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Optimism Place in Stratford is five grand richer thanks to the efforts of three Northwestern high school students.

Dana Hogg, Andrea Bickley and Kayla Carde’s presentation about the charity was in competition for the cash prize as part of the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative that Northwestern gets involved in annually.

Select this link to read the full story on ionstratford.ca

The CD, named the Red Album, using the school’s foremost colour for the title, was motivated by the White Album by the Beatles. The cover art will feature a very similar design, but in CHSS colours.

Select this link to read the complete story as published by the Seaforth Huron Expositor

Fairness – Treating everyone in a just and accepting manner
Trustee Geddes

Public Delegations

About 50 people were in the gallery for this meeting and six parents, five from Shakespeare Public School, made presentations to the Board.

Michelle Teno, Parent, Shakespeare Public School

"This issue has caused a lot of tension, someone will be upset, but decisions should be in the best interest of the students. Making Shakespeare a single track FI school will disrupt over 400 children."

Jennifer Noordhof, Parent, Shakespeare Public School

"I love Shakespeare Public School. Many friends that I have made in the Shakespeare Community leave us with many fond memories. No school should be moved to make room for an elective program."

Kathy Vassilakos, Parent, Bedford Public School

Dan Neumeister, Parent, Shakespeare Public School

"I am a future parent of Shakespeare Public School and I hope my children will be able to attend this fine community school"

Kris LaCourse, Parent, Shakespeare Public School

"Changing a community school into a French Immersion school will force people out of the area. Please consider the consequences of making Shakespeare a single track FI school."

Sue Dias, Parent, Shakespeare Public School

"Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day, so the Board needs to show their appreciation to the teachers by creating a second dual track French Immersion/English Stream school."

Board Approves Second Dual Track at Anne Hathaway Public School
in Stratford Accommodation Review

The Board of Trustees for the Avon Maitland District School Board voted tonight to establish a second dual track program in Stratford at Anne Hathaway Public School and continue the dual track program at Bedford Public School. Trustee Colleen Schenk presented the motion which then quickly received support as each Trustee spoke to the proposal. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-2.

The Staff Recommendation that the Board establish Shakespeare Public School as a single track French Immersion school effective September 2013 was rejected by Trustees by a vote of 7-2, after the motion was put forward by Trustee Randy Wagler and seconded by Trustee Lynette Geddes.

Board staff will now be charged with the task of establishing the second dual track program beginning in September 2013 in a format still to be determined .

Election Of OPSBA Delegate And Alternate Delegate

Trustee Lynette Geddes was acclaimed as the Board's OPSBA representative and Trustee Robert Hunking was named the Alternate Rep.

Approval of Tender: Mechanical Upgrades
Downie Central Public School and St. Marys DCVI

The ventilation system in the gym at Downie Central Public School was identified as being in need of replacement to bring it up to current code requirements. At the same time the classroom controls and valves will be upgraded to increase system efficiency and improve temperature control. Also as part of the tender an early carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide detection system to improve indoor air quality in the auto shop area will be installed at St. Marys DCVI. The Board accepted the tender from JMR Electric Ltd. for ventilation work at Downie Central Public School and carbon monoxide detection at St. Marys DCVI in the contract amount of $126,729.50.

Colborne/Holmesville Accommodation

Superintendent of Education Mike Ash and Superintendent of Business Janet Baird-Jackson provided Trustees with answers to various questions regarding the Holmesville/Colborne Accommodation Review.

Letter from Brock Vodden and Response of the Chair

Following the receipt of a letter from North Huron Councillor Brock Vodden, Board Chair Jenny Versteeg wrote a response. Links to the Vodden letter and Chair Versteeg's response are below.
Select this link to view letter from Brock Vodden to AMDSB
Select this link to view response letter from Chair Jenny Versteeg

Future Board Meetings

(at Education Centre unless otherwise noted)
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 – 7:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole, Closed Session, 8:00 p.m. Regular Board Session
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 – 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Finance Committee, 6:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole, Open Session, 7:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole, Closed Session, 8:00 p.m. Regular Board Meeting
Tuesday, June 12, 2012 – 5:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole, Open Session, 7:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole, Closed Session, 8:00 p.m. Regular Board Session
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 – 7:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole, Closed Session, 8:00 p.m. Regular Board Session

Future Meetings/Events with Trustee Representation

(at Education Centre unless otherwise noted)
Excellence in Education Banquet: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – 6:00 p.m. at the Seaforth Community Centre
Foundation Golf Tournament: Thursday, May 31, 2012 – 4:00 p.m.
SEAC: Wednesday, June 6, 2012 – 4:00 p.m.
Retirement Reception: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 – 5:30 p.m. Mitchell Golf Course

Techno-Challenge is a day-long event designed to allow students the opportunity to test their academic and problem solving skills related to science and technology. The events include a Pneumatic Robot Challenge, a triathlon, a construction challenge and a vehicle challenge. Classroom teachers are given some resources in order to help prepare their teams for the events. The key ingredients to success are teamwork, ingenuity and enthusiasm.

