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Preser ving system is a Catholic sehool board priority for 1998 By CAROL BALDWIN Special toThe C-hampion The changing of the guard at the Halton Catholjc District School Board - officially the new name for the former separate school board - was accompanied by al the pomp and ceremony required for such an occasion. The ceremony Tuesday night began with the procession of the new Catholic trustees into the board room, accompanied by the 'Trumpet Voluntary' played by two Notre Dame Secondary Sehool students. The eight trustees -- three Oakville, three Burlington, one Milton (Joe Deoni) and one Halton His - were swom in hy Judge Richard LeDressay. The former Halton Roman Catholie Sehool Board consisted of 18 trustees. One chair remains empty, awaiting the appointment of a secondary sehool student in Grade 12 or OAC to a non-voting posi- tion on the board. Bishop Ustrzycki spoke to the new board about the importance of maintaining the Catholic faith in Catholic sehools for which "our forefathers sacriflced." He poe- dicted it would be a difficuit task in the face of a secular society that dlaims not to need God. "God forbid that our young people be tainted with that attitude," he said. "Dont ever think that you are not up to this chal- lenge. You are." After Sweeney legally constituted the boarû, elections for chair and vice-chair were held. Burlington tnistee Jim Sherlock, chair of "the brand new Halton Catholic District Joe Ueoni Sehool Board," told his colleagues that he would need their help and support as well as the support of "every single participant, partner, and supporter of Catholie educa- tion in Halton County. "During the past year we have witnessed in the sehool systems of Ontario an unprecedented level of disruption and con- frontation," he explained. "I sincerely believe that the top pniority of this board should be to establish and maintain a calm and stable leaming environruent where our students can receive the total Catholie edu- cational experience which they deserve and for which their parents have entrusted thern to our care." To accomplish that the newly-elected chair suggested a top priority for the new board would be the "critical school accom- modation problems" and "urgent need for new pupil places throughout the county." Oakville Trustee Ed Viana, who was elected vice-chair, said he was "looking 1 ýi The Canadian Champion, Fniday, January 9, 1998- 5 Wâ Uyou sewhat you veuncovered. [lhe ncxt threc e ya;s. I dedicatc omysell' to working in co-operation with the new chair." The two tsew faces around the board table - Father Charlie Jordan fromn Oakville and AI Bailey from Burlington -- were eager to parttdipate in the cere- montes. The tormer nominated Sherlock for chair, while the latter seconded that nomination. After the meeting, Jordan suggested that he had already read the book 'A Report on the Role of Sehool Boards and Trustees' sent to him by the Ontario Ministry ot Education and Training. Quoting a para- graph from that book he said one of the board's primary responsibilities would be to establish sehool board policy and moni- tor its implementation. "There is very much an emphasis on a lesa managerial role and more of a philo- sophical one," he added, predicting that the Catholic board would deem Catholicism as a priority. "I think as a Catholie school board it is going to be important in the future to be courageous to pursue why we are different and have the conviction of our Catholie faith," he said. "We are in a soci- ety that can be very indifferent to our Catholic faith, and we have to be careful that we dont take it for granted." Part of preserving Catholicism in the school system, he said, will be to monitor the implementation ofRBill 160. His counterpart in Burlington, AI Bailey, suggested that bis new job as trustee would entai] policy setting and maintaining the Catholic system, including the buildings. Corne in to Buns Master and get a Scratch To Win card with every purchase. You could uncover great savings on bagels, kaisers or breasi. Or win a free dozen fresh-bakecl dinner roils. Theres something for everyone, so get your card while quantities Iast. - Limit one card per customer per vsit. - Buns ,Wster 761 Main Street East Milton, Ontario 878-1230 s, S