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of the Waterloo County Board of Education since As most Waterloo resi- dents areaware, this has been a year of severe fi- nancial cut-backs by the Waterloo Board of Educa- tion. Mrs. Thomas feels the board's action was an "either or" situation. The board w_as forced to cut-back on programs or increase taxes. "You can't have reduced taxes and retain services at the same time," she said. Those cut programs and services included the phas- ing-out of a pilot French program in the junior levels at four city schools, the Thomas favors French program continuation By Lindsey Brown ”I have led the board thread: the most ,diftieuit financial year yet," said Doreen 'Nomas,.chairman B of 1ikrcandisUte The K-W Philharmonic Choir and the Kitchener Bach Choir, under the di- rection of Howard Dyck, will present George Fred- erick Handel's Messiah, Saturday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, " Queen St. N. Choir gives concert discontinuation of bus trans- portation for students in the Erbsville area, a reduc- tion in the number of schools available for community use and a 22 per cent adminis- trative staff cut. Assisted by the K-W Sym- phony Orchestra. soloists for the evening will be Lynda Vaughn. soprano; Lillian Killianski, contralto; Paul Frey, tenor; and Theodore Baerg, bass. Mrs. Thomas said she was responsible for initiating the pilot French program. “I am upset the program is being phased-out," she said. "But I am prepared to go after alternative fund- ing, probably from the fed- eral government." She believes French in-i struction is more effective at the' primary level than trying to teach the lan- guage to 5tFyear-old civil servants. The major priority of the board has been to hire good teachers regardless of their salary level. "Our major concem is getting the best possible Kitchener. teachers we can," Mrs. Thomas said. Another priority has been to keep the lines of com- munication open between teachers and the board. Teacher militancy has been a problem on other school boards, particular- ily larger boards, accord- ingtoMrs.'Nomas. Three years ago, she initi- ated a program where trus- tees visited schools once a month. This kept the board informed of what was going on in the school system and helped to keep eommunlca- tion open between thehoard and its teachers. . Initiating programs that aid in the smooth opera- tion of schools has been one of her accomplishments. She initiated a review of the administrative struc- ture. This brought about a "family of schools concept,; Ticket prices are adults $4.50; _and students and senior citizens, $3. They are available at Sam the Record Man, Provident Bookstore, George Kad- weil's and the WLU Book- store, as well as from choir members. or a decentralization pro- Now, seven superinten- dents of schools are respon- sible for a "famity of schools" including one Bee- ondary when! and its feed- er schools. . The result has been great- er accountability of staff. greater coordination of programs and greater op- portunity for the commun- ity to be involved in deci- sion-making, she said. Mrs. Thomas also intro- duced a liaison program with the University of Wa- terioo, where university peo- ple meet with school staff to co-ordinate programs and curriculum between the high school and university. She believes there has been a harness in the teach- intpot basic skills but sees the problem improving in this Region. More concentration on english and mathematics is her hope for the future. "I am delighted that the minister of education has made core subjects man- datory once again," she said. This Region was one DOREEN THOMAS Re-Elect BOARD OF EDUCATION WATERLOO COUNTY O 6 years on Waterloo County Board of Education (1971-1976) O 2 years chairman of Waterloo County Board of Education (1975, 1976) 0 1 year vice chairman (1974) O 1 year president of the Association of Large School Boards of Ontario (1976) . 6 years a member of Board of Directors of the Kitchener-Waterloo YWCA (1971-1976) O Member of First United Church, Waterloo Mother of 2 sons for further information. call 578-0018 Waterloo Chronicio, WW, Docemh-r 1, 1978 . Pay. 11 of the last to implement credit course: because life long watchdogs of the con. "Waterloo county has one of the Cutest special educa- tion programs in the, prov- ince," said Mrs. Thomas. "People are even moving to the Region in order for their children to benefit from our special education program." the board that the new sys- tem would only create prob- lems. . The Waterloo board also boasts provincial recogni- Mrs. Thomas is president of the newly-formed Large School Bouts of Ontario Association. . A group of school boards formed this association to promote recognition of "Some of these gifted children will become our country's leaders and they should be given special recognition by the system," she said. However, she believes that gifted children, those with superior ability, have beenover-looked. larger boards, because they wanted recognition grant- wise, by the government. "It also promotes closer liaison with the Teacher's Federation at the provin- cial level," she said. THE TREASURE TROVE OPEN MON. - SAT. 10:00 - 5:30 KAREN D'ACHE for children Swiss ' " Union St. E. Waterieto 145-5113 coloring supplies