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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-10-07, Page 3Fall fair packed with family fun EKON PaBe.1 Friday with a pedal pull starting at 1:30 p.m. and skating from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. • At 8 p.m. there is a variety show with international dancing and Klash the Clown .with a pont carcass auction at 9 On Saturday, hroomball begins at 8:30 am. and a pet _show starts at 9:30 a.m. There is more pedal .pulling . and a host of additional events throughout the day including performances by Dickie'Bind, a .nationally known children's -- performer. • Activities take place at the Seaforth Fairgrounds and the Seaforth District Community ' Centre. And further. showing community spirit.is the fact - there is :no admission charge to enter the fair. - • Instead., people are asked to bring .canned. goods to he donated to the Seaforth and District Food Bank. Rev., Robert Hiscox blesses a hamster at St. Thomas Anglican Church's second annual Blessing of The Animals Service. Pets from dogs, cats and -rabbits to a couple of roosters.were blessed during the Sunday morning service. HILGENDORFF PHOTO Grants putting Catholic board onthe spot BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff The three-year phasing in of grants already approved by the province for special education puts the, Huron - Perth Catholic District -School Board in a -spot - - "We can't serve children, to 'the expectation of parents." chair Ron Marcy said at the hoard's Sept. 28 meeting -in- Dublin. , it stems from what, is 'being called, the,"tpitigation factor.'i -Transfers to the area Catholic school hoard were increased this year under ,the provincial government's new fiPnding formula. ,hut to modify the impact of these sudden changes on Ontario "education as a whole. the increase in -grants to individual boards was limited to four per cent in each sof the first two succeeding school years. with the full amount payable thereafter. Marcy called it "a short term problem" at the Monday meeting. But' this- four per cent mitigating factor can he far more dramatic in "real money" when 9pplied to a specific area of the hoard's responsibilities. such as special education.• - LETTER TO MINISTRY Superintendent of business "and treasurer Gerry Thuss. says the' Huron -Perth Catholic hoard has heen notified it i; eligible for 5924.000in special education funding this year.,hut has also been told it, is only ac-tually -receiving $45,660. The area separate• school board. traditionally the lowest spending board per pupil in the province. according to director of education Oaetan Blanchette: doesn't- have the financial room tp manoeuvre and can't make u,p • the difference from elsewhere in its budget for special education. • "Expectations. are tied,•to expenditures. hut are fulfilled _.by revenues." as Muss told , trustees at lastweek's meeting, - ' The hoard approved him sending -a letter to the provincial education.ministr• expressing its concerns. ' ."The, expectation of parents. group -homes: etc. is that once an intensive support claim is approved the board is required Catholic board, teachers reach agreement The Huron -Perth Catholic Diptrict School Board and its , secondary teachers reached a tentative, two-year agreement late Friday. It is subject to ratification by both parties. Neither side is releasing details rafter the ratification vote. Parents voice school closure concerns BY TIM CUMMING Mitchell Advocate Staff Patrick Belanger says he doesn't want his 12 -year-old daughter in the same school as 16 and 17-vear-old boys. Karen Windsor says she doesn't want her school closed. Thev',voiced their concerns about proposed changes to Perth and Huron County 'schools at Mitchell district high ' school (MDHS) at a Sept. 28 meeting. The meeting drew about 80 School Council Chairs and Vice -chairs as well as school board trustees. •Many of the School1Council representatives are • also 'concerned parents who were visibly upset at the idea of school closings or the prospect of sending. senior