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12 - The Canadien Champion,' Tuesday, Auguat 24, 1999 Arms-length panel hears Halton education concerns By TIM WHITNELL Special ta The Champion Tbe Halton District Scbool Board bas gone 'naked', exposing its actions and concemns in education over the last few years. Now it's waiting to see if thse Education Improvement Commission (EIC) likes wbat it sees. Recent turinoil and massive cbange in education bas brougbt in the EIC, an arms-length iagency of tbe Ontario govemment, to investigate Uhe statuE of tbe province's 73 scbool boards. Five ETC members, including two commrissioners, were part of Use reconnaissance team Usat visited thse Halton public board last week to gather feedback on bow trustees and board employees bave adapted to changes imposed by tbe govemment. What tbey heard from board director Dusty Papke is tbat bis people feel Usey bave done a good job, under Use circumstances, of educating students but communication - botb intemnally and witb tbe public - and employee morale needs significant improyement. "Tremendous changes bave resulted in employees experiencing a period of moumning, a sense of bass, a belief tbat a negative per- ception exists about public education, a belief tbat employees' work is not valued and they are used as scapegoats to drive a political agenda," bie told Use EIC. Mr. Papke said Mission 2000+, a professional development day put aside in October, wîll tiy to address Use issue of self-esteemn by bringing ail Haiton board employees together to develop a mis- sion statement and beliefs. Among bis many observations was a conclusion Usat a number of professional activity days taken away by tbe government sbould be reinstated. After Use two-hour public portion of Use meeting, Halton HiEls trustee and public scbool board chair EUsel Gardiner said sbe liked Mr. Papke's overview of tbe board's achievements and current difficulties. 'This is what we bave done and what do you thînk?," is bow Ms Gardiner termed Mr. Papke's address to Use ETC. 'We should neyer be offended wben Usey (ETC) tell us how we can improve. It' s aIl for the benefit of the students," said Ms Gardiner. The board chair said pressing issues like lack 6f new schools in growing communities and a $6 million cut for special education were stressed, once again. "Ibhope tbey will take from this presentation, and I'm sure tbey've beard this from otber boards, to adjust tbe funding model to make it fairer. If aIl schools bad no excess scbool spaces, it would be a fairer model." However, as Mr. Papke noted in bis speecb to ETC co-cbair Ann Vanstonç and fellow commissioneç Betty Moseley-Williams, Halton board administrators are bamstrung by 1,600 excess Duety Papke pupil spaces in tbe elementary sector and another 4,000 in bigb 111 I91 iaiill;$191@111fi 1101 1111,111 build new schools. __________________________ mi- Special education funding, for students witb unique needs, also y u L I OU Halton motber with adeaf daugbter. took advantage of the Factoai £> Ouro ,_,_21- EIC's visit to approach Ms Vanstone outside tbe meeting and give aEEU you hEEE73 E * er a letter for the new Minister of Education, Janet Ecker. Tbe parent told a sympathetic Ms Vanstone sbe fears bottom- line management style, where cheaper is better, may resuit in spe- cial education students being taught in centralized locations, sepa- rating themn from tbeir siblings who are mainstreami students. The ETC bais visited about two-tbirds of the 73 school boards in Ontario. A final report for Halton, detailing the EIC's recommen- dations and observations, is expected by late September. POTRE CARE CMOTSLEEP 1148 ~178 .W Se $269Set $319 DOUBLE 179 SUT 319 DOBLE 219 SET 389 âI QUEEN 229 SET 409 QEEN 279 SET 479 KIG 469 SET 779 PORTI-SUPPICORTC W 369Set $429 DOBLE 269 SET 439 DOUBLE- 299 SET 499 QUEN 329 SET 499 QUEEN 389 SET 549 j KING 509 SET 799 ING _139SET 869J Dhp cf Onhisoe s«.Su i 04p. 10Fl &4a,~ 4p.8q1PM $5rof39m cull.TaieNnslmp o mt Kelso Beac o59 SE 619n un a