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

www.durhamregion.com THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, AUGUST 20, 2003 PAGE 3 Where does Clarington education system belong? SECOND OF A TWO-PART SERIES In time for the 1997 municipal municipal election, nexv school boards, ' made up of amalgamations of ; boards across the province, ; were formed. ( Locally, the separate school board remained unchanged in terms of jurisdiction. But the public school board, once made up of schools in Clarington and Northumberland, joined the former former Peterborough County Board of Education, to become the Kawartha Pine Ridge District District School Board. And while many say the board's jurisdiction was most popular among the majority, the Newcastle-Bond Head Ratepayers' Ratepayers' Association has recently asked Education Minister Elizabeth Elizabeth Winner to have another look. The group believes Clarington Clarington belongs within the Durham District School Board, given the municipality's location. location. "The Municipality of Clarington Clarington is, in fact, really a part of the Greater Toronto Area, and certainly a part of Durham," says the Ratepayers' current president, Dr. John Campbell. "Everything in our community looks to the west. Our interests are to the west. As part of Durham Region, we feel we'd be far better served as part of the Durham Board." The letter stems from a recent recent KPR decision to replace long-time Clarington trustee Bob Willsher, who passed away in March, with Linda Scott, who lives in the Peterborough area. "We don't share interests with places like Northumberland Northumberland and Peterborough," says Dr. Campbell. "This person is from Peterborough. How can this person represent the interests interests of this area when they don't even live here?" But that decision aside, there are those within the education Nancy Coffin: Fears smaller schools would close if Clarington joined the Durham Board of Education. community who feel Clarington would not necessarily benefit from joining Durham. For example, Clarington trustee Nancy Coffin says she fears for smaller schools should the municipality's schools join their generally larger neighbours neighbours to the west. While some smaller schools in Clarington have been closed in recent years, as school boards across the province face financial financial constraints, including the inability to provide full-time support staff, like principals and custodians, to small schools, many smaller local schools in Clarington have remained open. Similar school closures have occurred occurred within Durham's public school board, as boards attempt to use space efficiently to help receive provincial funding to build new schools. According to Trustee Coffin, a similar philosophy philosophy on maintaining some smaller schools hasn't existed in Durham. "Looking at some of the smaller schools we have, I don't know if they'd have survived in the Durham board," she hypothesises. hypothesises. The building of new schools is also an issue, note some area educators. Within KPR, Clarington Clarington is the area of greatest growth, and as a result, has received received all four new schools built across the board's entire jurisdiction jurisdiction since amalgamation. Though the board works to be fair, Clarington has benefited from being the board's growth area, says KPR's former education education director, Dick Malowney, who retired in 2002. "The fact that Clarington is the growth portion of an otherwise otherwise stable or declining situation situation means it has been given attention," attention," he says, also crediting "very successful" politicians, such as Trustee Coffin and the late Bob Willsher, for helping lobby for Clarington's needs. But being a growing area has made a huge difference, he notes. "It doesn't hurt to be the growing part of a (school) district district because you get more attention," attention," he says. Within Durham's public board jurisdiction, there would be considerably more competition competition for new school dollars, given a more even growth rate across the southern part of the board's jurisdiction. "All areas,. I believe, of Durham in the south are growing growing quite a bit," says Durham trustee Kathleen Hopper. "Pickering, "Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and north Oshawa are all growing." Though trustees consider the greater good of the whole board when making decisions, they often lobby on behalf of the area they represent, admits the Durham trustee. Such lobbying could be more difficult for a Clarington trustee on a re-structured re-structured Durham board, given the even growth within the jurisdiction, jurisdiction, she says. "It would be more difficult for a trustee to advocate in our area because there's already a lot of growth," says Ms. Hopper. But the Ratepayers' Association Association feels Clarington trustees could hold their own under such Clarington Transit Orono Fair Service Schedule September 5, 6 & 7, 2003 ^clarington •^trnnEl J • Bowmanville Stop - Church & Temperance (beside the post office) • Newcastle Stop - In front of Town Hall • Orono Stop - Fair Grounds Friday Evening - September 5,2003 Going to the Fair Bowmanville to the Fair Newcastle to the Fair Arriving at the Orono Fair 4:50 5:05 5:20 5:50 6:05 6:20 6:50 7:05 7:20 7:50 8:05 8:20 8:50 9:05 9:20 Saturday - September 6,2003 Going to the Fair Bowmanville to the Fair Newcastle to the Fair Arriving at the Orono Fair 10:00 10:15 10:30 11:00 11:15 11:30 12:00 12:15 12:30 1:00 1:15 1:30 2:00 2:15 2:30 3:00 3:15 3:30 4:00 4:15 4:30 5:00 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:15 6:30 7:00 7:15 7:30 8:00 8:15 8:30 9:00 9:15 9:30 Sunday - September 7,2003 Going to the Fair Bowmanville Newcastle to Arriving at the to the Fair the Fair Orono Fair 10:00 10:15 10:30 11:00 11:15 11:30 12:00 12:15 12:30 1:00 1:15 1:30 2:00 2:15 2:30 3:00 3:15 3:30 Friday Evening - September 5,2003 . Returning from the Fair Departing Oroho Fair Drop-off In Newcastle Drop-off In Bowmanville 5:20 5:35 5:50 6:20 6:35 6:50 7:20 7:35 7:50 8:20 8:35 8:50 . 