Huron Expositor, 1999-11-24, Page 152 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Novomb.r 24, 1999
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News
Money already in place
to take board to court
By Susan Hundsrtmork
Expositor Staff •
A total of $14,000 has been put aside
for legal fees to, keep open both
Seaforth schools which were named this
week for closure. says Charlie Smith. of
Seaforth.
"We're going to have to give every
consideration to following that path."
says Smith. . -
Smith. Seaforth .Mayor Dave Scott.
and local school council members
Maureen Agar. Susan Arts and Lisa
Campbell met Monday morning to plan
their fight to save Seaforth District
High School and Seaforth Public'
School, two of seven schools named for
possible closure.
The $14,000 was raised through a
letter -writing campaign to Seaforth
District High School alumni. Tha,
initiataive resulted from the work of a
committee that formed about two years
ago when the high school was first,
threatened with closure.
About 50 alumni donated the. $14,000
to a Save the School Fund in case a
"formidable legal challenge" needed to
be launched against the board, says
SDHS council chair Mauteen Agar.
"We might have to start up that fund
again," she says.
Smith says he'll be meeting soon
with lawyers to discuss the possibility
'of a law suit against the Avon Maitland
District School Board with an argument
based on common law.
"The bottom line is the legal system
is based .on fairness and what the hoard
is proposing is fundamentally unfair.
We believe that on that basis; we have
the possibility of afavorable outcome."
Smith says that in the late 1960s
when local schools were organized
under a county school board. they were
given to the boards in trust.
He questions whether the Avon
Maitland District School Board has the
legal right to close or sell a school that
was builton land bought by the former
Seaforth District School Board and built
by the former Seaforth District Sctfoot
Board.
Parent suggests cost figures used
to name SPS for closing are inflated
From Pape 1
he saes.
Lisa Campbell, a past chair
of Seaforth Public School's'
council. . says she's not
surprised that Seaforth is on
the list for closure but she is
surprised that Seaforth is the
only complete cluster of
schools named.
"They want to do all their
cuts hereand that's
Unacceptable." she says.
The director's action report
says that students from
Seaforth high school could be
readily accommodated in
Mitchell and Clinton. as well
as Exeter -and Winghim.
numbers show that Central.
Huron Secondary School in
Clinton actually has a lower
capacity at 68.7 per cent than
Seaforth at 69.2 per cent.
Agar also points out that
the school capacity numbers
for SDHS include the space
now used by the board office,
which was moved. to Seaforth
from Stratford and Clinton a
year ago.
She says the 7,000 square
feet in the high school's
basement, which is now taken
up by the board *office,
increases the school's
capacity of 405 by 70
students.
"The school's capacity
Once vacated. the high ' should be lower because the
square footage of the
basement is included. How
many other schools.'
capacities are wrong too,
then?" she asks.
"We bring that up every
meeting and they (board
school in •the district,, administrators) slide away
Campbell says [rapacity from that," says Agar.
school could be used "with
some renovation's" to house
elementary students. from
Seaforth and Walton Public
Schools. says the report.
While the report points to
SDHS as the smallest high
Board may have given
public chance to speak
. From Pape 1,
further." said Rachlis.
While recently -changed board policy limiting delegations to
one board meeting a month would prevent local parents from
speaking to the board before a vote is taken on the director's
report. both Rachlis and Armstrong said the parents could be
given a chance to speak
Rachlis originally said trustees would be voting in closed
session about whether or not delegations could be heard
Tuesday night. .
But. when challenged about how the issue qualified as a
matter for closed session under the Education Act, Rachlis
said the trustees would be voting in open session on the issue.
---Armstrong-said-she. foughtr- vigorously against- the recently -
changed hoard policy limiting delegations to one meeting per
month. .
"I will request trustees reconsider their decision tonight,"
she said Tuesday morning.
Cl uz'ct,1 ,
'
S��r
., l toasattend
You cuegospel
these a churches
SEA38FORTH CcMIAUNITY527.2253 CHURCH
taodeuctt St.
. Rev. Hauser
- Sunday 10:45 Worship
• 7:00 p.m. Praise
Tues 10:00 a.m. - Wed. 7 p.m.
Bitty• Study •Your Future S Mins
Prayer for Heating Needs
Sat:10.11:30 a.m. Young Explorers
2
Full Agesatal massage
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WARM WELCOME
St. Thomas
Anglican Church
Jarvis St. Seaforth
Rev. Robert Hiscox
482.7881 •527.1835
. Sunday. Nov. 2eth
Fret Sunday Advent
Seance of Morning Prayer at 9.30 am
Saturday, Nov. 27th
- Redormance-by.F.athet-Mark.Curtis.
al 7 30 pm
CAVAN
Mirithroo) 9:30 a.m. 8
NORTHSIDE
(Goderich SI.. Seaforth) 11:00 a m.
UNITED CHURCHES
uocevns0ta.on.a
Box 282. Seaforth
Minister. Dave Williams
Fist Sunday in Advent
Sunday School during the services.
