Please READ This WEBSITE!

http://www.amdsb.info/

Although, I have withdrawn my daughter from the public school system, due to intense bullying and harassment, it is my hope that parents and community members keep up the momentum and the fight for our rural schools.


Regarding the article in the London Free Press, on Saturday, I asked Ms. Pedro to contact key players in the ARC group, as I felt they were more apt to be up on the appeal situation. Unfortunately, they were either unavailable, or it was too late when messages were recieved. (They most likely would have been better quoted, as I was having a hard day with Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue, and with that, sometimes, I get a bit of a slur).

I am sure Ms. Pedro would love to hear from concerned parents and community members. So if media attention is what is needed, The London Free Press is an excellent venue, and there is interest, so those of you who are in the ARC, use that source, or just write a letter to the editor at the London Free Press, and keep writing. Face Book, is a good venue, but more often than not (Bullying Awareness group), you are only targetting a select group of people. It is time for those concerned with Blyth Public and other rural schools to branch out.

An in town school has a direct influence on economics. We need our school, as it has a ripple effect, it keeps parents using the cafes, Scrimgeour's Food Market, The General Store. It also, keeps parents who want to be part of the community life in touch. It is a community hub, where people get to know people, and interact, through fundraising, Christmas Concerts and volunteering.

On snow days, many of the children are able to walk home. In North Huron, it is part of the Snowbelt, we had (please don't quote me on this) ten snow days two years ago. Although a portion of the children attending Blyth P.S. are bused, they are not far from home, and can either be picked up by a parent, or in a worst case scenario, stay at a friend's house for the duration of the storm. Many children can walk the distance home.

This topic must be revisited and transparency, on the side of the board must be followed. If a decision was already made prior to the ARC forming, and preconceived notions prevailed, then it is a flawed system. A flawed system that drew parents out into terrible winter driving conditions, a system that made many rely (and pay) for babysitters, a system that wasted the time of many, a system that cemented those that believed "there was nothing that would change" from the beginning.

I hope the AMDSB, proves that they "can look outside the box", just as they told ARC members to do in the beginning, which formed workable idea of The North Maitland Educational Centre for Excellence. I truly hope that "change" will take place, and they not only admit to their mistakes, but act on what is truly good for children, and communities, not just what solution may be easiest, but one that will benefit future generations.