The Citizen, 2000-05-31, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 31,2000.
Seaforth schools won’t close in this year
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Though Walton will close,
Seaforth schools will open this
September as the Avon Maitland
District School Board struggles to
deal with a court ruling.
In an interview Monday morning,
Lome Rachlis, director of education
for the AMDSB. said the May 30
session of the board would be a one
issue meeting.
"We need to know how the board
wants us to proceed, given the court
decision.”
“The administration feels it would
be best to stick with what we know,”
said Rachlis, “We need to get things
set in four weeks. It is- a short time
frame. There will be no time for any
thing out of the ordinary or cre
ative.”
When the three-judge panel ruled
the board had been unfair in it’s
treatment of Seaforth and area fami
lies with the closure of both town
schools, the board was left to decide
how to accommodate all the students
with feeder schools closing at the
end of June.
Parents and community members
had one more opportunity to express
their opinions about school closures
Tuesday evening as the board sought
solutions.
Seaforth area trustee Abby
Armstrong said the administration
would present recommendations to
the trustees at the Tuesday session.
Though there has been some infor
mal talk among trustees about the
next step, Armstrong said only gen
eral parameters were discussed at the
regular board meeting May 23
because of a heavy agenda.
One recommendation that was to
go before the board Tuesday evening
was to make use of portables at
Seaforth Public School to maintain
the kindergarten to Grade 8 facility.
Rachlis said this may require three
portables (one for regular classes)
though it would mean the least dis
ruption for students.
The second option would be to
move the Grade 7 and 8 classes to
the high school. Rachlis said the
three classes involved would move
together with their teachers to the
other budding. This would allow
them access to the science labs and
other facilities.
A principal and vice-principal
would have to be re-hired for the
high school.
The board is speaking with the
school councils from the two
Seaforth schools as well as Walton
Public School to determine its posi
tion. said Rachlis.
Those schools were expected to
have delegations at the Tuesday
meeting.
In an effort to tell the board once
more what the families of Walton
prefer if Seaforth public and high
schools are to remain open, a survey
was sent home last week.
Parents were asked to choose
between two options suggested by
the administration.
With 73 per cent of surveys
returned, Walton Public School advi
sor council chair Dianne Van Vliet
said 89 per cent of the families
would accept the use of portables at
Seaforth Public School to house all
the children from kindergarten to
Grade 8.
Though there were some surveys
with no response to the question of
the Grade 7 and 8 students moving
into the high school building, leav
ing the public school as a kinder
garten to Grade 6 facility, 68 per cent
replied with a definite no.
Rachlis expected a decision to be
made at the meeting as there will be
a lot of work to be done by
September.
While the board has not yet decid
ed if it will, appeal the court decision
or redo the closure procedure,
Avon DISTRICT
SCHOOL
Maitland
Learning for a Lifetime
Focus Group Sessions -
Anti racism
and Ethnocultural Equity
“The Avon Maitland District School Board’s commitment
to antiracism and ethnocultural equity shall permeate all
aspects of the Board’s education and employment policies,
guidelines, programs and practices. An antiracism educa
tion will equip all students with the knowledge, skills, atti
tudes and behaviours needed to live and work effectively
in an increasingly complex and diverse society.”
You are invited to participate in a focus group session to
give feedback on the Board’s antiracism and ethnocultural
equity procedure.
Rachlis said the process would not
be completed by September so the
(Seaforth) schools will open. “If
there is a change, we will rethink it
then.”
The downside of the issue is that
the $300,000 in cuts realized through
closures will now have to be found
somewhere else, said Rachlis. The
administration is currently looking at
options.
The situation is made more diffi
cult because provincial legislation
for such things as class size and
grant formulas has not yet been
passed, he added. “We are still esti
mating. We have ball park figures. It
will be one more year of trimming
here and there.”
While the court decision has
thrown the board, communities and
families into upheaval, Walton
Public School Principal Alice
McDowell said they are proceeding
as planned.
Extensive plans are in the works
for trips, a memory book, a video
and day-long closing ceremonies for
the school.
Big winners
Yvonne and Leslie Knight of the Brussels area accepted their $4,000 cheque won at the
Brussels Lions Elimination Draw on Saturday night. Chairman Steve Coulter, left and
President Greg Ducharme turned over the winnings. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Branch members hear sad news
Continued from page 2
Special payments for Canadian
Merchant Navy Veterans were
announced and must be applied for
by July 31. If you know of any
Merchant Navy Veterans or their sur
viving spouses contact Ross Bennett
or the Branch at 887-6562.
I hope everyone had a chance to
watch the television broadcast of the
dedication of the National War
Memorial in Ottawa last Sunday.
The remains of a veteran killed in
WWI were flown over and interned
in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
this week, Canada’s memorial to
those who served their country and
lost their lives now has a memorial
on Canadian soil. It will be there to
always remind Canadians of the part
they played in the fight for freedom
for all.
It was with great sadness that all
comrades learned of the death of the
Dominion President Chuck Murphy
from BC following the arrival of the
remains of the Unknown Soldier. He
had been instrumental in pushing for
the War Memorial and had accompa
nied the remains of the journey to
Canada.
It is for all comrades and
Canadians to remember the Legion
motto “At the going down of the sun
and in the morning We Will
Remember them”.
Focus groups will be held on:
June 5, 2000
June 6, 2000
June 12, 2000
Stratford Northwestern S.S., 7:00 p.m.
Listowel District S.S., 7:00 p.m.
Exeter Public School, 7:00 p.m.
If you wish to participate RSVP to Judy Tobin at 1-800-
592-5437 by June 1, 2000.
Avon Maitland District School Board
62 Chalk Street North
Seaforth, ON N0K 1W0
LORNE RACHLIS
Director of Education
WENDY ANDERSON
Chair
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