The Citizen, 2003-06-25, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2003.
AMDSB holds public meeting to discuss budget
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
Special education and
transportation: the contrast
between Ontario’s education
ministry funding for these two
areas of expenditure was used
by Avon Maitland District
School Board business
superintendent Janet Baird-
Jackson, as she explained the
board’s 2003-04 budget
during a special public
meeting, Monday June 16 in
Seaforth.
Both areas have been
problematic for the board in
recent years, with money
taken from other areas of
expenditure to cover
shortfalls in government
funding. Twelve months ago,
Baird-Jackson noted at the
beginning of the meeting, the
only way the board could
balance its budget and still
provide ample funding for
special education and
transportation was to include
no money for salary increases,
even though it was inevitable
that renewed employee
contracts would not be settled
without salary increases.
The gamble paid off — as it
did for many school boards
across Ontario — when the
government eventually caved
in to pressure to provide extra
funding to ensure contracts
were renewed. But this year,
the education superintendent
explained, no such gambles
were necessary, thanks to
increased funding in various
areas.
Special education is one of
those areas. In 2002-03, the
board spent $800,000 more on
special education than it
received for that purpose from
the government. This year, the
plan is still to give special
education priority by again
overspending compared to
ministry allocation.
But that allocation has
increased, the level of
proposed overspending is
down to $100,000, and there
are provisions for significant
improvements in the level of
service.
According to education
Melville
presents
Continued from page 2
received a second-year seal
and Cody Subject received a
new certificate. In Grade 7
and up Colleen Aitchison
received a hymn book for her
perfect attendance, Jodi
McIntosh received a new
certificate and Ami
Schimanski received a
second-year seal.
Mrs. Armstrong thanked
Sunday school treasurer,
Lynne Cronin and teachers:
pre-school, Justine King,
Emily Cardiff, Laura
Armstrong; Grades 1 - 2, Lori
Vader, Linda Shaw; Grades 3
- 4, Tammy King, Sheana
Campbell, Kate Aitchison;
Grades 5-6, Peggy
Aitchison, Janna Dodds;
Grade 7 and up, Julia
Mitchell, Elaine Armstrong.
Scripture reading was 2
Corinthians 6: 1 - 13 and
Mark 4: 35 - 41. The story of
David and Goliath was read
by Rev. Campbell with the
assistance of William King
superintendent Marie
Parsons, those improvements
include the hiring of a speech
language pathologist and the
creation of a three-person
“behaviour resource team.”
Transportation represents
the other side of the coin. The
government’s method for
calculating how much each
board receives for
transportation “hasn’t been
updated since the new
funding model was
introduced in 1998,” Baird-
Jackson complained. “The
challenge is to continue
working with the ministry
folks and the MPPs to get a
new plan out. They’ve said a
new plan will be ready in the
next year. But we’ve heard
that before.”
Without a new plan,
funding for transportation is
not effectively allocated
according to need, Baird-
Jackson says.
‘"1 he bottom line is that the
(transportation) deficit we’re
projecting in 2003-04 is just
slightly less than what we had
in 2002-03,” she said.
That projected deficit —
money which will have to be
taken from other expenditure
areas — is just under $1
million.
Besides special education,
some other increases help
push the 2003-04 Avon
Maitland budget to just over
$139 million, up from the
2002-03 total of about $132.5
million. A new grant category
was created for Students-at-
Risk, through a province-wide
response to a
recommendation made in last
fall’s report from the
Rozanski Commission.
For the Avon Maitland
board, it represents $489,967
aimed at making school a
more viable option for
students who might otherwise
drop out.
(An additional $138,900 of
Students-at-Risk money was
already injected into the
2002-03 budget, with former
Goderich District High
School principal Ted Doherty
recently hired as the board’s
program co-ordinator.)
Elsewhere, a change in the
way the government
calculates its Rural and
Remote grant means an
increase from $57,000 in each
of the past three years to
$234,861 in 2003-04. Trustee
Charles Smith cautioned
against celebrating this
change too much, however;
he suggested “this is nice, but
lots of other boards got a lot
more.”
Only about a half dozen
members of the public
attended the meeting, but
there were various questions.
The one which garnered the
most response came from
Shelley Kaastra, a member of
a Holmesville-area parent
group.
Kaastra noted that total
revenue (made up almost
entirely of government
grants) has increased by about
$10.2 million in the past two
years, while the number of
students served has decreased.
