HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 1999-10-13, Page 1.JRt.Vt ft.(SII •
October 13, 1999
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(includes GST)
Local weather
Wednesday --Showers,
chance of thunderstorm.
High 13.
Thursday --Sunny. High
11. Low, -1
Friday --Sun and cloud.
High 16, Low 2.
Saturday --Mainly cloudy,
chance of showers. High
18, Low, 8.
From Environment Canada •
In brief
Circus
is coming
The circus is coming.
This Friday, the
Optimist Club is bringing
Starr Bros, three-ring
circus to Seaforth.
And the extravaganza
begins on Friday morning •
at dawn when people are
invited to witness crews of
circus workers and a
monstrous team of
Belgian draft horses, raise
one of the largest big top
tents in North America; a
tent that will hold 1,500 to
1,800 people.
Students from area
schools have been invited
to watch the tents being
set up from 9 a.m. to 10
a.rn. with free pop and
popcorn.
At school, the children
are also taking part in a
colouring contest. Pictures
by the children are to
brought the night of the
performance, and will be
judged right away. The
winner will be brought on
stage for a surprise.
Rob Simpson, president
of the Optimist Club. has
been travelling to area
schools with free tickets
for children under the age
of 10.
"All children must
bring their tickets in order
to get in," said Simpson.
The circus, based in
Florida, has been
travelling across North
America and considers
itself "the next millennium
of circuses."
A Starr Bros. press
release says the circus
Combines the ambience
and performance style of
yesteryear with the skills
and "super athletic
abilities" of performers for
the 21st Century.
Optimist member, Doug
Fry, heard about the show
right from the Starr Bros.
organization, who called
the Optimist Club about
having a circus in.
Seaforth.
The show lasts about
90 -minutes with three
rings of action featuring
the Sensational Zbroekes
who headline the circus's
aerial acts. There is also a
"congress of Kiddy
Clowns" who will be
performing.
There are shows
scheduled for Friday at 5
p.m. and 7 p.m. in
Optimist park but
Simpson said a third show
would be added if
necessary to ensure that
everyone gets a chance to
see the shows.
Advance tickets and the
free children's tickets are
available from Optimist
Club members or by
calling 527-2489.
By Breit Jewiit
...the parade
Page
The rides...
Pagel
The fun
Pogo 9
First -look at school closures
set for Nov. 23 in public board
Board stresses public consultation process as it prepares for announcements
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Staff
Public consultation will he stressed as the board
prepares for a Nov. 23 announcement of possible
school closures in the Avon Maitland District
School Board. said education director Lorne
Rachlis at last week's hoard meeting. - •
""This year is going to he different from last year.
This year we're attempting to be as open and
transparent as possible," he said. "We hope to
involve the school councils and the community to
give us ongoing advice."
A series of five regional meetings will he held to
detail the process and time line of accommodation
review, going over most of the sanie information
presented at last week's information session of the
hoard.
As well. an ad hoc advisory. committee, with
members from the community', school councils;
administration and trustees. will be funned.
"This will not he a decision making group. It
will he one way of to keep the senior staff
grounded and on track," said Rachlis.
He said the board will he asking
for parents on school councils at
random to serve on the advisory
commitee and will be advertising in
local newspapers to fill five
positions for business people on the
committee.
"We're looking for people who
have some understanding of
business, be it running a farm or a
hardware store." he said, adding that
an interview process might be used
if more than five business people
express interest in serving on the
committee.
Regional meetings begin Oct. 14
at 6:30 p.m. with the first meeting at
Seaforth District High School in the gymnasium
for Mitchell and Seaforth area schools.
On Oct. 18, a regional meeting will be held at 7
p.m. at,the St. Marys District Collegiate and
Vocational Institute cafeteria for Exeter and St.
Marys area schools.
On Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m., Listowel and Wingham
Quoted
'This year is going to
be different from last
year. This year, we're
attempting to be as
open and
transparent as
possible,'--
Lorn Rachlis, director
of education, Avon-
Maitiond District
School Board
area schools will be invited to a
regional meetings at the F.E.
Madill Secondary School library.
On Oct. 27 at 7 p.m., a regional
meeting for schools in the Stratford
area will be held at Stratford
Central Secondary School's
gymnasium.
And, on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. in the
Central Huron Secondary School
cafeteria, a regional meeting will
be held for schools in the Clinton
and Goderich area.
The board's information meeting
on Nov. 2 will also deal witb the
topic of accommodation review
and at the board's Nov. 9 meeting,
reports received from community study groups
established last spring will be reviewed.
At the Nov. 23 board meeting, an action report
using the Oct. 31 enrolment data will be presented
naming schools that could be studied for potential
closure at the end of the school year and describing
See CLOSURES, Page 2
Wheely good time at the fair
The tractor and farm implement displays were a big hit with children like Morgan Flanagan, three, of Seaforth who explored the
giant pieces of farm machinery.
Scott Hilgendorff photo
Parents
to decide
which
they value,
quality or
location
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Staff
Parents need to consider
what they value more - the
quality of what their children
are learning or where those
lessons are being taught.
The choice between
programming and school
facilities was presented as
the pivotal question in this
year's accommodation
review to trustees of the
Avon Maitland District
School Board at its
information board meeting
last week.
"I believe we're
overspending by keeping
more buildings open than we
can afford and soon we'll
have to make cuts to
programs. We'll hurt kids
much more by not closing
schools," said education
director Lorne Rachlis.
"There is no real choice. It
helps if you think about what
you value," said finance
superintendent Janet Baird -
Jackson.
See CLOSURES, Pogo 2
Centenaires not about to fold, despite rumours.
Team had rough start but needs to rebuild
By Scott Hilgendorff
Expositor Editor
The Centenaires, Seaforth's Junior
D team, is not about to fold. said
Executive President. Colin Young.
"The team is not in any kind of
jeopardy." Young told the Expositor
on Friday.
' Rumours and a recent London Free
Press column questioning the future
of junior hockey have been hurting
the team's fund raising efforts.
Young said people are hesitant to
take part in the executive's Friends of
the Centenaires program because
they were afraid the team was about
to collapse.
While it did get off to a bumpy
start, Young said people have to
realize this is•a rebuilding year for
the team.
"At the start of the year, for
tryouts. there weren't as many as we
expected to come out," said Young of
the early struggles this season.
Instead of the usual 60 or more
players interested in spots on the
team, Young said there was only
about 40 who tried out.
That was coupled with already
losing 17 of the team's players to
' moves to other teams, graduating
onward or leaving for college.
"We were using minor players to
fill the gaps from the Seaforth minor
system," said Young. "It was a rough
Stan."
The team suffered some early
losses but Young said it was against
two of the toughest teams in the
league and with players out for
injuries.
He points out the team's home
games saw closer games with losses
in overtime.
But it's turning around now with
new players signed to the team
including a couple defencemen and
Young said there were six or seven
goalies at the team's last practice.
"We knew it was going to be a
rebuilding year," said Young. "We've
got some new players now and some
local kids have come out. We've got
some big players."
Young expects people will have
reason to see the team more
positively in the next few weeks and
hopes to see the team earning some
victories.
Even with their tough start, they
were still sitting in third place in the
league on Friday.
"It's going to take our coaches a
little while to get the new players into
a system," he said.
See CLOSURES, pogo
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