During this event, students compete in several possible events to gain points for their school. The events are:
Vehicle Challenge
Construction Challenge
Biathlon
Build-ahead (Windmill)

Congratulations to all grade 6 students who participated in this year's Junior TechnoChallenge

Event Winners

Cable Car
First Place Little Falls
Second Place Hensall
Third Place Precious Blood

Marble Run
First Place Little Falls
Second Place Blyth
Third Place Stephen

Windmill
First Place Usborne
Second Place Clinton
Third Place Stephen

Overall School Winners

First Place: Little Falls, winning $200 for Scitech materials
Second Place: Hensall, winning $150 for Scitech materials
Third Place: Blyth, winning $100 for Scitech materials
Fourth Place: Clinton, winning $50 for Scitech materials

Congratulations to all grade 7 and 8 students who participated in this year's TechnoChallenge

Event and School Winners

Cable Car
First Place Blyth
Second Place Precious Blood
Third Place Seaforth

Marble Run
First Place Exeter
Second Place Wallace
Third Place Usborne

Windmill
First Place Wallace
Second Place Stephen
Third Place Exeter

Biathlon
First Place Hensall
Second Place Huron Centennial
Third Place Wallace

First Place School, winning $200 for Scitech materials Usborne
Second Place School, winning $150 for Scitech materials Exeter
Third Place school, winning $100 for Scitech materials Wallace
Fourth Place School, winning $50 for Scitech materials Hensall

Video highlights of this year's Senior Techno Challenge

Over 120 members of the school communities attended the meeting to witness 15 public delegations. Chair Jenny Versteeg opened the meeting with introductions and a review of the Board's Policy on Student Accommodations.

Public Delegations

Michael Spetman, Parent, Colborne Public School

Michael Spetman claimed that Brookside and Holmesville are both older than Colborne, and will likely be vulnerable to the same risk of mould development as was experienced at Colborne. He said that staff indicated that funding would not likely be available to build a new school, but wondered if the Ministry had actually been asked if there would be money available. He said the option to provide the best education possible for the children was not even being considered. You are spending taxpayers dollars and people in the rural communities deserve their fair share of those tax dollars.

Glen McNeil, Community Representative, Colborne Public School

"I am a graduate of Colborne Central School and our children are Colborne Central School Graduates that also went on to be University Graduates. Your task at hand is not to be envied and will have a very distinct deliberate footprint on students today and in the future. At the outset we were told that the students are the most important. I believe through this process we have become side tracked with government funding changes presently and in the foreseeable future. It is high time and your responsibility that as trustees your decisions be made in the best interest of the students because isn’t the intent of education to shape the students future and provide them with the skill sets to be successful and most importantly happy in their lives?  When Colborne parents were polled regarding the students wishes the results consistently indicated the number 1 priority was keep the Colborne students together. The Colborne students have adopted quite well attending school in Goderich. Why because they were together with their friends that they rely on for friendship and support. 

As a responsible respectful citizen my requests for consideration by this board of trustees is as follows;
1.Keep the students from our Colborne and Holmesville School together.
2.Maintain and respect the current school catchment boundaries.  They were put in place with a deliberate purpose that is pertinent and significant today.

If the decision is to close Colborne offer the boundary parents the option of where they would choose to send their children to school; because they are in fact their children. If this were done Colborne and Holmesville students would fit “so to speak” in Holmesville school bringing it back to capacity without the need for portables. The solutions to the situation can be simple, effective and respectful of parents and most importantly for the benefit of the students because in the end ….isn’t that what this is supposed to be about the students."

Helen Lobb, Parent, Holmesville Public School

Helen Lobb told the Board that she had the opportunity to be a member of the Holmesville-Colborne ARC. She talked about the disadvantages of changes that would have to be made at Goderich Public School if Colborne and Holmesville were closed. She also reviewed all of the schools that would be impacted by the closures, such as GDCI elementary, Clinton Public School, and the Victoria Campus of Colborne. She pleaded with trustees not to close Holmesville Public School.

Louise and Darlene Lobb, former students at Holmesville Public School

The girls said they were both graduates of Holmesville Public School having attended from Kindergarten through grade 8. Among their fondest memories were the music and arts programs and the safe environment at the school. They said whenever they came back to visit, they were always warmly welcome. Although Holmesville is a rural school and has all the qualities of a super school. They concluded by saying, "We support Holmesville Public School as the rural option."

