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i iii 111 1 i n ii i j i m jj tm mr r j t is n 3fe economist surjiribunetiiouffvillesuri- 2002 the year ahead wednesday dec 262001 lsai bill crothers funding restric tions put a big cloud over public school board chairperson says from page 1 liableyoud be but jwe dont approbate it he said v a jtfiej elementary teachers- htcontracfwith the public school board expires in august j3unng contract negotiations clegg said the union wiuonce again bring to the boards attention thedis- parity of working conditions among dementary and second- ary school teachers it has the potential to be resolved during contract negoti ations he said adding the union represents approximately 3300 teachers if it does well have to wait and see v like clegg york region district school board chairper- son bill crothers and his catholic counterpart elizabeth crowe are concerned what impact a planned 5percent cut in educa tion will have on boards were looking at restrictions oh funding and not knowing ivriat impact that will likely have on us said crothers who overit sees a 6237 million opeiaifing budget until we know we have a big cloud hanging over all of t5 id love to know so wecan begut planning for next year said crothers adding board ini natives slated jo start next year- may be cut or postponed iff meres no funding inadequate funding by the province raises grave concerns about the number of programs boards will continue to offer crowesaid its hard to say what were going to have to do even if we dont get an increase balancing the budget will be difficult with out making significant cuts in the system she said explaining one of the hardest hit areas when it comes to spending cuts is special education jcjv- a jt jt ltwete losing funding for spe- dal education and theres not enough now special education is growing faster here than in any omerareainthegta r j si i v v even ifwedontgetj an increase balancing the budget will be v difficult without making significant cuts r the system combined the separate and public school boards plan to open more than six elementary and high schools throughout the region like the catholic board crothers said the public board will also have to meet growth challenges effectively the amount of growth were experiencing lequirestremen- dous human resources as well he said r a major challenge for all of us1 diink the disproportion- atenumbenpf aamnistratprs coming up to nirement m the next fewyearsti ij v perhaps a more presgrnav- tef to the separate board in comj ihg years may be looking at ways to keep small schools open the board agreed to put a threeyear moratorium on small school closures crbwesaid however the moratorium expires hear the end of the month im not saying thats what were going to do but its no longer something we cant con sider said crowe whose boards smallest schools have fewer than 200 students the good news is that were still being driven by average class elizabeth crowe balancing the catholic school board budget could hurt special education f- l 1 i pa iwsgji this message brought to you as a community service ofthe economist suntribune with osteoporosis a fractured hip could be a life sentence jat 5 vmv e osteoporosis society ofcariada call 18004636842 for more information- i this message brought 1 to you as a community service of s the economlsttnbunei tky ft safe in the kftthtft this message brousht to you as a community servkotlm eccnombtt suntribune lfe j hugseiiection i- suh6av fa gnments tioht m i iv- 30 1 stavpt ijtfrr cies l 4 vfc3 lftrennigk 6 mf ti u rv v 1