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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-07-01, Page 1Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 -- Seaforth, Ontario July 1, 1998 - $1.00 includes GST School gets roommates Pooling off - Derrick Wolfe runs away from "alligators Michael Wolfe and Matthew DeJong in the wading poor at Lions Park Thursday afternoon. It was a good way to cool off from the scorching start to summer. HILGENDORFF PHOTO Construction begins now for board offices to come BY'SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor An option that will move the most number of employees from the Avon Maitland District School Board to the Seaforth District High School has been approved by the board. That's good news to community leaders who have been working to keep the school open around issues of its fading viability and enrollment. "I think this was one of the best choices they could have made," said Maureen Agar of the Friends of the Seaforth High School and the high school's advisory council. Last week, Director of Education Paul Carroll told The Expositor he thought a decision such as this ensures the viability of the school; eliminating one of the issues surrounding the potential closure of the school. The board has postponed making a decision regarding the future of the, school for one school year. At the time, the hoard w as considering three scenarios for locating the board offices at the high school with varying effects, on the school. At a June 24 board meeting, trustees voted six to three to select an option' that would move the business management and accounting and human resources and payroll departments 'to the school's currently vacant lover level. "It has great possibilities," said Carroll, a half-hour before his official retirement from the board on Friday morning. The board had an architect, engineer and business consultant, all independent of professionals currently hired by the board, consider the three options. "They wanted second opinions; someone outside the debate to offer observations," said Carroll. • The board has been debating since last year where it would locate its amalgamated board offices now,the Huron 'and Perth counties school boards have become one. Carroll said the issue remained part of the discussion at the board's meetings about the possibility of putting some of the offices in the Seaforth high school. He said all three consultants recommended the lower level option that would see a portion of the school grounds excavated. creating a split-level look to the school. Work already started on the project last week, almost immediately after the decision was made. `I think this was one of the best choices they could have made' --Maureen Agar, Friend of Seaforth High School CONTINUED on Page 2 Teachers 88 per cent in favor of September strike 'This shows how strongly the teachers feel' says Teachers Federation negotiator BY VICTORIA JACKSON Clinton News -Record Staff Huron and Perth County high school teachers have voted overwhelmingly for a strike mandate. Teachers voted 88 per cent in favor of striking if thc government and the teachers' union cannot reach a decision by Aug. 31. Ken Rohins, Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) negotiator for the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB). said the union was expecting' this strong support. "Thi s shows how strongly the teachers feel," Rohins said. "This battle is to continue -providing the quality education we have hecn providing." The new contract negotiations come as a direct result of Bill 160. which will terminate the current collective agreement as of Aug. 31. according to an OSSTF press release. Robins said the union has been negotiating since February, but nothing has New development takmg shape Tuckersmith home to 192 lot plan BY SCOTT HILGEMORIll Expositor Editor • "The way, is virtually dear for work to . n ,on a 192 - lot residental Ill 1 eLean &hand partnership and aro tilting an active retirement community . with work possibly starting in September on the first phase of the project. "It's one of those things that comes along once in a lifetime," said Tuckeramitb Township Reeve Bilt. Carrtochan. He said thetownship is bound the; jee"t .*ad. offering suppottpl i r k can. "We're really excited," he saki. The develo . ment is situated next to :. , , villa so•ido.. whoa been resolved concerning staffing and work load or any other monetary items. He added that the biggest stumbling Klock is the government's proposal to allow principals to have teachers work seven out of eight periods instead of six out of eight. Other issues are funding and assignment of tcachcrs. "We stress that teachers spend at least as much time outside of thc classroom on preparation and extra- curricular activities," Rohins said. He said that teachers working seven out of eight periods would mean that in a semestered high school, the teachers would end up teaching four out of four periods. "This means there is no preparation time, so that time will have to be'found outside of class time," Robins said. "Whether it's clubs or teams, they arc going to get squeezed out to make time for preparation." He said that the union intends to fight to retain that preparation time for each semester. "That amount of time is tot enough to prepare for three classes as it is. Teachers have to plan lessons, grade tests and papers and he available to students for help." Rohins said. "Part of prep time is used for supervision, either cafeteria or bus or library." He added that a lot of work is already going home with teachers at night or on weekends. "We want to emphasize that it's important for parents and thc public to understand the job of a teacher and how much time a teacher takes to prepare to give quality education to students."Rohins said. In the press release, Cliff Berry. chair of the Teachers' Negotiating Team, said. "The teachers' negotiating team is ready to continue negotiations throughout the summer and sincerely hope that a fair collective agreement can he reached which protects the learning conditions in our schools." OSSTF represents 505 public high school tcachcrs employed by the Avon Maitland District School Board. Canada Day begins with firemen's breakfast and ends with a bang at annual fireworks display It begins with a big breakfast and ends with a big hang. It's Canada Day, Seaforth style and starts early on July The festivities begin at 7 a.m. with members of the Seaforth fire department serving up a firefighter's feast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, home fries and juice and coffee. • At 1 p.m. the heritage poker walk begins featuring stops at some of Seaforth's heritage homes. Participants can compete on their own or together for prizes in BIA bucks for the highest, second highest and lowest poker hands accumulated on the walk. "It's a designated heritage home that they stop at," said Recreation Director Marty Bedard. Poker players gather at Victoria Park and collect a total of five cards on the walk. The final card is collected back at Victoria Park. Members of Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee will be at each of the homes to answer a n y questions visitors may have. Following the poker walk, the park is turned over to the children in the community for a mini -carnival put together by Child Find. "The do little carnival games like the fish pond," said Bedard. "We started that last year and it went over really well so we decided to do it again." Children receive a prize after each game they've played. "It's a little fund raiser for Child Find," said Bedard. The day's activities culminate at dusk (around 10 p.m.) with thc annual fireworks display. Bedard said it's hard to gaugc attendance at the event each year as cars gather on the Seaforth District High School soccer field, in drive- in movie fashion to watch the spectacle. The fireworks are launched in two sessions of about 15 to 20 minutes each with a short break between for volunteers to reset.