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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 1999-05-19, Page 5AQUALINKS "Backyard Swimming Instruction" • Affiliated with Red Cross & Lifesaving Society 2 week sessions June 28 -Sept. 3 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Price range $45.00-$150.00/session No more than 4 students/class Insured Pools, Qualified Instructors Courses offered: ■ AquaTots levels 1-3 ■ AquaQuest levels 1-12 .. ■ AquaAdults ' • ■ Bronze Medallion & Cross ■ Aqua Fitness Prices include books, stickers and badges upon successful completion ,;. 482-7585 1 THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 19, 1999-5 • • • Board prepares for review from education commission By Susan Hundortmark Expositor Staff The Avon Maitland District School Board's education director Lorne Rachlis says he's "feeling really . good" about . preparations for ,a two-day review of the board by the Education Improvement 'Commission (EIC). "There's been a tremendous amount of _labour in getting ready for this and I'm proud of what we've accomplished," he says. Every district school hoard across .the province is being reviewed by the EIC to determine the progress being. made . towards amalgamation. The. EIC review. team comes to the board's administrative office in Seaforth May 26 and 27: when it will meet during hour-long sessions with various'•groups including school councils. students; staff and trustees. The. - groups will be questioned about how they feel the board is progressing towards amalgamating school board -operation such as transportation, accounting; collective agreements, Operating procedures and communications. - From 9 to 10 a.m. on May 26.. the public is invited to the opening session where Rachlis and'. the board's chair Wendy Anderson will make opening statements: Rachlis says the EI will also' be looking tdr exemplary practices, of which he says the Avon Maitland can point to several` examples. ,He says Aeon Maitland is one of the first boards in the province to have a• fully- -organized principals' council. which helps to manage the school system and "has a direct impact on the children." He also points to the. harmonized programs`,acros -- the district such as junior Kindergarten and the phasing -out of primary core French, as an exemplary practice.. "There is •equity of access no matter where you are in the district," he says. • A report of the review will , be issued sometime in the future. Correspondents Teachers, board meet with mediator today Avon Maitland elementary teachers arid the board sat down this morning, May 19, with a mediator to continue contract negotiations for the first time since 90 per cent of 579 .teachers voted tb strike last Tuesday at the Seaforth Community Centres. - "We would only move into a strike if we reached a total impasse with the board. There are a number of other "strategies twr rt -out& employ and we would exhaust every . possible action before going on strike. That's a promise we've made to the teachers and parents," said Phyllis • Benedict. president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO). • The mediation talks, which goes from May 19 to 21, happen at the Festival Motor Inn in Stratford. The earliest •date a strike could begin is May 25. , Benedict said the teachers are asking for "a very modest increase" in salary, somewhere at the lower end of settlements across the province which arc ranging from 0 to 2.6 per cent over two years. "When you haven't had a raise for six to eight years, you have: to ask for something," she said. "We have had a tentative agreemetlt on most of the non -monetary items but when we got to the monetary items, the board.has said it doesn't know what it's financial situation is -and That's not bargaining." Board chair Wendy Anderson. said the board's goal is to "harmonize the two grids" from the former Huron and Perth County school boards. • "We've got to achieve that within a specific allotment of tunas," shesaid at the May 11 board meeting. Non -monetary items included concerns about class. sizes. the reduction of qualified music teachers in Perth County and • the use of classroom assistants in school libraries instead of qualified teachers. Commission must understand past, present publicconcerns Front Page 1 community's concern about the Board's performance. Failing a more extensive opportunity to meet with the EIC it is imperative that the EIC have a thorough understanding of public concerns. again both past and present. To this end, the public can dig out the letters, faxes and speeches that have been delivered to the AMDSB and make certain that the EIC receives these before or at the review. From 9:00 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, May 19, the EIC will hold an Orientation/Overview session open to the public. While this session is not a discussion session it is an opportunity to deliver written submissions to the EIC. The Community Member Stakeholder Group discussion session is to be held later the same day from • .4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The public .can also find out.who will be invited to the discussion and have them deliver our submissions to the EIC at the Community Member meeting. One way or -another the. EIC must have -adequate public input before their report is, written and published. The EIC review will be headed by Commissioner, Arlene Wright. Specific inquiries can be directed to Beatrice Schriever, EIC, Communications Planner, at '416-325-1079 or 1-800-344-6582. If you wish to communicate via e-mail use beatrice.rehrievereedu.gov.on.ca as the . address. The Education Improvement Commission is located at Mowat Block, 13th Floor, 900 Bay Street, Toronto, On. M7A • I L2, Ph: 416-325-1073 and 1-800-344-6582, fax: 416-325-1080. The EIC has general information at their: http:lleic.edu.gov.on.ca. website. If you need incentive to become involved consider these facts: 1. The Board's ramrod two-month school closure policy is still in place with another accommodation review coming this fall (and every fall thereafter). 2. The Board did not cut administrative spending last year or this year. Budget figures just released show no plans for any meaningful cuts for the upcoming 1999/2000 school year. 3. The AMDSB has only about twice as many students as the Huron -Perth Separate School Board but has four to five times as many non -teaching staff. 4. Trustee Allen thinks it is a "waste of money" to advertise the Board's financial statements to ratepayers and the public at Targe. He says we can't understand such a document. 5. Trustee Brillinger says it is a "waste of time" to listen to public delegations and thinks public input to the Board should be limited in both numbers and time. 6. The Board's administrative staff have repeatedly lamented the passing of the good old days when they could raise ourpropeny taxes (and their wages). I, for one, don't miss those days. Your input is crucial. Keep those cards and letters coming ing. Charles Smith Scott Hilgendorttphoto Stop and go OPP. - Constable Don Shropshall gives Sarah Van Doornik a hint about what she needs to do to make a left -turn while Eric Van Doornik navigates one of the skill tests at the Seaforth Optimist Club's bike rodeo hold Saturday morning ,_,),\0% ),\0%�CLASSICS CAFE .. 527-059k - DR1V>i NOW SERVING DONUTS _THRU BAKE AILY ALL -YOU -CAN -EAT HOT BUFFET & SOUP &_SALAD BAR Every Friday & Sunday! 5- 8 p.m. - Kids 12 & Under are 1 /2 Price NEW* DINNER Theraday Called Oaten aau Mashed a Baked Potato vest & Rol l Tea or Coffee 55.95 Add znfor Sabel Rar SPECIALS Saturday Breaded veaI Cuda Mashed a Baked Mita We & Roll Tea is Coffx • 55.95 Add '2 OforSaladBar ALL YOU CAN Friday Fish & Chips 66Q Chicken Varkaus.tkgetables • Saw k Salad Bar • Dessert& Beverage 57.99 EAT BUFFET Sunday Roast Beef Ham . 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