Huron Expositor, 2005-10-05, Page 292 9- October 5, 2005 • he Huron Expositor
News
Best Start could pair daycare with local schools
Stew Slater
ainiNED
A preliminary
Ontario version of fed-
eral cabinet minister
Ken Dryden's dream of
universal daycare
could be in place in
Huron and Perth
Counties as early as
the spring of 2006.
And, in most com-
munities it will take
shape within existing
publicly -funded school
buildings.
At a regular meeting
Tuesday, Sept. 27,
trustees of the Avon
Maitland District
School Board heard a
report about the
provincial Ministry of
Child and Youth
Services' "Best Start"
program, which is set
to receive its first
instalment of federal
daycare money next
March.
The first of what's
expected to be three
phases of funding,
that money will be
used to renovate exist-
ing facilities to make
room for what are
being called "commu-
nity hubs."
The goal of Best
Start, according to the
report, is to "increase
the amount of licensed
daycare for children
ages 2-5, and create
community hubs
through which all the
community services
available to children
will be offered."
It combines ele-
ments of introducing
children to the learn-
ing process at a
younger age, bringing
together into one loca-
tion many of the ser-
vices needed by young
children, and making
it easier for parents to
juggle childcare and
their working lives.
Ultimately, once all
three funding phases
are complete, the plan
is to make available a
site at which children
can spend five days
per week in some sort
of structured program,
whether they're of
school age or not.
Part of it may be
educational in nature;
other parts would be
more like existing day-
care.
Education superin-
tendent Pat Stanley
described it as "a
seamless day" to
replace the current
situation in which
Kindergarten students
are often in school for
half a day or every
other day, and parents
must find alternate
arrangements and
alternate locations for
childcare the rest of
the time.
She also noted stu-
dents preparing for
Kindergarten must
meet certain medical
requirements before
attending school.
Currently, that
demands a trip to the
doctor's office; in the
future, it should be
offered at the "commu-
nity hub."
geapp, 6f„
COM'libleiAkftl,
Jean & Emmerson (Bill) Durst
October loth, 2005
Love: Your Family
Education director
Geoff Williams is part
of the committee over-
seeing the introduc-
tion of Best Start into
the district, along with
other officials from
education, healthcare
and social services.
He advised trustees
the funding won't
come through the•
Ministry of Education,
even though in an
area like Huron -Perth,
community hubs will
almost exclusively be
located in schools.
Still, he expressecl
confidence any school
board -funded time
and/or resources being
spent now -- by princi-
pals preparing for the
possibility of accom-
modating a communi-
ty hub, or by adminis-
trative staff assisting
the implementation
committee -- is worth
it.
"I don't see that as
an issue," said the
Avon Maitland board's
top administrator. "I
think it's an important
opportunity and it
really will benefit kids
in the long run."
Williams is also
pleased about plans to
have money flow
through the munici-
palities, and to
revamp the system by
which families will
qualify for subsidies
for the daycare portion
of their children's day.
He suggested munic-
ipally -run daycares
already have a good
reputation for attract-
ing and maintaining
quality staff, and the
subsidy changes will
allow a greater propor-
tion of families to uti-
lize these superior ser-
vices.
Under the direction
of the implementation
committee, so-called
"networks" from each
county have already
begun touring poten-
tial sites, provided to
them in the form of
lists from each of the
publicly funded school
1
Wittig -
.�.
Shannon Leigh Anne and David Andrew were
united in marriage on May 28, 2005. The
ceremony took place at Duff's United Church,
Walton. Following the ceremony guests
arrived at Seaforth and District Community
Centres for Dinner and Reception. The Bride's
attendants were Erin Dolmage, Natalie
McCrea, Lorie Mortensen and Chrissy Kelly.
Standing up with the Groom were Paul
Dolmage, Brian Melady, Mike Nolan and Dan
Taylor. Usher and Master of Ceremonies was
Brett Lee. The couple spent their honeymoon
cruising Alaska and currently reside in
Kitchener.
rimi
mom
i'•
:1'
••
boards.
Those on the Avon
Maitland's Huron
County list include:
Victoria Public School
in Goderich, Clinton
Public School, Howick
Central Public School
at R.R. 1 Gorrie,
Exeter Public School,
Seaforth Public
School, Brookside
Public School at R.R. 7
Lucknow, and
Holmesville Public
School.
Under questioning
from trustees,
Williams admitted
there are significant
challenges to be met,
including providing
transportation for
rural residents, accom-
modating the Child
and Youth ministry's
demands for long-term
(possibly as long as 20
years) leases on school
space, and tight time-
lines from the provin-
cial government for
having plans in place.
Sweet 16. '
8reanne
Hulley
October 6`" •'
•
Love from ••
your family
4
ILA
Half a Century
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
From all your `friends"
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