The Citizen, 2009-12-10, Page 7An independent facilitator,Margaret Wilson, has decided that theAvon Maitland District School Boardfollowed the locally-developed
accommodation review process in
closing Blyth Public School.
For petitioners, of course, it’s not
the news for which they had hoped. “
I am personally disappointed with the
outcome of the administrative
review,” said Ernest Dow, who
drafted the petition.
Dow said he had phrased the
petition so the other communities
might also adopt it. “Had I known it
would be a Blyth-only appeal, I
would have added a fourth element,
namely that our school’s valuation
was hardly considered in the decision
to close it.”
“As the principles section of the
facilitator’s report observes, ‘schools
are required to make school valuation
the centre of board and community
decision making. School valuation
requires school boards to consider the
value of a school or schools based oncommunity consultation.”Dow said Blyth’s valuation was“enviable, because of its highenrolment, low operating andmaintenance costs and low long-termcapital cost. “In particular, its value
to the community cannot be
underestimated. However these
factors, compared to the other
schools’ valuations were largely
ignored in the ARC process and the
decision to close it.”
In June, the board voted to close
Blyth, East Wawanosh,Wingham and
Turnberry Central Public School.
Most of the Blyth student population
will attend Hullett Central, while the
remainder, along with the students of
the other three schools, will attend
Grade 7 and 8 at F.E. Madill
Secondary School and kindergarten
to Grade 6 in a new school to be built
in Wingham.
The Ministry of Education
approved the community’s request
for an administrative review of the
process in September and accepts the
facilitator’s report. At issue was what
the petitioners saw as “a serious lackof trust, transparency and fairness inthe outcome.”Wilson, a former registrar and CEOof the Ontario College of Teachers,consulted with the localAccommodation Review Committee
(ARC), the school board and the
people who participated in the
process.
As well, she visited Blyth, the only
one of the schools that had petitioned
the Ministry, and Hullett Central
Public Schools and F.E. Madill
Secondary School.
In her recommendation, Wilson
said the board was fully compliant
with its policy as it only had to
present previously developed
alternatives, not final form as the
petition stated. Also, she said the
“Blyth community” was clearly given
60 days notice of a recommendation
to close the local public school, as
this was included in the Director’s
Action Report, April 14.
Regarding the third issue, that
teachers may be consulted, Wilson
said the word ‘may’is permissive. “It
was therefore acceptable for theboard and the local Teacher’sFederation to agree to advise teachersthat they should not take part in thepublic ARC process in order to avoida perceived conflict of interest.”In the end, Wilson stated her
conviction that the process had been
“both fair and open.”
However, Wilson did make several
suggestions. Among them was the
fact that there was a lack of
understanding of the capital planning
process and how it interlocked with
the Ministry’s Capital Priorities
funding process. She suggested the
board may choose to develop a “plain
language” presentation on how
capital planning works including a
description of the annual review
process and the 10-years rolling
timeline.
Also, Wilson said the board may
wish to publicize “widely” who the
designated members of any future
ARCs are, accompanied by notice
that they are the only persons
authorized to consult with parents,
the public or other levels of
government as part of the process.
She suggested that the rules of
order be adhered to and that the board
may want to ensure the public at
ARC meetings regularly are made
fully aware of the limitations on any
role they may play at the meeting. Dow also noted that the timing ofthe Local Priorities application to theMinistry and the late announcementof millions in funding wereunfortunate in that they complicatedfactors which worked against any
hope of a satisfactory, transparent
process.
And while the outcome may not
have been the desired one for him,
Dow appreciated the efforts, time
and energy of all involved for
“towards the possibility of a process
marked by trust, transparency and
fairness.
“At the end of the day, trustees
remain responsible and accountable
for accommodation of students in the
public system submitted by parents to
their jurisdiction,” said Dow.
But, he added, “parents, not the
state, remain primarily responsible
for choices about their children’s
upbringing and education. While a
larger centralized elementary school
located in Wingham will undoubtedly
have some advantages, unfortunately,
the option of a smaller, handy, truly
local public school has been torn
away from this community’s
families.”
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2009. PAGE 7.
Mike Miller, trustee for Bluewater
and South Huron, was acclaimed
chair of the Huron-Perth Catholic
District School Board at the board’s
2009-10 inaugural meeting on
Monday, Dec. 7.
“We’ve got no big projects on the
horizon – just ongoing issues,” Miller
told reporters after the meeting.
The operator of a garden centre
near St. Joseph, Miller has served as a
trustee for 18 years. This marks his
fourth time chairing the board. He
replaces Goderich/North Huron
representative Jim McDade, who
took the helm for the first time a year
ago.
“I want to thank Jim and (outgoing
vice-chair Ron Marcy) for their
leadership over the past year,” Miller
said in the meeting. “I certainly
appreciate all the spiritual revelations
Jim brought forward, as well as all
the Irish anecdotes,” he added with a
smile.
St. Marys/Perth South trustee
Bernard Murray was acclaimed as
vice-chair.
This will be the final year for the
five-member board before trustees
must face the prospect of re-election
in the 2010 municipal election. Asked
by reporters if he plans on again
seeking a nomination for the
Bluewater/South Huron jurisdiction,
Miller said he expects he will.
Earlier, speaking to trustees, he
admitted it’s possible to get
discouraged by the limitations placed
on school boards by the provincial
government. But he is inspired to
continue as a trustee by the
knowledge that the board works well
with a variety of community partners,
and by the fact that it’s the students
who ultimately must benefit from the
board’s work.
“We know why we’re here . . . and
it’s for our students – for their
academic, spiritual and physical well-
being,” Miller said.
Facilitator says board followed its policy
Mike Miller HPCDSB chair
Sweets’ treats
The Christmas spirit was alive and well at Huronlea on
Saturday with the Auxiliary’s annual bake sale and penny
auction. There was lunch and entertainment too. Amelia
Bott, left, and Celeste Wall had their eye on some
homemade chocolate treats. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Huron County Health Unit
519-482-3416 or 1-877-837-6143
www.huroncounty.ca/health
MEETING NOTICE
MUNICIPALITY OF
MORRIS-TURNBERRY
The upcoming Council and
Committee meetings for the
Municipality of Morris-
Turnberry will be held:
Tuesday, December 8
at 7:30 pm
Special meeting to review
Fire agreements
Thursday, December 10
at 2:30 pm
Emergency Planning Meeting
in lieu of December 8, 2009
Monday, December 14
at 7:30 pm
Regular Council Meeting
in lieu of December 15, 2009
Graduation
Christy (Pardys) MacDonald
graduated from the
University of Waterloo with a
PhD in Accounting.
Congratulations we are so
proud of you! Love your
family.
4
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at 105 Shipley St., Clinton
Please wear a short sleeve shirt and bring your Health Card.
Available for all patients of
H1N1 & SEASONAL FLU SHOT CLINICS
Wednesday, Dec 9 from 9 am – 12 noon & 2 pm – 5 pm
Thursday, Dec 10 from 9 am – 12 noon & 2 pm – 5 pm
Friday, Dec 11 from 9 am – 12 noon & 2 pm – 5 pm
DR. BOKHOUT
DR. CURTIS
DR. HAY
DR. RACZYCKI
DR. SALSBURY
DR. SCHMITZ
DR. SMITH
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY,
JUST COME DURING
THESE TIMES
By Bonnie GroppThe Citizen
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen