HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2005-01-19, Page 1(519)235-1115
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EXETER R.`D'
HAWKS
vsBELMONT
FRI. JAN.21 8:30 p.m.
South Huron Rec Centre
TIMES -ADVOCATE
Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
x.25 (includes GST)
As of Jan. 14, an initiative at Stephen Central School had raised $800 for
Kids Helping Kids, a program that donates money to the Canadian Red
Cross for the Asian tsunami relief efforts. Students, staff and members of
the community have donated to fill a large water jug with bills and coins.
Pictured with the money in front from left are student council members
Jessica Slaght, Cam Wells, Stephen Mann and Jason Stire; in back from left
are Carrie Powe, Erin Wells and Jennifer MacDonald.The school, with a
fundraising goal of $1,000, sends the money to the Red Cross Jan. 19.
(photo/Scott Nixon)
Two centres looking to
merge in new location
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — Talks are in the works
about combining the Adult Learning
Centre and the Huron Employment
Resource Centre into one larger, "one-
stop shopping" location downtown.
Susan McKee, administrator of lifelong
learning programs with the Avon
Maitland District School Board confirmed
Monday morning that the two centres,
running out of room in their current loca-
tions, are looking to combine their ser-
vices. One of the sites being looked at is
the current Shoppers Drug Mart on Main
Street, which will be vacated in the
spring when Shoppers moves to its new
location at the north end of Exeter.
Similar plans are also underway for
centres in Goderich, McKee said. She said
the school board is using its location in
Wingham, which combines both the
employment centre and the Adult
Learning Centre, as a model.
"Since that model has been in place
over the last three or four years it has
proven to be so successful in terms of
one-stop shopping in the community that
we are exploring, both in Goderich and in
Exeter, where we might in fact co -locate,
much like we have in Wingham."
While the move hasn't been finalized,
McKee said the Shoppers location is ideal
because of its size and location and the
fact it is wheelchair accessible.
The Adult Learning Centre is already
open evenings, but a new centre would
also be open weekends.
"We want a building where we can in
fact be open weekends ... and be right
downtown where people can access us,"
McKee said.
Simply, she said both the employment
centre on Main Street and the Adult
Learning Centre at South Huron District
High School are running out of room.
The new centre would see all the ser-
vices now offered in both centres come
together in one location.
"It just maximizes the effective use of
financial and human resources," McKee
said. "And in terms of the clients, the per-
son just walks in one door, is greeted and
then referred to the appropriate service."
McKee said talks of a move have gone
on for quite a while and explained it took
nine years for the Wingham merger to
take place.
Exeter talks are still in the "exploration
stage" and McKee isn't sure when a deal
will be done.
McKee said it has been her experience
that once a location is chosen and a move
is confirmed, other partners come forth
and offer additional services. Ontario
Works, for example, is located in the
Wingham centre. In Goderich, there are
talks of having the YMCA offer programs
and services in the centre.
"I believe it would be very beneficial for
the community," McKee said of combin-
ing the employment centre and the Adult
Learning Centre.
McKee said the Adult Learning Centre
continues to do more work with
Fanshawe College and has received three
years of funding to research and imple-
ment online learning in rural communi-
ties.
"What we're able to do is offer post -sec-
ondary programs in a rural community
with support in the labs. We're fmding
that's really successful and it's bringing
more learners into the Adult Learning
Centre."
Public meeting for French Immersion
EXETER — From Exeter
to Clinton to Blyth, par-
ents are calling on the
Avon Maitland District
School Board to offer
French Immersion to stu-
dents in Huron County in
September 2005.
And the board is listen-
ing. In a short time, a par-
ent survey has been pro-
duced and is being distrib-
uted throughout the sys-
tem to parents of prospec-
tive French Immersion
students.
In co-operation with
Canadian Parents for
French (Ontario), Huron
County Parents for French
Immersion is hosting a
public information meet-
ing about French
Immersion education Jan.
20 in the South Huron
District High School
library from 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Invited guests include
the president of Canadian
Parents for French (CPF)
Ontario, administrators,
See IMMERSION page 2
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