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Whitby Free Prrs, Wednesday, February 15, 1995, Page 29 In > oýsession on board' s new kindergarten sehedule By Mark Reesor An information meeting" is being held tonight (Wednesday) to give parents a chance to help evaluate *all-day-eveirother-day kindergarten. The. meeting runesfrom 7 to 9 p.mn.in the boardroom at the Durham Board of Education's Taunton Road East headquar- ters. "It's an opportunity for parents in the Whitby area and Durham north... to visit with us for the evening, to read some of the input from our teachers and administrators... and also to pro- vide their input,» says education officer Pat Prentice. .Commente wili be incorporated ina report being written on the s;ubject in June, she says. "Unfortunately they've declined parental input" in decid- ing how the evaluation process would be done, Cathie Ellis told parents at a Whitby Parent Assembly meeting last Wednes- day. A meeting in Oshawa on' the subject was poorly attended, prompting the board to say «nobody cared and it was a closed issue," she says. Few people knew about the meeting Ellis charges, adding that's also a problem with the Whitby meeting. A few parents at the Feb. 8 parents assembly knew the date of the meeting but none knew the location. «We're stili struggling with the problem of communication «so it really doesn't surprise me they don't get the numbers out te a meeting -- and it also doesn't surprise me that theY're willing te gloat about that," Ellis says. Prentice says a fiyer on the meeting was sent te everyPrinci- pal andr SAC chair in. Wlutby and north Durham schools and every kindergarten parent «at least two weeks ago... and the same procedure was used te notify people of the Oshawa session." Elis is also concerned about the- open house format, which she says mean means «you're not going te &et a big question and answer where you might gain a consensus or one parent might learn what another parent is thinking." She encourages ail parents attending te submit their com- ments in writing, ask te see the results of any survey which is done and talk to their trustee. "You can talk to administra- tors until you're blue in the face but they're n ot the ones that make the decisions. As frustrat- in as it can be te talk te trstees at times as well, it's time better spentP" FORTY-FIVE STU DENTS are participating in Trafalgar Castie School's fourth annual 30-hou r famine Feb. 17 and 18 to raise moneyfor World Vision. Among the students taking prt are (front to rear) Sarah Brown, Samantha Chan, Aim'be rlea E isenhut, Tarra Williamson, Abigail Pear- son, Suzanne Qgilvie-King, Julia Marehant and Tara Singh. St. Andrew's Presbyterian and Christ the King Lutheran churches in Whitby are also participating in the national event. Photo by Mark Reesor, Whltby Free Pres Boarde reverse, wifll allow public to speak Up The Durham Board of Educa- tion has decided te allow public presntations on the 1995 budget- after ail. The board originally stated that only written submissions would be accepted prior te tomor- row's and Saturday's budget meetings. But trustees had a change of heart at last Thursday's budget committee meeting, and decided anyone wanting. to speak can register by calling the board (Lynda Smnith- at .666-6402) before the meetings. Board staff first projected a 5.7 per cent increase in the 1995 mfl rate, but spendingv cuts are anticipated that will lead te a lower mcrease. Meeings about modified year Year-round school (modified school year) will be discussed at meetings held by the Durham Board of Education at Sinclair Secondary School Feb. 21 and 23. The new elementary echool slated te, open on te Aderson CVI property in Whitby in 1996 might involve a modif'ied school year or other prgam options. Board staff are holding the series of smnall group meetings on Feb. 21 and 23 te investigate parental interest" in such options, according te a letter distributed te parents. Cal666r-373te .reserve a space at the meetings. 