HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-04-22, Page 1School forum brings out differing opinions
Carroll and Johns disagree on the amount of funding the board wiII receive under the new funding formula
Making her point. Huron MPP Helen Johns took the microphone to answer questions from
- _ parents and teachers at Saturday's school forum. She was joined on the panel by Director
- Paul -Carroll, Chairman Abby Armstrong and Perth MPP Bert Johnson.
•
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EXETER - School reviews in Hu-
ron and Perth county schools'could.
-result in. 'school expansions. : es-
pecially at schools like Listowel
Central where there are' several
portables..
Paul Carroll, director of educa-
tion of the Avon -Maitland District
School Board, said demolition of
an unused portion of a school or re-
organizing the school could also
happen following school reviews, if
approved by the board.
'".When . people hear :school vi-
ability, their minds.jtrmp to school -
closures." said.Carroll. • - -
H -Ie led a workshop on school vi-
ability during a`district-wide parent
council meeting at South Huron'.
District -Secondary School in -Exeter
VA Saturday. - . _
. The province .reduced the board's
pupil accommodation grant. which .
is based on enrolment. With a de-
clining enrolment. Carrott said ihe
hoard has to look at its unused
space. '
This -is a topic we just have tis
talk 'about. it's not easy. 'to talk
about," he said.
School viability was one of 13
subjects of workshops during . the
meeting, which drew about., 150
parents.
Annie -Kidder, of People for. Ed-
ucation..was the guest speaker. The
'Toronto mother formed. the or-
ganization to keep parents informed
after the first round of cuts -from the
Ministry of Education and .Train-
ing..Her-children's school principal
asked the home and school.associa-
tion to fundraise for math books,.
"We considered that a basic." she
said. -
. Kidder outlined her organisa-
tion's. concerns about changes in.ed-
ucation. They are, all taking place
too quickly, she said. •
"Too me, -it's too many changes,at.
once. happening too fast," she said.
She criticised the government for
not increasing the size of the educa-
lion budget because it does not take
into consideration costs of the new
French and new French separate
hoards or the cuts already taken by-
low
ylow cost hoards .like .the Avon-
: Maitland.District'School Board. '
• The new.. funding . model isn't
completed. she said. But hoards are
-expected to set their hudgets on it.
said Kidder.
She also questioned the categor-
ization of funding as -.in -classroom
- • Continued on page 2
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Second front
French to remain
for next school year
CLINTON - French for primary
students in Huron County will rc-
main in place for the next school
year, although there is no special
funding available from the Ministry
of Education.
Last Tuesday night in Clinton,
Avon -Maitland District School
Board trustees voted to continue
the instruction for Grade I to 3 stu,
dents in*Huron County. It will also
investigate continuing it beyond
1999 in Huron County and expand-
ing it to Perth County schools.
Trustees also agreed to consider
providing French immersion in
elementary and secondary schools.
.If any change are made, they will
take effect for the 1999/2000
school year.
Trustee Wendy Anderson wanted
to "grandfather" any changes so
students who•begin studying •
French in Grade 1 will be able to
continue.
. in Perth County, students receive
French instruction from Grades 4 to
8. In Huron County, it is available
for students from Grades I to 8.
French immersion is not available
in either county.
Safety the focus of
Lucan Bike Rodeo
LUCAN - Kids can learn the
rules of the road and how to stay
safe at the Lucan Optimist Club
Bike Rodeo at Lucan Community •
Memorial Centre on June 13.
The event, titled 'Safety on
Wheels', starts with registration•at
9 a.m. The purpose of the event is
to increase youth awareness for saf-
er cycling and rollerblading. The
'children willlearn about proper
equipment use and get a better un-
derstanding of the 'rules of the
road'.
Optimist Club members will
evaluatethe participants through
written and road tests with winners
getting certificates and prizes that
include bikes, rolterblades and pro-
tective gear. A light lunch will be
provided and a Lucan OPP officer
will be on hand to give tips and en-
couragement.
The fish are here!
The Exeter Lions Club and
Ausable Bayfield Conservation
Foundation sponsored the
stocking of the Morrison Res-
ervoir with rainbow trout. Rep-
resentatives Peter Darbishire,
Bob Dinney, Ted Jones and
Bill Dinney help release the
eight to 10 inch fish into the'.
lake Monday morning. Left,
Ted Jones releases one of the
larger trout. The Lions and
Foundation are also sponsor-
ing the fishing derby at Morri-
son Dam Conservation Area
on May 2.
Hensall arena gets into
telephone business
The parks board will re -sell long-distance service,
with a percentage going toward a new: arena roof
By Brenda Burke -
IARijportel
i(F NSA1.l T;ct your fingers do
Me. fundraising. ' -
i Now you can help out the Hen-
sall arena and save money on your
long. distance telephone calls at'the
same. time, Eventually, you may
gen he able to save: money on oth-'
er utilities.
The Hensall -Parks Boaird entered
. into an agreement with ACN (fill.
Communidations Notwork.t of Can-,
ada on'March 10 to rc-,alt long dis-
tance service. Under the deal. 2 to 8
per cent of collective total hilling
will he returned to the parks hoard.