Holmesville Public School Grade 8 Students Emily Peterson, Amy Willis, Brianne Merner, and Courtney and Carson Gardiner

The students talked about how great their experience has been at Holmesville Public School. They said that they love the fact they have been able to get to know all the students in the school and that friendships. The concluded by stating that its been a great school for 50 years and should remain open.

Mike Fleming, Parent, Holmesville Public School

"Some trustees have openly stated that all the information has been gathered but that the heart felt emotion has not been considered. When my wife and I moved here ten years ago we had the option of putting our children in the Catholic School, but chose Holmesville after hearing the many great stories of student experience. He said his children benefited from the type of learning nourishment they received. Why do you think we have offered with open arms our school to the Colborne Community, not just to keep Holmesville open but to bring two great communities together."

Alison Lobb and Marg Anderson, Councillors, Municipality of Central Huron

Allison Lobb told the Board that she was here wearing two hats, one as a parent and one as a municipal councillor. She said she was born and raised in Toronto and didn't have that close knit student community that schools such as Holmesville and Colborne offer. If you close the school you shut down the community and that sense of community has to be kept alive. As a Central Huron Councillor, our council support the rural option put forward by the ARC and the communities; Marg Andersen told Trustees that she hoped they listened to parents and keep the rural option alive for them. Rural school is a value to the community as well as the parents.

Brian Olson, Parent, Holmesville Public School

Brian Olson told the Board that he was a former ARC Chair and School Council Chair. Our community is a strong and safe place to raise our children. The school's music program is a great program and will cease to exist if the schools are closed.

Melissa Peterson, Parent, Holmesville Public School

"It is important that we show trustees that we do have a voice and the turnout tonight is an indication of that. We intentionally moved into the Holmesville catchment area so that our children could attend a rural school. If Brookside was an option for us, we would definitely send our children there, however that is not possible but the point is, its the environment of a rural school that she wants."

Annette Walter, Parent, Colborne Public School

"I am a parent of two children, ages 11 and 12. With the proposed option, Holmesville parents have clearly stated they want a rural school option. The HPS option pleases the most people. If you look at all the options the only ones that make sense are the HPS option and the staff option. But the staff option does not address the interests of the parents. The staff option also causes space issues at the receiving schools. This is not simply a decision based on numbers. We are simply asking that our children have the chance to receive a rural education as we did."

Connie-Lynn Woods, Parent, Holmesville Public School

Connie-Lynn Woods a Holmesville parent said "When we came here last August we looked at a lot of areas before making the decision. We looked at Windsor, London and Hamilton. We chose Holmesville because of the quality of education at Holmesville Public School. The teachers are devoted to the students. Everything my children have needed for their learning they have received."

Peter Thompson, Parent, Holmesville Public School

Peter Thompson said "I am in favour of the Holmesville option. I am not a fan of numbers, but I am impressed when an entire community comes together to show support of the school. It's a vital part of the community and its supported by the entire community. I don't like numbers but they can be used to say anything you want. The staff option is based on numbers, the numbers at the bottom line. The staff option to close Holmesville and Colborne has the most attractive bottom line and the numbers to prove it. but those numbers don't always create the best solution."

Tom Trick, Parent, Holmesville Public School

Tom Trick shared a letter from a former student of Holmesville Public School Shane Byers. Shane attended the school 22 years ago and wrote in support of keeping Holmesville Public School open.

Darlene Hewitt, Parent, Colborne Public School

"I feel this round of Accommodation Review Process was a waste. I really have to ask myself why we even bothered. The staff option presented in the fall did not change in anyway when the staff recommendation was brought forward in March. In the staff recommendation there is no rural option for the students of Holmesville. Splitting these students into three different groups is not the right option."

Doug and Annette Vrolyk, Parents, Colborne Public School

"As parents of three children of Colborne Public School, we support the consolidation of the two schools into Holmesville Public School. We hope the Board takes the feelings of the children into consideration."

The decision on the Holmesville Colborne Accommodation Review will be made at the Board Meeting of June 5, 2012.

Future Board Meetings

(at Education Centre unless otherwise noted)
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 – 5:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole, Open Session, 7:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole, Closed Session, 8:00 p.m. Regular Board Session
Tuesday, May 22, 2012– 7:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole, Closed Session, 8:00 p.m. Regular Board Session

Future Meetings/Events with Trustee Representation

(at Education Centre unless
otherwise noted)
SEAC: Wednesday, May 2, 2012 – 4:00 p.m. at Shakespeare Public School, Stratford
Ignite Parents: Wednesday, May 2, 2012 – 7:00 p.m. at the Arden Park, Stratford
Excellence in Education Banquet: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – 6:00 p.m. at the Seaforth Community Centre
Foundation Golf Tournament: Thursday, May 31, 2012 – 4:00 p.m.

