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Huron Expositor, 2004-05-19, Page 6tail -TM[ NURO11 EXPOSIT LAWN QUESTIONS? Organic Programs Available WedIvcai: 524-2424 -Trust the Professionals - MAY 116 4904 Copies Copies Available at • 11 Main St.Seaforth 527-0240 WIN Spring Cleaning for your Body & Mind All appointments ROOKED in the month of May, will be entered to win a FREE 1.5 hour MASSAGE & REIKI COMBO TREATMENT - $80 value Book soon! BECKY CAMPBELL Reg. Massage Therapy 137 Market St. 527-2058 When It Comes To Protecting Your Assets.... Turn to the Professionals at GRAY INSURANCE BROKERS INC. Specializing in ALLAN CARTER • Farm - Commercial - Auto -- Property 5 MAIN STREET, SOUTH SEAFORTH, ON (519)527-2500 Open Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. • 5:OOp.m. - OR by appo/nment H needed •=► ©© "SAME SERVICP www.mis.ca R8ur527yCulli an REAL ESTATE LTD. 8 Main Street, Seaforth 519-527-1577 office Lends Dob. Res 519322-0221 www.s11111,49seaforth_cc til NOW OPEN Lite and Mid -Size Travel Trailers & 5th Wheels by 4011111.1110 Grind Ilend R.V� Hwy. 21 (just) North of Grand Bend (on east side) Tel: (519) 238-2445 DOMINION DRIVER TRAINING MTO - Approved Driver Education Training 4 Day Course - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday & Friday, June 24th & 25th Monday & Tuesday, June.28th & 29th 17 Albert Street in Clinton VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.dominiondrivertraining.on.ca for registration forms or call Carol at 527-1891 or 1-800-665-3207 seniors' lessons - private refresher lessons always available News Fundraising tested strength of St. Columban community By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff After nine years without playground equipment, the students at St. Columban School now have something to play on. The $25,000 fitness centre was made possible by the non-stop fundraising efforts of parents and community members. "The children are thrilled. They are playing on it so much that some of them are actually getting blisters on their hands," said Anne Sutton, principal of St. Columban and St. Patrick's schools. The fitness centre, which focuses on building upper body strength, was installed during the week of May 3 and had its grand opening on May 12. "This playground equipment wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the co- operative effort of the community," said Sutton at the ceremony. The approximately 1,750 - square -foot fitness centre was designed by Active Playground Equipment of London. The centre includes balancing beams, wagon wheel over head ladder, a full disk wall, a fireman climbing Jason Middleton photo Students from St. Columban school hang out at the official opening of their new $25,000 fitness centre. Playing on the wagon wheel overhead ladder is (clockwise from top left) Erin Feeney Grade 7, Grade 6 students Katie Ryan and Robyn Maloney and Grade 5 student Katlyn Stairs. wall, two overhead ladders, a shuffle trek, a chinning bar and balancing bars. "I really appreciate the support of the parents,the students and the community at large. It's really made a difference to the outcome. It's wonderful that it was completed in three years," said parent volunteer Carolyn Deloyer. Over three years, the fundrasing committee raised $25,000 by hosting many events such as two ball hockey tournaments, selling Krispy }Creme donuts, baked goods, poinsettias and commemorative Christmas ornaments. The committee also won $500 after they won the 2002 West Perth Cooper Standard Automotive Dragon Boat Festival in Mitchell. "There were times where we wondered if we were ever going to get it finished," said Deloyer. Avon Maitland District School Board concerned about distance education By Sten Slater Special to The Huron Expositor Central Huron trustee Shelley Kaastra asked what may have been an obvious question for more than just herself, after receiving an update about the Avon Maitland District School Board's planning .process for the 2004-05 budget. Her question was why the board's Distance Education program is losing money, after having been championed by staff for its potential to draw in students -- and the funding that comes with them -- from far and wide. The answers Kaastra received, during a regular Avon Maitland meeting Tuesday, May 11, hinge largely upon the fact the board sacnfices government grants aimed at offsetting We have it all for Great Casual Livin • Garden Area ▪ PODIS • Outdoors • Sunriooms ( rnnfnrtable ( h.iitr Inunyrc 1 P.V.C. TUBULAR RESIN FURNITUR -the ultimate in Elegant Outdoor Living • A Tradition in Wrought Ilra 1, t 1 I, (act A t, rn (1 rn "DIRECT TO YOU" WE ALSO MANUFACTURE UMBRELLAS. REPLACEMENT CUSHIONS & FIIRNITIJRE COVERS declining enrolment, by attracting online students from outside its geographical boundaries. That factor is compounded by the education ministry's unwillingness to classify students