10:00 10:15 10:30 Saturday - September 6,2003 Returning from the Fair Departing Drop-off In Drop-off In Orono Fair Newcastle Bowmanville 10:30 10:45 11:00 11:30 11:45 12:00 12:30 12:45 1:00 1:30 1:45 2:00 ; 2:30 2:45 3:00 3:30 3:45 4:00 4:30 4:45 5:00 5:30 5:45 6:00 6:30 6:45 7:00 7:30 7:45 8:00 8:30 8:45 -, 9:00 . 10:00 10:15 10:30 Sunday - September 7,2003 1 Returning from the Fair Departing Dropoff In Dropoff in Orono Fair Newcastle Bowmanville 10:30 10:45 11:00 11:30 11:45 12:00 12:30 12:45 1:00 1:30 1:45 2:00 2:30 2:45 3:00 4:00 4:15 ■4:30 circumstances, says Dr. Campbell. Campbell. "Our feeling seems to be that we belong to Durham (Region), we should be part of Durham (Board), and we'll fight our battles battles with Durham (trustees) to get what we need," he says. There is room for discussion on the matter, says Durham MPP John O'Toole. If there was reason to believe many Clarington Clarington residents wished to make the switch to Durham, "I guess I would do anything 1 could to get the Minister (of Education) to discuss it with the board and interested interested stakeholders," he says. Mr. O'Toole says he feels there are some legitimate reasons to look at joining Durham. "There are many services for children that might be improved," improved," he surmises. Mr. O'Toole suggests the Newcastle-Bond Head Ratepayers' Ratepayers' Association could do public consultation to determine the level of interest in such a change. But the group doesn't have the resources to undertake such a study, says its president. "I think it might be more appropriate appropriate if Clarington council, which has the resources to do something like that, take it on," says Dr. Campbell. He suggests it could be a referendum ques tion in November's municipal election. Study is indeed required before before any change could be made, though not necessarily by the Municipality, says Clarington Mayor John Mutton. "Because they're already ii<a situation that seems to work. I'd like to sec some sort of benefit analysis on whether Clarington would receive better benefits by being part of Durham," says the mayor. "I wouldn't want to jump out of this board and into another where you basically wouldn't get the same service and maybe less representation." 4 AUTO GLASS 164 Baseline Rd. Bowmanville 905-623-8451 SUMMER PRE-OWNED 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE - A/C, AT, PW, Cruise, 82,000kms 5 8,995 2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE - AT, A/C, CD, 67,000kms 5 10,995 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE - AT, A/C, CD, 25,000kms ' 10,955 2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE - 2dr, AT, A/C, CD, 65,000kms 5 10,995 2000 CHEV CAVALIER LS - Loaded with value! 57,118kms S 11,995 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE - 4dr, A/C, AT, CD, 33,000kms "1 1,995 2000 CHEV CAVALIER Z-24 - AT, Sunroof, A/C, 56,692kms f 1 1,395 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE GT - AT, A/C, CD, 69,077kms r 9,995 1996 BUICK REGAL - AT, A/C, PW, PL, Cruise, 86,897kms r S,995 2000 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE - V6, AT, A/C, PW, CD, 84,711kms 5 10,995 1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE - V6, AT, A/C, PW, CD, 86,661 kms fi 9,995 2000 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE - AT, A/C, CD, 40,310kms = 10,995 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM GT - PW, Ramair, V6, A/C, CD, 40,830kms. s 15,995 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE - V6, PW, CD, A/C, 25,878kms r i 5,995 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE - V6, PW, CD, A/C, 39.898kms S 14,995 2002 PONTIAC AZTEK AWD - Loaded, 28,458kms S 21,995 2000 BUICK CENTURY - PW, P.Seat, A/C, 6 cyl., Red, 58,300kms '13,995 2000 BUICK CENTURY - PW, P.Seat, A/C, 6 cyl., Green, 56,800kms 5 14,995 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT - Black on graphite, 64,911 kms S 15,995 2000 CHEVY S10 - Reg Cab, AT, A/C, V6, Red, 90,896kms S 12,995 1996 CHEVY BLAZER - 4dr, 4WD, PW, A/C, P. Seat, As is, 65,670kms G 9,995 2000 CHEVY BLAZER LT - Loaded, leather, sunroof, 72,338kms 5 t 8,995 2001 PONTIAC AZTEK- Sunroof, P.Seat, A/C, PW & more, 61,568kms... s 16,995 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS - 7 pass., loaded with value! 18,571 kms.. . s 24,995 2001 PONTIAC MONTANA EXT - Rear A/C, Quad Seating, 50,861kms. S 18,995 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA EXT - PW, Rear A/C, Cruise, 62,879kms.... r 15,995 2001 CHEV VENTURE VALUE VAN - A/C, AT, V6, CD, 52,543kms 5 12,995 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA - A/C, AT, V6, Cruise, 92,405kms S 13,995 2002 CHEV VENTURE LS-Quad seating,CD, P.door,49,839kms s 19,995 2001 GMC SAFARI - 8 pass., PW,CD, very clean, 56,794kms r 16,995 MOST VEHICLES ONE OWNER TRADE-INS! All prices plus taies licence end administration tees "WHERE YOU GET MORE THAN GREAT PRICES' 00000 FIVE DTAR • Seles • leasing •Parts • Service "Convenient Customer Shuttle Service" 799 BLOOR ST. W., OSHAWA 905-404-0525 wvtnw.durhamchiysler.com