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106 fewer Haton students in school this year There are 1 106 fewer students back in classrooms Wednesday than there were but year According to the Halloa Board of Educe lion figures student ere expected to be enrolled Sept with 11909 of them at tending Hill schools The number of secondary students has decreased by a three per cent drop over last year while elementary school desks will be empty this year In Hilton Kills there are 7569 elementary and secondary students expected to attend the opening day of school There also be trainable mentally handicapped students The Board of Education however expects these numbers to increase slightly as more students return to school during September Statistically elementary enrolment in creases 14 per cent while there is a per cent increase or secondary schools during this time period Since enrolment has been declining the Board of Education said That year there was a total of students The continued decline in enrolments has forced a reduction in teaching staff for the year This year there be elementary and 1 106 secondary totalling Last year there were The expansion of the Elementary French Core program and the Self Reliant Learning Program as well as Increases in both elementary and secondary special tlon staff have offset this decline the Board of Education said Last May the contracts of elementary and secondary teachers were terminated for reasons of redundancy Since then all but a few of these teachers have been rehired because of vacancies created by other staff resignations Among the teachers rehired is Maragaret MlUlken of Georgetown District High School Bevut Clerk Glen Williams Public School will be offered a permanent contract Other teaching appointments effective Sept 1 Include Hilary Appleton Centennial Park Michael Breton Robert Little Stewart town Sotiri George Kennedy Marson Glen Williams and Gordon Swanson Acton who will be ap pointed Feb 1 There will be 87 Halton schools operating in the 198485 school year elementary and secondary There were three school closures in the Burlington area but no other schools are currently designated for closure TiyrJfJLHii MtaM Now of tag aw MM It th Hon How M up by lonotao Acton GeorgetownActon Wednesday September 5 Georgetown Mountatmriew N Toronto Una Teachers student learn on computer in Halton this year During the Parade of Horses at Scotsoata Fatm a number of Equestrian Artists wars featured In the former Bennett home Master Wood Carvar Gerard Bdleau of Misslsaauga was the man responsible tor carving the rocking horse presented to Prince Charles Princess Diana for Prince William at the time of his birth as from the Province of Ontario Region projects 54 hike in 1985 taxes The Regions dependency upon provincial grants to keep its taxes low was starkly evident lost week as officials launched seven months of budget deliberations Treasury staff projected an overall per cent tax hike for taxsupported regional services In 1985 based on preliminary figures still be debated by councillors The prediction Is also based on the antlci pated level of unconditional grants from the Province Halton administration and finance committee was told If provincial grants are greater than expected Halton taxes will drop correspondingly A five per cent grant rate would produce only a per cent tax hike whereas denial of any provincial funding would cost regional taxpayers a 32 per cent increase The per cent target tax hike represents an extra on tax bills across the Region in 1985 for a total of up from this year s police department conservation authority and Children Aid Society together account for per cent of the annual tax rate which would be added in with utility costs for on overall total of 80 In a jump of or five per cent Taxpayers are not responsible for raising the full amount Councillors were told that a 4 per cent Increase is expected in next years water and sewer usage Other anticipated factors on which the next Region budget will be based Include a two per cent rise in assessment a two per cent surcharge for the proposed Energy From Waste program two reserve funds for contingencies and operations each holding and no increase in the 1 25mill hospital financing rate Committee members offered no objection to the treasury department Hon to hold increase In next years grants to area organizations to five per cent I think we might as well be honest then and tell the Royal Botanical Gardens theres not a chance theyre going to get what they asked for Burlington Councillor Joan Little said She was referring to the Burlington Institutions recent request for special funding one of dozens of grant requests the Region must consider each year Staff salaries will also be held to five per cent except In certain situations where raises ore merited Councillors will consider Hal ton a rate supported budget through October and November aiming for final council Dec The taxsupported budget is slated for evaluation through January and March and final approval by about March The Halton Board of Education will make major additions to its computer facilities in the schools this year In the elementary schools 110 will be spent on hardware items such as computers and disc drives while is budgeted to buy computer programs In the high schools of hardware items will be added with 13 in software material George MacRac coordinator of computer education said the total budgeted package Is considerably less than its expenses last year Many of the high schools were out fitted with compute labs last year he said and will be expanded this year Computers however ore just starting to make a major appearance in the tary schools There will be nine pilot class rooms on the elementary level including George Kennedy school In Georgetown Each will consist of five microcomputer systems and a printer to supplement the current core curriculum During the language class for example a student working with the computer could Improve his vocabulary or writing skills The goal is to let teachers use computers as an aid for regular classroom work and at the same time give children a chance to learn about computers MacRae said In addition a travelling computer laboratory with 15 microcomputer systems will visit six schools during the year to train elementary teachers after school hours said In the daytime it will be used by the host school Centennial School in Georgetown is scheduled to play host in May and June of 1085 he said This is the first step in an effort to central Ize a computer education program for teachers by the Hall on Board of Education MacRae said Approximately teachers will parti pate this year Many of the how ever have already taken computer courses offered by universities and colleges In eluding the course offered jointly by the Board of Education and York University said The Board has also added a centrally located library of computer programs for teachers preview and raining At the high school level the Board will upgrade Halton six original computer labs by increasing the memory size of the computer and complete the networking of the system to shared disc drives and ters A second computer lab will be put into four secondary schools that show greatest student need Georgetown District High School Is