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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2000-06-07, Page 7News Use next year wisely to enhance' enrolment, trustee tells Seaforth high school supporters By Susan Mundertmork • Expositor Stott The Seaforth community has one last chance to - "enhance the numbers" at Seaforth District High School sand look for ways to keep it open, trustee Abby Armstrong said at last Tuesday's special board meeting of the Avon Maitland District School Board. But. while the board voted not to appeal the May 19 decision of a divisional court that ruled its closure process was unfair: it did not vote.on any length of time • t� keep Seaforth District High School open. "We have one more year and could we use it wisely and look at the options put . forward, by the community. Could we look at them as an attempt to draw students back to the school," said Armstrong. • . She was referring to the agricultural prep. school propos"al made by the community which would • draw students from -Outside "the Avon Maitland district • to board at local farms -and take. agriculture -related courses to -prepare for careers in agriculture and • veterinary science. Trustee Atje Tuyten • • warned the community that any proposal would require "a guarantee" about the numbers of students coming into the system. "A theoretical situation is not enough. • We need numbers," she said. Trustee Colleen Schenk reminded the board that: it "can't afford to put money_ • towards the cause because we're down 5300.000:" While the board. projected a savings of3500,000 in annual operating costs by closing Seaforth District. High School, the total was reduced when local businessman Charlie Smith found an error of S200,000 in the calculations. •"It (the effort the improve enrollment at SDHS) would have to be funded by the cgmmunity," she said. Education director Lorne Rachlis said. ihat aid- that since the Avon Maitland has 20,000 students and accommodation for 24,000 and will.be losing more students when OAC (formerly Grade 13) is phased out in three years, there is no point in changing boundaries to "enhance one. school over another." • "They would have to. be students from outside the system: Otherwise it's like shifting chairs on the Titanic." agreed Schenk. Vice -chair Bob Allan said, "It will centre around the leadership of the school. to move on that issue." After the meeting; Armstrong said the board has. so little money to work with that it can't provide any assistance to •the "community as it searches for ways to 'improve enrolment. . "Ten years ago, we could have hired a consultant but the onus isn't onus to prove the school's viable because we.think it's not," she said. She added that as a specialized school, Seaforth Disttict High School could be a. -real asset-" Rachlis said the board will have to look closely at - how many students return to the school in -September. I Lorne Rochlis particularly during the annual accommodation review process when the official enrolment figures are presented at the end of. October. . But. before any schools with low enrolment are named again for.closure. Rachlis' said the hoard will have to seek more legal advice about its closure process and to establish and• improve. -communication with the community. "I don't want to make it look like a."pre-emptive. closure. But; we're hack to where we were on Feb. ,21 (before the -closure decision) except there are new principals," he said. Because he • believes courses are already being offered at SDHS._ is a "creative and conoluted way" with a three-year rotation of OAC courses "and Sometimes three . grades in one classroom: Rachlis questioned whether keeping dig, high school open in Set forth will continueto benefit the students. "If enrolment drops much more. we'll have to start looking at .correspondence or distance educators and experience shows .those options only .work for the highly -motivated academic students. Where's• the fairness in that?" he said. Rachlis added that most 'of the arguments he heard tip keep SDHS open were that. the town would close and that the closure would tie bad for business. "There's a lot of emotion and good feeling for the school and maybe cold and rational -isn't the only way to look at it. But..[ hope well look at what's best for the students.- he said. Rachlis said he's not sure the idea to bring students Council looks at flood prevention By Scott Hilgendorff Expositor Editor Council is investigating what, if anything, • it can•do to help prevent flooding in the community. Residents were still cleaning up last week after floods May 12 filled many Seaforth basements with water. "It caused pretty extreme damage -across the town," said Mayor Dave Scott. • Scott brought up several residents' concerns about the flooding at council's May 23. meeting. After a few calls at'home and conversations in the community with people. he asked if there was anything the town could be doing to help prevent flood waters from doing as Much damage if it ever happened again. One resident pointed to a system Clinton had put in place using pumps to help remove: flood waters from areas with homes. • He wondered if pumps could be put in tow - lying areas of town to help remove the water. "Where would you pump it?" asked deputy reeve Bill Teall. . Reeve Lin Steffler added that the open ditches couldn't handle the rain that tell let alone extra water beingpumped into. them. But Scott wondered ifthere was some kind of safety measures that -could he put in place to help. He said one of the residents he talked to was worried' that weather patttrtts have changed and this could become a more common occurrence. "It may be a case in the future we .ould be. approached by insurance' companies w do something," he said. Teall added the situation. might cause an increase .in insurance rates too. He said they should seek a recommondation from roads superintendent John Forrest. "It would be nice to so [we could see] it a preventative measure could be put in place." Scott said. Court. Michael Hak said they cant control . the water. With the amount rain that fell and how much came from surrounding fields into area streams and creeks. he also•said there's nowhere to put the water.. "It's certainly worth investigating," said Teall. "Sometimes.the appearance of doing something means a lot,". said Sterner. SEAFORTH MINOR HOUSELEAGUE SOCCER 2000 Below are the team lists for Seaforth Minor Soccer. Minor soccer will begin on Wednesday, June 14. 2000. Junior from 6:30 to 7:00 pm. Intermediate from 6:30 to 7:30 pm and Senior from 7:30 to 8:30 pm both at the Optimist Park. JUNIOR INTERMEDIATE Wednesday Nights 6 30 - ' tX) PM Wednesday Nights 6:30.7.30 PM BLUE TEAM YELLOW GREEN BLUE- RED Jacob McClure Tyler Pnrneau Jessus Jefferson Marissa Scott Janie Stewart Kenny Van Bakel Tyson Engel Ethan Scott Crag Ingram Stephanie Forman Dus,n Clark Kristin McColl Bantam n Bakker Ashley Van Dap Jessie James Machell James Jaron Poppe Jennifer Van Dap Owen Taylor Melissa PIetsch Joseph Metzger Claire McFadzean Marina Glanvia Mark Pletsch Darcy Williamson Conten Melody Dylan Broadfoot Hannah Jansen . Jessica Ryan Keegan Malady Jaden Blanchard Kr i Nolan Brittany Lepp,ngton Paul Dog Juke Vincent Jor Poppe Nicole Steep Megan Bedard RikkrLynn Wilson T McGrath Matthew Coyne Sara Kramers Cocke Janes Amanda Nicholson Jordan Coyne Aaron Richards Meghan Bab,neau Jeffrey DeCorte Mitch Allan Richard Harley Ryan Marlene Alex Malady Don Ngn Kevin Haney Eric Dwyer Travis Jansen Taylor Weianson Shelby Hogged Zachary Stott Wendy Lawson Shelby Stryker Jacob Flanagan RED TEAM Michael Vincent Kaon Marlene Miranda CampEetl Coin Jansen Meddw Meiady Ross Edwards Moly Rooyakkers Robed Campbell Justin Poppe Leah DeCorle George BaanchWd Luke Melody Sean Kelly Zrbian Blanchard Mackenzie Mealy Lauren Bedard Daniel Lawson _,yan amrnerant Zachanah Bakker Cameron Stryker Claire Allan Crap Parkes Brett Wdtanson TaykN Janes Mark Robeson Branny Richards Shayni Metady Lana meson Man Jansen Michael Kramers Basil Caetelon Derby Osler Thomas Scott BLUE ambo Also Joey ►Wang Ashisyr Colenws Km Ven Maisnbwy Cody Wilson Nathan Moon Derek Forman Stacie Van Millaiburg Brent Harley Bradley Van Boo SENIOR Wednesday Nights 7.30. 8:30 PM YELLOW Jessie Stefan Michael Janes Jacquelyn Denham Kim Ovine Kelly Coleman Joshua Remy Brent Vincent Jain Ouire Jeffery Denham Kurt Hogged GREEN Brent Meiady Sara Johns Adam Blake Andrea Ryan Kim Steep Audrey Chambers Danny Dwyer Shawn McColl tracheae Trapnell Daniel Bruner Stephanie Lubbers RED Janine i$cner Kateln Nolan Crystal Gibbons Tamara KoeMor Patnct Trapnell Steven Harris Kacie McClure Chad Anderson Robyn Dap Mark Lepprgton Sean Kenney- F raiser 1 t from non-agricultural communities into Seaforth is a viable option. "I'm from Missouri on this one and they'll have to show "itie.'I don't sed 11 bringing in large numbers ot students on •an on-going basis;" he said. Rachlis.said that: whim there is a lot of room in the middle for discussion about :the future of .Seaforth• District•High•Schtiot. he recognizes'that'hoih side' are saying- the .other: side doesn't understand them. "The scary part is it you -do listen . and . try to - understand, you might - :change your position.:And. if everyone says "they're trying to do what's hest for the kids. that might he what happens,- he said. - Trustee Donald Brillingcr .said. he . was • told by adminstration that the• high school will he open at leasi- two more, years. not ,Just. One, because it will take the first ..ye -err .to' make: the necessary changes "i ti the school closure:policy. . "We'Illose -3300.tN)l-each - year for two years." he said. Carolanne Doig. one of the • five Seaforth community members named - in the law suit against the hoard. said -she was hoping for a ling -term commitment from the' hoard to keep the.. high school • "[' "think we can do a. million good things f to keep .the. school open r it they work with us'The said. However, she •and SDHS council chair :Maureen • Agar said they were • also pinning their hopes on this fall's rnunicipal election. "There could he • a dvhole new director (it'education and finance superintendent. this time next year:•' said Doig. . . YNI HURON EXPOSITOR, June 7, 2000-7 r o ►d '. vAtee4i 4e sTRBE\{RtEs .>+ HOURS: (weather d produce. permitting) Mon. to Fri -.8 to '8 . 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