The Times-Advocate, 2002-10-23, Page 1By Scott Nixon
TIMES-ADVOCATE STAFF
SOUTH HURON —
South Huron council
threw its support
behind the proposed
day-care centre during
a special meeting Oct.
17.
Council told the day-
care centre’s fund-rais-
ing committee it will
match whatever the
group raises to a maxi-
mum of $200,000. Chief
administrative officer
Larry Brown told the
Times-Advocate the
money the municipality
provides will probably
be in the form of a loan
so tax dollars aren’t
used for the project.
The municipality will
own the building.
The committee pre-
sented to council sketch
drawings of the day-
care centre and a floor
plan. The centre will be
to the east of Stephen
Printing and in front of
the South Huron Rec
Centre on Victoria
Street. The nearly 9,000
sq. ft. one-floor building
includes the following
rooms: junior, interme-
diate, kindergarten,
staff, toddler, infant,
sleep, a classroom, a
gross motor room,
offices, laundry, a
kitchen and washrooms.
It has space for 60 chil-
dren. The committee
intends to start con-
struction April 1, 2003,
with an opening date of
September 2003.
The committee pro-
posed its fund-raising
plan before council and
asked for help.
As project facilitator
Ric Graham explained,
the committee wants to
start raising $300,000
through the winter. The
pegged price for the
building is $891,500, if
the building costs
$100/sq. ft., as estimat-
ed by an architect. But
committee member and
Coun. Pete Armstrong
said he’s sure the build-
ing can be built cheaper
and the committee will
ensure the building is
efficient. The Exeter
Community
Development Fund has
already granted
$100,000 to the project.
The fund-raising com-
mittee hopes to find a
business, organization
or individual to donate
$100,000, in exchange
for naming rights to the
centre. It also hopes to
raise $150,000 through
10 donations of
$15,000. Donors will be
honoured by having a
room in the centre
named after them.
Another $40,000 is
expected to be raised
through the sale of sig-
nature or handprint
decorative tiles that will
go on a wall in the cen-
tre. Finally, the commit-
tee is banking on
$10,000 coming from
donations of $25 to
$199.
Because of the day-
care centre’s location,
the existing entrance to
the Rec Centre will have
to be widened and
moved further east.
Armstrong said the
ball diamonds will not
be affected and the
playground equipment
will remain for public
use. The day-care cen-
tre will be fenced off
and will be between
30’-36’ from the Rec
Centre.
The municipality is
giving the land to the
centre free.
The day-care centre
will be operated by
London Bridge, a non-
profit company with 14
other day-care facilities.
London Bridge is pre-
pared to commit to the
Exeter site for at least
five years and will pro-
vide $100,000 worth of
toys, equipment and
interior furnishings for
the building.
The Early Years
Centre, now renting
space at Exeter’s former
public works building,
will rent space at the
front of the new day-
care centre.
Mayor Rob Morley
addressed the $100/sq.
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See DAY CARE page 2
Three local residents were honoured winners of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in Goderich on Oct.12.
Huron-Bruce MP Paul Steckle presented the medals to 20 recipients from Huron-Bruce in a public ceremony
at the Knights of Columbus Hall.Local winners were Ada Dinney and Dalton Finkbeiner of Exeter and Carol
Erb-Gingerich of Zurich.From left are Joy Klassen (who attended the ceremony on her sister,Erb-Gingerich’s
behalf),Dinney,Steckle and Finkbeiner.The medal was created to mark the 50th anniversary of Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne.It is awarded to those who have made a significant contribution
to Canada,their community or their fellow Canadians.The obverse side of the medal bears the Canadian effigy
of the Queen,while the reverse side shows the royal crown above a single maple leaf on which is superim-
posed the royal cypher.(photo/submitted)
QQuueeeenn’’ss JJuubbiilleeee wwiinnnneerrss
Exeter,Usborne
Grade 7/8 may
go to high school
By Stew Slater
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES-ADVOCATE
AVON-MAITLAND – Rural Grade 7 and 8 students
could in the near future attend classes at South Huron
District High School.
The Avon Maitland District School Board met Oct. 22 to
discuss a report ‘Preliminary Accommodation Analysis
2002-03: Projected Enrolments, Accommodations Data
and Under Review Recommendations.’
A series of changes recommended would see Grades 7
and 8 students from town and surrounding rural areas relo-
cated into secondary schools in Wingham, Mitchell and
Exeter.
In other cases - in Hensall, Brussels, Amulree (North
Easthope Public School) and Goderich (Victoria Public
School) - Grade 7 and 8 students currently at more than one
elementary site would be congregated at one elementary
school.
In the past couple of years, various board members have
argued in support of consolidating Grades 7 and 8 students.
Many of those arguments are reiterated in the report, writ-
ten by education superintendent Bill Gerth.
“There is consensus among board and ministry staff that
having subject specialists teaching a more specialized cur-
riculum from Grade 7 onward is an advantage to students,”
Gerth writes.
58 students
The report argues that, with Ontarios new four-year high
school program, more difficult concepts have been shifted
from Grades 9 and 10 into Grades 7 and 8, and that it’s eas-
ier to provide specialized equipment and teachers for those
concepts when there are more students in one location.
The boards magic number, it seems, is 58.
The Ontario educational funding formula theoretically
provides sufficient money to hire one principal for every
363 elementary students, and the fact that Grades 7 and 8
students currently represent 24 per cent of the board’s ele-
mentary enrolment, Gerth calculates the most efficient use
of provincial funds would be to operate schools with 58 or
more Grades 7 and 8 students.
“For the (Avon Maitland) schools with Grades 7 and 8,
17 have totals less than 58, which can result in split
grades,” the report states.
“In some cases, the number of Grades 7 and 8 students is
such that there is only one combined Grade 7 and 8 class in
the school. Such a situation is an extraordinary challenge
for any teacher.”
Not all of those 17 schools now face closure or consolida-
tion with another school. But the ‘58’factor is used as jus-
tification for proposed relocation of Grades 7 and 8 stu-
dents in the following cases: from Grey Central Public
School, in Ethel, to Brussels; from Sprucedale Public
School, in Shakespeare, to North Easthope; from Zurich
Public School to Hensall; and in the Goderich area,
whichever scenario is approved.
Likewise, secondary schools would become home to
Grades 7 and 8 students in Wingham (from East
Wawanosh Public School in Belgrave, as well as Blyth,
Turnberry, and Wingham), Exeter (from Exeter Public
School and Usborne Central) and Mitchell (from Upper
Thames Elementary School, which only recently became
the site of an earlier consolidation of Grades 7 and 8, taking
in the senior elementary students from Mitchell Public
School).
Study committees
In compliance with board policy, Community
Accommodation Study Committees (CASCs) will now be
established in the following areas: Hensall/Zurich,
Brussels/Grey, Exeter, North Easthope/Sprucedale,
Milverton/Mornington, Mitchell, Clinton/Goderich, and
the Wingham district.
The CASCs, which will include voting members from theREMINDER...Move your clocks back
one hour this Saturday night See COMMITTEES page 2
Council gives support to new day-care