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ALTE NET CTI NE pt Non er iin vi AN "WEEKEND. STAR" a | hn BF "55 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2000 - § a p---------- ws ---- Scugog student rep defends OPSBA membership By Rik Davie Weekend Star A move to review the Durham District School 'Board's membership in the Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA) has been sharply criticized by Port Perry stu- . dent trustee. Chris Skinner. "tative on "The student represen- the board showed he will not be shy # a The 'about questioning the Statements of : elected trustees when he reacted sharply to a comment by Picketing trustee Paul Crawford Monday night " (Dec. 18). Mr. Crawford said the $60,000 in membership fees paid to the provincial educational and lobby group "could be spent bet- ter elsewhere." Mr. Crawford made the 'comment after asking why OPSBA reports, informing the board of current legis- lation and upcoming learn- ing seminars, aré'included in agenda papers at board meetings. r. Crawford said the space would be better used for trustees' state- ments,. how the reports had come to be included in agenda © 860, 000 cc cost st criticized = +s £5 rR docu ments. He was told by board Director Grant Yeo that it had long been the policy of the board to include the - documents as an informa- tion item, to let the board and thé public know what was going on at a provin- cial level. Mr. Skinner was quick to give his opinion on Mr. Crawford's suggestion the reports could be scrapped. "I don't see where they take any board time, and they 'are informative," he told Mr. Crawford. Mr. Skinner said after the meeting that he didn't see how discussion about the reports was' an effec- tive way to spend board time. "l. guess | just sort of questioned the value of the 'discussion at all," he said. "I mean, we have > --- important matters to dis- cuss. Even though | am a student trustee, | am going to question it when I don't agree; | think that's part of the reason | am here." Newly elected' board chair Liz Roy said that she has always found thes reports informative, and. has no plans tg back a - move to have he' board opt out of OPSBA; ; But Mr. Crawford vowed 4 EE -- a i Me Il bring the matter o OPSBA membership up again. "I think it is worth dis cussing," he said. "It's a lo of money, and we can stil attend conferences ang get access to them withou paying membership: A Two members of: the board represent 'Dijthan at OPSBA: Uxbridge: Brock trustee Nancy Loraine; anc Whitby rep Doug Ross. i; 3F Soul and'. questioned . Roy cites work as a nurse By Rik Davie Weekend Star attendance record for trustees is in, and the new chair of the Durham District School -.| Board seems to be the worst offender for absenteeism. Whitby trustee Liz Roy beat out incumbent board chair Doug Ross for the post of public spokesperson and chair on. the trustees for Durham Region's public school system after the tions. Ms Roy was the trustees' choice for the chair, despite the fact that her children attend French language schools in Durham; "My husband is French first language and so our children attend there," Ms Roy said. "I don't. think it to this school board as chair. 1. intend to work very hard for public education." The attendance report on trustees was tabled at Monday night's' board meeting by Ms Roy herself. Inthe past year the Whitby trustee; who works as a nurse at the Princess Margaret Hospital, missed or was late for nearly 42 per cent of board meetings of every type. F 5 Yi or i f 7 J Sry "J Ps Board chair has worst attendance record: report recent municipal elec-. affects my commitment While Ms. Roy attended, 10 of 11 com- mittee .of. the whole meetings; she was listed . as arriving late for eight of the 10 meetings. Ms. Roy made only two of the five special board meetings called in the past year. She made six of nine com- mittee of the whole meetings, but was late for three of those she did attend. When questioned about having the poor- est attendance record, Ms Roy cited her work as a nurse in Toronto. But she said that would not be a problem in future. "My employers are very understanding and supportive of my new position and | don't anticipate a problem with attendance," said Ms Roy. Board vice chair Nancy Loraine has one of the best attendance records at the board over the past year. She is sitting on four sub- committees in addition to her duties as chair of the standing committee. Ms Roy will be sitting on one such committee in addition to her duties as board chair. : The chair. of the board is required under board bylaws to report attendance on a yearly basis. £8 L LF SSIS AL "Co you and your fondly, , HOLIDAY STORE HOURS Friday, Dec. 22 ................ 9:30am - 8: 30pm Saturday, Dec. 23 ............ 9:30am - 5:30pm Sunday, Dec. 24................ wee 9:30am - 4pm am Monday, Dec. 25 - Tuesday, Dec. 26 Wednesday, Dec. 27........ 9:30am - 5:30pm CLOSED OUR BOXING DAY SALE i a en SZ Dey a 3 > 1 3 FAR . bes 5 : R + A " N, oF "anger" J. RAT TR ) ow) Don't t VI S014 IA ERO N NEIITEIHIVE OL Ay ----- gon Ted TE a3 Sale AE IY ss It! i . - d on December 2 Thursday, Dec. 28 .......... 9:30am - 5:30pm Friday, Dec. 29 .........cccee. 9:30am - 8:30pm Saturday, Dec. 30 ............ 9:30am - 5:30pm Sunday, Dec. 31.........ccoon. 11am - 4:00pm Monday, Jan. 1 CLOSED Tuesday, Jan. 2.................. 9:30am - 5:30pm back to regular hours