The Citizen, 1998-06-17, Page 1Business
New restauarant in
Blyth, new store in
Brussels
See page 6
Sports
Professional
soccer player
shares his tricks
See page 10
News
Sun shines on
Blyth Union
Cemetery service
See page 16
85-factor significant
as educators retire
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
The staff at many local schools
will have a very new look in
September as the Avon Maitland
District School Board community
says goodbye to more than 110
employees.
"The 85-factor was very signifi-
cant in as many as half the retire-
ments," said outgoing Director of
Education Paul Carroll, who is also
retiring, in part, due to the 85-fac-
tor.
"There is a disproportionate num-
ber this year," he said and there
will be an impact on the principal
and vice-principal positions in the
system.
Though most of, the vacated
administration postions have been
filled with fully-qualified person-
nel, Carroll said there are a couple
of appointees who have attained
only partial qualifications.
"We will continue to have a
shortage of personnel to fill those
positions. It is important we reach
out to those with leadership poten-
tial to seek new candidates."
Carroll points out that the
AMDSB is facing the same situa-
tion as many other boards. The
Essex board lost one-third of its
principals to the 85-factor, he said
with more leaving due to govern-
ment legislation Which removed
principals and vice-principals from
the federations.
Carroll said the 85-factor will
continue to have an impact as it
will remain in place until at least
Dec. 31, 2002.
The staffing situation is different
for regular teaching positions as
there is no shortage of qualified
staff.
For the indelible mark she has
left on theatre in Southern Ontario
and across the country former
Blyth Festival Artistic Director
Janet Amos has received recogni-
tion.
Amos, along with six other
movers, shakers and groundbreak-
ers, were granted honorary degrees
by the University of Western
Ontario at recent graduation cere-
monies.
Recognized for her achievements
as an actor, playwright and admin-
istrator, Amos was given an hon-
orary Doctor of Letters, June 11.
Amos served as the artistic direc-
With collections extremely low
in Southwestern Ontario over the
past few weeks, organizers would
be pleased to see a good turnout to
the Blood Donor Clinic, Wednes-
day, June 24 at the Brussels, Morris
& Grey Community Centre.
."We are hoping people will sup-
"There are teachers available and
ready to go," he said.
Even with approximately 112
teachers retiring, Carroll sa.:d there
will only be a nominal change in
employee numbers.
"Though our enrolment is down,
the AMDSB had the largest ele-
mentary class sizes in the province
and seven largest secondary class-
es. "
The limit on class sizes to 25 and
22 respectively will allow the board
to replace most of the vacated posi-
tions.
Though Carroll said there will be
a loss of knowledge and experience
in the classrooms, the young teach-
ers will bring a fresh start fof a very
different education system.
They may have a more open-
mind for adjusting to the revised
and reformed curriculum, he said.
However, the new teachers will
miss mentoring opportunities pro-
vided by senior staff.
From local schools, the following
staff will have retired during, or at
the end of the 1997-98 school year:
Brussels Public School-Joan Perrie;
Central Huron Secondary School-
Nancy McLay, Ken Reidy, Cather-
ine Renshaw, Bill,Weber and
Fitecia Wilson; East Wawanosh
Public School-Nancy Daer and
John Kerr; F.E. Madill Secondary
School-Gord Cowman, Robert
Damsma, George Gibson, Deirdre
Graham, Murray Hunter, Sinclair
Wardrop and Terry Wilson; Grey
Central Public School-Helen
Crocker, Marilyn Elgie, Yvonne
Martin, David Perrie and Paul Sta-
tia and Hullett Central Public
School-Barb Bosman.
There are a total of five princi-
pals and three vice-principals retir-
ing.
tor twice at the Blyth Festival.
From 1979 to 1984, she led the the-
atre through its first capital expan-
sion while doubling its audience.
Returning by request in 1993,
Amos brought the theatre's debt
under control and continued build-
ing the audience.
Educated at the University of
Toronto where she received Bach-
elor of Arts and Bachelor of Educa-
tion degrees, Amos acted and
directed for companies such as the
National Arts Centre, Shaw Festi-
val, Young Peoples Theatre, Cana-
dian Stage, Theatre New
Continued on page 23
port the clinic and help build up the
inventory," said Suzanne Barron,
recruiter. "If everyone donated
blood one more time a year, we
could avoid blood shortages."
The clinic will be open from 5
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Identification is
required.
The North Huron
itizen
Vol. 14 No. 24
Wednesday, June 17, 1998
700 + sa OST 750
Proud moment
East Wawanosh Kindergarten student Brittany Weber had the honours of cutting the ribbon
on the newly dedicated playground equipment, along with outgoing Director of Education
Paul Carroll, left, and inaugural chair of the school board in 1967, Jim Coultes. The school
community raised $26,000 for the equipment and thanked several individuals and
organizations for the contribution to the effort. Receiving recognition at the June 11
ceremony were: Coultes, as the first chair of the first board for East Wawanosh Public
School; Tony Chaffe, the auctioneer who volunteered his time for the auction which raised in
excess of $12,000; Doug Walker, chair of the School Advisory Council; McBurney Funeral
Home, Wingham; Blyth Legion Ladies Auxiliary; Wingham Legion; Wingham Fire Fighters
Association; Wescast Industries; Belgrave Kinsmen; Belgrave Optimists; North Huron
Citizen; Wingham Advance-Times and CKNX Radio and Television.
Amos gets doctorate
Blood donor clinic, June 24