'Expeiment' angers some parents.I FROM PAGE i proud of, not ridiculed, and we will ail support their school."' Sinclair administration hasn't lived up to a promise made te, survey ail parents in January te, assess the program, says Follert, and has ca ea arents who com- plain «a vocal minority." Trustees and staff also haven't been helpful, complained another parent who askect that her name not be used. «They want parental involve- ment as long as you are support- ing their policies. The minute you speak out against anything that they have put in place... they will cut you down in one second flat..." «We've been told we're a small,' disgruntled minortty," says Radu Toma, who adds hes tired of bei'ng asked te, compromise his children's education. 'm ithrough compromising be.-ause rve talked for two hours te the principal, te, every trustee thlit I can find and it's getting us nowhere. I think the only thing they understand is strong press- Ur<3... 'What they're saying is just change the structure and learn- ing will come ... No, the kids have got. te, sit down and study and t'hE schools have got te, enforce that and test it ýand measure it and be uniform." hiMtby trustee and board chir Patty Bowman. defended Lhe program, aig she 'believes in local schools trying new initiatives. I support that 150 peorcent... I want te, see schools create innovative plans... "I personally, and MIl speak for myseif -- this doesn't refiect the board when I make personal comments -- wish te see Sinclair continue (the Wednesday pro- gram) te the point of a survey.. . "I believe in basket-weaving, actually, and being an artist... this is not a board issue, this is a local sehool community issue in my mmnd and it must be worked out at the local school level." She advised parents with con- cerns te contact Sinclair princi- pal Kay Egan directly, which was met with complaints about Egan not listening or acting on complaints. «We can't sit her in a forum and assume that what is said here is accurate or true or correct when the person who allegedly said something is not present te, speak te that,' Bowman respon- ded. "I cannot tolerate it in any shape or form... «111 entertain any concern on an mndividual basis. I simply will not entertain personnel con- cerns," she told parents. Bowman says if parents don't have access at Sinclair, "I would be sitting down and saying 'I don't feelI have access here,' and I wouldn't be herding a group of people tegether to share my con- cern. "r'd be going as an individual and saying 'Please work with me, show me the signs52 "Now some folks are going te say rIve tried that' -- keep doing it- yuknow, what's at stake SBowman pledged te examine the resuits of a survey on the iprogram and te «personally fol- low throuffh on any issue which is personally raised te me." "I'm very concerned because you're concerned," said Whitby's other trustee, Doug Boss, te a smattering of applause.- We have te see if it (the prograni) brin gs forth the proper resuits -- in other words, are the children going to corne out the other end. withg the proper educa- tion? «We can't wait unti'à the, last dayi and say 'Oh gee, I guess it didn't work... ."Your concerns are valuable and .based on that, I think it reý uires some in-depth study." Rss says he's received very few phone cails or letters on the prgani or any other subject. "'Call mseriously... tl eyu concerns... "I've had a cakewalk up until now. I feel like the Maytag man." Tech career0s to be discussed High Tech Career Day will be held at Exeter Hi h School, 80 Falby Ct., Ajax on uesday, Feb. 22. In the vening the Durham Board of Education and Durham separate school board will co- host, for parents, a session that will include a keynote speaker and panel discussion. During the day, students froîn public and separate high schools, wiIl attend workshops about high-tech career choices. THE DURHAM REGION ROMAN CATHOLIC SEPARATE SCHOOL BOARD Invites ail Intcrested Parents I Guardians and Ratepayers to an INFORMATION MEETING Rcgardinig Registration l'or IMMERSION FRENCH PROGRAM: GRADE 4 (cntry point) DATE: T"ucsda.y. February 21, 1995 PLACE: HoIy Redeerner Catholic Sclhool 747 Liverpool Rd. S. Pickering, Ontario TIME: 7:00 p.rn. DATE: Thursday. Fcbruary 23. 1995 PLACE: HoIy Cross Catholic School 357 Simrcoc St. S. Oshawa, Ontario TIME: 7:30 p.rn. The presentations wilI include: > a description of'the Boarcf s Inmmrersion French Prograiw; > the establishied proccdures for application, recommiiendation and registration ol'pupils; > an opportun ity f«or questions% and answers. The application period wiII commence following the information meeting. E.J. Lagroix. Ed.D.. Director ol* Educationi T. Oldimain. Chair ofthie Board M2