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2- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, March 12, 1996 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Durham board nominated for international award Recognition by Bertelsmann Foundation an endorsement of training, says official By Jeff Mitchell Port Perry Star Receiving a nomination for a prestigious international prize is proof Durham's strate- gies for teacher development are working, says a board of education official. Norm Green, staff develop- ment officer with the Durham Board of Education, said the nomination for the Carl Bertelsmann Foundation award 1s recognition of Durham's leading role in pro- fessional development. Durham is among seven boards world-wide -- and the only one in North America -- in the running for the prize, awarded by the German foun- dation to outstanding public school boards. Each year it examines public bodies which can provide examples for simi- lar institutions in Germany; this year, the focus was on schools. Durham was selected from a short list of 12 public boards in North America, and notified of its selection as nominee in late February. A final selection will be made during ceremonies in Germany in September. Mr. Green, who has devel- oped ongoing staff training for teachers in the Durham system since 1988, said the local board has gained attention world- wide as more educators have come here for instruction. "At some point you have to have a reputation larger than your own little area of the world," he said. "We've been attracting educators from across North America for our summer training. Over the years teachers have come from around the globe for instruction, he said. "They were all thoroughly impressed by the training, and the quality of the training." When first given a mandate to develop teacher training programs that would be the best in Ontario, Mr. Green decided to focus on curriculum that would have the most impact in the classroom. That has been proven effective by good evaluations of Durham students in province-wide eval- uations of reading and writing skills, he said. "The system has kept a focus on teacher development," said Mr. Green. "The more we can do that, the smarter our teacher become, and the more sophisti- cated they become." The program has proven to be self-sufficient, as well. When administration questioned Mr. Green about its continued via- bility a couple of years ago, he came up with a plan to market it; and it has proven successful. Now, in addition to hosting teachers from around the con- tinent here each summer, Durham instructors are trav- elling to other board jurisdic- tions, offering their expertise. "For me it was a matter of survival," Mr. Green said, "of justifying our existence. "Last year, we made in the neighborhood of $250,000." He said a continued display of excellence in the classroom will result in ongoing support from parents and students, to whom the system is ultimately accountable. "The reality for education in Ontario is that parents are going to have greater involve- ment in the schools," said Mr. Green. "If they are not happy with the education their kids are getting... they're going to be angry. "We have to make sure edu- cation in our classrooms is at the highest level." A pursuit of excellence will be increasingly more important as funding continues to be cut back, and programming comes under fire, he added. That's why a hefty endorsement of the system such as the Bertelsmann prize nomination is so significant. "This is recognition for the Durham board, but also, these teachers are Ontario teachers who have been given the oppor- tunity for significant training, and the chance to use that training in the classroom," said Mr. Green. Toute. Council wants meat inspectors working By Kelly Lown Port Perry Star Scugog Township Coun- cil wants something done to get meat inspectors back on the job. The inspectors are among the Ontario Public Service Employees who went on strike two weeks ago. The township does not have the authority to ap- point an inspector and the Medical Officer of Health at the Region of Durham hasrefused to add another inspector. In total 16 can be appointed during such a strike and 15 have al- ready been appointed. Ward 1 Councillor Doug Moffatt stressed that the township has to try and push someone into chang- ing the Essential Services Act, which does not in- clude meat inspectors. Councillor Moffatt said Scugog's agricultural pro- ducers are facing dire hardships if the legisla- tion is not changed and the inspectors sent back to work. Local meat packers were hoping a court chal- lenge last week to have in- spectors declared essen- tial would be passed, but the court challenge failed. 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