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The Huron Expositor, 1984-11-21, Page 3DUBLIN AND AREA THE HURON EXPOSIT {ft R, NOVEMBER 21, 1984 - A5 1 FREE PUBLIC SKATING was provided for Seaforth and area kids on Saturday as part of Youth Appreciation Week by the Seaforth Optimist Club. Karen Dillon, six, untying her -skates, was one of approximately 80 kids who, took part In the skating. (Wassink photo) Fact finder's report is fair "Fair" is how both the Huron County Board of Education and its secondary school teachers describe a fact finder's report released last week. "It's fairly reasonable. It looked at all of the problems but it doesn't really resolve everything," said Shirley Weary, Goderich, district 45, federation officer. "It's a fair report in that it made a fair ajudication of the issues in dispute," said Robert Allan, director of education. Representatives from the teachers and the board held a meeting after they received the fact finder's report. Mr. Allan said the board has no announcement to make as a result of that meeting. but he said the fact finder's report could be the basis of an agreement. Mrs, Weary said staffing changes and salary are the two main items in dispute. The fact finder's report states that the teachers are asking for an overall percentage increase of 15 per cent and the board is offering 5.1 per cent. However, Mrs. Weary said that the percentage figure represents the "initial" position of both sides and the process of negotiation has changed those figures. "No, we're not that far apart, but 1 can't give any details," said Mrs. Weary. "There are a fairly large number of issues outstanding in the negotiations, and as a result, the report contains 14 recommenda- tions, "The particularly critical issues would appear to revolve around staffing/workload. remuneration and staff development fund- ing." "In making recommendations, I attempted to keep in mind the economic health of the community. past history. school system needs. the needs of the parties and the - provincial pay restraint guidelines," said fact finder Gene Deszca in his report. On the salary 9uestion alone, Mr. Deszca recommends an increase of about five per cent on the teachers salary grid. This would include increment and grid adjustment costs. The teachers are asking for a 7.5 per cent increase excluding increment and grid adjustment costs. Other monetary recommendations include: -removing the cost of living allowance. The teachers want to keep it and the board wants it removed; increasing the summer and night school teachers' salaries by five per cent. The teachers want the salary at one-sixth of their gridsalaty while the board wants it to remain at the present hourly rate; increasing the professional development futtd by five per United Way request for '5,000 deferred A request for $5,000 from the Stratford - Perth United Way has been deferred until next year by Perth County Council. The county received the request at its Nov. session and decided to make the referral to the 1985 budget committee. Perth County considers grant requests once a year when it is preparing its budget in Jan. and Feb. The grants are not handed out until Dec. of each year. The United Way request noted that the $5,000 is "less than a q rter of the donation from the City yng Warden GlynnCoughlin said that the county gives individual grants to such United Way agencies as the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Perth Mental Health, VON and Stratford family counselling. Foster..pan•nts learn parenting Even parents have to learn. And foster parents in Perth County are making that extra effort to learn more about the art df parenting. The Perth County Children's Aid Society is sponsoring courses this fall to offer help in understanding the children they see. A foster parent with her husband Harold for almost 23 years, Mary Illman of RR 2, Monkton says there is morer of a need for the courses now than 20 years ago. Mrs. Illman is president of the foster parents' association. "Twenty years ago there wasn't as many problems. There wasn't Its much stress then," said Mrs. Illman. • Learning to listen to what the children really have to say is another benefit of the course to both the child and foster parent alike, she said. And the need is great for foster parents said Mrs. Illman. In particular there is a great need for foster parents willing to take teenagers, Foster parents come from every walk of life. And as natural parents do,°foster parent s need to learn the skills of effective parenting, she said. he courses she has taken have made her to at herself and the mistakes she has made in fostering. One particular point she notes is that foster parents have to be aware of the emotional turmoil foster children are going through. Mrs, Inman said people should think about why these children are going into a foster home. They are being uprooted from their families for various reasons. be it a loss of a • job and the parents are facing financial difficulty or the parent(s) are ill and unable to take care of the children. "The children feel it is their fault," said cent. The teachers want the funds increased from S65,000 to $73,370 while the board wants to reduce it to $20,000. The 'other main issue in dispute is staff allocation and teacher workload. The teachers are asking for a staff increase of about 24 teachers in the 1985-86 school year. This figure is only an initial position. The teachers are asking for the increase for a number of reasons which include increased staffing outside the classroom. This includes librarians. principals and vice -principals. The board said the teachers cannot have small class sizes and have the board increase staffing outside the classroom, The fact finder recommends careful study of the pupil -teacher ratio. Mrs. Weary said a meeting between the teachers and the board will probably be held in the near future. Athletic association presents awards At the South Hibbert Athletic Association dance in Dublin Community Centre, Isobel Kerslake presented the Everand Kerslake Memorial Award for the most valuable player on the team to Leanne Gardiner, Atoms; Bill Van Bakel, Pee Wee boys; Steven Vivian, Bantam boys; Trudy Quance, Pee Wee girls, and Joe Harris, Atom boys. The Roy Johns Memorial Trophies were presented by Bob Johns to Jennifer Cronin (accepted by Natasha Renee), Corey Stone- man, Joan Kerslake, Jasson Christie, and Christopher Scott. This trophy was presented for the most improved player on the Atom boys' and girls', Pee Wee boys' and girls; and Bantam boys' teams. Inspector to get tough with landlords Absentee landowners allowing their land to go to weeds in Perth County could face extensive costs for having those weeds cleaned up. Perth County weed inspector Cyril Brown said he is going to get tougher with absentee landowners who allow their land to be covered in weeds. - "1 don't care if it cost thousands of dollars," said Mr. Brown, The weed inspector was making his annual presentation to county council at its Nov. session. Mr. Brown told county council of one 50 acre lot in particular where the landowner doesn't reside in the county. "That farm had enough milkweed to seed down all of the county, he said. • He said in such cases if there is no clean up by the landowner after being contacted by him, he will have the land cleaned up and send the bill to the owner. Mr. Brown said 1984 hasn't been a good year for weed control. He blamed wind and rain for the situation. He said that some weeds can resist some chemicals. Mrs. Illman, She said those feelinks have to / be dealt with. The biggest change for 'the foster parent association president since taking these courses is her involvement with the natural parents. She said she works more with the natural parents. If as a foster parent she is going out to buy clothes, she will call the natural mother and ask if she has time to join her in shopping. Foster parents also have to make visits to school for teacher interviews. Again, the natural parents are invited. "I find I'm enjoying a much better relationship with the natural parents," said Mrs. Illman, She said there is a support network with the foster parent association, yet privacy and confidentiality is respected. Mrs. Illman said theourses have helped her in raising her own 'hildren. As for the benefit her children have had because she and her husband have been foster parents can only be pointed out in one way -- the lllmans oldest son is now a foster parent. But more foster parents are still needed. Especially for teenagers. Current figures show there are 73 foster homes in Perth County and about 83 foster children in the county. , "It's been an interesting life. 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