The Wingham Advance-Times, 1983-05-04, Page 12Page 12—The Wingham Advance -Times, May 4, 1983
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By Stephanie Levesque
Separate school sup-
porters in Huron and Perth
counties will be required to
pay an average of $37.50
more this year to raise the
$1,528,900 local share of the
1983 budget.
(This figure is based on a
$5,000 average property
assessment.)
At its meeting last week,
the Huron -Perth Separate
School Board approved a
budget of $7,622,314, up by
12.5 per cent overfast year's
budget of $6,783,402.
The local share is up from
$1,295,800 last year, an in-
crease of nearly 18 per cent.
However, Finance
Committee Chairman Ron
Marcy of Stratford said the
board will be able to hold its
levy increase to 10 per cent
as a result of a $46,000 sur-
plus last year and because
one mill raises $900 more this
year than last year.
n taxes ar
te school su
"This is due to the fact that
our assessment base has
increased by close to' $1
million," he explained,
saying the increase in
assessment, which is
becoming an annual event,
shows that support for the
separate schools continues to
grow.
Mr. Marcy told the board
that even if it kept its ex-
penditures at the same level
as last year, it would have to
raise more money locally
because of the provincial
grant formula.
"In simple terms, this
means that even if the board
kept its expenditures equal
to 1982 — in other words
absolutely no increase in
expenditure — we would be
forced to increase taxes by.
6.04 per cent."
He also outlined for the
trustees other increases over
which they have no control.
These included:
—an increase of 10 per cent
in general energy costs;
—a seven per cent sales
tax on all school materials,
including textbooks which
have gone up in cost by at
least 13 per cent;
—at least a 22 per cent
increase in the cost of
heating with natural gas as
the result of a decision by the
provincial government
allowing Union Gas to
remove a group billing
provision;
—an increase of 59 per cent
in the board share of UIC
premiums;
—an unexpected 17 per
cent increase in OHIP
premiums last year, with the,
warning of another increase
this year;
—an increase in Work-
men's Compensation
premiums.
"We should note this board
pays approximately $1,000 in
statutory benefits per em-
Iielping children to learn
is theme for Huron PD day
Teachers from Huron
County elementary schools
formed an attentive
audience as Dr. Mary Bigler
from Ann Arbor, Michigan,
addressed them in a very
interesting and often
humorous talk last Friday
morning at the Howick
Central School.
An enthusiastic speaker
who herself spent many
years in the classroom
before going on to become an
instructor and consultant in
reading at the University Of
Michigan, Dr. Bigler was the
theme speaker for a county
professional development
day.
Parents and other
members of the public also
were invited to hear her
speak on the topic, "Ex-
ploring the Roads that Lead
to Creativity and Self -
Expression in the Language
Arts".
Using a quote from Gandhi
that "the best textbook for
children is their teacher,"
she gave many suggestions
to encourage reading and
other language skills in
children, such as reading
joke and riddle books or
tongue twister books.
Children often will read
joke books when they won't
read regular books, she
noted, and will improve
other communicative skills
by repeating the jokes to
friends. They also can be
read when time is limited.
One of the most important
issues is to get children to
want to read.
Other practices she
suggested to develop
language skills included
having Kindergarten and
Grade 1. students write out
their favorite recipes, or
reflect on and write. down the
most important happening of
the day. Have children ex-
press their ideas about dying
or, one which families can
practise at home, have a
family journal in which all
members record their im-
portant events or ideas.
Dr. Bigler emphasized the
importance of teaching
children to plan ahead with
an old quote, "If you fail to
plan, you plan to fail."
She said you should expect
achievement and greatness
from children; if you don't
expect anything, you won't
get anything. Be optimistic
and enthusiastic with
children, she encouraged;
maintain a positive attitude
and a good sense of humor.
She said parents and
teachers should not worry
too much about mistakes;
we learn from them and we
all make them. The only
people who do not make
mistakes are those who don't
try. We should learn to
welcome failure; children
teach us to be receptive and
that different things are not
necessarily wrong.
She reminded her
audience that the average
child watches 61/z hours of
television - daily, which
means they are not reading,
writing or communicating
during that time, and they
need to practise these skills
to improve them.
While watching TV they
are being entertained by
some of the top professional
entertainers, so after that
teachers really have to work
to make learning as in-
teresting as possible. The
personality of one teacher
may work with some
children but not with others,
she said, but the following
year a child may have a
teacher with a completely
different personality.
