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THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2004 SEVEN STORIES CAST: The Grade 12 drama class presented "7 Stories" by Morris Panych at Acton High School's Spring Arts Festival on Wednesday, May 26. The cast included Chris Teggart, Liz Lewis, Cat Wilkinson, Cat Hynds, Jeanine Stumpe, Beth Clayton, Rena Dunne and Ben Ingles. - Ted Tyler photo James Wilkinson's unusual art, showing hands of skateboarders was part of the Arts Festival. Beth Clayton shows her abstract art at AHS's Spring Arts Festival Impressed by MSB School To the Editor, Almost one year ago our family moved in Acton from Etobicoke. As parents and as an educator too, I would like to share with you my reflec- tions, thoughts and feelings about the friendly environ- ment we met at MSB School. Everybody agrees that the school should be an integrated dynamic environment that plays a fundamental role shap- ing the personal future for our kids and society. We are happy that our kids are growing up, and learning with professional teachers and administrators at MSB School. When I noted professional teachers, I mean teachers that not only serve as subject mat- ter specialists but also they partner with students, helping them to see relations across disciplines, how to respect na- ture and how to design their future. When I noted friendly envi- ronment, I meant the whole climate and culture in the school incorporates a human- ist perspective into teaching by promoting values that contrib- ute to creating an emotional and intellectual learning expe- rience. Students are treated with respect and are given an op- portunity to explore issues that are important such as self-es- teem, self-efficiency, self-confidence and love. Lidra Remacka, Researcher, Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, University of Toronto so | Losing YO Ur grip? Take this test: Are your dentures........ O Leose? O Cracked or worn? O Im your pocket? O Missing teeth? O Making your gums sore? If you answered "yes " to any of these give usa call! 430 Mill St. E., Unit 103 Acton, Telephone: (519) 853-0079 Fax: (519) 853-1134 \, Chudleigh blames Liberals for closing hospital units Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh said cancelling any services at Georgetown Hospital is outrageous given that prior to amalgamation under the William Osler ban- ner, Georgetown Hospital operated within its budge. "Tt is particularly heinous that young mothers, families and the youngest of children in Georgetown are being sold but by Mr. Bell and the William Osler Bard of Direc- tors -- none of whom are Georgetown residents," said Chudleigh, who added hat Georgetown was described to him as a "cash cow" when the hospitals amalgamated several years ago. William Osler Health Cen- tre recently announced the closure of the obstetrics unit at Georgetown Hospital forc- ing expectant mothers to travel at least 35 minutes to Brampton to deliver their ba- bies. "T asked Mr. Bell what services at Etobicoke Hospi- tal or at Brampton Memorial had been cancelled and he was unable to point out any service reductions at those hospitals," said Chudleigh. "With the reduction of health care services an- nounced by the Liberal government I the recent On- tario budget, and the closure of Georgetown's obstetrics unit, it is evident the Liberal government now supports two tiers of health services in Ontario." He said. "Only Topic bullying School can t police town, parents told at workshop BY MAGGIE PETRUSHEVSKY The New Tanner Although it may be benefi- cial for the school to know about bullying incidents outside its jurisdiction, the school can't be expected to police the com- munity, parents were told at a recent presentation on bullying. Ata recent presentation at McKenzie-Smith Bennett. Middle School, Al Grayson, north area superintendent of education for the Halton Board of Education, disagreed that parents should always inform the school of bullying inci- dents involving their children outside of school hours. While it might be important for the school to know why a child is having a problem that could show up in his school work, that doesn't mean the school should be expected to resolve incidents that happen at the mall or via the compu- ter, for instance, he said. If the parents are good at problem solving with other parents, then the victim's par- ents should try to resolve the issue between the families. "But if you're so angry you're only going to inflame the situation, then don't go to the other parents," he said. Grayson's comment re- butted advice from Halton Regional Health Nurse Flor- ence Bonyun that parents should inform the school if their child was being bullied off school property. TABLE TALK: Georgetown sisters Rachel, 3, and Nicole, 1 1/2 Vieyra settled in nicely at a new table their parents bought for them at the Mom to Mom sale at St. Alban's Church on Saturday. The sale was a great success and will be repeated this fall. - Frances Niblock photo Bonyun stressed the need for parents to model the fam- ily values they want their children to develop and use in their dealings with others. Par- ents are children's primary teachers and they tend to fol- low the example the, parents set rather than what they are told,shesaid. . She reminded parents that children are different and parenting styles may need to be adjusted according to the temperament of the child be- ing disciplined. Explaining the reason for a parental decision is important if the child is to learn how to make his/her own decisions later in life. She also advised parents to avoid making invitations to a child's party via the school where it's difficult to conceal who didn't get invited. Bonyun's partner, Health Nurse Lynn Franklin said teas- ing is the most common form of bullying. Statistics show 70 per cent of bullying is verbal and only 30 per cent involves physical violence like slap- ping, hitting, choking, kicking, poking or punching. Rela- tional bullying where the victim is ignored, shunned, excluded, isolated or alienated from his peers is the most dif- the rich can get physi- otherapy, eye exams or chiropractic adjustments and only those living in big cit- ies have reasonable access to necessary medical services." "My Party was accused for eight and a half years of fa- vouring two tiered health care while all that time we fought to improve access and maintain medically responsi- ble services. It took six . months for Dalton's Liberal government to trash our sin- gle tier health service," Chudleigh said. Chudleigh was also an- noyed that the Osler CEO had refused to provide him with a copy of a Ministry of Health directive to cut services. ficult form of bullying to de- tect. 2 Franklin said research shows that more than half the time bullying stops within 10 seconds of any peer interven- tion in an incident. ' While there is usually not much difference in size between the bully and his/her victim, girls are as likely to bully as boys. Boys tend to use violence more than girls, but girls ver- bally abuse their victims. Evidence also shows that the danger of physical harm rises with the age of the bully and a high percentage of people in jails were bullies in their youth. Franklin said bullying is defined as an imbalance of power, the intention to cause emotional and/or physical pain and a threat of further aggres- sion. It's not about anger or conflict. It's about contempt. Bonyun pointed out that bullying usually gets the bully what he/she wants thus rein- forcing the behavior. Over time that can become rela- tional (spousal) abuse, workplace bullying or harass- ment, and even elder abuse. Programs to combat bully- ing usually take about three years to produce the desired results, Franklin said.