Hello All,
Just wanted to fill you in on last night's meeting regarding the CENARC and what was being said.
Mike Ash addressed certain points of the delegations from the previous meeting and here are some highlights:
1. EQAO results: unfair picture, the board is doing well. If 2 students are sick on the day the test is administered, it can throw off the entire result by 13%. One of the trustees commented (I believe it was Tina Traschel) said "it's one day with a child sitting at their desk." It's not really a measure of how they are doing. Other trustees nodded, which leads me to believe EQAO results good or bad will have no bearing on their decision.
2. The fact that Madill was not named in the review: He says by their guidelines they don't have to be. They are a receiving school and less than 50% of their population is unaffected. So this concern is unfounded. Mr. Doherty referred to the Mitchell Accommodation Review where the highschool was named because it was a receiving school and not meant for closure and it caused "confusion" and people were defending it when there was no need to because it wasn't going to close. So from there they learned and decided to keep the receiving school out of it.
3. The fact that, even in the earliest of meetings the possibility of 7&8's in high school was brought up and discussed so the ARC was aware this was a possibility. (That's when the board staff put in their ear plugs when the public stood up and said"No!")Ernest Dow wrote and I concure:"At tonight's AMDSB meeting an interesting document was released - the "PTR (Prohibitive To Repair, now known as Local Priorities) Template" for NE & NW Huron Area - see pp.4-6 of attached PDF file. AMDSB staff submitted this by October 31/08 (Halloween!) with subsequent revisions.
So back then, nearly 2 weeks before our first official ARC meeting at Hullett Nov.13/08, staff were applying to the Ministry for funding for a "North West Huron Elementary School" involving closure of Blyth, E Wawanosh, and Turnberry, to build a new JK-6 school on the Turnberry site, with Gr 7-8s going to FE Madill. Phase 1 of the new school would have 341 pupil places, 16 classrooms, cost $5.6M. Phase 2 would add Brussels JK-6, add 222 pupil places, for a total of 563 pupil places, 25 classrooms, cost $9.2M overall.Results in terms of funding approved by the Ministry are expected about June 12. If funding is approved, my understanding is it would have to be spent substantially according to the proposal submitted - AMDSB's hands are tied. For a scenario that digressed from the submission (eg NMECE), the Board would probably not get any of the $9M - and have to come up with the money elsewhere.
"So where do we go from here? I am asking all the members to write to the MPP for starters. Let's flood their office with our concerns. One being the closure of Blyth for no fiscally or morally sound reason. Another being the ARC process and the board's disregard for public opinion. (all 3 recommendations included 7&8's in high school when we said NO from day 1). Also, their premature application for funding which shows their premeditation and intent to do their own thing anyway. It should be noted to our MPP that parents feel that age 11 and 12 is too young for high school regardless of this proceeding.
Here is Carol Mitchell's email address:cmitchell.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
I will also post a link to the Legislative Assembly where the office address and phone # are listed.
PLEASE write to her and let her know your concerns!
Lastly, I was trying to think about how to solve the high school's issue of declining enrolment without using our little kids. It isn't that I (we) don't care about the high school students. My kids will be there. So lets be productive. At the May 12 meeting it was questioned why the Adult education was in a building downtown and not at the high school. So why is that? So what could we put in the high school to appropriately fill it? A specialized program, such as a chef school? I will be opening up a discussion on the main page of Save Blyth Public School so you can help find solutions.
Thanks to you all for your support,
Michele
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Quicky :)
I want to commend all who spoke at the board meeting last night, in response to the recommendations put forth by the board. All who spoke were eloquent, and also to the point.
It was made blatantly obvious that there has been an ulterior motive within the board, this feeling was cemented as it was mentioned that someone who was intoxicated at a party knew that this would be the board's recommendation, and unintentionally spewed this information a few months ago.
Another bone of contention is that Adult Education classes are being held in rented buildings in the Wingham as well as Clinton. These Adult Education classes could be easily held at the high schools. It is a high school problem, that needs to be addressed, and it can be done with training courses, as mentioned at the meeting. Spaces do not have to be filled with our small children.
It was made blatantly obvious that there has been an ulterior motive within the board, this feeling was cemented as it was mentioned that someone who was intoxicated at a party knew that this would be the board's recommendation, and unintentionally spewed this information a few months ago.
Another bone of contention is that Adult Education classes are being held in rented buildings in the Wingham as well as Clinton. These Adult Education classes could be easily held at the high schools. It is a high school problem, that needs to be addressed, and it can be done with training courses, as mentioned at the meeting. Spaces do not have to be filled with our small children.