elementary students to high schools. • Board chairperson Abby Armstrong insisted the Board is only responding to new provincial funding which funds 100 sq. ft. for each elementary pupil and 130 sq. ft. for each secondary pupil. • Under the ' provincial scenario the Avon Maitland District School Board. which serve, Perth and Huron counties. has to tum more than 56.000-11. of elementary school space and more than 250.000 sq. ft. of secondary school space. According to the formula. Perth and Huron schools could acc`timmodate 561 more elementary students and 1.933 more high school students. The Avon Maitland District School Board has proposed three scenarios to reduce the amount of school space it has. Under one option MDHS would close. while another option has Mitchell public school (MPS) would close with its students up to grade 6 would go to Upper Thames elementary school (MDHS) and its grade 7 and 8 students would go to MDHS. ' The provincial government says the new funding is more reliable and gives money for students. not for buildings. It has argued that rural communities benefit from special funding such as the Small Schools Grant and the Remote and Rural Boards Omit. Armstrong replies that, at 860.000. the Small Schools Grant is negligible and Huron and Perth don't qualify for the 'Remote-, • grant hecausc. according tip the province. they are too close to London. Those.attendirlg A1dndav night's meeting discussed strategies to fight • the province's new.funding plan: , • A post card to pertinent elected officials will be punted. • • Petitions will be signed and sent to politicians. •• A protest was proposed but no decision was made to .carry it out. In the text of the post card the board explains that -'we -have 20.000 students in 60 buildings covering an area of almost 6.000. square kilometres." Penh and Huron are different than a city like Toronto because students are spread over a larger geographic arca than- in cities. the card said, The Ontario government of Premier Mike Harris argues that it's putting 5583 million more- . into classrooms provincewidc and that boards aren't negatively •affected h- changes to the way they're funded. The Aeon Maitland District School Board. however. says it May receive $2.5 million Tess than the province suggested it ,would receive this year., • "This information should have been available when We set the budget 'for the school year." saki Armstrong. Some. speakers said local people should fight school closings as the.v successfully fought hospital closings in• the area. Others questioned how the province arrived at the I00 sq. ft. per pupil formula. Catherine Campbell. 'of 'Brussels. said the province hasn't presented the statistical facts to justify closings. On'Oct. 6 the Board will .meet to select: from its three proposed options. The Board must make a decision by mid- October to allow for the required - two-month consultation period. said Armstrong. The Board' is required by the province to make a final decision by the end of December. "There would be nothing I'd rather say. than 'Wc don't have to close schools. said -. Armstrong, but she adds "some schools arc going to -have to be closed " to put in the necessary supports. ie. educational assistants." this letter states. "The effect of- mitigation reduces the funding available to the hoard." "This needs to he resolved as soon as possible in Order for the hoard to meet the needs -of its students." •From 12 to 15 per cent of the Huron -Perth Catholic hoard's students are classed as special ed. in other words exceptional", from one end of the spectrum to the other. although not all of these have special needs. The hoard added nine full time teaching assistants' for special education starting in September. h:nrollment could - be 600 Students fRoM Page I . Enrollment is projected at from 600 to 650' students when the OAC students come 'on line next year. director of .oducaiion lila{l ette,layg,,., ......: 1 - Enrollment at St. Michael in Stratford is now 872 students. an increase from its I997,•enrollment of 851. ,i1611;10611;11;i1WiOl7DGGooi0 3 Huron County's VEHICLE v a u a a v Headquarters o 0 1 Small & Mid-sized Cars p 0 "Passenger & Cargo t 0 Vans. Pickup Trucks aD 0 "'Daily, Weekly, Monthly E 13 "Insurance Rentals & E aMore C CI o 01 El as El a 01 ao 0 CAR & TRUCK RENTALS ID U Division of Suncoast Ford a 0 500 Huron Rd.. Goderich E v 1-888-344-4486 , o cmni 524-8347 Iii oeeaeeeeeeeeeaeo v RENTAL THE HURON EXPOSITOR, OCTOBER 7, 1996-3 Complete Automotive Repair "Class A Mechanic" TiRE SALES, SERVICE & REPAIR ARCHIE'S Saweee e„CKtte ® 527-0881 24 Goderich St. E. Seaforth fill/ McLaughlin Chev-Olds Ltd. 13 Main St. Seaforth. 