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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-06-24, Page 1Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 -r Seaforth, Ontario June 24, 1998 --• $1.00 includes GST Cash sho Board doesn't have enough for gratuities. • BY VICTORIA JACKSON Clinton News -Record Staff The Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) will not have enough money to pay for all the gratuities owed to the -many teachers who will be officially retiring at the end of the summer. Marilyn. -Marklevitz, Superintendent of Business and 'Finance for the AMDSB said that there is going to he insufficient money to cover all of the gratuities e for teacher retirements that will have to he paid to teachers by the hoard. "We don't know the exact figure yet hecause the equation we. have to use to determine the amount to he paid is different for each person," she said. A gratuity is a lump sum paid to teachers that accrues because of unused sick days. Teachers receive 20 sick days each year and any unused ones accumulate, according to Marklevitz Marklevitz said that with the number of teachers retiring, the process is taking a long time. "The number of teachers retiring this year is probably close to double from last year," she said. Glenn Lamb. Financial Services Administrator for AMDSB, said this might he a record-setting year for retirements. But he said that Huron County will not be in had shape at the end of this year. "Between what we had budgeted and what we had in reserves, we should be able to meet the gratuities needed," he said. Lamb did say that if this retirement trend continues next year, there could he financial problems, but the board won't really know where they stand until their funding model has been worked out. The AMDSB will he filing one financial stub at the end of the year, according to Lamb. So any shortfall in Perth County, which did not have a reserve fund, might have to he shared by Huron County. Lamb said the overall goal of the new retirement package is to save money. .,...�.........,, � couple �� years a .o. "In theory, the teachers that arc retiring are in the higher pay scale and will he replaced by junior staff at a lower wage," he said. - He added that the hoard may not see the savings it expected. Marklevitz agreed that under the new funding model, the new savings may end up going to the provincial government. "The province will give you a grant to make up the difference for salaries over $50,000. New salaries will not be at the level, which will cut down on the grants," she said. She added that even without the new package, the board had expected high numbers of retirements in the next two years. "These were people who were approaching the old number for retirement. In couple of lot of them would have been eligible for retirement anyway:' Marklevitz said. The "magic number" for retirement used to he 90. Under the new retirement package that number drops to 85. The number is a combination of age plus years of experience. Marklevitz said last year the number of retirements in Huron and Perth Counties totaled about 60. This year the total for the AMDSB is already more than 110. Lamb said that any money owed to teachers would probably eventually come from the taxpayer. "The hoards aren't levying taxes, hut whether it's through income tax or property tax. the money will haw- k) be paid," he said. Adult students face loss of education program BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor Belinda Sharpe wasn't good at high school: not math. English or Science --hut high school. She left before finishing Grade 9. unable to work in the high school environment. With a Grade 8 education and a child, Sharpe was receiving social assistance and wanted to find work instead. Without finishing high school, it's difficult to ,do. She also wanted to set the right example for her son by finishing high school. . "I don't want him to follow in my footsteps," she said. In September, she found a way to look after her son and take the high school courses she needs and has managed to complete her Grade 10 Icvcl. But students found out last week the program that Icts .them complete their high school education has hcen' shut down. It's thc adult learning program of which there are several centres in Huron County that provide teachers in a program that lets adult students work and learn at their own pace and around their own schedules, so they can complete their high school education. About 1,400 students and 33 staff members take part in programs throughout Huron County. 'Scaforth District High School's Adult Learning Centre has h�.