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

12-Orono Weekly Tinmes, September 18, 1985 B il 82 now in force after five-year, implementation ProceSS In September, 1985, the Education Amendment Act, 1980, better known as Bill 82, came into force after an extensive five-year impie- mentation period. Bill 82 provides every ex- ceptional pupil in the pro- vince with access to educa- tional programs suited to ber/bis speciai needs. "Exceptionality' is used to describe gifted ciidren as weli as those who are bandi- capped, pbysicaliy, mental- ly, auditoriiy, or 'are learn- ing disabied, or emotionaliy disturbed. t is estimnated, there are some 300,000 pu- puls in Ontario with special needs. Tbe recognition of the need for special education services hegan in the 1960s. However, prier to 1980, the provision of special educa- tien programs at the school level was optional. With the passing of the legisiation, the responsibility for ensur- ing appropriate speciai edu- cation programs fell directly on the shouiders of the school boards. Bill 82 bas meant universal access te a publicly supported educa- tien, idientification of spe- ciai education needs, and parents' prerogative in ap- pealing an identification or placement of an exceptionai pupil. Since 1981, ail school boards in the province have been invoived in the process of planning and impiement- îng the provision of special education programns and ser- vices under the legisiation. The impiemnentation was re- quired on a "phased-in" basis in order to spread the planning and the impact over a four-year period. .-The Ministry has pro. vided leadership and direct asistance in terms of per- sonnel and resources to as- sist school boards in their planning and to provide annual feedback on the boards' progress," says LJ. Hfwitt, chairman of the Ministry of Education Pro- vincial Impiemnentation Committee. "The Government pro- vided school boards with a five year phase-mn period s0 that the planning and impie. mentation of special educa- tion programns and services couid be done carefully, gra. duirlly and soundiy," Hewitt says. "The Ministry put a compiete system of special educational grants into op- eration, commencing in Jan- uary 1982, so that aIl boards could have the advantage of financial resources throug- bout tbe phase-in period. Speciai educational grants, believed to be the most TIUIEMAN l'm beginning to think that experience is more of a ourse than anything else. When t was a young report- er, there were solid blacks and dazzling whites and very ittie on what we in television cati the grey scale. But the Iandscape is grey in varying shades everywhere 1 look these days. Near the end of two weeks in South Africa recentty, i was asked by a young white liberai what 1 made of the place and its probtems. "The trouble with South Af rica,- 1 biurted, -is that it's fuil of people". What she wanted me to do, t suppose, was damn apartheid and damn the Voortrekkers, embrace the black leadership, have another drink and sing a chorus of -We shall over- corne', with feeling.. 1 could have managed ail of that twenty years ago, and did, when 1 was covering Eugene "Bull" Connor and his excesses in Birmingham, Alabama. But t couldn't manage it in a Hout Bay living rooi'm near Capetown. The troubte with South Af rica is that it's f ull of people: btack people, of various tribat persuasions; white people divided into at least three distinct groups; the Afrikaners, the Engish-speaking natives, and the first generation refugees f rom Rhodesia, Angota and Mozambique; browri people, the Asians, mostiy of In- dian origin; and the so-caled -coioured people", the ra- ciatiy mixed. 1 say so-calted "coloured", because cotoured is the officiai ctassification and a hateful desig- nation to a man ike Alan Boesak. tt wouid flot be fair to say that each and every one of these groups, or sub- groups, hates each other, but it would be a lot fairer than suggesting they ail get aiong famousty. t won't soon forget an Indian cab driver in Durban, who deivered an unsolicited diatribe about the Zulus who burned and looted Indian stores and houses a few weeks ago. -They shouid have bomnbed hell out of those blacks', he said. And then he turned on the white population. -You can be sure that if it was white stores and houses that had been burned, they'd have bombed those damn Zulus into oblivion". There you have it. The Zulus don't lîke the Indians, because they are the store-owners, the tandlords, the money tenders. The Indians don't like the Zulus because they think the Zulus hate them. The Indians don't ike the whites because they betieve the whites don't see them as equats. t's a wonderfui country, but it's fuît of people. generous level of grants in any jurisdiction in the world, provided financial as- sistance to the boards in meeting the needs of both identified exceptional pu- puls and pupils with special needs who require special programs but are not identi- fied as exceptional." Orig- inally, a total of $75 million was to be granted to the boards for special educa- tion. By January 1,- 1985, that figure bas risen to $232 million, with an additional $16 million allocated for this year. The Ministry developed a planning guide designed to assist schoal boards in pre. paring their, comprehensive plans and procedures were issued each year to assist hoards in the annual review of their plans. The special education staff of the' re- gional offices assisted the boards in their annual plan. ning through consultation, on-site visîts, review of board plans and meetings wîth board special educa- tion personnel. In addition, in 1984-85, the last year of the phase-in, the Ministry required each board to submit a consolidated report, indicat- ing compliance with the le- gislation. "The overali re- suits are commendable," Hewitt says. Cooperation and collabor- ation among many groups have been the keys in belp- ing the schooi boards pre- pare for the introduction of the requirements for special éducation programns and ser- vices. Under the législation, every schooi board is re- quired to set up a Special Education Advisory Comn- mittee consisting of