Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-04-14, Page 31Wednesday, April 14, 2004 Exeter Times–Advocate 31 Stephen Central science fair Do you recognize these men? Stephen Central held its science fair recently with 25 projects created in cate- gories such as Innovations, Experiments and Studies by the Grades 7 and 8. The regional science fair is being held in Seaforth today. (April 14). Front L -R: Laura deLange, Toni MacPherson, Keri Reschke, Missy MacLeod. Back: Carly Schroeder, Carrie Powe, Keri Barrett, Josh Windsor (photo/PatBolen) Jeff Roestenverg from the Lucan Lions presents a cheque for $1000 to Derek Sowerby and Blair Bennett, members of the Huron Perth Lakers Major Bantams, to support the team which left for Prague, Czech Republic April 12 to take part in an international hockey tournament. (photo/PatBolen) Could anyone help me by identifying the men in this picture? It was taken at the barber shop in Dashwood in the late 1 920s or early 1930s.The barber was my Uncle Elmer Oesch from Zurich, second from right, white jacket with bow tie. If you have any information please write to 153 Warren St., Goderich, Ontario N7A 3W5. Catholic board upgrading libraries By Stew Slater TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF DUBLIN — With a third of about $1 million spent and about a third of 17 elementary school libraries now upgraded and staffed, the Huron - Perth Catholic District School Board is well on the way to full implemen- tation of its Library Revitalization Program. "We are moving fairly aggressively on the Library plan," explained business superintendent Gerry Thuss as he provid- ed trustees with a 2003-04 financial update during a regular meeting March 22. Delivering adult learning a challenge By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SEAFORTH — In 1996, according to Susan McKee, 17 school boards in Ontario eliminated their adult and continuing education programs after the then -ruling Conservatives decreased funding by 60 per cent. Those programs that remained were forced to cut and restructure services and seek out new sources of financial support. At a meeting March 9, trustees were informed about the well-being of the Avon Maitland version of adult and continuing education, which McKee oversees as the board's co-ordinator of Lifelong Learning. McKee was joined in her presenta- tion by co-ordinators of Employment and Lifelong Learning Centres in Wingham, Stratford, Exeter and Goderich. Each has a slightly differ- ent focus, which is not surprising considering the setting for each is slightly different. In Stratford and Goderich, the centres occupy no - longer -used elementary school space, while the Exeter site is within South Huron District High School. There are smaller satellite locations in downtown Exeter and Goderich, as well as in Seaforth and Clinton. And McKee described the downtown Wingham location as "our model site," with a full complement of employment counselling services to accompany the adult learning opportunities. "If we were a high school, we'd be the biggest in the board," comment- ed McKee, after explaining that 1,445 people participated in provin- cial government -funded programs at the four locations over the past year. Educational opportunities range from degree courses for those hop- ing to earn their secondary school diplomas to English as a Second Language and adult literacy pro- grams; from specialized training offered in partnership with area businesses, manufacturers and post- secondary educational institutions, to instruction geared particularly towards career development. Much of the funding comes from the Ministry of Colleges, Training and Universities, while smaller amounts are secured from business partnerships and what was former- ly known as the federal govern- ment's Human Resources Development Council (HRDC). Avon Maitland staff also deliver fee-for- service programs funded — at least in part — directly by the partici- pants. These include specialized computer software courses, for which staff achieve instructor status and help eliminate the need for area residents to travel to larger centres to learn. Aside from securing funding, one of the biggest hurdles faced by the program is the public's perception about adult learning. According to well-known former principal and community activist Floyd Herman, co-ordinator of the Goderich employment and learning centre, "there's still a stigma attached to coming and learning to read .. . We're battling that stigma" with such things as one-on-one literacy training — for which confidentiality is assured. "In many ways, although adult education is very different form the elementary setting in which I spent so many years, I want you all to know there are some distinct simi- larities," Herman told trustees. "Particularly, when that light goes on and the student comes to under- stand a concept." The Library Revitalization Program was instituted in May 2003, with Phase 1 being funded by an unexpected surplus in the 2002-03 budget and money for Phases 2 and 3 set aside during planning for subse- quent fiscal years. The goals of the program, pro- jected to cost about $1 million over-all, include providing trained staff in all elementary school libraries, upgrading facili- ties and cataloguing sys- tems, buying new books and increasing computer availability. Interviewed after the March 22 meeting, direc- tor of education Larry Langan said Phase 1 is now complete, with upgrades in about a third of the board's elementary facilities ranging from "new furniture, new car- pets," to "new computer set-ups and new librarian stations." He noted that some school libraries, including those located in recently renovated buildings in Exeter and St. Marys, needed little work, while others — Langan cited a complete tear -down of the room in Our Lady of Mount Carmel school — required considerably more attention. Between $15-20,000 worth of books were bought for each school. And in an effort to turn around a long-standing trend towards fewer trained professionals and more parent volunteers in school libraries across Ontario, the board has hired enough graduates of college -level "librarian assistant" programs to provide half-time service at each site. In some cases, consul- tants have been contract- ed to suggest the best way to reshape computer space or lighting. Some school councils also had input in the design stage, as well as launching their own fundraising cam- paigns for such things as buying extra books beyond those provided by the board. "We're getting excellent support from school coun- cils," Langan enthused. "They're really getting behind us on this." The board is in the design stage for library upgrades in the next por- tion of its elementary schools, and Langan expects the hiring of librarian assistants and much of the other Phase 2 work will be completed by this June. Then in September 2004, Phase 3 of the Library Revitalization Program is expected to start. Rock used to damage vehicle EXETER — On April 7 shortly after midnight OPP were called to a resi- dence on Sanders Street in Exeter over vehicle damage. The owner told police sometime that night between 8:30 p.m. and 12 a.m. someone attacked a silver Chevrolet Cavalier with a rock while it sat in the driveway. The officer found a rock was used to dent in the trunk and leave gouge marks. The damage has been esti- mated at $650 to replace. If you can help solve this crime call the local OPP office in Exeter or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222- 8477 (TIPS).