� located Centre hecn located upstairs at the Town Hall in two rooms since 1990 and was organized by Seaforth District High School Vice Principal, Rob Parr in 1989. "I'm disappointed we had to close down," he said. While the two teachers who instruct the students say they have about 45 students right now, less than 15 of them are working on courses that count toward their diplomas. Many of the students have their education but are taking computer courses to help 'We will not abandon our students ' --Rob Parr, vice principal of Seaforth District High School learn new skills. Susan McKee, coordinator of the life-long learning program with the Avon - Maitland District School Board. said there has to he a minimum of 15 students enrolled to achieve the funding for the program. However, she said there is hope for the students. Along with several alternatives for gaining the credits they need, as soon as 15 students register at Seaforth District High School for the adult education program, it can he started again. Without it, Sharpe isn't sure what she'll do. The closest centre is in Vanastra but Sharpe can't afford the gas or day care to drive there when she needs help with her courses. She has tried correspondence but finds it too difficult. "I need help, with math. I need the attention," she said. With a child, she has been able to. work on her own at home but if she has trouble, can check in with the teachers at the centre and get the help she needs. "Being here, you get more attention than in high school," she said. Some of the students are unclear about their options or what they are going to do without thc program. "We will not abandon our students," said Parr. He realizes the convenience of the centre is gone hut other centres are available in near by Vanastra as well as Exeter, Goderich and Wingham. There arc also correspondence courses and night school courses. For students like Sharpe, who have found the adult education centre the only alternative, he said they will do their best to find a way to help them. With the possibility of the school board offices being moved into the basement of the high school, Parr said there would he a meeting Strawberry socialites - Eleanor Sharpe and Christine Achilles of Seaforth Manor were among the guests who welcomed the community for their Strawberry Social on Saturday where jam residents made from the delicious berries was sold. HILGENDORFF PHOTO Students gathered for the last time together on June 17 for a final session of adult education through a program that was shut down last week. HILGENDORFF PHOTO room there that possibly could be used for the adult students for a half-day or more each week. He said they don't know what the demand is for an alternative like that. When the teachers were notified of the closure of the program, Parr said they were asked to pass along to the students information that they should contact him if they need other options than what is available. "They arc not going to he cut off and Icft adrift with nothing else for them to do." he said. CONTINUED on Page 2 Police stepping up fight against break and enters BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor They come in through a back door or a basement window and grab whatever they know can be sold again, quickly. Sometimes it's a local person. Sometimes it's more organized. About 22,440 of them took place in Ontario last year and the Huron OPP arc joining a provincial initiative to reduce their number by five per cent this year. The crimc is break, enter and theft and is a common occurrence in Huron County. The province has included $150 million for community safety programs. in its budget including this new, rural crime prevention strategy. Senior Constable Art Burt said Seaforth is lucky not to 5 sec as many hrcak and enters as some arca communities. He has worked in Scaforth for the past two years and has been with the OPP in Godcrich for 27., So far, he said thc hrcak and enters he's seen in Scaforth have not been major. "If it's your home. it's important," he said, knowing it often leaves families feeling violated and angry. But some communities have seen entire homes emptied. A few years ago, more than $100,000 in property was takcn from a Kincardine home. Burt hasn't seen that happen in his patrol areas and said in Scaforth, the most common break and cntcrs involve thc theft of liquor money or jewellery and other items that can be sold quickly CONTINUED on Page 2 School sports' future takes a turn t for worse BY MATT SHURRIE Signal -Star Staff The uncertain future of high school sports took a decisive turn for the worse last week. In a press release issued from the Huron -Perth Athletic Association's annual conference, it was announced that all sports scheduling had been put on hold. According to conference Executive Director Robert Campbell, there may not be athletic competition (next season) given the current state of contract negotiations. "Teachers don't have their timetables yet and we haven't chosen convenors yet," Campbell explained. Convenors are individuals that put together schedules for high schools sports events and are normally selected in April. This year with the uncertain future of teacher' workloads, convenors haven't been picked and schedules for next year haven't been drawn up. According to Campbell the uncertain timetable situation has left coaches no alternative but to forgo coaching. "It's just the last straw for some of them," Campbell noted. "I can't predict what will happen but can you force someone to do a volunteer job?" One of the stumbling blocks for high school sports continues to be timetables and the Ontario government's plan to add one more class to each teacher's schedule. • Huron -Perth Athletic Association past president Iain Hastie said some coaches know their schedules while others are still waiting. "Probably about half know and half don't," the teacher at Scaforth District High School explained. "Of those that do know, they will be required to teach a seventh class next year." Another issue creeping into._ the • athletic scheduling problem appears to be financial mismanagement, "It - (the government's current funding format) doesn't recognize that it *ould coat .money to have. eabatitutes,tor, r dhoti f�%fi s wsy 0.00bioW