The Citizen, 2008-05-01, Page 21Facing cutbacks in theiroriginally-planned budget, andongoing questions about the long-term nature of that funding,
administrators of the Best Start
childcare programs in Huron and
Perth Counties have, nonetheless,
delivered high-quality results.
That was the message offered by
Huron-Perth Catholic District
School Board education director
Larry Langan, as he introduced a
guest presentation at a regular
meeting Monday, April 28 by EvyMcDonagh“She’s been one of the championsof Best Start in both counties,”Langan said of McDonagh, HuronCounty’s representative on a steeringcommittee that oversees the
administration of a program that
initially came into being thanks to a
high-profile commitment to
universal daycare by the former Paul
Martin-led federal government.
In 2003, then Minister Ken
Dryden spearheaded a significant
funding program that promised long-
term support for childcare that
would allow seamless transitionsfrom Early Childhood Educationinto the existing school system. But Stephen Harper’sConservative government decreasedthe funding rate and declined tocommit to long-term support.
“What happens after March of
2010 (when the federal funding runs
out), I don’t know,” McDonagh said
in an interview following her
presentation.
She expressed confidence,
however, that the steering committee
in Huron and Perth has succeeded in
spending their reduced allocation
wisely, by creating vibrant childcare
programs attached to many schools
in the two counties.
Speaking to the Catholic board
and reflecting her Huron County
perspective, she highlighted the Best
Start programs in Huron’s Catholic
elementary schools. These included
using existing space at St. Mary’s
Goderich and St. Joseph’s Clinton,
as well as building a two-room
addition at Sacred Heart in Wingham
to accommodate a childcare room
and a “hub” for co-ordinating the
program in the area.
Talks are underway to expand Best
Start into Precious Blood in Exeter
and St. James in Seaforth. In both
communities, programs already exist
in childcare centres adjacent to
schools in the Avon Maitland public
system, but McDonagh predicted
new facilities will complement
rather than compete with existing
programs.
“I think it’s a case of ‘if you build
it, the children will come’,” she said.
In Perth County, Best Start
programs operating within Huron-
Perth Catholic facilities includeHoly Name in St. Marys, St. Mary’sin Listowel, St. Patrick’s in Dublinand St. Aloysius in Stratford. BestStart is also in various other AvonMaitland schools.The concept is to provide every-
day, full-day programming for
children in junior and senior
kindergarten. Ideally, it’s offered
within the same building as the
child’s kindergarten classes, so
parents don’t need to shuttle kids
from place to place.
The job of the steering committee
was to decide where Best Start
programming could best be
delivered, and to iron out agreements
with licensed childcare providers to
staff and administer the programs.
Some Best Start money was also
directed to wage subsidies for staff
and fee subsidies for those parents
who qualify.
Licensed before and after-school
programming, which is open to
children up to age 12, is not strictly a
Best Start responsibility but it is
offered by the licensed provider at
each Best Start site. McDonagh
noted the steering committee quickly
realized that – despite initialmisgivings from host schools aboutaccommodating the older students –“you can’t really offer one withoutthe other.”All Huron County Best Startprograms also provide a daily hot
meal. “That was an option that we
decided in Huron County to stick to
because some of our families, some
of our children, don’t get a hot meal
every day,” she said.
For now, McDonagh explained,
the Huron and Perth programs are
capable of being self-sustaining once
the start-up costs are covered.
Things may change in either a
positive or negative way as the
Education ministry brings in full-
day, every-day kindergarten, and
receives a planned expert report on
early childhood education.
But looming more than anything is
the March, 2010 conclusion of
federal funding.
Still, McDonagh credited the
school boards for diligently making
way for the initial Best Start start-up,
and expressed confidence that such
support will help the programs
survive into the future.
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008. PAGE 21. Catholic education director praises Best Start
Just desserts
Jean Bewley seems to be keeping a watchful eye on
portion size as Graham Work lends a helping hand adding
a generous dollop of ice cream to her dessert. The fare was
served up during Melville Presbyterian’s springtime supper
on Sunday night. (Vicky Bremner photo)
North Huron council is looking to
the future with regards to its
cemeteries.
At its April 21 meeting, council
heard a presentation from cemetery
supervisor Murray Ritsema on
alternate sources of revenue and on
meeting the needs and wishes of a
changing society.
Ritsema opened his comments by
thanking council for the recent
changes made to the rates. “I want to
thank council for setting reasonable
rates because like water, the
cemetery should be self-supporting.”
Ritsema spoke briefly on the 48-
unit niche wall for the Wingham
Cemetery which will accommodate
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By Stew SlaterSpecial to The Citizen
NH looks ahead for cemeteries
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
Continued on page 24