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Times-Advocate, 1999-03-31, Page 20Wednesday, March 31, 1999 Exeter Times -Advocate 19 A future scientist? Stephen Central Grade 7 student Meghan O'Rourke was the first -place winner at last Thursday's science fair for Grades 7-8 students.For her project, "That's the Way the Ball Bounces," O'Rourke dropped balls at different temperatures to see how they affect the height the balls bounced. She discovered that, with the exception of the super ball (made entirely of rubber), balls bounce higher when heated. Other winners last week were: Matthew Martene, 2nd place; Maegan Kipfer, 3rd place; and Amber Lord and Jessica Knights, 4th place. The top four winners will go to the regional fair in Seaforth on April 7. Groups need to apply for funds from board by Michele Greene SEAFORTH - Groups receiving funding from the Avon Maitland District School Board can't expect to receive a cheque as they always have. They will now have to apply for it, 10 ' Laset{t%gcray night, truste ' `a`pproved 'a' 'policy' that prioritizes its spending, placing co-sponsored and part- nered events like the Seaforth District High School All - Girls Marching Band and the Belgrave, Blyth and Brussels School Fair at the bottom. "The board can no longer raise funds to support community activities," said director of education Lorne Rachlis. Under the province's new funding methods for edu- cation, school boards can no longer raise taxes locally to cover its costs. It must cover all of its costs with the money it receives from the province. Trustees will determine at budget time how much of that funding they will allot for community events and groups. Groups must apply to receive some of that allotment. The director of education will determine which groups receive funding and how much. "We're getting cut. We have to apply to a director who decides who gets the money," said an angry Shirley Brugger, a member of the marching band's parent support group. Each year, the band received $3,700 from the board to cover the expenses of sheet music and equipment repairs. Band members covered their own additional expens- es, including travel. Over the March Break, they trav- eled to Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom to march — an honor sought by bands across the United States. "I'm sorry she feels that way. They have not been cut. They will receive due process," said chairperson Wendy Anderson. She said the band can seek other avenues for fund- ing. "If I thought it meant the end of the band, I don't think I would feel as confident about the policy," she said. Brugger said the band has received calls from the Trillium Foundation; which distributes money raised through the 6/49 lottery, about funding for the band. . The Town of Seaforth will support the band, said Seaforth Mayor Dave Scott. "It does concern me that the decision won't be made by the board but will be left in the hands of adminis- tration," he said. • A list of groups and organizations that receive grants from the board was not available at last week's,meet- ing. Rachlis said it is being prepared and will be avail- able. Chairperson Anderson said she is expecting many applications from community groups now that the policy has been established. All applications will be considered based on its edu- cational value and its direct link to the curriculum, said Rachlis. Festival offers voucher pack BLYTH = 'All theatre- goers know they can save money by buying a sub- scription to a season of plays. Most theatres ask patrons to choose a specif- ic pecifis night or afternoon and pre -purchase tickets to a performance of each show at a reduced price. That's because most theatres present their plays one after another. But at the Blyth Festival, plays are presented in what is called "turn- around - rep." Like the Shaw and Stratford Festivals, all of Blyth's mainstage shows alternate throughout the summer, giving visitors to the area an opportunity to see two or more different plays during a weekend sojourn. That's why the Blyth Festival chooses to offer patrons the novel voucher pack - great deals which sometimes create a little bit of confusion just because they' re unusual. Blyth offers 'two kinds of voucher packs - the Regular Pack and the Adventure Pack. Both offer substantial savings to the customer when com- pared to single ticket Grade 8 students first for new curriculumn SEAFORTH - Grade 8 students will be the first to experience the new secondary school curriculum implemented in Ontario schools this fall. Last Tuesday night, the Avon Maitland District School Board 1enirned more about the curriculum, designed as a four-year program. Superintendent Marjatta Longston told trustees at their meeting in Seaforth that local teachers are already training to prepare for it. "We are the first board in the province to start training. That's to the benefit of our students," she said. The new curriculum will feature a literary test before graduation, 40 hours of community involve- ment and full disclosure of all course attempts on transcripts. Founder of the Blyth Festival returns for silver season BLYTH - James Roy, who was the founder and artistic director of the Blyth Festival from 1974 to '79, returns this year to direct the comedy, Big Box, by Dave Carley. It will be the first time he has directed a play on Blyth's stage since The Primrose School District in 1985, though he has always maintained close tie:; with the Festival, and presently serves on the Board of Directors, com- muting • once a month from