as full-time -- and fund them accordingly -- if they take even one of their full course load online. Avon Maitland administrators could offer no way around the fact the program costs the board, and could be a target for cutbacks as trustees struggle to balance the books. "What we're doing now, as senior staff . . . is an analysis of what the benefits of the distance ed. program, as it is currently formatted, are to our students," offered director of education Geoff Williams. In an interview following the meeting, Williams likened the program to the board's spending on transportation, where funding is taken from other areas to subsidize an area which doesn't receive what Avon Maitland officials believe is adequate support' from the province. As with the board's perception that a certain level of transportation is crucial for students, trustees may decide the provision of online versions of certain secondary school courses -- which may not be available at a particular facility -- is something the board can't do without. But he offered no assurance the program would survive in its present format, a format which trustees and staff have celebrated since it began, a couple of years ago, ting P&nitntg E Smile & Be Happy - The ?ivo four of May Canada's Traditional Planting Day! We're ready to help with greenhouses full and Specialists on hand •Perennials • Grasses • Annuals • Planters • Hanging Baskets and More Mon. - Fri. 8-8 Sat. 8-5 Sun. l -5 • Oift Certificates Available 519-565-2122 www.humn•ridge.on sc. a 74101 Aronson Line R.R. *2, Zurich, ON 14 Km. Northwest of 7,urtch on the Rron•on Line idge 110. growing into a virtual high school with students from across the world. One potential saviour, the director of education suggested, may be the exploration of expanded revenue streams, such as attracting students in Ontario's corrections institutions. Kaastra's question arose from an update, provided for the May 11 meeting, about the board's budget - making plan. Part of that update highlighted the process of wrapping up the 2003-04 books, including an explanation of the areas in which the board expects to spend more money than the government provided, versus those areas in which underspending is expected. Significant projected over -expenditures (compared to government funding) include $236,000 for Special Education, $600,000 for Distance Education, $440,000 in Information Technology, $280,000 for curriculum costs, $1.3 million for principals and vice - principals, $490,000 on school office support, and $890,000 on transportation. "In order to balance the revised estimates, it was necessary to estimate to include revenues of $236,000 from the Special Education Reserve, and $686,000 from tho Working Reserve," the report notes. Other shortfalls were covered by $5.4 million in so-called "flexibility funding" -- additional government funding known previously as the local priorities grant, and available for spending wherever the board sees fit. Areas of underspending -- which also freed up funds for other areas -- include $430.000 in board administration and almost $1 million in facilities operation and renewal. Asked if the facilities underspending means some buildings arc not being adequately maintained or repaired. Williams said that's not the case. "We're not doing some of the things we'd like to do," he admitted. but added all essential work is being done. The director of education added facilities underspending is a common budgetary strategy throughout the province's school hoards. The next meeting of the hoard's finance committee, which is open to the public, takes place May 31 at 7 p.m. at the Seaforth board offices. It's expected a final draft of the 2004-05 budget will be presented to trustees Tuesday, June 8 at their 8 p.m. public meeting in Seaforth. A puhlic consultation is tentatively scheduled for the following day, Wednesday, June 9, with a vote on final approval expected Tuesday, June 22. "The fact remains that we arc going to face some difficult choices," chair Meg Westley admitted during the May 11 meeting. "It's very unlikely that we'll maintain the status quo." Police search for second suspect in Brussels beating Huron OPP A 21 -year-old Huron East man has been charged and police are looking for a second 21 -year-old man after a young man was assaulted on May 7 in Brussels. The victim was struck several times in the upper body, knocked to the floor and then kicked several times in a Turfiberry Street home during the early evening and then assaulted a second time at 2 a.m. when the broken nose he received required medical attention. The 21 -year-old from Huron East was charged with being unlawfully in a dwelling, assault, assault causing bodily harm and breaching probation. He is scheduled to attend court in Wingham on July 15. Anyone with information about the second man is asked to call the Huron OPP or Crime Stoppers.