“So there should be all kinds
of money ... At least, to the
public, that’s what it looks
like.”
Three different board
members chose three different
ways to counter Kaastra’s
comment. First Smith argued
that “most of the money is
going right to salary
increases, to keep teachers in
the classroom instead of on
strike.” Then education
superintendent Bill Gerth
addressed the same issue in
terms of inflation. “We’re
being hammered in terms of
the real dollars available.
Inflation is a big issue.”
Finally, communications
manager Steve Howe noted
that the costs saved due to
declining enrolment aren’t
eliminated at a rate
proportional to the number of
students lost. That’s because
enrolment slips by just a few
students per school and,
unless the board decides to
close schools, the money
spent to serve those students
must still be spent to serve
those who remain at the
school.
The proposed budget will
be discussed by Avon
Maitland trustees at a regular
meeting Tuesday, June 24.
Trustees of the Huron-Perth
Catholic District School
Board approved their budget
Wednesday, June • 11,
following a similar public
meeting at St. Anne’s Catholic
Secondary School in Clinton.
Only two members of the
public attended that mee
ting.
Gratefully received
The Blyth Festival was presented with a cheque for $2,500 to put towards
new play development. From left: Blyth Festival general manager John
Shaw, CIBC Blyth branch staff member Bev Blair; from Festival
administration Melissa Boven; and CIBC staff Donna Longman, Ann Nesbit,
and Susie Walsh. (Sarah Mann photo)
Smart Growth
Ontario Smart Growth
Public Consultations
The western Ontario Smart Growth panel wants to hear your views.
Led by Diane Gagner, mayor of Chatham-Kent the panel was appointed by the Ontario government The panel was asked to
build consensus on ways to promote and plan for growth in western Ontario. Before presenting its final recommendations
to the government the panel wants to hear your thoughts on its ideas for building strong, vibrant communities and a more
prosperous future in our part of the province. This is your chance to meet panel members, learn more and have a say.
Sunday school
certificates
Jr., each taking parts to make
a dialogue.
The sermon was, What Are
You Afraid Of?”
Collection was taken up by
Bill King, Doug McArter,
Leanne Armstrong and Dave
McCutcheon. During the
offering, the Melville quartet
of Janna Dodds, Laura
Armstrong, Julia Mitchell and
Jim Lee played and sang, I
Can See Clearly Now,
accompanied by piano and
guitar.
Frank Cardiff is still in
hospital at London Health
Sciences Centre.
On Thursday, June 25 the
Presbytery will be visiting the
church. They will meet the
board of managers at 7 p.m.,
the session at 7:30 p.m., and
the congregation, if present,
at 8 p.m. that evening.
Questionnaires have been
completed and collected in
preparation for this visit.
A miniature tower penny
piggy bank has been crafted
by the fundraising committee
and sits at the back of the
church. A thermometer has
been placed on a door in the
sanctuary so everyone may
watch those pennies and other
donations add up. The
congregants are working hard
to accumulate the necessary
funds for repairing the tower
of the church and all
donations are appreciated.
Next Sunday the
congregation is invited to
meet at the Armstrong
Aerodrome for the usual
Sunday service followed by a
potluck lunch. It’s the
beginning of the summer
schedule when they join
friends at the Brussels United
Church until Melville reopens
on Aug. 3.
During the holiday period
pastoral care will be provided
by Joan Golden in July, and
Rev. John Neilson and Rev.
Theresa McDonald-Lee will
provide pastoral care in the
early part of August.
Stratford Owen Sound
Wednesday, June 25
5:00 - 8:30 p.m.
(panel presentation at 7 p.m.)
Kiwanis Community Centre
Main Hall
27 Morenz Drive
Thursday, June 26
5:00 to 8:30 p.m.
(panel presentation at 7 p.m.)
Bayshore Community Centre
Rutherford Room
1900 3rd Avenue East
London
Wednesday, July 2
5:00 to 8:30 p.m.
(panel presentation at 7 p.m.)
University of Western Ontario
Great Hall
Somerville House
(Off Oxford Drive; parking at Weldon lot)
The panel's advice is summarized in a discussion paper entitled
Shape the Future: Western Panel Discussion Paper. This document is posted online and
will be available at the consultations. For more information, call us toll tree at 1-866-479-9781 or visit
www.smartgrowth.gov.on.ca
® Ontario