Over the summer the Cenotaph will be moved to its new home at the Hensall Union Cemetery located in the former Usborne Township. The decision follows the commitment made by the Board during previous accommodation reviews that the Cenotaph would be relocated and maintained if a decision was made to close the Usborne School. Usborne Central will officially close its doors as of June 30, 2012 and the students will begin attending other South Huron schools in September.

The new home of the Cenotaph at Hensall Union will be in the middle of the Memorial Garden on the eastern end of the property, approximately 30 metres from the north fence (Rodgerville Road) and approximately 30 metres from the south fence. The Board will cover the cost of the relocation and the Cemetery has taken responsibility for maintaining the site and the Cenotaph.

The decision to relocate the Cenotaph to Hensall Union Cemetery was based upon historical records which revealed that its very first home was SS# 1 Hurondale Public School in Usborne Township. The Cenotaph was built and unveiled at the school in March of 1919. SS # 1 Hurondale School was built in 1864 and was demolished in 1965. It was located at Concession 2 lot 30 at the Corner of Hurondale and Morrison in Usborne Township while the Hensall Union Cemetery is at Concession 1 Lot 35 also in the former Usborne Township.

In 1967 the Cenotaph was relocated to its current site at Usborne Central Public School and now with the pending closure of the school, a decision had to be made on its relocation.

There were two groups interested in having the Cenotaph, the Hensall Union Cemetery and the Thames Road-Elimville United Church RR # 3, Exeter. The church was looking to make the Cenotaph part of a revitalization project of the 5 acre former ball diamond close to the Church into a multi-purpose park. The Board's decision to relocate to the Cemetery was based on the historical research and a stronger connection to the Hurondale location.

Have you ever wondered how much waste is created from empty juice boxes and fruit drink containers? Perhaps this thought hasn’t crossed your mind, but it is definitely highly talked about among the Veggie Monsters, a Healthy School/Eco Club at Avon Public School.

The group, which consists of ten Grade 5 students, Avon teacher Emelie Taylor and two Perth District Health Unit representatives, has been meeting every two weeks since January to plan a healthy eating and environmental awareness campaign for their school.

Earth Day Celebration

To help celebrate Earth Day in April, the Veggie Monsters are encouraging everyone at Avon Public School to ‘pack veggies and fruit, instead of jammers or juice’.

The idea started to form after several students attended a local environmental workshop and learned about the landfill system, recycling programs, and composting. Then, with help from the Health Unit’s dietitian, the team discovered how to interpret the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list on packaged goods, and realized that eating fresh fruit and veggies is much better for your health than drinking processed juices and/or sugary fruit-flavoured beverages. And what’s more, it is often cheaper to choose fresh fruits and vegetables over packaged products.

How much waste?

With the idea in hand, students began monitoring the amount of waste generated at Avon Public School, specifically juice boxes, jammer packages, and drink containers. The Veggie Monsters were amazed at the results and decided to challenge their school to reduce juice box and drink container waste by 50%. To help achieve their goal, the team is recommending everyone bring “veggies and fruit, instead of jammers or juice,” and that students and staff use re-usable drink containers for water or milk.

The Veggie Monsters are promoting healthy eating while helping to reduce their environmental impact – a true success story!

For almost five years, Grade 2/3 teacher, Sharon Vanveen, had been thinking of ways to encourage kids to be more active outside of the school day. She recognized that most students are really active during school hours, but many don’t get enough exercise at home. After meeting with other teachers, a parent council representative, Perth District Health Unit staff, and a group of Grade 7 and 8 students, the school decided to form a Healthy School Committee.

Reaching for F.A.M.E.

The committee, known as the Elmighties, has been meeting regularly this year to plan the Fun Active Motivated Elma (F.A.M.E.) program. F.A.M.E. encourages all students and staff to increase their activity levels by getting at least 15 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity after school hours, every day of the week. The current Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend children and youth achieve at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity, while adults require a minimum of 150 minutes each week. The program was officially launched in January and will run until the end of May. Although the initial concept came from an Elma staff member, students have been involved in making important decisions about the program since the team formed in early October. Student members created the program name, designed the activity tracker*, promoted the campaign, and continue to measure monthly participation. In both January and February, over 175 Elma students and staff participated by achieving 15 minutes of daily activity. The Elmighties continue to encourage everyone to participate in F.A.M.E., so that all students and staff experience the positive health benefits of being more physically active. The committee has set a goal of having 50% of the entire school population participate before the end of May.

Get movin’ Elma!