one of these schools said because It has a very heavy demand for computers Acton High School will be the location of one of the three secondary school pilot projects which will bring computers Into the library The students will be given access to the computers during their free time for purposes A service technician has been hired lo maintain the equipment located In all schools Laud board for staging child sex abuse play Our scattered offices costing Region more Halton Hills politicians inadvertently scored a point in favor of building a trallzed Town headquarters during last weeks regional administration and finance committee meeting When committee chairman Councillor Keith Bird of Oakville asked why Hills clerkadministrator Ken Richardson needs three copies of every regional council agenda when his counterparts elsewhere In the Halton need only one each chief ad mlnlstratlve officer Dennis suggested there Is no rationale for the difference There Is a rationale where Halton Hills is concerned regional chairman Pete answered in bis hometowns defence The department heads are all In different buildings explained that the Halton office on Trafalgar receives three copies of the council agenda three com agendas and three committee ap pendices which are then distributed to the recreation department on James St and the treasury on Main St in Georgetown Halton Hills planning and engineering departments each receive one copy of the committee agendas at their respective Trafalgar Rd offices as well Regional documents are all delivered by courier Friday afternoons Satisfied said he would advise the committee If the area municipalities ever request a substantially greater number of documents Hills council is building a reserve fund that could be used to help finance the construction of a centra administration building Local politicians have weathered storms of controversy twice In the past over such plans which they argue would stream line the municipal government for better cost efficiency The matter came up last week upon receipt of a quarterly report on printing and courier costs stemming from distribution of agendas Halton spent on printing and 906 on couriers during the first quarter of this year on printing and on couriers during Ihe second Officials engaged in raising public awareness about the sexual abuse of children were quick to praise the Board of Education for its recent decision to launch a pilot program on the problem in north and Burlington The Task Force for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children formed under the auspices of the Child Abuse Council In May 1982 last week applauded the board a decision to follow the example of the Halton Separate School Board and tentatively endorse the program A play dealing with the problem Mission from will be presented to area teachers and parents at Ihe John Elliott Theatre in Georgetown in late October or early November Intended for student audiences at schools the play must first be approved by the Board It illustrates different ways a child might be touched by another person so they can distinguish between what is loving and what Is exploitative The Task Force made up of volunteer professionals and parents announced last week that Board approval for such programs represents an Indication that schools are prepared to shoulder their responsibility In dealing with the problem Given favorable evaluation of the pilot Task Force chairman Carole Holmes said we are optimistic that a prevention program will commence in the schools by the fall of 1065 The play Is complemented by resource kits which are used by teachers far follow up discussions and questions Trustee Peter Abbot of Burlington put forth a motion for the immediate purchase of these kits so the program could be In He said he believed there would be 100 per cent acceptance for the program when it comes up for final ap In January and trustees would only be delaying its implementation now George Heaver superintendent of cur riculum services and Don Dal on of Psychological Services said they were strongly opposed to Abbots proposal Dalton said there were three reasons for the current schedule First the sensitivity of the material involving discussions with the very young should not be taken lightly and should be handled by professional and well trained personnel such as the actors In Ihe play Second the teachers who will be Intro during the topic to the children should be exposed the play and the kit material before attempting to discuss it with children An inscrvice counselling period should take place for teachers and parents said The one kit already bought and second one whose funding Is being discussed with a local group called the Citizens against Violent Pornography are all that are needed Dalton said until final teacher parent approval for the play Trustee Bruce agreed saying the current recommendation Is in logical sequence Ilwouldbeputllngwecartbefore the horse If trustees approved the purchase of the kits before the program has been properly evaluated she said It Is encouraging to see this kind of sup port however she said noting another trustees remarks concerning a recent Globe and Mall article about child abuse statistics After the evaluation of the two fall per formances a report will be compiled and presented to board In January to discuss the programs implementation into the Halton school system Community can provide parental relief Friday during Backyard Parents need a break from their children occasionally and this Is especially true of parents of handicapped children Parent relief or respite services are anxiously awaited by at least five families In north according to Carol Robertson The director for the North Halton Association for the Mentally Retarded baa recently moved Into the are of parental relief The associations own research and ta- formaUon contained la a report by the Haltoo Childrens Services Coonfinaling Advisory Group point to a need in north In an effort to rectify what Mrs Robertson calls a dearth of services here in number of options are being considered by theNHAMR The Extend Family program which currently Involves one family la hoped to be expanded to give Immediate relief to those most to need Families are being sought to provide temporary care for children on a regular basis Mrs Robertson meet with both the host family and the parents of the child to discuss the program before a commitment is made Potential extended will be able to meet the child as well before a decision is made to Join the respite program There are five families really anxious for relief explained Mrs Robertson aw feels these families who have kept their children out of Institutions which burden tax payers deserve as much tup- port from the community as possible An extended family will not only enrich the childs development it will serve to increase awareness of the handicapped according to Mrs Robertson Attempts to serve the parents of handi capped children be further expanded October The is planning to establish a training program for baby- sitters The course will produce qualified sitters to provide casual short term care Potential care providers must be at least Mrs Robertson suggests adults might be interested this type of training and it conld be applied to a career