The Huron Expositor, 1998-10-21, Page 3THE HURON EXPOSITOR, OCTOBER 21, 1996-3
School councils waiting before taking action
BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF
Expositor Editor
Local elementary schools
are taking a "wait and see'
approach to a school closure
decision currently before the
Avon -Maitland District School
Board.
"We're stuck between a rock
and a hard place," said James
Murray, chair or Walton Public
School's school advisory
council.
The hoard is expected to
make a decision Oct. 27
regarding whether or not to list
certain schools for closure.
Listing will not necessarily
mean the schools will close hut
under the option the hoard is
studying. Walton Puhlic
School faces closure in either
of two scenarios in that option.
The option. Option C, is the
one out of three that the hoard
decided it would consider in
efforts to .meet a Dec. 3,
provincial deadline to list
schools for closure to due to
under capacity and a new
approach to provincial
funding.
The first scenario would see
Scaforth District High School
converted into an elementary
school while closing Scaforth
Puhlic School and Walton
Puhlic School. The second
would sec Grade 7 and 8
students attending.the high
school and Walton Puhlic
School closing with its
students going to Scaforth
Puhlic School. That school
would house students from
junior kindergarten to Grade 6.
Currently, students at Walton
Blanche Stevens begins the annual fall ritual of raking
leaves picking a warm day last Thursday to get -some of
the job done.
HILGENDORFF PHOTO
Area reps
attending
FROM Page 1
behalf of Scaforth and other
municipalities facing this
issue.
He said a stronger. united
front is needed to fight the
provincial education policies.
The rally is one of the first
of its kind to draw together
different groups of public
education supporters.
The rally is also drawing
federation of agriculture
representatives from Essex and
Kent counties and school
council representatives from
across Southern Ontario.
Other presentations will he
made by Dr. Gail Heald -Taylor
of the University of Windsor.
Annie Kidder of Pcoplc for
Education and Jacqueline
Latter of the Ontario
Education Alliance.
"It's brought parents and
students and those who
support public education.
together." said Hoy of the
situation.
He is expecting parents and
students from across the region
to be at thc rally in what could
be one of the strongest
messages sent to the
government about the
situation, so far.
Hoy is concerned with the
mixed message being sent out
by thc government with a
Ministry of Agriculture that is
promoting a rural youth job
strategy to keep young people
in rural areas while the
government is creating a
situation where rural schools
could close.
The two thoughts don't
scent to compliment each
other," he said.
The rally takes place at 2
p.m. on Oct. 25 at Arthur
Voaden Collegiate at 41 Flora
Street in downtown St.
Thomas.
"We're really heartened by
thc fact this many groups and
agencies have agreed to come
together," said o,.
•
attend that school through
Grade 4 before coming to
Seaforth Puhlic School.
"I think it's a pretty foregone
conclusion Option C is going
to go through," said Bev
Coleman, chair of Seaforth
Public School's school
advisory council.
But neither school advisory
council wants to get up -in -
arms until they have the
hoard's decision.
"We're waiting to sec what
kind of decision is going to
come down," Coleman said.
"For us, what are we
protesting? There will he a
Scaforth Puhlic School in
town, whether it's in the
building it's in or at -the high
school," said Coleman. .
Murray is hoping the
situation won't pit
communities- against cacti
other. -
"It's hard for us. The
Seaforth schools arc also our
schools," he said. "We don't -
really sec this as an 'us versus
them' situation."
When Scaforth District High
School was facing closure
earlier this year, the Walton
community was concerned the
same as Scaforth.
'That's our high school and
we don't want to lose it either."
said Murray.
While Scaforth Puhlic
School isn't in direct jeopardy
of closing. Coleman
recognizes Walton's interest in
keeping its school open.
"We're . not going to
advocate closing Walton." he
said.
"'tire school is a very visible
symbol of thc community."
said Murray. pointing out the
pude thc community takes -in
its students who go on to the
Scaforth schools prepared to
do academically well.
He said there's a lot of
parental involvement in the
school and. because it's
smaller, it's easier to focus on
teaching the students the basics
they need to do well when they
come to Scaforth.
.While they aren't taking up
the fight at thc moment. both
councils have concerns about
the Situation that Coleman said
they would like the hoard to •
address.
Coleman is_ questioning how
much -moneyy_ has already been
spent by thrNISa"bh'dving its
offices. first to the Clinton high
school and now to Scaforth.
"It seems like they're
spending their money in the
wrong.placc." he said.
He's also concerned about
the length of time the hoard
has to make serious decisions.
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With a Dec. 31 deadline, he
said there isn't time to properly
examine other issues such as
boundary changes that directly
relate to this situation.
For example. students in
Egmondvillc and Harpunciey
arc bussed to schools outside
the Seaforth arca when
Scaforth Public School is
closer.
Bussing is another issue that
Murray , said needs
consideration. He wonders
how much money is saved
when students -have to he
bussed even further to Scaforth
from the Walton arca when
that schools is operating
efficiently.
Both arc concerned with the
role of the hoard and province
in the situation.
Murray said there's too
much finger -pointing and
political games being played
rather than dealing with the
situation up -front.
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Coltman said there arc
issues surrounding the funding
reportedly available to the
hoard because the government
and hoard figures "haven't
jived so tar."
But until something definite
is decided, neither council is
prepared to take action like
schools in the Clinton and
Goderich arca who have
loudly been protesting the
possible closure of their
schools.
"All the board is doing.right
now is debating the idea of
studying. They're thinking
about thinking about closing.
How do you argue against the
wisdom of studying?" he said.
Some hoards in the province
have been able to come up
with ways to keep their
schools open.
If they know for certain
Walton Public School will
close, Murray said Walton will
become as active as_other
communities arc right now in
protesting.
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