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.f,1 PAGE 4, WHITBY FREE PREss, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1990 Parent suggestions rejeguk-ccted, board cêontingency plan alpproved DIET iwith MEDICAL SUIPERVISION DR. S.- K. BERNSTEIN OMFFCS IN WHITBY, OSHAWA, TORONTO, SCARBOROUGH- NORTH- YORK, MISSISSAUGA, BRZAMALEA$, BRAMP'IN, 'IHORNILL, RICHMOND H]LI, S1OUFFVILLE I I PHONE 666-5939 80 Thickson Rd. S. ByRobert Gerlabeck Parents concerned about over- crowding at. St. <Tohn the Evangelist separato school got only part of what they were looking for at a school board meeting on Monday night. The board decided te go ahead with its plan te move hih sehoo studonts to the St. Jh site should the new high achool not open on time because of potential construction delays.. But the board decided that students will remain at St. There school, thus rejecting another option mi the event of accommodation pro- blems in the next school year. To reduce what was described as overcrowcing at St. John, on Giffard St., parents had put forth another contingency plIan te house students if t he new FrenchlEnglish high school, Father Le J. Austin, is not ready for September.' The plan called for grade 9 English Leo J. Austin students te be sent to Marguerite d'Youville on Michael Blvd. That school is currently home te francophone students of Ecole Secondaire CJharles Garnier, students also waiting for Austin te be comple- ted. But the board proposed that grado 9 English Austin students &-son t the St. John school site if possible trade strikes delay the completion date for the new high school. Enghish Austin situdents are currently be'n acmmodated in an industr mal i south Whitby Thebýoard also wanted to move 85 students fréom St. T'heresa to St. John. But parents pointod out at lest weok's meeting that the board's plan would ovorcrowd St. John bause the school would have almost 1,000 students from four different schoo]s: St. John, Mar- guerite d'Youville, grado 9 Aus- tin students and 85 St. Theresa students. St. John has a mninistry-rated capacity for 518 students. OCur- rently, with 16 portables, the school bas 814 students. Parents argued at the last meeting that the Michael Blvd. site was underused by the 180 French high school students now there. A parent presentation had shown that the Michael Blvd. school was operating at a 42 per cent utilization rate while St. John would see a 179 per cent utilization rate under the board's plan. On Monday the board met some of the parents' concerns by allowing St. Theresa students te remain where they are. But the board also decided te stay with its original plan te move Austin studenits te S t. John despite warnings of overcrowd- mgt The Ester Ci sHav aée A visitt our garden centre is fun for everyone. Once- agan aur icubator has hatched our EASTER CHICKS. The kids MiII ealy enjoy getting a close Up look at these cuddly chicks running anrnd in thoir new home. You cen also visit our beavers, black swans, white swans, deer, donkeys, goats, sheep, parTaIs, just lo a me a few. 0f course they're aiwas IoMing fo« a fro food handout. 30 bnng the kids and Aunt Maiy. u and corne sSo usI You roaly wilI have fun, and you'Il enjoy aur many landscapimg and gardon centre bargains 100. HOLIDAY 9arn-5pm Good Friday 8a-6pmEaternda WEEKENb 8am-Gpm Sate urday Hear the sound of rushing water from our NEW 10 FOOT WATERFALL. You can walki underneath the waterfall and peer into the pool conta ining goldfish and tropical waterlilles native to Jamaica..1 KIDS m VISIT THE EASTER B3UNNY On Easter Sunday between 1lpm and 4 pm you may catch a glimpse of a giant Easter Bunny visiting our garden centre to see you -and your friends. He may even have a treat for you hidden in his basket. tÀ~ JOHN BROU WER GARDEN AND LANDSCAPING CENTRE 650 Lakeridge Road South. Ajax, Ontario LiS 4S7 TELEPHONE: 686-1545 or 686-1680 Many parents came out of the meeting angry that thepy had not been allowe-d te make their case.' "We requestèd a public meet- ing,» said Patricia SCh»i. «They (the board) led us te believe that it wasg* oin be discused." Schil said parents were get- ting worried about the situation. «Many parents have threa- tened te, put their kids in a publie school because of this,» she said. Parent representative Tim Sheehy said parents 'were wor- ried about crowdinga t St. John. "These people don't want their kidâ moving.te an overpopulated, unstable school situation,»- he said. Sheehy added that the parents Of the francophone Michael Blvd. school, Ecole Secondaire Charles Garnier, had indicated they are willing te hav a meeting -with St. John parents te ýdiscuss the situation. Ajax trustee Sally Longo saîd she didn't. think the Michael Blvd. school, because of its limi- ted size, was built te house both French and English school stu- dents at the same time. But Sheehy said this was in- consiistent, because Austin high sehool when completed will accommodate francophone and anglophone students. <'We still think that with a littie creative timetabling the 'Michael Blvd. school couldhold more. students,» said Sheehy. - ilîw Borders ... Borders.... f rom 1 3acr c a