The Citizen, 2005-10-06, Page 28PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2005.
Universal day care may come
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
A preliminary Ontario version of
federal cabinet minister Ken
Dryden's dream of universal daycare
could be in place in Huron and Perth
Counties as early as the spring of
2006. and in most communities it
will take shape within existing
publicly-funded school buildings.
At a regular meeting Tuesday,
Sept. 27. trustees of the Avon
Maitland District School Board
heard a report about the provincial
Ministry of Child and Youth
Services' “Best Start” program,
which is set to receive its first
installment of federal daycare
money next March. The first of
what's expected to be three phases of
funding, that money will be used to
renovate existing facilities to make
room for what are being called
“community hubs."
The goal of Best Start, according
to the report, is to “increase the
amount of licensed daycare for
children ages 2-5, and create
community hubs through which all
the community services available to
children will be offered."
This combines elements of
introducing children to the learning
process at a younger age. bringing
together into one location many of
the services needed by young
children, and making it easier for
parents to juggle childcare and their
working lives.
Ultimately, once all three funding
phases are complete, the plan is to
make available a site at which
children can spend five days per
week in some sort of structured
program, whether they're of school
age or not. Part of it may be
educational in nature; other parts
would be more like existing daycare.
Education superintendent Pat
Stanley described it as “a seamless
day” to replace the current situation
in which kindergarten students are
often in school for half a day or
every other day, and parents must
find alternate arrangements and
alternate locations for childcare the
rest of the time.
She also noted students preparing
for kindergarten must meet certain
medical requirements before
attending school. Currently, that
demands a trip to the doctor’s office;
in the future, it should be offered at
the "community hub.”
Education director Geoff Williams
is part of the committee overseeing
the introduction of Best Start into the
district, along with other officials
from education, healthcare and
social services. He advised trustees
the funding won’t come through the
Ministry of Education, even though
in an area like Huron-Perth,
community hubs will almost
exclusively be located in schools.
(One -possible exception could be
Stratford, where excess space is
extremely limited in schools and
other facilities will probably be
available).
Still, he expressed confidence any
school board-funded time and/or
resources being spent now — by
principals preparing for the
possibility of accommodating a
community hub, or by
administrative staff assisting the
implementation committee — is
worth it.
“I don't see that as an issue," said
the Avon Maitland board's top
administrator. “1 think it's an
important opportunity and it really
will benefit kids in the long run.”
Williams is also pleased about
plans to have money flow through
the municipalities, and to revamp the
system by which families will
qualify for subsidies for the daycare
portion of their children's day. He
suggested municipally-run daycares
already have a good reputation for
attracting and maintaining quality
staff, and the subsidy changes will
allow a greater proportion of
families to utilize these superior
services.
Under the direction ol the
implementation committee, so-
called “networks" from each county
have already begun touring potential
sites, provided to them in the form of
lists from each of the publicly
funded school boards.
Those on the Avon Maitland’s
Huron County list include: Victoria
Public School in Goderich, Clinton
Public School, Howick Central
Public School at RR I. Gorrie, Exeter
Public School. Seaforth Public
School. Brookside Public School at
RR7, Lucknow, and Holmesville
Public School.
In Perth County, the potential
Avon Maitland sites are: St. Marys
Central Public School, Listowel
Eastdale Public School. Mitchell
Public School, Shakespeare Public
School in Stratford, North Easthope
Public School at Amulree, Central
Perth Elementary School in
Wartburg, and Milverton Public
School.
Under questioning from trustees.
Williams admitted there are
significant challenges to be met.
to Huron
including providing transportation
for rural residents, accommodating
the Child and Youth ministry’s
demands for long-term (possibly as
long as 20 years) leases on school
space, and tight timelines from the
provincial government for having
plans in place.
< ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ >
WEDDINGS
Performed • your location or our indoor
or outdoor chapel (non-denominational)
All Christenings & Memorials
For brochure call:
Rev. CHRIS MORGAN
ALL FAITHS PASTORAL CENTRE
BENMILLER....524-5724
WEDDINGS
£ ZW
for
Mark Pennington
(Fudgy) <
& <
Cathy Perrault
Saturday, Oct. 22
Brussels Community
Centre
Music by D.J.
9:00 pm to 1:00 am
Tickets $6.00 r
z For tickets call 'jv
887-9858
Bargains
Kasie La Rose, here from Alberta, was among the many to
crowd into St. Augustine church on Saturday morning for the
annual bazaar and penny sale. (Vicky Bremner photo)
LIVE IN CONCERT
Rita MacNeil
(With very special guests
THE BARRA MacNeils and Capf. Breton Tenor, Peter Gillis
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10/05 - 7pm
— CENTENNIAL HALL - LONDON —
Tickets available at The Centennial Hall Box Office.
Charge by phone: 519-672-1967 or online at
www.centenniaihall.london.ca
BX93 J
Dance Party^
Saturday,
October 15
Seaforth AgriPlex
for
Blyth Bandits
Broomball Team<
Age of majority You are cordially invited
to attend
Adrain & Dorothy Salverda's
25th Anniversary
Open House
Saturday, October 8
7:00 pm - 12 midnight
Fish & Game, Clinton
* Please let your presence be
your present.
Tickets at
Howson's Elevators
Brussels Variety
Seaforth UPI
Total Image
Mitchell Credit Union
(Stratford & MitchelP
branches)
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65th \\(drlii>p:./hiiiiversary
Family and friends
are invited to celebrate the
65th Wedding
Anniversary of
Ernest and Anna Snell
Saturday,
October 8, 2005
Open House
2:00 ~ 4:00 pm
'Westfield Hall.