Group Protests Moving 7 and 8's to Wingham Highschool
http://www.am920.ca/news.php?area=details&cat_id=4&art_id=4612
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 5:30 am
A representative for the Central East North Huron Accommodation Review Committee doesn't accept school board staff position that provincial funding will depend on filling capacity at F-E Madill Secondary School in Wingham.Parents from five elementary schools involved in the accommodation review have said from the beginning that they were opposed to sending their children in grades 7 and 8 to a high school.At last night's board meeting in Wingham, Mark Beavan of East Wawanosh says it changes the terms of reference in the process.(Click on arrow to listen to audio)Beavan says the accommodation review process only involved the elementary schools and F-E Madill in Wingham was never part of the process, so the introduction of Madill now could be grounds for a legal challenge.
http://www.am920.ca/news.php?area=details&cat_id=4&art_id=4612
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 5:30 am
A representative for the Central East North Huron Accommodation Review Committee doesn't accept school board staff position that provincial funding will depend on filling capacity at F-E Madill Secondary School in Wingham.Parents from five elementary schools involved in the accommodation review have said from the beginning that they were opposed to sending their children in grades 7 and 8 to a high school.At last night's board meeting in Wingham, Mark Beavan of East Wawanosh says it changes the terms of reference in the process.(Click on arrow to listen to audio)Beavan says the accommodation review process only involved the elementary schools and F-E Madill in Wingham was never part of the process, so the introduction of Madill now could be grounds for a legal challenge.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Letter to the Board By E-Mail
To whom it may concern,
I am writing in response to the Board's decision to close two of the schools and to put our Grade Seven and Eight's into a high school setting. Not only does decision this belittle how much work that went into the committee that brought forth a viable alternative (NMECE), but it reflects the dismissive attitude of the school board itself. The community was clear and adamant on what we did not want, and that was the scenario you hand picked.
As a community we were willing to band together and let our differences go by the wayside, to promote what was best for our children not what we felt was best for our immediate community. Unfortunately, your decision is not only shortsighted, but depicts the "status quo" mentality that people who did not turn out for the meetings said would happen. It is blatantly obvious you had your agenda already in place and the idea to "think outside the box" was nothing but a means to distract us from what was inevitable. Therefore, I suggest, that because F.E. Madill was not part of the initial ARC proposal, that a new ARC be formed, and the veil of secrecy and motive be removed, and have an open and honest modus operandi.
I am also suggesting that you start to observe the feelings and sentiments of the students and families and citizens that you represent, and families that may move to the county. You are undermining the importance of our Huron County, our resources, and our children.
I would also like to suggest that those on the Board take a course in Ethics, it may improve community relations, it may also teach you, that actions do have a reaction, and Huron County will not become a draw to those outside our boundaries, since a lack of quality schools are a real-estate deal breaker.
Our tax dollars pay your salaries, and when our small towns become ghost towns, you will need to step back and wonder why you are without jobs. Could it be that closing Blyth P.S. which is running at capacity, and choosing not to pursue NMECE, may be the catalyst?
It seems that the Board really wants to keep going through the process every five years of closing schools, in an effort to keep themselves gainfully employed with cushioned pensions. Kudos to you, another great job!
Lisa Bieman
I am writing in response to the Board's decision to close two of the schools and to put our Grade Seven and Eight's into a high school setting. Not only does decision this belittle how much work that went into the committee that brought forth a viable alternative (NMECE), but it reflects the dismissive attitude of the school board itself. The community was clear and adamant on what we did not want, and that was the scenario you hand picked.
As a community we were willing to band together and let our differences go by the wayside, to promote what was best for our children not what we felt was best for our immediate community. Unfortunately, your decision is not only shortsighted, but depicts the "status quo" mentality that people who did not turn out for the meetings said would happen. It is blatantly obvious you had your agenda already in place and the idea to "think outside the box" was nothing but a means to distract us from what was inevitable. Therefore, I suggest, that because F.E. Madill was not part of the initial ARC proposal, that a new ARC be formed, and the veil of secrecy and motive be removed, and have an open and honest modus operandi.
I am also suggesting that you start to observe the feelings and sentiments of the students and families and citizens that you represent, and families that may move to the county. You are undermining the importance of our Huron County, our resources, and our children.
I would also like to suggest that those on the Board take a course in Ethics, it may improve community relations, it may also teach you, that actions do have a reaction, and Huron County will not become a draw to those outside our boundaries, since a lack of quality schools are a real-estate deal breaker.
