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The Acton Free- Press Wednesday Dec 3 1980 7 Province wants later kindergarten start Eleven Undents received special awards for outstanding achievement at the high school recently They are front row from left to right Patricia Foster and Laurie who tied for the Denny Insurance Year accounting Heather Thatcher Nielsen Clothing award for Year trench Sua an scholarship for Studies Arlene Bruce Education trustee who presented the awards Back row Tanyn Mokrytikl Indusmin award for Year I environmental science Musagnug Acton High award for Year 1 Tech Barb J award for Year 3 Biology Brent Fry Acton High award for Year Tech Steve tie for Denny Insurance award for Year accounting Paul McTrash Acton High award for Year Tech Absent was Greg who lied for the J award for Year biology The province Is Into letting youngsters start their schooling later in life Halton Board of trustees are not ready to comply just The provincial ministry of education wants starting time for kindergarten to be in line with the min istry a policy If the board keeps Its own icy of starting children at less than five years of age the province will cut the grants for those children That could cost Halton taxpayers a year according to board of finance Bruce The ministry policy has been in the book for of education to be el for provincial grants that support kindergarten the classes must be made up of youngsters who have their fifth birthdays as of the end of Doc ember Halton policy for 11 years has been to allow children who reach birth day number five on or be fore the end of February to be eligible for kind ergarten enrolment the previous September One other board Nia South has a policy which does not agree with Ontario Trustees are exploring avenues with the pro vincial government which may get around the ministry s policy One asked for an exemp tion until next year to allow a phasing out of the Halton policy another suggested delegation meet the minister about keeping the grants may decide on a course of action on Dec ember 11 Board superintendent of special education Ron Chapman said he be lieves the ministry re cent concerning kindergarten policy Is not based on education grounds Some trustees said it was rooted In itical reasons Ir ustee Betty Fisher and rural Milton trustee Ivan Armstrong indicated in separate interviews that they favor starting youngsters in kinder later than Halton practises Acton trustee elect Bruce had no com merit on the subject and trusteeelect Betty Walker could not be reached for comment by press time Armstrong indicated there have wen reports to the board which favor the later starting date and other reports which support position of an early starting time One such report in Jan from an ad hoc committee on remedial assistance stated that significantly more of the younger children per formed below the grade level than did the older children That dif continued until grade four in some cases said Armstrong ustee Fisher who will represent Georgetown after Thursday s ural meeting indicated there has been pressure from teachers and par for the later starting Generally speaking I favor moving the date back to December said Fisher One way of getting children into kinder who would bo Ineligible because of the change of starting ages would be to have them screened by Halton Early Identification stem they are found tabeeadvheMihould StiI no parking on Elizabeth Dr curve be allowed to do so said Fisher I don t believe the answer Is In black and white she said With the Identification system the loss of grants from the province could be cut to said Fisher CARPETING FLOORING SPECIALISTS Members of the Share group of donated blankets I DeGraff left and Jenn Itofstede centre hand over of the Cross The Cross is looking tor In donating them Fisher seeks chairmanship ship is the ability to get people to work together for a common cause said Fisher Fisher who was acc laimed in Georgetown will go against Bill Pries tner and Noel Cooper for the job the Red Cross Emergency Response Monday Grace blankets lo John red and Garry many blankets as they can get if anyone is interested Former Acton Ing trustee Betty Fisher will seek the chair manship of Board of Education Thursday Inaugural meeting at Burlington One of the strengths needed for the chairman- Suspect disappears The man who attacked two females in Acton recently has disappeared and police believe he was someone who came into town for a brief time and has fled the community Sergeant of detectives Ron South gate noted it has been quiet in Acton now for over two weeks there have been no more reports of attacks on males or of someone suspicious following child ren or lurking around schools He said a sketch of the suspect published last week In several North Halton newspapers brought a few tips to police but investigation pro negate results Soulhgate said he has to think the man docsn live around Acton since nobody seems to be able to put a name to the face in the sketch The must be someone who came into town for just a few days since you can hide in Acton for long Jokes on Pat In welcoming the two new members of council to the 198182 council Monday night Mayor Pete Pomeroy pointed out Sheldon is replacing our colorful councillor Pat Patterson The mayor said Your attendance record is already 100 per cent better than his He ex plained he said it because he knew Patterson re a newspaper in Florida and would see the comment Patterson consistently had the poorest at tendance record at council meetings Despite the need for parking in the area of the Elizabeth senior citizens apartment building the town going to allow parking on either side of the road Del Jordan McDonald recently attended the ward one councillors Friday afternoon dropin asking for the town to provide parking for visitors on vacant land from the seniors apartment building Councillor I explained then that the town own the property although Hills is working with a developer on a land swap which might leave the land In the towns hands arrangement could also result In parking at a small plaza In the area and Elizabeth being straightened Knechtel said the only solution he could see In the short term would be to allow parking on the street but that would likely be a problem since there is a curve in the road in front of the seniors apartments He said he would discuss the matter with the engineer At Friday dropIn reported the engineer said parking can be allowed on the road explained the curve would make for a dangerous situation dynamite If parking was allowed He noted the town staff