trustees and representatives from community associations wi- thin the jurisdiction of the sehool board. -One of the outcomes of Bill 82 is better communica- tion between home and school through the SEACs," says Peter Wiseman&, acting director of the Ministry's Special Education branch. "Alil of us have reason to be proud of this entire initiative as positive evid- ence of what can be done within a context of carefui planning and cooperative efforts," said Deputy Minis. ter, Dr. George Podrebarac in a recent speech to the Council for Exceptional Children. September 1, Ministry of- ficiais stress, is only the beginning of a new phase for Special Education in Ontario. There will need to be continuai supervision to ensure that chiidren are e- ceiving the attention they require. -There wiil still be a need for monitoring by, local communities, Ministry regional offices and the Spe- cial Education Branch to be certain that gains that have been made will be main- tgined and that the quality of programi's and services continues to improve in the years ahead." ,-Special education is a continuing, not a finite endeavour," Dr. Podrebar- ac saids"We are well aware of the danger of a let-down and the demands of other initiatives within the scbool system. However, it is im- perative that the require- ments of the speciai educa- tion législation continue to Sam Curea tz Report (Continued] from page 7) was like, Frank recognized that it wouid be better for the Progressive Conservative party and the province as a whoie if he stepped aside for another. That kînd of sacrifice and courage is the mark of a great man.0 But the resignation of Frank Miller is not the only sign of the mnedia's influence on provincial potitics this summer. A standing commit- tee of the legisiature bas studied the question of set- ting up a television station at Queen's Park to broadcast the proceedings of the House. The commuittee is aIl for the idea. In a report that was released by the comnmittee in Septemnber, they have recom- mended that a systemn similar to the one already in use in the province of Saskatchewan Mainstream Canada There's no 'Option B' By Tony, Carlson Every person needs one once nina \whiie. Eveni economnies can use a tonic to restore fthe delicate balance of thecnatural market place. And now\ is such a fimie for Canada, nlot o111v so that its economy c(an beý returned to robust lhealth, bhut mnore imi- portant, so that Canadians can) look forward to an ever more prosperous future. What this countryv needs, say's John BuII()llc, is somne ef- fective miedicine to get things mnoving again. "Excessive government in- terference bas produced rigid markets and lackiustme performance," says the presi- dent of the 72,000-member Canadian Federation of In- dependent Business. "In blunt taik, the Canadian economy needs a dose of sats." Specifically, initiatives such as free tradte, a revamnped Un- employment Insurance systemn and increased deregulation are the strong medicines needed to stïmulate the economny. Take deregulation. In the U.S., new businesses are forming at twice the rate of the economny as a whoie in sec- tors which have been exposed to more competition. "There is no option B," says Buhioch. "We either adapt quickiy to the interna- tional forces of change or adapt slowiy and stagnate." be fuly observed and prac- ticed by eveny board beyond 1985. Over the next few years we shall be concerned with assessing and refining our present programs to ensure that they are meet- ing quality requirements. Speciai education will be- come synonymous with pur- poseful, task-focused lear- ning," he said. be set up here. This systemn wilt avoid the abuses and 1 show.ý-time" antics that have corne to domninate the House of Comimons since tetevision was introduced there. lin their report, the corn- mnittee proposes that the legisiative chamnber be covered by a series of hidden television camneras, so that lit- tle disruption wilt be made of the day to day work of the assembly will resuit. It is hopedthat TV Ontario will broadcast the question period and special events. such as the budget. As well, the TV pictures wil be made available to broadcasters across the province. Teievising the legisiature in this mariner witl be a got,-A mnove. But it wilt overtook{ important wvork that is doffi outside the assembiy in the committee rooms. It is my hope that, with the ser vice covering the legistative assembiy, reporters from the Quieeni's Park press galiery will direct more atten- tion to the work of the many committees that heip make our iaws. Congratulations to Aif Brisbois on his retirement. 1 was pleased to have the op- portunity of meeting with Gord Barrie and other farm representatives over their conicern over the Liberal government's implementa- tion of the Spills Bill. Z7 DURHAM EAST PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE ASSOC'N Notice of Meeting For the selection of Senior and Youth Delegates to the, Leadership Convention *WED., OCT. 29 1985 *8:00 p.. *Courtice Secondary School (1 Concession north of Hwy. 2 on Courtice Rd.) Paid-up memberships purchased prior to August 19, 1985 is required to vote for delegates or renewal of membership purohased on or after January 1, 1983. PUBLIC NOTICE TO ITS CITIZENS Appoiniments to the Town of Newcastle Committee of Adjustments Applications will be received by the undersigned untit Wednesday, October 23rd, 1985, f rom any. eligible person who would like to be considered for appointment by Councit to the Committee of Adjustment. The term of appointment is concur- rent with that of Council. Ail applicants must be at teast 18 years of age, and reside in the municipality. Ail applications for appointment should include the foiiowing: Fuit Name, Address, Tetephone Number, Qualifications or Experience and Present Occupa- tion. Ait applications for appointment are to be forward- ed to : I -'I David WV. Oakes, B.A., A.M.C.T. Town Clerk Town of Newcastle 40 Temperance Street :g Bowmanvitte, Ontario Date of Publication: September 18, 1985 File: 35.60.2.(3) . ...... . .. . ............. - ....... . . .............. ... ............... . .... . .....