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The Citizen, 1997-02-12, Page 26PAGE 26. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1997 Question ofthe Week #2 OSSTF queries government about curriculum IJ OSSTF District 45 issued the second of five "Questions of the Week" to be issued throughout the months of February and March. The question being asked by secondary school teachers across Huron County and the Province of Ontario of Conservative MPPs is as follows: "Helen Johns, MPP Huron, your government has announced that the province will take over the total responsibility for curriculum development in order to improve standards and student performance and that this curriculum will be ready for implementation by September 1998. There are hundreds of curriculum guides which will have to be revised, rewritten, integrated and created. The public deserves to know the answer to the following question: What provincial and local support and training will you put in place to ensure that classroom teachers have the necessary resources and curriculum to imple­ ment your announced secondary school reform for September 1998?" Further OSSTF District 45 posed a few other questions for MPP Johns to respond to. • Mrs. Johns would you tell us how many personnel at the Ministry of Education and Training are now working on curriculum reform that must be in place in a little more than one school year? • Has your government decided how many curriculum and course guidelines need to be reviewed? • Has your government evaluated the value to teachers and students of the current Ministry curriculum guidelines? • Has your government evaluated the amount of work currently being performed by boards of education to make Ministry guidelines into useful classroom tools? • Are you aware of the amount of preparation time and out of school time individual teachers give to development of curriculum and course outlines now? • Does your government intend to purchase "Canned Curriculum", from the cheapest, privately owned (usually American) sources, for use with our students in the secondary '»school classrooms of Huron County? OSSTF, founded in 1919, has 50,000 members across Ontario and 244 members in Huron County. Its membership includes public secondary teachers, MPP Johns responds to Question #1 THE EDITOR, This is in response to the OSSTF question printed in your paper last week. Thanks for your assistance. Parents, Teachers, Students of Huron County I am in receipt of the first question from the secondary school teachers' union, and I would first like to state that I am surprised that a question such as this would be forthcoming from the Huron teachers. As teachers, parents and students in the county are aware, I was heavily lobbied by the Huron Perth Separate School Board, the Huron Board of Education and some Parent Councils to move forward as quickly as possible with education finance reform. I believe that I received approximately 3,000 signatures which requested that the inequities in the present system were substantial, affected the quality of our children's education and needed to be changed. This reform was requested because of the diversity of funding on a per pupil basis across the Province of Ontario. To refresh your memory, some of the children in Huron have as little as $4,600 spent on their education per year while oiher children in Toronto have $9,900 spent on their education. The disparity had become so great between the two geographic areas, that I pushed to have the system reformed at the request of our community. It is a win for our county and 1 am therefore, quite surprised that the teachers' union does not see it as such. I just wonder if the question originated in Toronto? As we have said from the day of the announcement. "The new model for distributing funding will be developed to ensure a high quality of education to meet all students' individual needs, regardless of where they live. Circumstances such as students learning English or French for the first time, students with special needs and students in remote communities, will be recognized. The funding model will address added expenses of providing education as a result of unique community challenges." I would like to remind everyone with a stake in our children's education that transfer payments remained the same to our boards for 1997-1998 as they were in the previous year and that capital funding dollars were also allocated to both of our boards. It remains my personal objective and the objective of your government to establish a high- quality, equitable, accountable and cost-effective system that focuses resources on students and the classroom and reduces the financial burden for local taxpayers. I would like to take this opportunity to say that I am in receipt of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation document titled "The Public Deserves to Know ... Countdown to Accountability". It was sent to me by teachers in this county