Toronto to attend meetings. Since it was James Roy who set the Festival's mandate of producing new Canadian plays that reflect the culture and concerns of southern Ontario, Big box, with its very funny focus on the impact of big box malls on Main Street retailing, is a great choice for his return engagement. Since turning the Blyth Festival over to Janet Amos nearly 20 years ago, Roy was artistic director of the Belfry Trims. The Regular Voucher Pack is really quite simple and offers maximum flexi- bility, as well as great bar- gains, to anyone who intends to see a perfor- mance at Blyth any time during the season. Voucher Pack buyers do not have to decide which play they are going to see, or which performance they are going to attend in advance. When they order a Voucher Pack they receive four vouchers or coupons, each represent- ing one admission to any available performance. One person can use each of the coupons to see four different plays, or the voucher pack buyer can give one coupon to four different people to see one show each. A couple can use the voucher pack to see two plays of their choice. The Adventure Pack offers even greater savings than the regular Voucher Pack because it is not as flexible. The Adventure Pack is the Blyth Festival's way of rewarding its most loyal fans who are willing to make a commitment to seeing four plays in the season. Each coupon in the Adventure Pack is good for a single admis- sion to four different plays. Therefore a couple would need to buy two adventure packs in order to attend the showing together. Both the Regular Theatre in Victoria and Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg. Now area executive producer of CBC Radio Drama, he'was recently awarded a Gold Medal in the New York Festival of Radio Drama for a. co -production with Australian Broadcasting Company and the BBC (Wales) cal]ed "Losing Paradise. This year he produced a radio presentation of St. Carmen of the Main, recorded live at the Centaur Theatre in Montreal, in French on one evening and English the next with a bilingual cast. Big Box, directed by James Roy opens July 2 and plays in repertory until August 28. The pro- duction is sponsored by Wescast Industries, Wingham. For money saving vouchers, tickets or information, telephone the Blyth Festival box office (519) 523-9300, or toll free 1-877 TO BLYTH. Submitted by the Blyth Festival Voucher Pack and the Adventure Pack allow the purchaser to save money, but choose the date they'll attend the theatre later on, when they know their own schedule or have a better idea of what the weather is going to be like. At their own convenience voucner holders make their reservations at the box office, then simply exchange the voucher or coupon for a ticket. This can be done when tickets go on sale to Blyth mem- bers April 6 or to the gen- eral public April 19 - or at any time throughout the summer. Besides saving their own money, voucher buyers help support The Blyth Festival. Most of the Festival expenses are incurred before the play opens, so early voucher sales provide income so the Festival can build sets, props and costumes and bring the talented artists from all over the country to rehearse the plays that will entertain everybody all summer long. Both the Regular Voucher pack and the Adventure Pack may be ordered only until Canada Day by mail from the Blyth Festival box office, Box 10, Blyth Ontario, NOM 1HO, or by telephone 523-9300. Long distance customers may call toll free 1-877-TOBLYTH. Submitted by The Blyth Festival Johns instrumental in provincial plan forAlzheimer disease EXETER - Helen Johns MPP for Huron is pleased that a provincial strategy for patients, caregivers and families living with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias was announced on Thursday, March 4. Cam Jackson, Minister of Long -Term Care with Responsibility for Seniors thanked Helen Johns, MPP, then Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health for her work on the Alzheimer Strategy. Johns commenced con- sultations in 1996 with concerned parties and the Minister has used these fundamentals to prepare the plan. "This is the first time any government in Canada has recognized the need for an overall strategy on Alzheimer Disease," Johns said. The ten draft strategy focuses on: •annual staff training for front-line long-term care workers • a new physician train- ing program • an increase in public awareness, information and education • planning for appropri- ate; safe and secure envi- ronments • more respite services for caregivers • research into caregiv- er needs • advance directives for pre -planned personal healthcare choices • new pyschogeriatric consulting resources • coordinated special- ized diagnosis and sup- port • and intergenerational volunteer initiative "This strategy means more support and more resources for those living with Alzheimer Disease and their families," added Johns. "I have a deep commitment to Alzheimer and I am pleased that 1 was able to participate in developing a comprehen- sive and coordinated strategy to deal with this serious disease which affects more than 100,000 Ontarians direct- ly and one million indi- rectly." The government plans to implement the recom- mendations following a brief public review peri- od, which ends April 6. Input from the public, . community groups and from Alzheimer organiza- tions is encouraged. The feedback will result in a final strategy to be released later this spring. Comments can either be sent to John's office or Minister Jackson's office directly.. 1