Huron Expositor, 2000-03-01, Page 22 -TME HURON EXPOSITOR, March 1, 2000
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Parents, students and community members stood up to focelrustees at the moment the school board voted on whether or not
to close Seaforth District High -School :• . _ ,
Director says closures only way to cover shortfall
From Page 1
Stratford -arca. trustee Atje
Tuy tcn . was jeered when she
tried to explain how difficult
the decision to vote "yes- had
been to make, until she finally
snarled. "This is my turn.- at
the constant interruptions by
the audience.
When Tutyen explained .
how her decision to close
Walton Public School
putting her sister-in-law out of
a job. an audience member
shouted, "Why not just get her.
a job in the board office?"
Trustee Abby Armstrong
railed against the provincial
pressures forcing the Avon
Maitland hoard to close
schools, pointing out how
large urban boards in Toronto
and Ottawa ate being given
five years to adjust to new
provincial funding formulas
when they were the hciards
whose overspending 'caused
the -new funding formulas to
come about
"Their trustees made
S50.000 a year and -had
ecretarie-s. How can the
government:have.the gall tO
"`say ms kids are worth less
than those of schools who
were throwing money away
like spaghetti on "a windy
day.-' she Said, -
But, after -voting to close all
six'district schools. Armstrong
was.shouted .down by the
audience at the meeting's end
when she tried to encourage
them to -continue their fight
for rural Chicano.
"You have two Choices
•• now. You -can go home and be
mad or you can go home and
cry. hut -ger up tomorrow and
realize .there's a whole .lot at
stake here and tight for -rural
Ontario." She yelled over cues
of -rage and despair made by
departing audience members.
Board ' chair Wendy
Anderson told the. audience
.he doesn't believe the Avon
Maitland board will ever get
lull rural and remote fundtng.
which could add close. -to Sl
million' to the .board-s.annual
.Nudge[.
"I've met with the Minister
of Education twice and when
she looks you in the eye and:
say s funding won't he
forthcoming. you knows it
said Anderson.. . .
St. Marys -area trusted
Maggie Laprade. said the
board may noionger be able
to afford the luxury of small.
underfunded schools.
"I've heard of many parents
who are in favor of the
closures but fear reprisals
from the community if'they
speak openly." she said. -
• Tuyten tried .to make the
point that without any school
closures many necessary but
non-mandatorty programs
would have to be cut.
including school budgets for
books and supplies: all busing.
school secretaries. computer
labs,.social workers and
public health nurses and all
extra -curricular activities.
`'Busing is not mandatory'.
There could be no busing
any.where and maybe triple
grades. If- we don't cut any
schools.. wha; do we do? You
laugh but this is not funny."
she snapped at hecklers.
Rachlis added that tl1E: only
cuts large enough to cover the
53.25 ' million shortfall
anticipated in next years
budget: are school closures.
Trustee Colleen Schenk
said she believes all students
•will 'suffer if rite hoard
continues ta' operate .ill
chooJ ti in -the ti met. -
. 1 Atje anal did vote with
out hearts. we'd -he voti.ng
don't close Walton but -we
have to take all the student:'
into account across the
system.-- she said before the
vote to close Walton Puhfic
School w as Made. -
Schenk added that -'it's no
one's fault': that schools have •
eicess•capacity and pointed to
the "ever-chan_ing'tace, cif
rural Ontario- as the reason.:
Stratford -area trustee -Ray -.
Ford said that while. there's
"absolutely nothing ea -v
about this process:" it'would
be easier to ";it back and dot:
nothing.". than to close schools.
' Ftird. added that while et01
of:the -schools on the list is
unique and ser.ing the- needs
of.its students well. all schools
in thesystem are held .^
similar esteem.
"Nq matter . what _
outcome of the vote there .�
atitl be good... teachers
delivering a good picogram to
cur studert." he said. •-
Community disputes -board savings figures
until students choose which Agar asked what the cost will
school:: they will go to • he of busing student'. who
"When' you vote to follow could previously walk to
"the director's school at SDHS. ,
recommendations :ind find the —With the . financial;
salines to he overstated as mistakes that- hate been
rmplementation'unfolds, what identified. are trustees •nut
iouwhen v'do' .And. hen you vvorrted that there may be.
lose at least 50 students and' esen,more mistakes.'" she
S•300.000 in annual :student said. • -
focussed funding.:what will Smith also asked Huron
you do' Will you then turn to trustees- why they are not
other communities and hack outraged that .the closures
away again as. youChase your eliminate• 48 per Ceti( of
tail in a downward spiral." Huron's, excess capacity but
.aid Snitch. only eight percent of Perth's.
