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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, A pr il 11 ,2 01 9 | 8 Visit Our Showroom 247 Armstrong Avenue Unit 10 Georgetown Monday-Friday, 8:30 to 4:30. Evenings and weekends by appointment Call for a free estimate: 905-494-1915 See our work atMiracleMethod.com/brampton We Also Repair and Refinish: • Countertops • Tile Showers,Walls & Floors • Sinks & Vanities • Fiberglass Tubs & Showers • Cabinet Doors We Also Repair and Refinish: • Countertops • Tile Showers,Walls & Floors • Sinks & Vanities • Fiberglass Tubs & Showers • Cabinet Doors NOW HIRING ! 905-873-0000 We Also Repair and Refinish: • All Types of Bathroom/Kitchen Countertops • Tile Showers,Walls & Floors • Sinks & Vanities • Fiberglass Tubs & Showers • All Types of Bathroom/Kitchen Cabinets 26 Guelph St, Georgetown 905-877-9896 carpetone.com Let Us Floor You. HARDWOOD • CARPET • LAMINATE LUXURY VINYL TILE CERAMIC • VINYL & MORE Locally owned & operated by neighbours you've known & trusted for over 45 years! Controversial changes to the province's Ontario Au- tism Program (OAP) have been postponed six months from the initial April 1 dead- line, providing a temporary reprieve for parents and school boards across the province. The announcement from the government was made the day following a regular meeting of the Halton Dis- trict School Board, where preparations were dis- cussed for an influx of more than 103 students with au- tism who would be "increas- ing their attendance" at HDSB schools, said Mark Zonneveld, superintendent of Education, Student Ser- vices at the March 20 meet- ing. Although Zonnefeld said the board was ready for the April 1 deadline - as new stu- dents regularly come into the system - the difference was in the numbers arriv- ing at once and the complex- ity of needs. Another detriment to the quick turnaround was the timing in the school year, added Stuart Miller, direc- tor of education, at the meeting, putting pressure on the children and staff to implement unfamiliar rou- tines within the remaining three months. "Many of these students have routines and their rou- tines work well for them and their routines will change." The most recent an- nouncement from the Min- ister of Children, Commu- nity and Social Services minister, Lisa MacLeod, was welcome news, said Miller. "And I believe it will pro- vide us more time to be pre- pared for either an influx of students and/or some at- tending our schools full time (some students are al- ready in the system, but do not attend every day)," com- mented Miller. "We abso- lutely do our best to support and accommodate all stu- dents in our system and in particular those with spe- cial needs. We do so by being prepared and informed of the needs of the students prior to their arrival (as part of the process). Although the board was preparing for students com- ing back or becoming full time through the OAP, the delay will enhance its ef- forts to do so, added Miller. In its quest to clear a backlog of 23,000 children on the waitlist for private behavioural therapy, a new funding model was present- ed by the government in February that sent parents NEWS HALTON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD WELCOMES POSTPONEMENT OF AUTISM PROGRAM CHANGES KATHY YANCHUS kyanchus@metroland.com See - page 9