Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-12-16, Page 3The new chairpersons for the Huron County Board of Education were selected on December 8 at the Education Centre in Clinton. From left to right are: Brian Jeffray, Chairperson of Management Committee; Joan Van den Broeck, Vice -Chairperson of Board; John Jewitt, Chairperson of Board; Graeme Craig, Chairperson of Education Committee; Bea Dawson, Chairperson of Personnel Committee; Art Clark, Past -Chairperson of Board. (Paul Rudan photo) John Jewitt new county board chairman John Jewitt, a lifelong resident of Hullett Township, has been named chairman of the Huron County Board of Education. He suc- ceeds Art Clark in this board -elected position. Vice-chairman is Joan VandenBroeck. Graeme Craig becomes chairman of the education committee; Brian Jeffrey is t` -.:chairman of the management committee; and Bea Dawson was named chairman of the personnel committee. These six people now comprise the board's executive committee. The Education Committee includes chair- man Craig, Tony McQuail, Audrey Triebner and Rick Rompf. The Management Committee has Harry Hayter, Dr. John Goddard and Don McDonald working with chairman Jeffray. Sally Rathwell, Art Clark and John Elliott form the Personnel Committee with Chair- man Dawson. The inaugural meeting of the board was held after the regular board meeting on Decmeber 7. Attending; the meeting was D.A. Kinchlea, regional director of education, the Ontario Ministry of Education. Kinchlea said there are always issues in education and current- ly, these issues include such things as the impact of the new child care proposal from the federal government and the perplexing problems associated with AIDS education. He praised the Huron County board of education for its first-class school system and its excellent administrative program. The first meeting of the new board is January 11 at the board office in Clinton at 1 p.m.. From the Clinton Council Chambers CLINTON - At their December 7 meeting, council decided to renew their in- surance with Slade Insurance for $35,000. The $35,000 figure includes limited liability coverage but does not include en- vironmental coverage for the landfill site which is estimated at $3,000. Ministry of Environment White Paper The White Paper from the Ministry of Environment entitled Municipal - Industrial Strategy for Abatement (MISA) brought disapproval from town council. Briefly, the White Paper states that the municipalities will be made responsible for effluent industries that are discharging into municipal sewage systems. "What do we have a Ministry of Environ- ment for? I fail to see why we have high priced government when they're giving their jobs to us. If they're willing to give us the Ministry of Environment budget, that would be different," said Mayor John Balfour. Councillor Don Eastman added his con- cern, saying, "We don't have anyone who is qualified for that type of work." Council later decided to send a letter to the Association of Municipalities of On- tario (AMO) stating their concern about high levels of government wanting local tax dollars to be used to implement legislation. Marie Jefferson On Executive At the December 7 meeting, it was an- nounced that Clerk -Treasurer Marie Jef- ferson has been appointed to the executive of the Huron County Municipal Officer's Association for a three year term. Police News After an in camera session, the recom- mendation to promote Constable Dwight Adams from a second class constable to a first class constable was received favorably. The promotion will be effective January 6. It was also announced that tenders will be called for a new police cruiser, to be delivered as soon as possible in 1988. They will be trading in the 1982 Chev. WEEKLY WEATHER 1987 1986 HI LO HI LO December 8 6 1 1 -8 9 12 5 2 -7 10 5 1 -1 -7 11 5 -1 0 -6 12 5 0 -1 -8 13 6 0 -5 -11 14 2 -2 1 -13 Rain 6 mm Rain 8 mm Snow 2 cm Snow 3 cm Wrap up your Christmas Shopping with a Tractor Soot Cover Momelit° Chain Saws from Kubota Gloves Kubota Fleece lined Vest All-purpose Fan 9 Kubota T -Shirts Winter Caps 20 pe. M.D. Socket Set 6 pe. Mechanic's Screwdriver Set 12097 iiip CON'S AND MASSEY IN THE HEART OF HURON H LOBB & SONS LTD. Boyfleld Rood, Clinton 48244 9 CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1987—Page 3 Huron County Board studies core French Canadian society is moving towards bil- ingualism. That's the way it appears to Huron County's Director of Education Bob Allen who with his superintendents presented some well researched informa- tion to Huron's trustees at their December meeting about trends in the core French program across the province. Trustees are preparing to make a decision concerning whether or not to approve an ex- tension to the present French program in the elementary and secondary schools here. That decision should come at the January meeting in the board office at Clinton. "If we could recruit more dual -language teachers, we would," Bob Allen told the board. "Society is really moving on this issue." Allen reported that French teachers are becoming very hard to find. They are in great demand at the present time, and employers from schools across Ontario are competing for their services. More French teachers would be needed in Huron if the core program were expanded, although some French teachers presently teaching half-time would likely become fulltime staff. A magic total number of 1200 hours of French instruction - 720 hours in elementary school and 480 hours in secondary school - seems to produce students who can function in the French language. Huron students are currently getting 1080 hours between the time they begin and graduate from the school system. To achieve the 1200 hours, trustees are discussing the addition of 20 minutes of in- struction per day to the core French cur- riculum. Naturally then, more teacher hours would be required as well. Superintendent Arnold Mathers outlined the options available to the board for adding extra time. It could mean starting the program earlier than the present Grade 3, perhaps in kindergarten or Grades 1 and 2. Or it could mean adding more time to existing pro- grams in Grade 3 through 8 ... or some com- bination of these options. According to Mathers, "the jury is out" on the teaching of French in kindergarten and he had no firm recommendation to make regarding that option. But he did say students required oppor- tunities to use their French conversational skills in regular learning situations outside French class. He said subjects taught in French, at least some of the time, would be of great benefit to children striving to become fluently bilingual. Superintendent Paul Carroll said that in terms of space accommodation, it doesn't appear there would be any problems in the county's 24 elementary school buildings. Where finances are concerned, Director Bob Allen said, "We really do not know." He said the federal government does fund, to some extent, the teaching of French. But he admitted he just doesn't know how this would impact on Huron's overall budget. "Any educational funding formulas are enormously complicated," Allen told the board. He did offer an educated guess though. He said funding the additional French instruc- tion hours could cost Huron taxpayers about $130,000 of the estimated $305,200 price tag. John Elliott cautioned the board about carrots "dangled" by government. He said the special funds usually are available only for a period of time. After that, these new programs are funded out of of general revenue. "Then we know who pays," said Elliott. Board members asked for more informa- tion from the superintendents in time for the January meeting. John Elliott wanted to know where the additonal intruction time would come from - what would the students lose to get more French. Don McDonald queried concerning the number of graduating students who make use of their French language skills. Sally Rathwell asked how many students the public school system is losing to early French immersion classes in this area. Vodden & Bender CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS are pleased to announce the admission to partnership of Paul W. Seebach, B.A., C.A. Effective January 1. 1988 the firm will operate under the name Vodden, Bender & Seebach CHARTERFF) ACCOUNTANTS Box 758. 41 Ontario Street Clinton, Ontario NOM 1L0 519-482-7979 37 West Street Goderich, Ontario N7A 2K5 519-524-2011 Rade Ihaek HEYWOODS - CLINTON •Curling & Broomball Equipment •Hockey Supplies •Dart Supplies •Billiard Supplies •Bicycles for the whole family •Exercise Equipment •Leisurewear •Complete Radio Shack line •Compact Disc Players •Squash, Badminton, Racquetball Equipment •Skiwear and Activewear Authortxed'Deal'e O CI'a'rldn CAR SUURE; AUT'HO AZEO it—Ltt'CNIKE Main Comer, CANTO