The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

3 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,D ecem ber 12,2019 theifp.ca LEATHERTOWN LUMBER www.leathertownlumber.ca SUPPORT OUR TOY DRIVE. DROP OFF A NEW UNWRAPPED GIFT IN STORE *LAST WEEK!!* ALL GIFTS DISTRIBUTED LOCALLY BY THE SALVATIONARMY GIFT IDEA $19.99WAS: $35.99 Sidewalk Scraper Stamped steel blade and 48" stained hardwood handle. 7070956 $299.99WAS: $399.99 60 Volt 7-1/4-In. FLEXVOLT Max Circular Saw Kit 5,800 RPM, 15 Amps. Includes 7-1/4" circular saw, Lithium Ion battery pack, charger, blade change wrench. 3888757 $2.99WAS: $3.49 162-mL. Kwik Seal® Tub & Tile Caulk Provides a water tight seal around sinks, and tubs and other kitchen and bath fixtures. Mildew resistant. White color. 9037656 GIFT IDEA GEORGETOWN GARDEN CENTRE Happy Holidays from our family to yours! Christmas Trees • Fraser Fir • Balsam Fir • Scotch Pine Huge Selection Poinsettias A wide variety of sizes & coloursOntario Grown! Up to 12' 140 GUELPH ST., GEORGETOWN 905-877-8882 Open Every Day until Christmas! FRE SH Outdoor Planters, Wreaths, Boughs, MiniTrees &Accessories Gift Certificates Newly acclaimed chair of the Halton District School Board Andrea Gre- benc had a message for the province. "As trustees we will continue to vigorously support student achieve- ment and well-being and to challenge threats to public education," said Grebenc in her address to the board after accepting the gavel at its annual or- ganizational meeting Dec. 4. "We will continue to de- mand empirical evidence in the face of changes to our system and implore the government to see us as partners in improving education, to seek appro- priate and transparent funding and to fight for the schools we need." Due to "huge cuts in funding" the board was forced to pass a deficit but compliant budget last June that saw the strip- ping down of central staff, the loss of which is frus- trating but not unexpect- ed, she said. "As we head into next year we must look to short and long-term goals; the immediate labour issues are not small issues but are also not ones that we cannot overcome. We val- ue all of our staff and know they put their heart into their work every day." Pressing issues of the next decade will include the environment and men- tal health crises, said Gre- benc. "As trustees we know we don't have all the an- swers and are willing to listen to student and staff voices, as well as our par- ents, guardians and the broader community for in- put and direction." As well as looking for- ward, Grebenc praised the diligent work of the board over the past year: being the first board to react to the controversial changes to Ontario's Autism pro- gram model and actively outlining the detrimental effects of the Ford govern- ment's education cuts, particularly as they relate to class size and e-learning policies. Trustee Tracey Ehl Harrison was also ac- claimed to the role of vice- chair for 2019-20. "It is my honour to sup- port the trustee team as vice-chair as we work to- gether to raise up the stu- dents, staff and communi- ty of the HDSB locally, and to have a positive impact in education beyond this board," said Harrison. NEWS GREBENC: PUBLIC EDUCATION THREATS WILL BE CHALLENGED KATHY YANCHUS kyanchus@metroland.com Left, Andrea Grebenc, chair and right, Tracey Ehl Harrison, vice-chair of the Halton District School Board. HDSB photos