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The Citizen, 2001-10-24, Page 6• Making a difference Classes at Brussels Public School collected school supplies recently as part of an initiative by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario in celebration of World Teachers Day. The items were packed in shoeboxes to be directed to Third World countires for distribution in the schools. Getting it all together was students council executive, back row, from left: Jill Johnston, Cory Chapman, Amy Bishop. Front: Catherine RushtOn, Amber Sellers. (Bonnie Gropp photo) It's time to register your firearms Look for your form Right now, in the mail! registration is FREE! Your personalized and easy-to-complete firearm registration form is already on its way to you by mail if you hold a valid firearms licence or Firearms Acquisition Certificate (FAC). You must have your licence or FAC before you can register. Firearm registration is a legal responsibility for all firearm owners. Registration is a one-time endeavour. You can save the $18 fee if you apply to register your firearms by the deadline indicated on your form. Acting now means you're sure to have your registration documents before you need them. You may also apply to register on-line. Visit www.cfc.gc.ca for details. For more information, call: 1 800 731-4000 or visit: www.cfc.gc.ca • Registration works towards improving public safety by recognizing owner accountability for the safe use and storage of firearms. • Any restricted or prohibited firearms that you registered under the formerlaw must be re-registered. There is no fee for re-registration. • An amnesty is in effect until December 31, 2001, to allow those in possession of unregistered, restricted firearms to either register or properly dispose of them. • Registration enables police to trace firearms that may have been stolen, illegally imported, illegally manufactured, or bought on the black market. • Insurance coverage and claims can be obtained or handled more easily for owners of registered firearms. • By law, all firearms must be registered by the end of 2002. Canada AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR FIREARM OWNERS IN ONTARIO PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2001. All area schools on AMDSB's list for potential closure By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Within a list of possible changes to 46 of the Avon Maitland District School Board's 55 schools, 17 ele- mentary schools and one secondary school were named for possible clo- sure, in a staff report put forward for trustee approval at a regular board meeting last night ('Pliesday, Oct. 23). School council . groups from all schools approved for further study — into closure but also into such things. as border alterations to allow for the accommodation of students" whose schools close — have now been asked to submit reports by the end of November. Then, at the board's Dec. 11 meet- ing, trustees are expected to vote on another staff report, identifying a final list of schools to be studied in advance of a projected February, 2002 vote on closure or other alter- ations. - As was the case two years ago, when the board began a process which eventually led to the closure of four elementary schools, Seaforth District High School (SDHS) is the only secondary school on the list of facilities to be studied for closure. Secondary schools in Clinton, Wingham, Listowel and Stratford are also mentioned in recommendations from last night's meeting, but only for possible boundary adjustments, either to alleviate overcrowding at Listowel District Secondary School or to accommodate students from SDHS. Background to the report states seven of the board's 10 mainstream secondary schools (excluding the alternative programming at Bluewater Secondary School in Goderich) have fewer than the opti- mum number of students necessary, under the province's educational funding formula, to secure the full level of funding for a principal. The implication is that principal salary, therefore, must but taken from other portions of the budget. The report's summary shows two other secondary schools — in St, Marys and Mitchell — were consid- ered as candidates for joining SDHS on the list for possible closure: St. Marys DCVI was saved, however, by its proximity to the board's border with the Thames Valley District Schdol Board (TVDSB) and the fact it draws students who attend TVDSB elementary schools. "Closure of that school could see the loss of students who might choose to attend TVDSB schools located in Middlesex and Oxford Counties," the report states. Mitchell District High School, meanwhile, was not placed on the list because its closure would prevent the board from considering other options for reducing the amount of empty stu- dent spaces, including relocating Grades 7 and/or 8 students into sec- ondary school settings. "The closure of SDHS can occur in isolation and not have a negative impact on other scenarios," the report states. Among elementary schools, Downie Central Public School (R122: St. Pauls) is again on the list for pos- sible closure, as it was two years ago. In 1999, Avon Maitland staff removed Downie Central from its list for possible closure part-way through the process, citing difficulties in find- ing appropriate spaces for displaced students in surrounding schools. • This time, the north Huron County area is probably hardest-hit on the list for potential closure. Schools in Blyth, Brussels, Belgrave (East Wawanosh Public School), RR4, Wingham (Turnberry Central), Londesboro (Hullett Central), and Ethel (Grey Central) are all named. It's obvious, however, than not all could be closed and, as the staff report states, "due to the large num- ber of elementary schools (a consoli- dation of elementary schools) has many possible combinations." The same can be said for Stratford, where four city elementary schools are named for possible closure (King Lear, Romeo, Juliet and Avon), along with the nearby Downie Central, which currently serves a portion of Stratford, and North Easthope Public School. It's expected a smaller number could eventually be chosen while changes could be suggested at the others to accommodate those students displaced by closure. Also in Perth County, study for potential closure is recommended at Mornington Centfal Elmentary School (RRI, Newton), Sprucedale Elementary School (Shakespeare) and Mitchell Public School. In the Goderich/Clinton area, pos- sible closure is listed for Colborne Central Public School (Goderich) and Holmesville Public School. An appendix within the report suggests both schools could be closed, with students adequately accommodated in four nearby facilities. Trustees were set to vote on the list. at last night's meeting.