Our tax dollars pay your salaries, and when our small towns become ghost towns, you will need to step back and wonder why you are without jobs. Could it be that closing Blyth P.S. which is running at capacity, and choosing not to pursue NMECE, may be the catalyst?
It seems that the Board really wants to keep going through the process every five years of closing schools, in an effort to keep themselves gainfully employed with cushioned pensions. Kudos to you, another great job!
Lisa Bieman
Letter To Board Employees~~From Joanne Smith
Dear Board Employees,
I like many other parents awoke this morning to the news of my son's school being closed down. I have attended many of the meetings discussing the possibility of this happening and was not at all shocked about the closure of one or more schools. Unfortunately a lot of the children who heard for the first time that their beloved school was closing came from a radio box and not from the teachers that they trust and adore and not from a news letters where their parents could re-assure them that a new school would be a good choice.
My frustrations go beyond the ordinary struggles with lowered real estate and convenience of walking to school with Both public school being closed down, my struggles are with you, the board members. I sat in meeting after meeting with you, along side other tax paying parents who were told repeated that their say meant something.
The ministry REQUIRES such meetings to ensure that the voice of the parents and the children are heard. I sat there with YOU and listened as parents flooded in on surveys, e-mails in constant discussion over their complete disgust over using our children to fill seats in high schools. Not only were these educated people speaking up about the rights their eleven and twelve year olds but these were the parents you were instructed to listen to. It was more than abundantly clear that parents DO NOT want their children exposed to an environment set up to meet the needs of children seven years older than themselves in order to fix your political issues.
Showing up at these meetings was only the beginning step of the job you were suppose to be doing. In repeated attempts to prove to the parents that this was not a decision to send the grades 7&8's into high school you had the ARCs and families meet over and over again to find a solution to fix the lowered enrollment of our elementary schools. But rather than listen, rather than coming to us and explaining to us that you had a plan already in motion you have taken the elementary children to fix a problem that was not even our own.
You are sacrificing MY children in order to save face.I am disgusted by the lack of reaction to the out pouring of concerns that families have thrown your way regarding their children in grades 7&8 going into high school. I am furious that we were ever asked to attend meetings, pay babysitters, drive to the meetings out of town and pour over numbers and ideas so that you could look into the media cameras and smile and say what a wonderful job we were doing and then turn back to the agenda you were already following.I challenge you to gain the trust and respect of the families that do not chose, as I am, to send their children off into private education. I refuse to play your political game. You want to fill high school chairs, then do it with TEENAGERS, not with teeny boppers. I am hoping the ones paying the salary of the ones making the decisions about our children are aware of how ignored we have been, and what a joke they have made of this system, oh wait, I am a tax payer and one of the parents forking over money for fundraisers. I guess I am just one of the fools that believed a word the board employees fed to me at each of the meetings I attended. Let me tell you, it wont happen again!!!
Joanne Smith
I like many other parents awoke this morning to the news of my son's school being closed down. I have attended many of the meetings discussing the possibility of this happening and was not at all shocked about the closure of one or more schools. Unfortunately a lot of the children who heard for the first time that their beloved school was closing came from a radio box and not from the teachers that they trust and adore and not from a news letters where their parents could re-assure them that a new school would be a good choice.
My frustrations go beyond the ordinary struggles with lowered real estate and convenience of walking to school with Both public school being closed down, my struggles are with you, the board members. I sat in meeting after meeting with you, along side other tax paying parents who were told repeated that their say meant something.
The ministry REQUIRES such meetings to ensure that the voice of the parents and the children are heard. I sat there with YOU and listened as parents flooded in on surveys, e-mails in constant discussion over their complete disgust over using our children to fill seats in high schools. Not only were these educated people speaking up about the rights their eleven and twelve year olds but these were the parents you were instructed to listen to. It was more than abundantly clear that parents DO NOT want their children exposed to an environment set up to meet the needs of children seven years older than themselves in order to fix your political issues.
Showing up at these meetings was only the beginning step of the job you were suppose to be doing. In repeated attempts to prove to the parents that this was not a decision to send the grades 7&8's into high school you had the ARCs and families meet over and over again to find a solution to fix the lowered enrollment of our elementary schools. But rather than listen, rather than coming to us and explaining to us that you had a plan already in motion you have taken the elementary children to fix a problem that was not even our own.
