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14 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, March 3, 2011 Cancer Assistance Services of Halton Hills needs volunteers for major April fundraiser. Cancer can strike anyone, anytime; your help will ensure that we can continue our good work. Board to cut extended-day program after running up $15,000 deficit By DOMINIK KUREK Special to the IFP Ontario's extended-day program for young learners is too expensive to run for the Halton District School Board. In its first four months at four Halton public schools, the program has run up a $15,000 deficit. The extended-day program is an extension of the Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten program. It offers before and after school extended hours for young children, much like a day-care, however in the classroom with a Ministry of Education based curriculum. All Ontario school boards had to begin implementing the program within the coming years starting this past September, to be run by school staff. Halton District School Board opened the extended-day program at four of its schools this year. However, the Province changed the policy, now saying the program only needs to run where there is sufficient parent demand and boards have the option to deliver the program through third party providers. Furthermore, the program must break even financially, which so far it has not been doing this year. Starting next school year, the public school board staff will no longer provide the program; it will be run by third party providers. The full-day kindergarten is operating at 11 schools and will continue to do so. The decision was largely due to the costs associated with running the program. "We do this with some reluctance on our part, to be quite honest with you. We were quite successful with the delivery of the program this year with the exception of that we were doing it at a loss," Superintendent of Education Mark Zonneveld told trustees recently. "We can't do that. We must run this program as best we can and break even. At the $25 we've been charging parents we have been losing money." He added it was the cost of the program that forced the decision. In the staff report, it said the program has already come $15,000 over budget by December. In order for the program to break even, it said the board would have to charge about $31 per day, which is significantly higher than the $22 average at Halton child-care centres. A reason for the high costs at the school board, are due to the higher wages of a school board's Early Childhood Educator than at most child care providers. The costs are not the only thing that have been challenging for the board, human resources have been an issue as has providing special education. "For students with special needs, meeting those needs has probably been the area of greatest challenge as the province moves forward with the full-day program," Zonneveld said. "The Province has heard from many boards and organizations, loud and clear, that there is a lot of concern for special needs students and they have been fairly silent." He told trustees the board has been working with numerous service providers for children with special needs to ensure there is sufficient support service for the students. However, he said there are currently wait times for students with special needs, a lack of service and a lack of funding from the Province. He also noted that with the implementation of the program by third parties as a partnership with the schools will be different than in the past. Previously, the child-care providers were simply tenants at schools and used areas such as the gymnasium. The new program will require that the before and after school students are in the classrooms where they will receive curriculum based education. "The onus is on us now to provide the appropriate space," Zonneveld said. Please volunteer to canvass in April. Call Anna Mae 905-702-8886 FORM 6 Municipal Act, 2001 SALE OF LAND BY PUBLIC TENDER THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF HALTON HILLS Take Notice that tenders are invited for the purchase of the land described below and will be received until 3:00 p.m. local time on 7 April 2011, at the Halton Hills Civic Centre, 1 Halton Hills Drive, Halton Hills (Georgetown) Ontario L7G 5G2. The tenders will then be opened in public on the same day as soon as possible after 3:00 p.m. at the Halton Hills Civic Centre, 1 Halton Hills Drive, Halton Hills (Georgetown). Halton public school board approves 2011-12 calendar Are you curious when your school breaks will be next school year? The Halton District School Board has approved its calendar for the 2011-12 school year. The year will start the day after Labour Day as always on Tuesday, Sept. 6. The board has decided to take a slight departure from the Ministry of Education's proposed calendar and is beginning its December holiday break a week later. The first day off will be Monday Description of Lands: Roll No. 24 15 070 006 24600 0000; 12580 25 Highway; PIN 25018-0057(LT) Part Lot 23, Concession 2 Esquesing, as in 852019; Halton Hills/Esquesing. File 09-11 Minimum Tender Amount: $98,440.00 Tenders must be submitted in the prescribed form and must be accompanied by a deposit in the form of a money order or of a bank draft or cheque certified by a bank or trust corporation payable to the municipality and representing at least 20 per cent of the tender amount. Except as follows, the municipality makes no representation regarding the title to or any other matters relating to the land to be sold. Responsibility for ascertaining these matters rests with the potential purchasers. This sale is governed by the Municipal Act, 2001 and the Municipal Tax Sales Rules made under that Act. The successful purchaser will be required to pay the amount tendered plus accumulated taxes and the relevant land transfer tax. The municipality has no obligation to provide vacant possession to the successful purchaser. Note: HST may be payable by successful purchaser. For further information regarding this sale and a copy of the prescribed form of tender contact: Simone Gourlay Manager of Purchasing The Corporation of the Town of Halton Hills 1 Halton Hills Drive Georgetown, Ontario L7G 5G2 905-873-2601 Ext. 2210 www.haltonhills.ca Dec. 26, however Christmas Eve and Day fall on Saturday and Sunday. The break will end on Jan. 6 and students will return to class on Monday, Jan. 9. March Break will run March 12 to 16. High school examinations in semester one will run Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2012, while the second semester they will take place June 21 to June 27. For a full list of PA days, visit the board's website at www.hdsb.ca look who's Betty & Bill Cunningham, together with Don Williams and Wendy Derjugin, are proud to announce the engagement of their daughter Nifty Nifty 50! Happy 60th Doug Congratulations to GRAHAM KALIL Melissa Anne Williams to Nicholas Andrew 27 son of Andy and Sylvia Murphy. Wedding to take place in 2012. Much love & happiness always! Happy 50th Cheryl Love Always Your Family From family & friends Love Dianne, Sandie, Grant, Rachelle, Ryley, Chris, Stacey, Janica 1 Halton Hills Dr., Halton Hills, ON L7G 5G2 Tel.: 905-873-2601 Fax: 905-873-2347 on completing your Honours Bachelor of Science in Technology in Applied Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Guelph. The convocation ceremony was held February 23, 2011. We are very proud of your accomplishment. Love Mom & Dad