to trustees. makes provision for students encountering dif- ficulties in completing assignments through super- vised study. mentoring and peer involvement. Another special featyre would be the utilization and expansion of distance education opportuni- ties. through high-tech equip- ment and methods SDHS is already using. Parr calls it all "an exciting prospect." "The process of creating this school is as vital as the product generated by thc school," the proposal notes. "Hence, administrators, teachers and students must bc open to the assumption that this school will constantly bc evolving to meet the chang- ing needs of our students." McLaughlin Chev-Olds Ltd. 13 Main St. 9aatollh. 527-1140 •Service *Selection *Savings *Satisfaction •Leasing •C. a BODY SHOP Service MASSAGE THERAPY BARBRA ELLIOTT R.M.T. Registered Massage Therapist For an appointment Call 527-1242 Seaforth Chiropractic Clinic Don't Be 1 or the 1865 People Who Couldn't Get Dry Wood This Year! BUY NOW .FOR ,NEXT YEAR!, Carrying placards students at SDHS held a protest walk Friday. Cheryl Ribey, left. Jillian Houston. Christine Medd, Jen DelVecchio, Carrie Salverda and Erin Siemon joined the more than 150 walk- ers protesting the school's possible closure. (Powell photo) Board asks school councils for input on March Break BY RICK KEW Advocate Staff School boards in Huron and Perth counties are asking school councils for input regarding the 1998-99 school calendar.. . Addressing •the Avon Maitland District School. Board at last Tucsday.'s (March 10) meeting. Jim Moore.assistant to the super- intendent' of schools. said a planning committee compris- ing members of the board and the Huron Perth Catholic, District School Board met the day before to address the school calendar issue. At that meeting. Moore said trustees stated they wanted. to have input from school coun- cils and he said he had asked school principals to relay the request to chairs of school councils asquickly as, possi- ble. The planning committee is asking school councils to con- sider two options for the 1998-99 school year: Option A: The school year for all students would com- mence on Sept. 1. and end June 28 for elementary stu- dents. Depending on the placement of the four P.A. days. the school year would end either June 25 or June 28 for secondary students. This, option would result in a two- week break next March. ' Option B: All students would begin the school year Sept. 8. following Labor Day. and the school year would end for all students June 25. This option would result in a one-week break next March. Easter Monday would become an instructional day in both options. Noting board staff and teachers had already been consulted and input from school councils must be back to the board by this Friday (March 20). Moore said the final decision regarding the school calendar would fall to trustees when they discuss the formal report at their March 31st meeting. Education director Paul Carroll said the two school boards in the Huron -Perth district share about 80 per cent .of their bus routes and coordination of the break between the two boards would result in substantial ..savings to both boards. John McCauley. superinten- dent of schools for the Catholic district board, said students from the two boards share some technical -educa- tion classes and they must be coordinated as well. Noting the short time frame in which school councils have to return their recommenda- tions, he said that despite thc fact setting a school calendar happens annually school boards are bound by regula- tions set by the ministry of education. The Catholic board only received the information regarding the regulations Feb. 27th, said McCauley. Thc regulations from thc Ministry state the school year must be not less than 194 days and consist of 190 instructional days, which includes 10 days for sec- ondary school examinations, and four P.A. days. In the last few; years. par- ents with children in the Catholic school system have been surveyed regarding their opinion'on a two-week March Break. said McCauley. with 74 per cent of parents sur- veyed in favor of it. However, said McCauley. the prefer- ence for the two-week break may change in the Catholic system because as of March 13 fwd school councils had reported -their preferences with one for and one against a two-week break. This year students attending schools in the Catholic school system and the former Huron County, school hoard will have' a two-week March break. while students attend- ing- schools iri the former Perth County hoard of educa- tion are in the midst of a one- week break. Working with the difficult time constraints. school coun- cils in Mitchell were unani- mous in saying they would have liked to poll parents on their opinions, hut have taken differing approaches -to the' request for input on the length of the 1999 March Break. The vice -chair of the school council at Mitchell public school (MPS). Tracey Allen - Koester, said her council received a fax notice of the board's request at the end of its meeting March 10 and. based on the preference of council members. will inform the board that MPS schoo council prefers a one-week break next year. Harold Ledermueller, chait of the school council at Mitchell district high school (MDHS), said, as chair he too would prefer to poll parents on the issue, but under the cir- cumstance was not prepared. to call a special meeting of the school council to address the issue. "Everyone on the council is a volunteer," he said, adding. "'the length of the break is not of the same magnitude as closing a school." Ledermueller. said he dis- cussed the issue with MDHS principal Dave Hurley, and they decided to address the issue after this year's spring break. Members of the school • 'council for Upper Thames elementary school (UTES) held a special meeting Monday and will be inform ing the board that their prefer once is for a one-week March Break. However, chairman David Murray said the UTES school council is sending a letter to the board disputing the process the school board is following in obtaining infor- mation from school councils. - "This may all -be a case of growing pains,"- he said. 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