"What works for one may
not work for another."
She concluded her talk by
saying that teachers are and
should be an inspiration to
children.
Following the talk, a
variety of workshops for
teachers were held in class-
rooms at Howick, touching,
on the many aspects of
developing language skills.
ployee," Mr. Marcy said.
"These are benefits over
which we have no control."
Statutory benefits account
for two per cent of the board
budget.
The 1983 budget also
reflects staff increases, for
the French core program
expansion and the special
education for the gifted
program. Both programs
will start in September and
are expected to cost a total of
$60,000 for the year.
Capital projects have been
budgeted at $476,000, of
which nearly half is for work
on the masonry and roof at
St. Mary's Separate School
in Goderich. The remainder
is for roof repairs at a
number of schools.
Mr. Marcy explained that
the capital projects had not
MRS ALLAN GRIFFITH
r
Wroxeter
Mr. and Mrs. Vern Clark
visited over the weekend
with Mr. and Mrs. Fraser
Pollock and Todd in
Bramalea.
Mr. and Mrs. John
Sturgeon and family, RR 1,
Fordwich, visited at the
home of their son, Chris
Sturgeon, Mrs. Sturgeon and
little son, on Sunday af-
ternoon.
Mr. and Mrs. John Brent
and John, Mrs. Ethel Hen-
dry, Mrs. Jean Gibson and
Mrs. Shirley Leek were in
Kingston over the weekend
attending the wedding of
Robin Brent and Janet
Renaud in St. John the
Apostle Church on Saturday.
Congratulations to the happy
couple.
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald
McLean visited relatives in
Toronto over the weekend.
Mr. and Mrs. Harvey
Bradshaw and Karen were
supper guests with Mr. and
Mrs. Chris Sturgeon and son
on Sunday, the occasion
being Mrs. Bradshaw's
birthday.
Miss Mary Anne Bradley,
Toronto, visited recently
with her grandmother, Mrs.
Anne Wylie. '
Mrs. Allan Griffith spent a
couple of days with Mr. and
Mrs. James Robertson in
Goderich last week and,
accompanied by the latter,
visited with Mrs. Albert
Kitchen of Bluevale in
Victoria Hospital, London,
on Wednesday.
TOP SINGERS—Excellent entertainers and a dif-
ference in singing styles gave the judges a tough job in
deciding the top contestants- in the 11 to 18 -year-old
vocal class at the Howick Optimist Club's annual -talent
competition. Winners were, from left: Michelle Bartman
(first), Paul Aitken (third), and the duet of Mary
Buchanan and Anne Robinson (second). (Staff ph, oto)
up
rters
yet been approved by the
Education Ministry and as a
result the - committee
recommended raising only
half the local share in 1983.
"If we don't receive any-
thing from the ministry (for
capital projects) we'll have a
surplus, and if not we'll have
a deficit," he said.
The local share of capital
projects is about $100,000,
with the ministry paying 81
per cent. Of this, the board
will raise $48,800 this year.
Board Chairman Ron
Murray said he was pleased
to see the budget passed at
the meeting. He noted that
most trustees had attended
the budget meetings.
The 1983 budget breaks
down as follows:
—salaries and benefits,
including teachers, adminis-
tration, secretaries, trus-
tees, custodians, $5,536,587
or 72.6 per cent of the total;
—transportation, $954,850
or 12.5 per cent;
—energy, plant operations
and maintenance, $416,533 or
5.5 per cent;
—operating supplies and
program delivery, $714,344
or 9.4 per cent of the total.
TOP INSTRUMENTALISTS—There is no shortage of
youthful talent in the area as the Howick Optimist Club
discovered when it sponsored its annual talent competi-
tion at the Howick Central School. Winners in the 1 1 to
18 -year-old class for instrumentalists were: left to right,
front row — Shawn Lambkin (third), Paul and Glen
Aitken (second); back row —Students at Work (first)
with Lisa Sanderson, Leanne Smith, Joel Baker, Greg
Gedcke, and Neil Murray. (Staff Photo)
S A FACT!
r
An interesting ad anywhere in the paper
has an excellent chance of being seen.
PAGE OPENING BY SEX, BY SECTION.
MEN WOMEN
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Sports
82%
85%
88%
69%
Food, Fashion
73%
88%
Business, Finance
77'%
68%
Radio, TV
Society
83% 80%
81% 94%
Amusements
84% 90%
All Other
80% 85%
Source: Audits & Surveys
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The Wingham Advance -Times
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