, Rathwell Communication~! a
new ly=formed •-E3nicefield -:tele- ,
communications company, is-help—
ing, the arena with this fundraising
prograrn. The company. 'claims the
average residential. long-distance.
telephone customer can save up to.
30 per cent .on' their- calls if they,
sign up through the Hensall arena. '
The .arena will save residences •
and businesses money• un their fu-
ture utilities and services: explained
Jackie Bell ' of Rathwell Com-
munications. adding the *puhlic can.
help the arena fundraise by signing
up for the service.-
-The Hensall arena will he able
to Offer ,ether future utilities and root' 'repairs and Flcnsall Arena
. scrv_ices to customers,".said Kent Manager Tom Dickins claims the •
Rathwell- of Rathwell-Cotnmunica=- . average life. span- for many of the
tions. "The long-term goal for what
we're doing' is to receive 'one _hill _
!each month for all utilities and ser,'
vices.... What we're 'doing with the
building's systems is nearly up
From• Dickins'-" standpoint. -the --
deal eouldn't.have come at a heifer
time. •
program is keeping the 'money. in •These guys -just carne.along at a
thei cun-lmunity." - - 'magical, , moment...hefore• hudget
"We're dealing with,a-lot of ma time." he said._ adding the arena .has
for cdmpames in the area. as. well." . a -hard time maintaining reserve-
he,added.,--We can save companie unds with no grants available.
in the region substantial Money." "We've hada few hurdles."
The --company has saved. larger.- -....-The well.. is only so deep.".. he
i:ompanies.up to half. the- cost 'of said of :fundraising ,effort:. "You
:their long-distance pilling: - ' • keep' drawing from that' well ,tnd
,How docs ACN do it:' 'App;tr- it's going to dry -,up ,...You're going -
entty through ' to see people actually
• straightforward hill -say. Sorry. no Jona-'i
ing and a'fack of ad- The Hensall (ions. That's - otir pot-.
vertising. Rathwsell arena will be icy ....The market , for
explains how rruujori able to offer fdndraising :has lie en-
-long distance car swamped."
tiers nd hundreds other future
I Dickins sees' the -op-
of. millions of dol- utilities and portunity as a source of
lars each'year in ad- .. Services to ongoing revenue for the
verusing through customers:' , ommunity that :will.
elemarketers' and take the . pressure off
ads. Although- ACN. other fundraiser, As ..
-services have heen in North Amer- soon as 4hc arena's ice goes out at
ica for'six. years. they have become , the end of the month. he plans to
availahle in Canada only 10 months Locus, sin' this Fundraising venture.
ago And as• far as amalgamation pus -
The parks hoard signed. the -deal sihilitics go. Rathwell Communica-
mainly hecause the 20 -year-old arc- . buns assures . money' the arena
na• needs 340000 to 580000 in • •
Continued on'. page 2 .
onservation dinner nets $30,000
Proceeds are used for Conservation Foundation and Lions Club projects
EXETER - Thanks to the gen-
erosity of more than 250 businesses
and individuals -who donated prizes
and sponsored special items. Thurs-
day's ninth annual Conservation
Dinner raised $30,000.
These proceeds will contribute
funding for local conservation pro-
jects: continuing development of
the Exeter -Morrison Corridor. the
Sylvan • Conservation Program. the
Bannockburn Wildlife Arca, Rock
Glen Conservation Arca; and stock-
, ing the Morrison Reservoir with
rainbow trout.
- Organized by the Ausahlc-
Bayficld Conservation Foundation
and the Exeter Lions Club, the
Conservation Dinner was again at-
tended by, a sell-out crowd of more
than 400 people who came to bid
on fine artworks and collectibles.
The highlight of the auction was
an original water colour by Exeter
artist Flora DOW who was com-
missioned by the dinner committee
to paint a local watershed scene.
Her 'One More on the Ausable' de-
picted the popular local pastime of .
fishing.
in addition to the 80 artworks and
collectibles in the live and silent
auctions. more than 60 categories
of items were awarded as raffle
prizes.
George Godbolt. chairman of the
conservation dinner committee, ex-
pressed gratitude for the generosity
of local sponsors and prize donors
from across the watersheds.
"The continuing success of this
event is based on joint effdrts of
many -people, and the fact that
funds are used locally to improve
facilities in our watershed." God -
bolt said.
He believes the support of local
artists is an added bonus of the
event.
"We're pleased we're able to pro-
mote local artists. They are so tal-
ented, the crowd loves their work,"
he explained, adding promoting lo-
cal artists was never a goal of the
dinner but has emerged over time.
Godbolt said plans are underway
for next year's dinner.
'We're certainly going to do
number 10," he said.
Going once! Auctioneer Norm Whiting collects bids on the sign honoring Exeter's 125th an-
niversary. Local sign artist Mike Brintnell created and donated the sign for Thursday's Con-
servation Dinner in Exeter.
Optimist Club Home, Garden and Leisure Show - Fri., Sat. and Sun. at South Huron Rec Centre