Seaforth District High He added that if the
School council chair Maureen director's fire -year plan is
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Staff
Community arguments that
the board's estimated sayings
from school closures are
inflated did nothing to stop
trustees from voting last week
to dose sir district schools.
Seaforth study' 'group.ehair
Alf. Ross told. trustees that of
the S500,000 in savings • the
hoard hoped, to slake by
closing Sejlottlt-arca schools.
5.200.(NN) etroi was found in
,taccent nreetin ..lilt fiir.incc
'superintendent 1.Iliet Baird-
Jackson
• "She agreed her staff had
made a 5200.001) error. You
do have reliable financial
information. We found
$200.000 in savings and we'll
lord more.- saidRoss .It last
Tuesday's board meeting
He v .iined lrtl.lees [hal
clu.ult Seatorth District High
School could lose -the hoard
an additional.53l►0.Uut) iii
revenue from students who
• will.Iea%c the public sv steni
for the 'Catholic s, howl
.\.lelll
"11c c.11) 14111, yOUr
11naneial position V1ill•he
%k 01,C when you Close the
high s:l I." hi said •
Charles Sntilh. one of the
live Se.cionh people named in
Ow' Low %uit ag.unsl the. board
told truster, that none of the
ad1111111.1ralloll . eosl NAN, hits
data makes any allowance tot
.1udents leas uig the. public
,divot s) stent.
Smith said the "$21)0,000
error related: to..a loss in
Wilding. that will occur at
Central Huron Secondary
School. ' When Seaforth
students Inoue to Clinton. they
will till some of the excess
capao Its that allows the school
to receive a a 30 per rent top -
up gran; from the province
.that brings its capacity from
66 to 86 per cent.
He. also disputed the cost
savings estimated to he made
by mo' Ing Seaforth high
school students to four other
surrounding high schools
since staff reductions and
busing costs won't be known
COUNTY OF HURON
NOTICE
OF PUBLIC MEETING
CONCERNING RESTRUCTURING PROPOSALS FROM
1. Municipalities of Brussels. Grey. McKillop,
Seaforth and Tuckersmith
2. Municipalities of Blyth, East Wawanosh and
W Ingham r'
'fake notice that the Council of the Corporation of the
Counts' ret Huron will hold a public meeting on Thursday,
\Iruch -'. 2000 at .11:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers of
the Court House iii Goderich to consider restructuring
foot"„al+ submitted to the County by the• above named
municipalities.
The municipalities of Brussels, Grey,. McKillop, Seaforth
and. Tuckersinith propose to amalgamate into one
municipality effective January k, 2001.
1'tie municipalities of Blyth. East Wawanosh and
Witlghatu pruposr.t0 amalgamate into' one municipality
effective January 1; 2001.
.1nv person may attend the public meeting and/or make
.,rotten or verbal representation either in support of or in
opposition to the proposed amalgamatioria. The Council
may make a decision concerning the restructuring
proposals at anytime following the public meeting.
Additional information relating to the restructuring
proposals is available for inspection during regular office
hours at the County Offices or by telephone at 0191 524-
8394. ('opies of the restructuring proposals are also
available by contacting the County offices.
• J.A..klurray•
Clerk -Administrator
County of Huron
Court House •
Goderich, Ontario
NTA 1M2
telir.v. _ 4
Huror, it n ' k
gone- compared to ni
spaces in Perth Counts
"How: can a Huron trustee
• not express 'outrage that af'er'
dosing m.iny Huron schoo,.
.and.onis 'one smatl,Perth
'school the board will Vic.
spending per cent rnor.
operating revenue ;'c•
elementary student; to Perth
than':in..Hurvoti: That 31.19.
more per student.”' said Smith.
:Flow can this It) t,'
bra. against Huron ;e
supported hs its tru.tee<'
Hov. '" he surd.
Program includes:
Creative Arts 8 Crafts
Cooking Experiences
Bowling
Swimming & Skating
Music & Movement
Cooperative Games
Both Indoor 8 Outdoor
Activities ,
Lunches & Snacks
Provided
and Much More
CaII 527-0682 to Register
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