The Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-06-03, Page 17Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, June 3, 2009 - Page A17
Students buy furniture for Indian classroom
- _-- Denny Scat!
signal -star staff
Students at Holmesville Public
School are helping other students
focus in class, and they are half a
world away.
Student Council President
Hugh Lobb explained that their
recent decision to donate $1,000
to an Indian School to purchase
desks and benches was a prod-
uct of a recent conference he at-
tended.
"[Members of the student
council] were chosen for a Me -
To -We Conference, and we
learned about how certain people
in Africa couldn't go to school,
and how the ones at school had
to sit on the floor to learn," Lobb
explained. "So we raised this
money to buy benches and desks
for the school."
The school received a plaque
and a DVD for their efforts, and
presented both at their recent
volunteer appreciation assembly.
The DVD explained to the
students what a huge difference
the benches make at St. Thomas
School in the village of Jam-
minkunta, India.
"The benches and desks allow
us to pay attention to the teacher
and write at the same time," one
student explained.
Other benefits that were re-
lated via the DVD include back
pain not being such an issue, and
being able to write on a hard sur-
face.
Lobb explained that the stu-
dents raised the money through
a bake sale, Candy -Grams and
through a donation by the Holm-
esville Church, where the school
band often plays.
Carolyn Regier, a teacher and
the teacher -contact for the Stu-
dent Council at Holmesville Pub-
lic School was a driving force
behind the event, according to
Lobb. "Mrs. Regier organized
the bake sale, and she really kick
started our fundraising."
Catholic board considers safety of ski trips
Stew Slater
special to the signal -star
Due to what could be described
as a technicality, a proposed revi-
sion of the Huron -Perth Catholic
District School Board's class trip
policy was deferred at a . meeting
Monday, May 25. But it seems
quite likely that,' when the policy
again comes before trustees, it will
result in a ban on school -organized
trips to downhill ski resorts.
According to education superin-
tendent Dan Parr, the risks involved
in downhill skiing have been a hot
topic amongst school administrators
from across the province in recent
months, due largely to the deaths of
two students on school -organized
outings at Ontario ski hills this past
winter.
"I believe other boards are cur-
rently in the early stages of revising
their policies," Parr said in an inter-
view — although he did not specify
which boards.
A proposed Huron -Perth policy
revision states, "high-risk activi-
ties including, but not limited to,
downhill skiing, snowboarding,
snow -tubing, rafting, and small
craft motorized boating are incon-
sistent with the high standard of
safety required of all educational
programming. These trips will not
be approved."
According to Parr, the board's
existing "Educational Field Trips"
policy doesn't specify skiing or
snowboarding trips as "high-risk."
But they are identified that way
in guidelines laid out by the joint-
ly -owned insurance consortium
through which Huron -Perth pur-
chases its insurance.
Under the board's existing policy,
such trips need only be approved by
the principal. Under the proposed
policy, they will not be allowed.
At the May 25 meeting, a motion
for deferral of the proposed revision
— to allow for Parr to provide some
additional information to trust-
ees — passed unanimously, with no
discussion. But, speaking after the
meeting, Parr revealed the request
for information has nothing to do
with the proposed downhill skiing
changes. Instead, trustees have re-
quested that Parr look into possible
revisions to specific wording in
another portion of the policy — re-
garding trips to areas where there's
a risk of political unrest.
Trustees didn't attach a date to
their motion for deferral, and Parr
couldn't say when the fully re-
vised proposal would return to the
decision-making table. However,
it seems likely there will be little
opposition to a ban on school -
sanctioned downhill skiing trips.
Perth South/St. Marys trustee
Bernard Murray, when asked
about the potential reaction from
ski resort owners, noted the entire
industry is aware of the two recent
deaths. "They can't help but un-
derstand that there are going to be
some changes."
Superintendent Parr added, "we
know better now, based on the very
tragic winter just passed. And we
know that we must take measures
based on that knowledge."
Bluesfest to host preview
West Coast Blues Inc. are
pleased to present a preliminary
show to the fourth annual Blues -
fest June 20. Amix of national
and local talent will make The
Livery one concert destination
you won't want to miss!
Chris Chown is a talented
young blues guitarist from Lon-
don who last played in this area
in 2006. Chris has since moved
to New York but is returning this
summer for a few selected gigs.
This is likely the only opportu-
nity area blues fans will have to
see him.
Opening for Chown will be lo-
cal rockabilly legends, the Empty
Threats.
Tickets are $15, and avail-
able at Ernie King's, 104.9 The
BEACH and at the door.
Show starts at 7 p.m.
Photo by Denny Scott
Holmesville students
Hugh Lobb and KC
Graham pose with a
plaque commemorat-
ing a donation to St.
Joseph's School in
India.
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