HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-10-19, Page 17Seaforth family
glued to news
of earthquake
in Pakistan
Susan Hundertmark devastating, is from
Sheikhupura, where
Once Mohammad and both his wife's and his
families still live.
Fouzie Farhan, of "Nomnally we don't get
Seaforth, made sure earthquakes that big. I
their families in never thought it could
Pakistan were safe, they
happen on that biga
have been glued to their scale " he says.
television watching CNN Farhan, who has
coverage of the devastat- already sent a donation
ing earthquake.
"We have tried to know for earthquake relief
what's going along with a
on," says brother who
Farhan. lives in
The oper- Nor Listowel, aliy,Ywe says he's
ators of
Seaforth's don't get- earth- happy with
Mac's Milk
Canada's
learned of quakes that current
the Oct. 8 big. I never contribu-
t i o n
earthquake
through a thought It towards the
disaster.
customer at could =.happen "At first it
the store
and quickly -011 that big a w a s
got on the $300,000
phone to scale,'— and I
par -thought,
their Mohammad Farhan `Come on,
ents. this is not
"We called just one
right away and they house.' But, I am
reassured us that every- Canadian now and
thing was okay," says sometimes I think the
Farhan.
"They live four hours world expects too much
from there (the earth- of Canada, he says.
quake zone) but they With the death count
still got it too but only a now reaching 54,000,
five on the Richter scale. Farhan is concerned
There was no damage about how tents will be
where they are," he says. distributed to the vic-
Farhan, who has tray tims with the challeng-
elled to Islamabad and ing weather conditions
and blocked roads.
the mountain areas "They need lots of
where the 7.6 magnitude resources," he says.
earthquake was most
• Residential • Commercial • Agricultural
FREE QUOTES
Myron (macho Phone 519.655.3100
www.mtsgaragedoors.com Fax 519-655-9954
95 Hope St. W., Tavistock, Ont. NOB 2R0
The Huron Expositor • October 19, 2005 Page 17
Ne-ws---
Public school board looks again
at .more French immersion
Stew Slater
The Avon Maitland District
School Board will again
decide whether it will try to
gauge interest in French
Immersion programs outside
Stratford, this time voting on
whether or not to hold what
are being called "registra-
tions" in Listowel, Wingham,
Goderich, Exeter, Clinton,
Mitchell and St. Marys.
The board currently offers
the program at just one site:
Bedford Public School in
Stratford.
Interest across the rest �f
Huron and Perth Counties
were deemed insufficient
when the Bedford program
was introduced in 2000.
Last year, as a result of lob-
bying from a group called
Canadian Parents For
French, a subsequent round
of parent surveys was distrib-
uted. Again, board staff rec-
ommended remaining at one
location.
Last spring, South Huron
trustee Randy Wagler
received support for a motion
asking administration to
prepare a report that would
provide information about a
potential ... program to start
in September, 2006."
An advance summary of
that report was delivered to
trustees at a regular meeting
Tuesday, Oct. 11, and a full
report including the "registra-
tion" recommendation will be
released for the subsequent
meeting Oct. 25.
The registration, tentative-
ly scheduled for Dec. 5-9, is
far from a sign that the
expansion of French
Immersion is a sure thing,
however.
Instead, staff would use the
registration numbers to
gauge interest, then assess
the financial, transportation
and space -related conse-
quences of placing a program
in particular locations, and
finally returnto trustees with
further recommendations on
Feb. 14, 2006.
Registration would be
sought for students entering
either Grade 1 or 2 in
September, 2006 with a new
program split between the
two grades.
Transportation from sur-
rounding areas would be con-
sidered, potentially using
buses bringing older students
to the town's secondary
school.
"The recommendation
states that, should we get 25
(students registered in
a split classroom), we'll
analyze the costs of
doing (French
Immersion) in that
region," explained edu-
cation director Geoff
Williams.
Several trustees
expressed concern that
parents might be misled
by the approach.
Perth East represen-
tative Tina Traschel
wondered about even
hosting a registration in
Listowel, where space
limitations would seem
to make it nearly
impossible to accommo-
date a new French
Immersion classroom.
o 111....
UNDERCOATING
FALL SPECIAL
•Compact 'Mid -Size
•Full Size Cars & Light Trucks
Starting at... $5 95
9.
Book Your Appointment Now!
TEATERO
ATEEa
,MOTOR PRODUCTS
AUTOMOTIVE SALES & SERVICE
220 Main Street S. Seaforth 527.2291
And North Perth trustee
Jenny Versteeg emphasized
the importance of informing
the parents of prospective
registrants about various
complicating factors, includ-
ing transporting young stu-
dents on a bus full of high
school students, which
arrives at the secondary facil-
ity in time for an earlier start
time than would be expected
at the French Immersion
location.
"Will parents register and
then choose not to send their
kids?" wondered Huron
East/Central Huron trustee
Shelley Kaastra.
Her concern was echoed by
Stratford counterpart Doug
Pratley, who expressed con-
cern about particularly
enthusiastic parents "drum-
ming up 24 other parents (to
register) just to get a program
in a site."
Supporting the 2005
Health Care Heroes
Radiothon
while saving on top
brand name furniture
Is As Easy As
1 -2-3
1
2
3
"We Care"
ZILLIAX
Come into Zilliax Furniture
Gallery in Goderich before 5 pm
Saturday, October 22, purchase
fumiture or bedding and...
Zilliax will gladly donate a
percentage of yourpurchase to
the hospital of your choice in
your name through the CKNX
Radiothon and...
You will support the hospital after
receiving exceptional value: You
will also receive a charitable tax
receipt for the donation.
Hwy. 21 South - Goderich
524-4334
"We Simply Sell for Less"
11I11IIflll
I--
www.zilliaxfurnituregallery.com