who clearly disagree with its messages. In the document teachers are being urged to enter a five-week protest. The union urges its members to participate in disruptive behaviour by preparing in-class lessons on government cuts, by preparing poster displays, initiating a school assembly and distributing anti-cut buttons. As a parent of children in the Huron County education system, I trust that the secondary school teachers of Huron, like their elementary school counterparts are not in favour of such action and I hope that they will tell their union •- that negotiations are best left at the bargaining table, not in the classroom. Finally, while the objectives of the union are obvious, discussions about policy development are not appropriate on a question by question, week by week basis. As such this concludes my participation in the union campaign through the local newspapers. I answer all letters in manner and make time each week to meet constituents to discuss concern to them. I am always open to constructive solutions for issues affecting Huron County residents. Yours truly, Helen Johns, MPP. a timely available with my issues of sr V. Brussels PS VALENTINE'S DANCE & DRAW occasional teachers, continuing education teachers, secretaries, psychologists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, custodians, attendance counselors and other educational workers. V V V V V Friday J Warner Recording Artist * COLIN JAMES: For his J “BAD HABITS” Tour J BASH Tix *14.00 Advance *18.00 At Door DON’T MISS THIS ONE! V Hwy. 8 West, Clinton V 482-1234 V V V V V V LHEALTH on the hillj Continued from page 22 The intermediate students have been competing in the volleyball finals. We have about four more games left in the playoffs. We would also like to congratulate the volleyball referees for doing an outstanding job. In other sports the free-throw competitions are running well. The people going to Clinton for the competition are Amber Park, Nicole Lowe, Evan Horst and Rachel Elliot. We wish them luck. Right now our school is involved in public speaking. The speeches will be in the gym on Thursday, Feb. 11. The winners will then move on to the Brussels Legion on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Mrs. Perrie says she's most impressed by the variety of topics chosen. Mr. Kemp heard some speeches from Grade 6, 7, 8 and he thought that they were very well organized. Grade 3/4 went to Huronlea on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 2-3 p.m. They told riddles and jokes, read poems, did crossword puzzles and . had a snack with their buddies. Saturday, February 15,1997 BMG Community Centre Dancing 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. Music by DJ 1st Prize ~ $500.00 2nd Prize ~ $250.00 3rd Prize ~ $150.00 plus 3 - $50.00 prizes to be drawn at 10 p.m. (you must be present to win the 3 - $50. prizes) Tickets $10.00 each, admits one person to dance Tickets are available from Optimist members or at the door Sponsored by Brussels Optimist Club & BMG Recreation A Review of activities at SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL FEBRUARY IS HEART MONTH C.P.R. certification/recertifi- cation class (Level C - adult, infant, and child) will be held in Conf. Rm. 2 Saturday, February 22, 1997 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To register call 527-1650. JUNIOR VOLUNTEER Please keep in mind Jr. Volunteer Meeting Thurs. Feb. 13th at 4:30 p.m. in Conf. Rm. 2 Also C.P.R. Heart Saver Course is being held in Conf. Rm. 2 on Sunday, Feb. 23rd 1-5 p.m. HEART TO HEART Cardiac Rehabilitation Classes begin March 27th and run each Thurs. evening from 7-9 p.m. until May 8th. Each night focuses on a different aspect of heart disease and features Guest Speakers. Anyone with heart disease is strong­ ly encouraged to attend these informative sessions. To register contact Vai Poisson at 527-0320 or 527-1650 Ext. 250. DIABETIC EDUCATION offered by Nurse Educator, Dianne Wood, Reg. N. each Thursday 1 - 3 p.m. by appointment. Self refferrals accepted. No fee. Topics include: Diet, Exercise, Insulin, Oral Agents, Monitoring Technique, Travel, Days of Illness, Foot Care, Management. To pre-register, call 527-1650 Ext. 219. OB PRE-ADMIT CLINIC if you are an expectant Mom 34-38 weeks pregnant and planning to deliver at Seaforth Community Hospital, you are encouraged to attend for sharing of admission information on Thursday, February 20th at 7:00 p.m. in Conf. Rm. 2. Pre-registration requested 527-1650 Ext. 219 Information will be also be available as to how Karen Searle, Breastfeeding Facilitator can provide breastfeeding support and problem solving if required. If you require further or immediate information, please contact 527-1650 Ext. 219 or 522-0409. PERINATAL INFORMATION SESSION Thurs. Feb. 20th at 7:30 p.m. in Conf. Rm. 2. TOPIC: BREASTFEEDING ATTI­ TUDES with Dr. Carolin Shephard and Terri Shobbrook-Ward Pre-registration requested and appreciated 527-1650 Ext. 219.