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16 - PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, May 26, 1999 PO J Ve A TE EE BE TY "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Parents make pleas for learning strategies program From page 1 funds can be spent mean the board is short $7 to 9 million necessary to maintain the Learning Strategies program in its current form. This means the board will have to alter its pro- gram from the current model, which sees chil- dren with learning dis- abilities receiving instruction in separate classes, to one in which they are taught in regular classes. "(The province) is try- ing to bring us in line with the norm in other school systems in Ontario," board Superintendent of Finance Ron Trbovich told the crowd Tuesday. Ms Allison responded, "Unfortunately, we've had this (pregram) in place and now you're taking it away." Meanwhile, an angry Kim Chrapek said she would picket the board's Whitby headquarters if necessary in order to see the program maintained. Two of her three sons, including one who has been diagnosed with Dave Dixon, Five Star Service Manager. OIL & ELLIE WIA wnt grass wT oA *Ask "READY PROMIS OR YOU DON'TF Attention Deficit Disorder, are currently enrolled in the program at Cartwright Public School in Blackstock. She talked about how much her one son had improved with the help of the program, adding, "now you're telling me it's going to be cancelled. He will be devastated." "Do you know how hard that is, explaining to a child that he's going to be main-streamed back in the same system that failed him the first time?" Mrs. Chrapek asked com- mittee members. Scugog trustee Bobbie Drew told Mrs. Chrapek that she is "experiencing the frustrations of enveloped money." "Every trustee around CHRYSLER FIVE STAR SERVICE 0.0.0.0 JENN Lube, oil & filter: For your Chrysler vehicle: @ Up to 5 litres of Mopar Oil @ Mopar Cil Filter @ Lube (where applicable) @ |5-point inspection "Remember, ~ replacing your oil now is easier than replacing your engine later." / "Ready when promised or you don't pay!"* Only at your neighbourhood Chrysler retailer. * Offer valid at participating Chrysler retailers. Environmental charges may apply. Diesel engines and import vehicles extra. Ask for details. CHRYSLER gCHRYSLER Plymouth NIT:T0) this table and every employee of the board shares your concern," she added. Mrs. Chrapek has since filed a grievance with the Ontario Human Rights Commission, claiming that the board is not fulfilling its mandate to provide all students with an education. While Mr. Trbovich said the board is petition- ing the province to give it more flexibility in how it spends its funding alloca- tion, it seems that even if the ministry agrees, it likely won't be enough to keep the learning strate- gies program alive. "We can't return to the model as it presently is; we just don't have the funds," said trustee Ruth Ann Schedlich, the for- mer chair of the board. She noted that even with such flexibility there is no way to find further savings in the board bud- get and shift the funds to special education. "We will have to cut programs," the trustee added. Brock-Uxbridge trustee Nancy Loraine told the crowd that spe- cial education has been "the single most talked about" issue during the board's budget delibera- tions. "We're trying to find what alternatives we have -- the best approach to minimize the impact," she said. The most poignant presentation of the night came from Caroline Simonian. One of her daughters is presently enrolled in the Learning Strategies program at Goodwood Public School in Uxbridge Township. Ms Simonian broke down as she urged the committee to continue offering the program, not- ing how successful it has been for her daughter. The girl's sister later read a letter she had written, asking the board to maintain the program. Car stolen, set ablaze A 1992 Geo belong- ing to a Bowmanville man was found destroyed near the Scugog/Manvers Townline last week. Officers patrolling the Townline near Enfield Rd. discovered the vehicle abandoned and burned. Using the vehicle's plates, the officers dis- covered that the Geo was stolen from a park- ing lot in Whitby some- time between 10 p.m. on May 20 and 4 a.m. on May 21. The vehicle sus- tained extensive dam- age.