You are sacrificing MY children in order to save face.I am disgusted by the lack of reaction to the out pouring of concerns that families have thrown your way regarding their children in grades 7&8 going into high school. I am furious that we were ever asked to attend meetings, pay babysitters, drive to the meetings out of town and pour over numbers and ideas so that you could look into the media cameras and smile and say what a wonderful job we were doing and then turn back to the agenda you were already following.I challenge you to gain the trust and respect of the families that do not chose, as I am, to send their children off into private education. I refuse to play your political game. You want to fill high school chairs, then do it with TEENAGERS, not with teeny boppers. I am hoping the ones paying the salary of the ones making the decisions about our children are aware of how ignored we have been, and what a joke they have made of this system, oh wait, I am a tax payer and one of the parents forking over money for fundraisers. I guess I am just one of the fools that believed a word the board employees fed to me at each of the meetings I attended. Let me tell you, it wont happen again!!!
Joanne Smith
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
This is a quicky.
I implore the parents, grandparents, guardians, and the residents of North Huron to write letters to their MP's, The Avon Maitland District School Board, and to even think about participating in a day of protest, where we pull our kids out of school for a day, or maybe two days.
We need the media attention, we do not want our 7/8's in high school. It is evident that the modus operandi behind the recommendation of the board is to boost Madill's numbers.
If my one child is going to be put into this catch basin, I will seriously think about putting her into a Catholic School for the duration of her public school career and possibly high school, in Clinton.
This is a ridiculous waste of time and energy for those who have been actively involved in the ARC process, (again, I am not counting myself in there). There have been such dedicated, hardworking individuals, that have planned, and put forth an idea to benefit many of the schools up for closure.
There are only 124 people in the NMECE facebook group. Please join if you haven't and get your letters of protest out there.
As for a day of protest, I truly think that if this is publicized, quite possibly, it may add some clout.
I implore the parents, grandparents, guardians, and the residents of North Huron to write letters to their MP's, The Avon Maitland District School Board, and to even think about participating in a day of protest, where we pull our kids out of school for a day, or maybe two days.
We need the media attention, we do not want our 7/8's in high school. It is evident that the modus operandi behind the recommendation of the board is to boost Madill's numbers.
If my one child is going to be put into this catch basin, I will seriously think about putting her into a Catholic School for the duration of her public school career and possibly high school, in Clinton.
This is a ridiculous waste of time and energy for those who have been actively involved in the ARC process, (again, I am not counting myself in there). There have been such dedicated, hardworking individuals, that have planned, and put forth an idea to benefit many of the schools up for closure.
There are only 124 people in the NMECE facebook group. Please join if you haven't and get your letters of protest out there.
As for a day of protest, I truly think that if this is publicized, quite possibly, it may add some clout.
YIKES!
Unfortunately the board is recommending sending our beloved 7/8's to the highschool setting because Madill needs our numbers:
North Huron Centre of Excellence Rejected By Board Staff
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 5:50 am
The Avon Maitland School Board's staff is rejecting the Central, East, North Huron Accommodation Review Committee's recomendations for a new school.The recommendation from the committee was to build a "super" elementary school for students who currently attend Wingham, Turnberry, Blyth and East Wawanosh.The board's staff recomments the closure of Turnberry and Blyth and sending the Grade 7 and 8 students from those schools to F.E. Madill in Wingham.K to 6 students from Turnberry will go to Wingham Public and K to 6 students from Blyth will be split between East Wawanosh and Hullett.Avon Maitland Board staff argue funding is not available for a new school from any of the various sources including the province and federal governments.Superindent Mike Ash says there's another reason to shuffle elementary students in the North Huron family to exisiting schools.
(Click arrow to listen to audio or right click here to download audio)
Accomodation Committee Chair Mark Beavan disagrees.
(Click arrow to listen to audio or right click here to download audio)
The Avon-Maitland School Board will vote on those staff recommendations at the end of the school year.
North Huron Centre of Excellence Rejected By Board Staff
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 5:50 am
The Avon Maitland School Board's staff is rejecting the Central, East, North Huron Accommodation Review Committee's recomendations for a new school.The recommendation from the committee was to build a "super" elementary school for students who currently attend Wingham, Turnberry, Blyth and East Wawanosh.The board's staff recomments the closure of Turnberry and Blyth and sending the Grade 7 and 8 students from those schools to F.E. Madill in Wingham.K to 6 students from Turnberry will go to Wingham Public and K to 6 students from Blyth will be split between East Wawanosh and Hullett.Avon Maitland Board staff argue funding is not available for a new school from any of the various sources including the province and federal governments.Superindent Mike Ash says there's another reason to shuffle elementary students in the North Huron family to exisiting schools.
(Click arrow to listen to audio or right click here to download audio)
Accomodation Committee Chair Mark Beavan disagrees.
(Click arrow to listen to audio or right click here to download audio)
The Avon-Maitland School Board will vote on those staff recommendations at the end of the school year.
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