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12-The Carîadîarî rbampor 1ýida Saplambar 924 5(5254 Catholiec board urges pubhîc to speak out agaïnst funding cuts to special education, transportation 'By HOWARD MOZEL Special to The Champion Gravely concemed about the "drasiic impact" that recent provincial special education and iransportation funding announcements wîll have on ils students, the Halton Catholie District School Board iv encouraging the public to join is voîce lobhying the government to reconsîder. "We believe that the public needs to be aware qof these fundîng issues," explained board Chair r AI Bailey. "We strongly encourage the public to r~write and speak to their local members of provincial parliament and the minuster of educa- lion." On the heels of a September 7 board meeting darîng which trustees urged administration o let Queen's Park know their feelings in no uncertain teri., the board fired off two strongly-worded letters to Education Minister Gerard Kennedy. The firsi. dated September 13, cîcaît with the racent claw btck oft spacial ailucatiitn funiding and said in pan: "Acting responsibly and plan- ning lor the future bas resnlted in ihe (board) los- ing is cv cess of $65l.1111." flic second latter. datcîl ast F'riday. ontltned the betrdv raspo tsa to the miiii 51 'v Trantsportationt l-iitdtiiî ModaI prîîpîsed for flic 21005-016 schînil ya,iî wih thtie lsîi:td says, ilees net appear te aleqttately capture le 9)05 sclsînl boards are tactitg Specil e to Haliet, itsi xvul etiittcati atn allieca tien et $3,889,822 ictlt. baved on the 20113-04 allocaion. voutld tesitt tt a $769),104 eto 16.51 per cent -teductiets tt transpor'tationt gratnt tev- Botb letiars make iî clear îbhtî the two luîsdiîsg changes will hava a detrimental impact on the board's budget net only for the 200)4/2005 schooi year. but aise for future years. The claw back is a resait of new ruiles for spa- ciai educaîton funding, money tilet had been allocaîed in the board's special aducatton reserve fund for the support and development ot effec- tive prograîns and services for special needs st dents. Losing the $650.000 for 2004-05 witl impact the most vuluerabia students, namely those ideniifiad with speciai needs, say board officiais. Bad timing The announcement couldu't coma at a worse lime, when the board is potsed te expand its services -net cul t6cm back by as much as a third. "Our board has consisîenily acled tu a very fis- caiiy responsible manner and bas contiuualiy met ail of the crîterta eslablîshed by t6e Minisiry of Edacation." said Director uot Educalton Lou Piovesan. "Planning for 1he future by estabiishing a resarva lund bas rasulîed ni a very sîgnîlîcaît funding loss specifically destgtsated for pro- gramtng atnd services f'or eut spectal seeds sîiu dets. Wa ls.nd pianaed te fi tier expaîsd seve- as fo uti stic sindents. but these plans, n ill isase te 6e drasttc:iilv nurt.iled il itese i iinds, ire lit î-esiîed." Tbis ceid iîscliide t6e plaîsîed i tatssitiot Censtre --- \iici sulsert seîdeîst Jilin t-auteu expli.îisd \N as te 6e paii lot- by rase! ses cstab- lisiedî by Isle Board - pins t6e develoispueutf' new and mssore effectixe services te support spa- ci needs studanis. Mr. Fauteux evplinad filai bis board hatd 1324 Intensive Support Amount (ISAi dlaims "We believe that the public needs to be aware of these funding issues. We strongly encourage the public te write and speak toi their local miembers of provincial parliament and the miinister of education." appreved in Novembar 2003 that were in fuli compliance wîîlî minisiry criteria. Taken legeth- er wiîh other Ontarioi boards, Fauteux maînlaîns ibsît the numbar cf special needs students simply evceeded the total tisa province had ned tut fnnd se il ciawad back tise mnîîîav "irrespective et what the boards, budgeted for." Sayîng ha was 1101 beîng flippant abolit the sit- uitttiit5, Mr. f'suiteix espiained that suze et shoîrt- f2111 catit ha recoupait by askîng staf lii ciii bsck on1 paper Clips. Lîke Mr. Piovesan. Mr. Faiteu iaisantaiss tisît Ilte hoard îc ted resîuîîsîbiy tsy aiiferitsg lisai pîîsceîlîîes and2 esen creatitîg t-es;ei-es te plas ,ilsead il ly Io havîe Isle nides chsantge alla 16teh scliiiil ye.ur starteif. An atttiiincemest împacîîîsg the 21015 (06 yeaî îîouid hava ai leasi provîded scuse breathîng room te plan, ha satd. As il neis stands, parentis ishe hava beau as patient as they eau ha waitîng for supports may simpiy have te wait longer for services Mr. Fauteux considers a right, net a frill. "Hois do you say sonry?' ha asks. "How do you select beliseen îwo etildren?" M. Fauleux remaîns optimistie. hewever and saîd ha huipes the board's anatr tus Mr. Kennedy wîli prompt 16e mînîster te arrange te sit down wiîh 16e board se that ils services -and mn tum ils students -don't suifer. "Fo'm pretly confident we will sc the great work pianned for here," ha added. Sizable reduction As f ar as the new transportation modal is cou- cemed. 32 sehool boards, încluding boîh in Halton, wouid endure a sizable reduction in funding. ishile soe isihar scitool boards would actuaiiy se a substantiai increase. "Thare .ippears lis ha somethîîîg s'ary wrong wiîh fibis nais lîîndîng nodai, whieh pros ides more îsoîsay lis a tais urban sehosi bosards iha tsay nîsi requtre iiltzatets of ail oiltheir il dis- piseaitis allicaitioss. ss sule decrteasing i iisis lIo ,ireas Ai here pubilui tansit is roit i,. e a'i5icces- sible, vaut Mr. Bîtlle\, "Il xiii tiluitiblubeîly hsavîe sesere lelselcussietis lii i oîî uit ilrds stiii.etts aînd thisar pîîaisîs. il ilipieissattted. WCue î questioiititg Isle> laitles ant equiitailt oii tiis tais, modal." Hatltii's sciisî beardfs hsave bees iperating ai itstegrated tratssperittiil systein li- aittsi il0 years -a systaîru tisa Ninistry ofi Educatton lbas commended as eue ioi t6e Isost efficient ii Ontario. RED CARPET SERVICE AT EVERY STEP PAYMWA PST w»pw alueM edbw IlCm(N Ml4 i .Wff attis WIfsa t23 Mountainview Rd. S. (Mouintainview/Guelph Street) N541-SS Now that summer is over, you deserve some free time. Get one week free. 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