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Wednesdsay June 16, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A5 * Checking on absent students^ proving to be challenge By Dennis Smith SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER It could be a long and winding road towards developing an absence check program for Halton public schools. "It's a lot more complicated than anyone imag­ ined," Oakville trustee Peter Petrusich said at a recent school board meeting. 'The more you think about it, the more things come up." He spoke during an information update about the Halton District School Board's efforts to develop policy on the issue. School boards are being urged to establish absence check systems by the Ministry of Education. Absence checks involve telephoning or sending a message to parents as a safety measure if their child does not arrive at school. But finding helpers artd telephone lines to call parents of absentees is no easy business. Old P ost Office now open Oakville's first Post Office, located in Lakeside Park, will be open for visitors during the summer season. The Old Post Office was temporarily closed early this spring while renovations to the founda­ tions were completed. The building has now been given a green light to open to the public. The Old Post Office, built in 1835, is part of the Oakville Museum. Originally located on the south-west comer of Lakeshore Road and Navy Street, the building was moved to its present site in Lakeside Park in the 1950's where it became Oakville's first museum. The Old Post Office will be open for the Oakville Historical Society's Picnic in the Park this Sunday. It will also be open on Sun., June 20th, and June 26th and 27th for the Oakville Waterfront Festival. Beginning Canada Day, hours are Tuesday to Friday, Sunday, and holiday Mondays, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. until Labour Day week­ end. "If you ask staff, they don't have the phone line to do it and they often have to leave the room and lock their office," said Petrusich, a member of the policy development committee. "We have to get clarification about what kind of levels were going to do. And we should go back and get costing infor­ mation first." He also cited situations like a snowstorm, where up to 150 families might have to be called. Petrusich suggested establishing absence checks at elementary schools first and possibly later at sec­ ondary schools. "I don't think it's do-able at the secondary school level. There are fewer volunteers," he said. "Let's concentrate the program where children are most vulnerable." Different student course loads and lunch times were also cited as obstacles to having secondary school absence checks. The board originally described it as a 'safe arrival' program, but even the name proved compli­ cated. Superintendent A1 Greyson said board legal staff advised changing the program name to absence check. "We don't want to imply any guarantee about this," he noted. "It's a reactive procedure." He said parents should be informing schools if their children aren't coming to class. "It should not be expected that schools are upping the ante of car­ ing for students," noted Greyson. "It's assumed stu­ dents are in the care of parents until they arrive at school." There was some suggestion of using computer- automated calling machines. But Greyson noted someone would still have to enter absence data before calls could be made. The superintendent said more policy work will be done, then the board will be consulted further on the issue. It has been suggested the program be established on a volunteer basis. Brookdale Public School in Oakville is one Halton public school that currently has a volunteer absence check program. Thieves strike cu ltural centre again St. Volodymyr's Centre in Oakville not only lost tools, but the thief took their van to carry the tools away. During the night of Tues., May 25th-26th, someone entered a maintenance building at this centre on Dundas St. near Fourth Line. Power tools and a welder were taken from one area of the building, and loaded into a white Ford van parked in another section of the structure. The van was recovered a short while later in Hamilton. This burglary is very similar to one suffered by St. Volodymyr's 11 months ago. Crime Stoppers wants to know who was involved. If you can suggest a possible suspect, we want to hear from you. CRIME STOPPERS Call 825-TIPS or 1-800-668-5151 If you have any information that leads to an arrest to this or any other case, you may be eligi­ ble for a cash reward. You need not give your name, and your information can be taken with complete anonymity. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to Call Display. Please call 1-800-222-TIPS or 825-TIPS (that's 825-8477) or on the net www.enlight- ning.com/~crimestoppers.html. 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