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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-05-22, Page 17Iiiiimmunilimmiewwwwiennumm Board will have T to make decision on Vanastra BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE The Huron County board of education has received some capital money from the ministry of education, but nothing for Vanastra public school. The director of education, Bob Allan, told the May 1 meeting of trustees they had received approval to purchase four school buses and one van for handicapped students. Also in the capital money is a commit- ment for $326,000 to replace roofs at four elementary schools and $70,000 for renova- tions to the heating system at F.E. Madill secondary school in Wingham. Mr. Allan said this money will come next year, but the work may be done towards the end of this year, "Of course this means money has not been made available for Vanastra public school," said Mr. Allan. The director said he doesn't know what Vanastra's future will be. The board ap- proved putting $105,000 in its 1985 budget for Vanastra, but Mr. Allan said that now the ministry bas denied funding for this year, he will be bringing the matter back to the board. The school board originally had just over $600,000. in its 1985 budget earmarked for capital renovations. ATION GQDERICB SiCxIAXT ' ' , VD+SDAY It PAGE 17 Give as geuerous1r as you are able. O�rf�ARCHl:D M h 4 OF DIMES We're at your service OUR EVERYDAY SERVICE PRICES Sizing up- flrst size Each additional size up 350 Sizing Down - regardless of how „ many sizes O. 12. All our service work done at Anstett Manufacturing Limited, by our own certified Goldsmiths. Estimates and consultations at no charge. RING CLAWS 4 Claws Retlpped Each additional 5 claw ® GOLD CHAIN Solder 6. WATCH BATTERY INSTALLATIONS 4. ANSTETT JEWELLERS Main Corner CLINTON 482-3901 Goderich Mayor Eileen Palmer signed a special declaration Saturday evening aelmowledg ing 100 years of service to the community by the Salvation Army. Lieut. Wendy Johnstone looks on as Mayor Palmer signed the declaration at a special dinner Saturday. (photo by Dave Sykes) Huron Catholic School may be delayed By Stephanie Levesque A further two year delay for a Catholic high school in Huron County and making • St. Michael's in Stratford a high shcool are the recommendations made by the Huron - Perth Roman Catholic separate school board's high school planning committee on May 13. The board heard the committee's presentation, but will not make a decision on the future of Catholic high school educa- tion in both counties until Tuesday, May 21. Last fall the school board agreed to delay starting a Catholic high school in the system until September 1986. The committee's recommendation for Huron County calls for religious education credits to be offered starting in September of 1986 or sooner if requested. However, the committee hasn't ruled out completely the possibility of a Catholic high school in Huron. It has recommended that a high school be considered for Sept. 1, 1988. The delay is recommended for a number of reasons, including an insufficient number of interested students and parents ,sand more information on the use of shared facilities. "The survey also revealed particularly in the comments area that although Catholic ratepayers and parents favored the concept of a Catholic secondary educa- tion in Huron County, they' either did not understand or were not in favor of the school -within -a -school concept at Central Huron secondary school in Clinton," said John McCauley, superintendent of educa- tion. The committee suggests that, during the two year wait, the board find out if students now in Grade 5 in Huron would be willing to register their children for a Catholic high school in 1988. According to the survey recently filled out by 306 Huron parents, 51 present Grade 5 students would enroll in a Catholic high school. There were 44 students indicated for a Grade 9 class for this September. More information on shared facilities should be gathered during this time, the committee suggests. It recommends visiting other schoolboards where facilities are shared. In Perth County, the committee recom- mended going ahead with its original plan to set up a Catholic high school at St. Michael's. The Stratford school now houses only Grade 7 and 8 students. The plans call for that school population to extend to Grade 9 in 1986 with an estimated 64 students. That number of students was indicated from the question- naire. St. Michael's was originally built as a high school and has 11 classrooms and one fully equipped science lab -classroom. There are also a library, lockers, gym- nasium and guidance and health rooms. A separate building on the site, a former gospel hall which if renovated, could be us- ed for industrial arts or family studies. Tentative plans call for the gallery above the gym to be used as a cafeteria. The committee's report also addresses ,the parents' concern for the lack of a track. The report says space is adequate for soccer and track and field. Besides be- ing close to city parks and the downtown core, the local YMCA is a' stone's throw away. If approved by the board, the plan to be submitted to the ministry of education sug- gests that the French immersion classes, starting this September in St. Michael's would have to be moved when the high school starts. Superintendent Gaeten Blan- chette said St. Aloysius is being considered for the French immersion classes. Another ramification anticipated in the Stratford Catholic system is having Grade 7 and 8 classes return to the four remain- ing Catholic schools in the city. The report outlines the committee's wish that once the high school and other schools are full, a gymnasium, library and classrooms be added to two schools. Direc- tor of Education William Eckert said no specific schools have been identified. The committee did recommend that the board "make. a full study" of the building needs in the city. This study is to be presented to the board by June of 1987. It is expected that the study will use the infor- mation gathered a year ago when a full ac- commodation study was prepared. The committee's recommendations were made after 893 questionnaires were turned in. Mr.Eckert said 2,500 copies of the questionnaire were distributed throughout schools and churches in the two counties and there are about 1,500 families in the separate school system. The ques- tionnaire returns represent about 60 per cent of the separate school families. In Huron County, 306 parents answered, with 168 saying they will send their child to a Catholic high school and 110 saying they wouldn't. The comments from those saying they will send their children indicated most agreed philosophically. with Catholic education and don't mind sharing facilities with Central Huron students. "Sharing the facilities at 'Clinton will help the students to learn to live in this world of Catholics and non-Catholics," was one written comment. The negative comments in Huron centre around the busing and sharing of facilities. "Too far to bus in Huron County." "Part of Clinton high school is not feasi- ble... build your own school./' Of the 168 that' said they would register their children, 106 said they would be will- ing to have their children, transported at least 20 km. to school. The number of students drops by 'more than half to 48 students, when the mileage increases to 40 km. The positive comments in Perth again share the Catholic philosophy_ "We rely ona Catholic secondary school to assist us in imparting values and tradi- tions of our faith." The negative comments in Perth centre mainly around the effect on the public system and busing. "Another high school in Stratford - not necessary." "Too far away." The number of undecided comments are higher in Perth, said Mr. McCauley. "We will sit back and see how successful the school is before enrolling our first child in 1991." Statistically, 254 parents said they would register their children in a Catholic high school in Stratford. Of that, 161 said they would be willing to have their children transported at least 211 km. Double that distance to 40 km. and only 22 parents said they would transport their children that far. Trustee Ron Murray of Dublin asked for a complete report on the funding of a Catholic high school in the two counties. Mr. Eckert presented the estimated operating Costs of a Catholic high school at just over $400,000 for one year without in- cluding transportation costs. There were harsh words between Mr. Murray and the director when Mr. Eckert questioned what exactly ..the.. trustee wanted in the financial report. , "Every conceivable cbst," replied Mr. Murray. "I don't care what a secondary school costs. To deny us as a board that in- formation is petty." "I can't deny any information to the board," said Mr. Eckert. "But my first question is additional costs to whom. Do you want a netting out of that cost (to the Catholic school board and the public school board) or do you just want our additional costs?" The cost analysis will be prepared by Superintendent of Business and Finance Jack Lane to be presented at the board's May 21 special meeting. The whole system has benefitted from programs The introduction of special education has been beneficial to the whole education system in Huron Coiuttty: Paul Carroll, superintendent of special education for the Huron County board of _education made these comments after the annual review of the 6oard'sspecial-eduea tion plan on May 6. Besides minor adjustments in student numbers there will be little difference between special education programs during this school year and future school years, said the superintendent. Carroll said 80 to 90 per cent of the special education program in Huron schools con- sists of withdrawal. This involves students leaving their regular classroom to receive extra help from a "withdrawal" teacher. This part of the special education pro- gram in Huron has changed little since the days before "Bill '82" was brought into the classroom across the province in 1982. Carroll said the marked difference in Huron's special education program is the teacher involvement- To__explairl.... rxr�re _ clearly, said teachers have become more specialized. • "Staff is more highly trained and the pro- grams moresophisticatedr_'-hesairl _ _ .. Carroll said before 1982, the school system's special education program was based more on intellect and speech and language. Now, more complex excep- tionalities, such as the speech disorder aphasia, are being dealt with. Also, severe learning disabilities are now being dealt with at the secondary school level. The superintendent says the benefits of special education, such as speech methods, overflow into the regular classroom. This also applies to the withdrawal program for gifted children. "It's not only providing special education, but strengthening of teaching methods for the whole population," said Mr. Carroll. LTr inventory- y of ci --e d u ea tion _ in. _ Huron shows that in September, there are expected to be 40 children with behavioural exceptionalities, one autistic child, 14 hear- ing impaired; - 229-- lcaening--disabledi--43 speech and language impaired, 90 gifted, 94 educable retarded, five visually impaired, 10 orthopaedic, six multi -handicapped; 68 trainable retarded, and 21 developmentally handicapped children. "Special education has an aura of being in a magic kingdom - it's -not," said Carroll saying it is just like any other school pro- gram. The superintendent admitted special education has a lot of "fancy words" attach- ed to it. He said if the magic was taken away, the school system would be in great shape. Parents, teachers plead with board By Stephanie Levesque Despite pleas by parents and French teachers, the Huron County board of education has re -affirmed its stand to eliminate the French co-ordinator's posi- tion by August. At its May 6 meeting, the school board heard from Colborne Central school French teach Flo Dyck, South Huron District high school department head Wen- dy Steward, and Zurich public school French teacher Vianne Culbert. "We feel that retaining the position of French co-ordinator is essential if we are to maintain the high quality French core program that has been achieved in the past," said Ms. Dyck. However, trustee Tony McQuail said the "dilemma" the board faces is providing quality education in all subject areas. The school board has a policy which calls for four co-ordinator's positions, each to last a maximum of three years. "While I accept the value of a French co- ordinator, I also see the opportunity for co- ordinators in other areas, " said McQuail. Exeter teacher Steward said Huron students would be at a disadvantage without a French co-ordinator. She said that all surrounding boards have full-time positions. The teachers added that the changes to the secondary school system, particularly the need for French to be taught at. the general level, a co-ordinator to write cur- ricula is required. Otherwise, said one teacher, she has to give up more teaching time to help write her curriculum. The superintendent of program, Arnold Mathers, said the secondary school changes have put a heavy load on a lot of subject areas. He said writing • teams, made up of teachers from the specific sub- ject areas, are preparing curricula or else it is being purchased from other school boards. In re -affirming its stand, the board did say it would monitor the teaching of French and, if necessary, bring back a French co-ordinator in less time than the three-year cycle. Come to Hully Gully and see how hard Honda Power 1 Equipment can work for you! Visit our Power Equipment Centre Holly Gully Will be demonstrating the entire line of Honda Power Equipment. 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