- . nursery provded
Bethel Bible Church-
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
. (formerly Canadian Tire)
• Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Worship at 11:00 a.m.
Pastor:Rev. Doug Corriveau
527.0982
- Catholic Church
Masses
Saturday - 5:15 pm
St James Parish. Seaforth
Saturday - 7:15 pm
St. Joseph's Parish. Clinton
Sunday - 9:00 am
St. Michael's Parish. Blyth
Sunday - 11:00 am
St. James Parish. Seaforth
Father Dino Salvador
FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
59 Godench St., W.. Seaforth
Worship at 11:15
Sunday School during worship
. Nursery Available-,
Pastor: Rev. N. Vandermey
Egmondville
United Church
Rev. Judith Spnngett
Worship 11 a.m.
Sunday School
Grades 2 to 8, 10 a.m.
Nurs_ ery to Grade 1, 11 a.m.
. lattesiameatamtiviravvrr4 •
.
The director's report says
SDHS has an enrolment of
281.75 students, a 17.4 per
cent drop from 342 in 1995-
96 and predicts the enrolment
will drop further with the
elimination of the OAC
(Grade 13) program.
The report says that while
Seaforth Public School has an
occupancy rate of 92 per cent.
it will require in excess of
$575,000 in repairs for
masonry,heating and re-
roofing.
SPS council chair Susan
Arts questions whether or not
those numbers are inflated
and says the board
administration refuses to give
her a list of the needed repairs
and the estimates of how
much they'll cost.
"Thewhole school was,
renovated four years ago.
They've upped the numbers
just because they want to
close our school." she says.
Agar says the figures she's
seen outlining necessary
repairs to Seaforth Public
School were closer to
$470,000. .
"Seems awful convenient
that they've gone up." she
says.
Charlie Smith; a member of
the local Save Our Schools
committee formed two years
ago, says dozens of schools
across the district need neW
roofs and that many schools
in Perth County are heated
solely with electricity. which
he says is very costly.
Smith says the board has
never taken a serious look at
reducing administration costs.
"Here's a concept 'Maybe
somebody • who makes
$100.000 (a ycar in wages)
could live on S90.000." says
Smith.
Agar 'agrees that hoard
administration costs could
still be reduced.
"As farmers. we don't sell
all the pigs and burn down
the barn if things are tight
financially. We. as
administrators. take Tess to
keep the barns and "the
equipment operating.
Administration is.the first
thing that should he cut." she
says. -
•
Agar says she and Arts
were just called -by hoard
adminstrators two weeks. ago
-and asked to organize an
accommodation review
committee for the Seaforth
area. something other
communities such .as
Stratford and South Huron
have had in plate for close to
a year now.
"This puts us at an obvious
disadvantage." says Scott.
"How can _they (the school
board) vote on that (the list of
schools slated for possible
closure) when we don't even
have our report in yet?" .
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•
-HEALTH ON THE HILL -
A Review of activities at
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
•A WARM WELCOME to Seaforth Community Hospital Clinical .Site
Leader. Mary Cardinal: Mary was formerly Program Coordinator for
Community Mental•Health Programs. She is an Occupational Therapist
by training. We are happy to have Mary join us and we wish her well in -
her new position.
Congratulations and Best Wishes to Greg O'Reilly on being chosen
South System Leader - Support Services. Although Greg will continue to
be visible at Seaforth.. he will also be working in St. Marys and. Stratford •
Hospitals.
SANTA CLAUS PARADE a Huron Perth Hospitals Partnership tloat is.
in the works with logos from each of our eight hospitals to be included.
Any staff members from the 8 hospitals who are able io volunteer to
decorate Wed.. November 24th (6:30 p.m:) please contact Joanne
Gallagher or Dorothy Medd'at•527-1650_ •
TREE OF LiGHTS it's that time of year leading up to Christmas and
with it our thoughts and memories turn to what has become an annual -
fundraising event 'for the Hospital Auxiliary. Mark your calendars now.
and plan to attend the 'lighting of the blue spruce Christmas Tree"
Sunday, November 28th at 6:30 p.m. on the grounds of the Seaforth
Community Hospital. Children bung your Ietters•and have a Visit with
Santa. Refreshments will be served following the Program: Proeccds this
t
year will -go toward therapeutic ultrasound. For Tickets and further,.
information please contact Shirley Dinsmore at 527-0655.
IN CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS the Salvation Army will join
us Thurs... Dec. 9, 1999 at 6:30 p.m. for music and songs bf the season..
St. James School Choir will also favour patients. staff and visitors on
Tues.. December 21, 1999 at 2 p.m. We welcome their talent and look,
forward to their visits. • •
RN/RPN'S: COLLEGE, OF NURSES ' • presentation.
"PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY" will he facilitated by Linda
Stewart. RN Fri.. NOVEMBER 26, 1999 at 2:00 p.m; in Conference
Room 2. Focus will be on the responsibilities that nurses have as
.members to the College. Knowledge of self regulation. standards of
practice, when.lo take action in unsafe situations and maintaining
competence will be discussed. For further information and/or to register.
please contact Grace at 527-3001:
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