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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2004. PAGE 21.
HPCDSB budget promises additional staff
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
Additional staff to provide
primary-level literacy instruction, to
implement the government's goal of
reducing average class size in the
primary level, and to offer
counselling to secondary students,
are among the new areas of
expenditure under the Huron-Perth
Catholic District School Board's
2004-05 budget.
The budget was presented to
trustees in draft form at a special
meeting Tuesday, June 15, then
approved at a regularly-scheduled
meeting Monday, June 21.
With total expenditures of just
under $42.5 million, it represents a
2.4 per cent increase over what
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
Following a recent assessment of
how school 'bus transportation
funding had been allocated across
Ontario, the provincial government
both gave and took away from most
district school boards.
Officials of both the Huron-Perth
Catholic and Avon Maitland boards,
however, were relieved to learn the
giving exceeded the taking in Huron
and Perth Counties.
Based on a document bearing the
weighty title of "Equitable
Allocation Through a New Funding
Model for Student Transportation in
Ontario," implementation of the
education ministry's new
transportation funding model began
with an assessment of the factors
affecting the cost of transportation in
eventually formed the board's total
2003-04 expenditures, once mid-
calendar government
announcements were added to the
original 2003-04 budget.
Again this year, it's expected
additional government funds will
flow after initial budgets are
finalized. The information packages
for trustees included a letter from the
education ministry explaining that
"some funding enhancements for
2004-05 are not yet allocated to
school boards, because allocation
methods and accountability
measures will be developed through
consultation."
Business superintendent Gerry
Thuss couldn't estimate how much
money those announcements might
translate into, but the education
different parts of the province.
"From a board perspective, what
are the different things that can
happen in, say, Huron-Perth versus
north of Lake Superior," said
Catholic board management
superintendent Gerry Thuss, during
a meeting Tuesday, June 15. He cited
possible differences in fuel prices,
road infrastructure, population
density and weather.
During a presentation of a draft
version of his board's 2004-05
budget. Thuss explained the recent
assessment led the government to
conclude Huron-Perth Catholic
should receive almost $4.25 million
for transportation for the coming
year, up from $3.97 million in 2003-
04.
That amounts to an increase of
approximately seven per cent, but
the initial revised allocation was
ministry letter provided three
province-wide figures: $64 million
for students at risk of dropping out
of school; $61 million for student
accommodation; and $130 million in
what's referred to as "Initiative
Funding for Student Success."
"Most of this stuff is pretty much
directed by the minister," explained
Thuss, adding there's usually no way
to apply the money to other areas of
expenditure. He also noted the board
doesn't usually plan ahead for any
funding from such mid-calendar
announcements: "From our
perspective, we don't count on
anything."
One new government initiative for
which funding has already been
provided — pending the ministry's
approval of each board's plan about
about $4.65 million; it was then
reduced through a "mitigation"
process, aimed at preventing certain
school boards — those at the other
end of the spectrum from Huron-
Perth Catholic and Avon Maitland
— from facing sudden drastic
reductions in transportation funding.
"A number of boards actually are
getting less (transportation
funding)," Thuss said. "So there's a
bit of an offset, but we're coming
out on the right side after the
mitigation, and we know we're
going to be there in the future."
He added the education ministry is
treating 2004-05 as a year for "road-
testing" the new formula, and that
various stakeholders throughout the
sector — including trustees and
financial officers — will be
watching.
how it will spend the money — is
the goal of reducing average class
size to 20 for primary-level stu-
dents.
In dealing with a projected four-
year phase-in period for what has
become known as the "20-to-1"
requirement, Thuss said the board is
looking at installing some portable
classrooms, but "has to be pretty
selective" about where to implement
class size reductions for 2004-05.
"A lot of my colleagues (among
business superintendents) have said
that it's extremely expensive and we
don't have the accommodation to
meet that hard cap requirement," he
told trustees.
The June meeting of the Melville
Guild was held at Dona Knight's
cottage, Bayfield on Tuesday, June
15 with eight members and four
visitors present. A potluck supper
was enjoyed, followed by a special
celebration, in honour of Eluned
McNair's 90th birthday. She was
presented with a cake and roses.
The meeting opened with the Call
to Worship, read by Leona
Armstrong. Jesus Bids Us Shine,
was sung and Jean Bewley read the
scripture from Ruth 1: 1-14. Mrs.
Armstrong led in prayer and Dona
Knight read a story, Life's Green
Pastures.
Mrs. Armstrong gave a talk and
showed pictures on her trip to
Tasmania and Australia.
It's A Small World was sung and
the business was discussed. Mrs.
Armstrong gave a report on the
Presbyterial spring rally held in
Acting outside specific
government directives, the new
Huron-Perth budget sets in motion
two significant new initiatives: the
hiring of three "learning resource"
teachers to provide primary-level
literacy support, and the hiring of
one full-time social worker to serve
students at both of the board's
secondary schools.
"That's a gap that we've identified
and we'll see if we can address it,"
Thuss said. His presentation to
trustees included a comment that the
decisions "reflect(s) tOe increasing
need for social and emotional
support for students at the secondary
level."
Kincardine. Mary Huether, Marg
Work and Mrs. Armstrong attended
this meeting.
The fall rally will be held in
Lucknow on Sept. 22.
The minutes of the May meeting
were read and approved. Mrs.
Armstrong read the treasurer's
report and after a discussion
members decided to give $3,000 to
the church managers.
Mrs. Knight offered to look after
the Brussels Fall Fair display and
Mrs. Armstrong reminded everyone
of the golf day to be held at Dave
Smith's on June 22.
Mrs. Bewley, Mrs. Marks and
Mrs. Armstrong will look after
lunch after church on June 27. Mrs.
Armstrong asked everyone to let her
know if they had flowers for church
during August. She then read the
benediction and coffee, tea, tarts and
squares were served.
Giving exceeds taking for boards
Melville Guild visits
Bayfield cottage
Business Director