HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 1999-06-02, Page 7News
Review team told
board disappointed
it's still being frugal
ay Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Staff .
Tantalized by the possibility
of upgrading spending from
"frugal" to "careful'after
amalgamation, the .Avon
Maitland District School
Board was disappointed to
find itself stuck on "frugal,"
-education director Lorne
Rachlis told the Education
Improvement Commission
(EIC) review team visiting the
Seaforth board Office last
Tuesday and -Wednesday.
"We have. devoted an
• enormous amount of time.
energy and even money;
cancelling or delaying other
'activities-. . to implement
amalgamation, and so -far have
seen little 'evidence -.of
improvement for learning," he
said. asking for "no more
changes" since fundamental
change has, been imposed on
public education "at a pace
that is not sustainable."
• EIC review team co-chair
-Mary Jean Gallagher said -
many of the 24 school boards
reviewed so far are also asking
for."a period of stability to
• implement properly" after all
the changes of amalgamation.
"That's one of the early
themes," -She said.
The EIC's two-day review:
will to to determine how well
the Avon Maitland board -is
progressing . towards.
amalgamation with the team
interviewing various groups
including -school councils.
students. union and non-union
staff. trustees..community
members and administration.
"Amalgamation is a long
term process that takes three to
five years. We -don't expect
that at 15- months into it; as
you are now, that everything
will be done. Uneven progress
is be to expected." said.
• Gallagher. •
Licences
suspended
for liquor
violations
A 24-}ear-old-Vanastra
Man had hisdriver's licence
seized for 12 hours after
registering a warn on an
uleotest on May 16 at 2:30
p.m. says the Hti:ron-OPP.'
Droving a 1996 Honda
Cis t . he was stopped •for a
ride check on Concession• 2
in McKillop Township and
found to have alcohol on hid,
breath. \.
- A 22 -year-old Egmondville'
• man had his licence
'suspended for 1 2 hours after
failing a alcotcst ,May a4 at
approximately 3:15 a.m.
when he Was stopped. on
County Road 17 in- McKillop
Township.
•Driving a 1986 Buick
LeSabre. he was stopped for
a general check and found to
have alcohol on his breath.
He was taken for breath tests
and found to he below the
level for criminal charges to
be laid.
FCP
• David Cooke, the other EIC
co-chair. said a report on the
Avon Maitland board will be
issued in four to five weeks to
both the Avon Maitland
director and the minister of
education 24 hours before it is
released to the public.
"I want to thank you for the
24. hours' notice before the
report is reteasediso I can book
my air flight out of town."
Rachlis joked.
Rachlis and . board
chairperson Wendy Anderson
presented an overview, of the
transition for the review team
at the public session from 9-I0
a.m. yesterday, stressing the
challenges faced by the board
during the past year from a
lack of provincial funding,
such -as the school closure
issue, increasing workloads for
decreasing numbers of staff,
insufficient transportation.
funding to cover costs and
public misperceptions -about
•the amount of funding
available to the board. -
"Unfortunately, the message
that we received directly from
the Mowat Block was very
different from the message
that was being sent to and
understood by the general
public:" said Anderson. She
said the public wrongly
thought that all boards were
over -pending on "bloated
adminstrations, leaving
classrooms a distant second on
the priority list."
"Classroom spending in both
predecessor boards prior to
amalgamation was already the
focus of :any spending
decisions. And: as rural
boards, who were justifiably
proud of their history of
efficiency, particularly in the
area of transportation and
pared -down administrative.
..teams and maintenance costs
in our. schools, we found
:ourselves ata disadvantage in
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Jun. 2, 1999-7
For real peace of mind,
look for
r in symbol protection.
We provide insurance protection that ten you sleep at night. That's
because the collective strength of our 50 community based murtal
insurers makes us among the most financially secure insurance networks
M the world..
For you. it means friendly knowledgeable service from people who
understand your needs and provide the protection and service you want.
Sebringville
393-6402 �:ulrrs%.%a.:ruierree
.
1-800-263-1961 + wee.. 12, Mi
•
Scott t tilgendorff photo
Regional track
Alicia Dick competes in the intermediate girls softball throw at
the public school regional track and field meet held at
Seaforth District High School last Wednesday.
comparison to larger full-
service boards that still_had
many areas of efficiency to-
consider." she told the review
team. •
Rachlis-• described the
_amalgamation of the former
•Huron and Perth hoards as a
•"shotgun marriage" that
created "excitement. fear.
anticipation and mistrust"but-
added that •the merger has
-"gone :exceedingly -well"
despite the .fact that. "grieving
for what has been lost has not.
yet ended."
He told the EIC review team
how deeply -tooted people are
in each school.community
with "a continuum from. the
community into the schopl and
no clear place where one
begins and the other ends."
