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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-11-11, Page 1Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 — Seaforth, Ontario November 11, 1998 — $1.00 includes GST Provincial cash takes off some pressure Rachlis doesn't think impact will be significant to current review of all Avon -Maitland schools BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor While it takes the pressure off, Premier Mike Harris' announcement of more funding to keep rural schools does not mean schools will not be listed for closure in the Avon -Maitland District School Board. "It will have some impact but 1 don't think it will be significant." said Director of Education Lorne Rachlis. "In the normal course of business, we're going to be reviewing our schools." he said. That means a current review of all 60 schools continues with a list of schools facing possible closure ready early next month. Rachlis said the announcement puts the board in a position to receive 20 per cent more funding for maintenance of its schools. While exact figures are not available yet and the board has received nothing in writing from the government, he said that doesn't amount to much more money. Rachlis was at a meeting Friday where the deputy minister of education made a verbal presentation to provincial school board directors regarding the funding. Last week, Harris announced additional flexibility in provincial funding by offering a 20 per cent top -up to school board operating funds. A school with 80 per cent enrollment would receive 20 per cent more in operating funds. "These new measures will mean that no school need close because of provincial funding changes designed to cut waste in administration and overhead in order to redirect those savings into the classroom," said Harris in a press release issued last week. The provincial government's new funding formula has been blamed for the current crisis that has seen boards scrambling to review enrollment and capacity of its schools. Boards were trying to identify schools for closure in December if they were operating under capacity for fear of not being eligible for any future renovation or new building grants. The Avon -Maitland District School Board had since decided to ignore a December deadline and is, instead, carrying out a review of its schools. A list will be prepared in December of schools that need further study for possible closure. Rachlis is anticipating they will receive information'about the latest changes to the new funding formula during the next few months, also anticipating they won't take effect until September. Right now, he said their "normal annual review" of schools continues, looking at each from a number of perspectives from whether or not they are staffed appropriately to program needs. If the review identifies schools that need further study because of enrollment issues, he said they will be studied further. The physical space within a school was also a factor in funding but also in Harris' announcements was word that boards will be assisted by an architectural analysis. Some schools have more space because of architectural reasons, like large hallways, that cannot be used for educating students. The funding formula will be adjusted to take these into account. Again. Rachlis said nothing specific has been given to the board on how much money will be available through these changes. Taking both into account, Rachlis said, "That takes some of the pressure off." Realities of World Wars come clearer to .students Grade 7s meet veterans for better understan BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor They were prisoners of war. They saw battle at Vimy Ridge. They felt the pain of shrapnel. They lost friends. They protected freedom. And last Thursday and Friday. it all become a little more real for Grade 7 students from St. James Catholic School and Seaforth Public School. "There's not many of us left now," Frank Phillips told a group of students from St. James Catholic School. Students toured the Legion last week with local veterans as part of an opportunity to learn about local connections to World War One and Two. Until a few days ago. Phillips was recognized by the students as a man who took some of their pictures as a photographer or as a face of a senior recognized on the streets in Seaforth. Now, Phillips is a whole lot more. "I never thought of him as a serious person," said Craig Nigh, a student in Mary Katherine Stapleton's class. "He shared a couple personal stories. It just changes your image when you hear a personal story," Katherine Stapleton, one of two teachers whose students met Phillips on Friday. They also met other Legion members and veterans including Jean Ross, John 'It cha your outlo every --Kevin Grade 7, Catholic Lansink, Errol Skillender and Jack Eisler. "It changes your whole outlook on everything," said Kevin Verberne. In class, students are focussing on World War One, preparing projects on different aspects of the war from trench warfare to specific battles. They have learned about both wars in their 'classes and from preparing projects about Remembrance Day but most of that information has come from books, films and information collected by their teachers. It was Verberne's first opportunity to talk to a veteran and it made everything he was learning become more real. Phillips, who unofficially acts as curator to the collection of artifacts Legion members have brought together, told the students a few stories as they looked at the displays throughout the Legion. A question during the tour about a hand grenade led Philips to a story about shrapnel and how it feels to have a piece burn into your leg. Phillips served on a Wellington bomber and a piece of hot shrapnel punched through the aircraft, went through his boot and lodged in his leg. Phillips joined the army in 1939 and after about a year, transferred to the air force. He was a sergeant in the army and a warrant officer in the air force where he was a wireless air gunner on a Wellington bomber CONTINUED on Page 2 nges whole ok on thing' Verberne, St. James School Jillian Wright in Teresa Wild's Grade 7 class at St. James Catholic School looks through a list of Veteran's names at the Legion. HILGENDORFF PHOTO Sills receives heritage award Sills' historical collection moving to Town Hall this week BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff' We don't do enough to preserve the real treasures of this province, Derwyn Shea, parliamentary assistant to Ontario's Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation said Saturday night. He was presenting Seaforth's Frank Sills with one of the 127 heritage community recognition honours awarded by the province this year as part of the annual Remembrance Day dinner at Branch 156 of The Royal Canadian Legion. Prank is a veteran, among numerous other accomplishments. Seaforth's Frank Sills (left) received a heritage recognition award Saturday night from Derwyn Shea, (right) representing the Ontario govemment. Others in the picture are, from left: Kathleen Scott, Mayor Dave Scott, Clare Westcott. CAMPBELL PHOTO Ontario pre -dates Canada, Shea said, and towns like Seaforth "are the backbone of this province." "We are in 'danger of losing our traditions," he said. "Together we weave a country." The parliamentary assistant made particular reference to Sills' significant historical collection of local memorabilia accumulated over his years here, much of which will form the backbone of Seaforth's new community museum upstairs at Town Hall. The museum committee plans to move much of the collection across Main Street this Friday. Sills, and much of his famlly, were in attendance. IJKD on Pate 5 New hospital partnership president outlines plans for making changes BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor The headquarters for the Huron Perth Hospital Partnership is at Seaforth Community Hospital where new partnership Chief Executive Officer Bonnie Adamson prepared staff for the changes that are taking place. Among the first will be optimizing the services provided by the hospitals in the partnership. • Out of this will come an executive leadership team which will he appointed at the end of January. Until those appointments are made, there will he a three-month interim period where administrators will continue to operate each of the hospitals in a similar fashion as they have been. Management structure is expected to change after the interim period. This is one of the areas on which Adamson and the joint executive committee are focussing their attention during the interim period. Adamson. who was hired by the j o i n t executive committee in October, officially began her duties as president of the partnership this month with a tour of all eight hospitals. She met with as many staff members as possible to outline her goals for the eight hospitals. Earlier this year,, the Huron and Perth County hospitals formed a partnership that is hoped will satisfy a provincial commission on Jtospital restructuring. As president, Adamson said she will be working with the eight hospitals' hoards, Bonnie Adamson assumed duties this month the joint board for all the hospitals, the eight hospital foundations and the eight auxfiaries that are all now linked under the partnership agreement. The joint executive committee, which includes three members from each hospital board, links all the hospitals. "We now have an equal commitment from one to the other," she said. Adamson said while each hospital has unique features or services, they have to work on an equal basis in the partnership to operate under one system. Adamson was the vice president of patient networks and alliances at the London Health Sciences Centre. And while she maintains ties to colleagues and friends in the city she said. "1'm not here 'representing London. I'm here as your own CEO. I'm here as your own leader." CONTINUED on Page 12