Vol. 31 No. 73 A Metroland Community Newspaper "Canada Best Conmunioy Newspoper" CCNA Better Newspapers Competition 1993 . BURLINGTON DRY CLEANERS : > EST. 1985 I I a No Limit. Expires June wam | 200 North Service Rd. (416) 338â€"8313 J LZ SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 1993 90 Lakeshore Rd. W. Bronte 827â€"7866 6 j 32 Pages 75 Cents (GST included) Separate Board may reverse longer school year decision By ALEX MATHESON Special to the Beaver he Halton Roman Catholic Separate School Board k. may reverse its position on the school calendar and top three days off the school year when it meets Tuesday, June 22nd. Recently, the English section of the board decided, in a close vote, to make its school year three days longer than the public board‘s and the French section of the Catholic board. In so doing, it is requiring teachers to report to work on Wednesday, Sept. 1st instead of Tuesday, Sept. 7th, the day after Labour Day. At least one trustee â€" absent when the last vote was taken â€" will be opposing the longer school year. Burlington trustee Father Ronald Cote, who called for the reconsideration, is worried the decision to have the longer school year will mean the loss of cooperâ€" ation of teachers. "Let‘s not risk losing the goodwill of teachers by doing something else that might be seen as punitive." Cote is expecting teachers will be hurt by the Ontario governâ€" ment‘s social contract legislation. "There is no question that teachers will be doing the same job for less." Teachers, he said, may interâ€" pret a longer school year as more punishment and retaliate by doing the minimum amount of work in schools. Grade 6 student Ryan Keyes admires a book awarded him Thursday durmg the closing ceremonies of Fern Hill School as directors _ Joanne McClean (ieft) and Wendy Derrick look on. During Ryan‘s lengthy battle with leukemia, staff and students rallied around both him and his family with teachers coming by the house to cook for Ryan‘s sister, staging fundrmsmg events or lending love and support. (Photo by Riziero Vertolli) School helps boy battle leukemia By HOWARD MOZEL Oakville Beaver Staff 4 hile Fern Hill School is the kind of // place where the extraordinary _ _ occurs every day, Thursday‘s 11th annual closing ceremonies revealed that its staff and students never tire of topping themâ€" _ gelves. A celebration of academic, artistic and social achievemenit, the event was also a . chance for Grade 6 student Ryan Keyes and his family to express their deep gratitude for all the private school has glven them â€" and viceâ€"versa. Ryan, who will be 13 in August, has been battling leukemia since he was six. Currently Ryan‘s studies, but it has only accelerated Fern Hill‘s resolve to embrace the Keyes as a true extension of its special family. "They have taken Ryan under their wing. That gives him a challenge to keep fighting," _ says father Dan. "Ryan‘s whole reason for in remission, the disease may have slowed living is to get up and go to school. He loves that school. School is everything because of (See ‘School‘ page 12) The original vote passed with only six suppofters while several trustees abstained. Cote described the effect of the vote as "coming in from left field on a different pattern of school year at the last minute with no consultation." The board decision went against staif recommendation on (See ‘Board‘ page 4) INSIDE Maturing of a class clown Page 3 Waterfront Festival I inside for S Waterfront »| Festival ‘| program exclusive | to Oakville - ,, Beaver SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS Loblaws, Canadian Tire, Food City, AP, Biway,Kmart, Aikenheads See pg. 21 for details on our FREE Seminar! BURNS Mark Slipp FRYimiteD (416) 359â€"4633 (pkg. of 12) For all your canning needs Mason Jars 2900 $4.99 (pkg. of 12) $4.99 (pkg. of 12) J EO im issc $5.99 UAR i \,\.\. L\