"In rural Ontatjo. the closing
of the only school. in town can
have a .devastating. effect on
morale, identity and viability
of the town. While it seems
logical to .re -channel the
gathits
rag! Ohl gear/
34'..thrg Jure dei
I old- SUPER
SELECTION!
SUPER QUALITY!
SUPER SERVICE!
SUPER VALUE!.
llfillG 71. -Em awn!
Tkn. Ian ail the new uaneau rTYL Mang •
PROVEN WiNNERS, S[RFINIAS,
MILLION BEDS, TAPIEN, BACOPA El VERBENA
... date nervarte u tallung abuia.!
it .DREDS or PEREWALs ci BEALTIFL L .fit RSERY 571. ICY
Aqvuods "MA modabk freeze. +gal lrs• red Taus T, .t,
WATER PLANTS AVAILABLE'
!—j, �1 r 1i The EM (Emma)
WC/W in Te -Em turns...
_4/2 A CEA/7TIRY
on June 2!
Tel"1(611it:'. v"
Te -Em Farm is haying a
sari the retie& o
tuprufe► ftc! hj-
•
May 29 -June 6
All bonne ROD
SHRUBSast
Cad, and carry . fa
`WOW
St..: I 14 Sfin FntannwJ,ek,Sm-S.,'-b
Tem
Farm
r:.,` -.M
44.
RR=1 Belfield, Qnt. NOM 1t ;0 (519) 482-3020
�Mry
. M
LINDA
FREIBURGER
With your vote for the F.C.P.
you are
- a voice for the unborn
- a voice for traditional family
values
- a voice for strong, moral
leadership
Ontario's future depends on you.
VOTE LINDA FREIBURGER ON JUNE 3rd
FAMILY COALITION PARTY
Phone 519-881-0549
Authorized by Linda Freiburger Campaign '99
savings from closing a school
into the classroom. that
classroom- is in a hypothetical
somebody else's school," he
-. said. "Closing of schools- will
invariably result in some
increase in transportation costs
and some of our students
.,already* spend upwards of an
hour to"school each way: Quite
frankly,, this board may never
• tat, least for the forseeable
fufiire).qualify for capital
grants under :the .current
funding model."
Cooke asked for further
information on the board's two
fundraising bodies,. the .
:Foundation for Enriching
Education Perth Huron and -
West Coast Industries, and on •
student trustee policies, which
he said "sound very good."
The. review -team is collecting
a list of innovative practices to •
share- throughout • .the-'
province's 72 school boards.
lii,w,w oiwrany
Call
LYNDA VINCENT
at 527-2204
or toll free
1-888-269-0377
Ministry
of
Labour
Ontario
ATTENTION EMPLOYERS/EMPLOYEES
In order to serve our clients better, the Ministry of
Labour, Employment Standards Program, London.
North will have an Employment Standards Officer
available
Every Wednesday
10:00am - 3:00 pm
to answer -any questions you may have regarding the
Employment Standards Act. We will be located at the
OMAFRAIMNR Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
Food & Rural Affairs)Ministry of Natural Resources)
office, _ 100 Don Street, Clinton.
You can, also, reach us at: 1=800-531-5551
In addition, - printed information regarding. -the
Employment Standards Act, R.S.Q. 1990, may - be
obtained, at the Government Information Centre, locat-
ed at 100 Don Street,, Clinton. The hours of operation
are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Monday through Friday
http://www.gov.on.ca/labies/ese.htm
°Province of Onthrio
Savings
Office
offers
3 Bond options
youcanbankon!
0 .Step -Up Bond
111 Variable -Rate Bond
Q Fixed -Rate Bond
Since 1922, the Province of Ontario Savings .Office has
been providing Ontario citizens with an opportunity • to
invest. in their province.
Until June 18, 1999 the Savings Office is proud to offer
Ontario Savings Bonds which gives you another chance to
invest in our strong. job -producing economy. Ontario
Savings Bonds are affordable. flexible and best of all, secure,
because every dollar invested, including print -Wand -interest.: --
is backed by the province. • . •
- Ontario Savings'Bonds. offer three tailored options at'•a
wide range of rates to fit your investment needs: the -5-year
Step -Up Bond at guaranteed escalating rates for five years:
the 7 -year Variable -Rate Bond at a new competitive rate
every six months: and le year Fixed -Rate Bond which
allows you to keep the sane competitive rate until maturity.
Buy Ontario Savings Bonds and you can enjoy prosperity_
and financial security. . • . • .
• Bonds are available ' for a limited time only, just until
.June 18, 1999.• Call 1-888-283-8333 or visit your Province of
Ontario Savings Office today..
Province of Ontario Savings Office
49 Main Street S_
Seatorth.Ontario NOK.1W0
Telephone 1519) 527-0210
1 9.9 9 S E R I E S