527-1140 •Service *Selection •Savings *Satisfaction •Leasing *Complete BODY SHOP Service photo 2nd Sat, Stiv"s olier oct.30 98 F El* 'At Time of Developing Limit 1 coupon per order. Coupon must accompany order. Not to be used in conjunction with any other special. C-41 4" colour print film only. Sizes: 110, 126, • Disc, and Full Frame 35mm. Excludes. Panoramic 35, Seattle Film, and Advanced Photo System. Central- Pharmacy 67 Main St., Seaforth 527-1990 J Standing Timber and Logs Let 6 generations of - 1 experience in Purchasing and Resource Management work for you! NEED FIREWOO Call the Firewood People for a Price we have HARDWOOD SLABS - BODY WOOD or a combination of 1/2 SLABS - 1/2 BODY WOOD c RAIG HARDWOODS LTD. AUBURN. ONTARIO 519-526-7220 S DRiVE NOWSERVL\G DONUTS B:.. : T BAKED DAiLY ALL -YOU -CAN -EAT HOT BUFFET & SOUP & SALAD BAR Every Thursday, Fridav & Sunday! 5 - 8 p.m. Kids it & Underart• 1 /2 Price . All you can eat THURSDAY BUFFET • Roast Beer aet• *Sausage Vegetables • Various vel • sr dr salad Bar. • Dessert &xrtage An You can eat FRIDAY BUFFET' • F"n "` n,3pr „ na : salad Sar. "=tihe4"i' • • SUNDAY BRUNCH All you can eat 10,a.m. - 2 p.m. $7.99 3iT oie"�'. K uaai61140 Au , can eat , 1.1!..1 G •• • use •: Ham wa pe d bra ..`Bretera6e •, .., BUFFET &BRUNCH $7.99 SENIORS.I5.99 WEDNESDAY IS SENIORS' DAY - .:J".-,. DISCOUNT "Congratulations to Art Strong, this months .1';-rner of limners for two -- THANK YOU! The Hiker Tour Committee would like. to express a special thanks to the following groups and businesses and our host farmers and.helpers for another successful tour. HURON FARM HIKER TOUR SUPPORTERS Cargill Ltd. Farm Credit Corporation , Hensall District Cooperative Hullett Conservation 6 Wildlife Area Huron Business Centre Huron County Beef Producers Huron County Gom Producers Huron County Egg Producers Huron County Federation of Agriculture , Huron County Health Unit Huron County Milk Committee Huron County Pork Producers Huron County Wheat Committee Huron Farm Safety Association Huron Stewardship Council Huron Tourism Assbciation Milton J. Dietz Ltd. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs Seaforth Agncuttural Society St. James Catholic School Vincent Farm Equipment Huron County White Bean Producers •Helpers Jim Floyd Carol Leeming Josee Cayar Janet Boot Jane Muegge World Youth Exchange Host Farmers Quality Jersey Products Ernst & Yolanda Gobelmann Carmen & Mary Ann Drost Tyler & Summer Papple Jack & Marg Knees, Harvey & Yvonne Hoggart Bill & Amy Fothenngham Great Door Prizes Donated by Anna's Dress .Shoppe Ltd. Dauphin Feed & Supply (Walton& Dungannon) Dens & Friends McGavin's Farm Supply Seaforth Co-op & Do -it Centre Total Image II Sills Home Hardware IPM '99 Your 1998 Chairman Charles Regele HURRY! SALE ENDS OCTOBER 17TH! TOSHIBA SYSTEMS 1rU I:n%kyr { 1 S% NtrtAgg w.. »+e Realtiltirt • armor *awned • 100% tulle lea. • Wet maws ammo . WL "WI ria' --- I,I IMt Ala• WMT* 111•, t, a an " '31.41 Kc,t �tllttl4nuun.,r s»., a1,1ti!N tom- • EscsoNy milted for kaclwtw, bathrooms and &$ear's rooms NIL RA 't Paint & Paper "Your B.njemin Moore Paint Meir" Interior & Exterior Decorators 15 Main St. Seaforth.527-1880 ttIl?oret4t.° a - Aor.What • vomit* eases to walls and trim • uacoratbe, wetnabte nos' at+aan ,iileraa • At-HaMro • 0, shat �ttiass. • For Nim, doors, furniture WO moa ti • eatable Mid weetlafs Mtfaime Cahn Whits • toes for otostal C ail. acoustic misensf, sad most ottW sdtlatae •.e'fatetw MOO • *+eMiiMt 11041100�, • 5