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Wha: this past year has taught publk elementary scth students is that life isn’t always easy. There can be conflict and you need to work it out. there Wt‘ft' no bonds formed through spams. skills honed thmugh clubs. Christmas concerts or even class trips; ' And that is emctty what is happening at Harry BOWPS Pubik: School. . Parents were nmified a few months ago teachers myttld not participate in this year's graduation ceremony, according m Tamara Carbon. whose sun. Austin Mailiâ€" unas, is in Grade 8. Past-ms took it upon themselves to makr arrange- ments for the use of Smuffvifle District School. as well as prim tho tickets. prim and send out the invita- tions and buy the decorations. according to Ms Carlson. Pamnts lehmed if you want to priwide students with a memorahie CKPCfiCfK‘E, do it yourscif. Harry Bumska School (above) pamntswillholdgraduation at Stouffvilk District Secondachth (Smduatfiinn has always been a volunteer event for leachefi. according to the school boani. Labour hangover has parents running Gr. 8 graduation, trip A few weeks ago. teachers started coming to Principal Rob Dixon. notifying him they wuuld like to participate in the hme 25 my. . "Thosearepersonaldec‘nsiotulcfidn'taskforratio- naielemkedMnMmemcdown.“m said.nodngcightt010tadmwfimkepnn. "I'm pleased a handful of teachers have come. to their senses. as far as I'm concerned.” Ms Carlson “Tth is about the chfldxpn. not contract negotiations. Mum-day Grade 8 class trips have mar taken place at the school since it opened five years ago. according to Mr. Dixon. Hnwr'wr. thew haw trmlilkmafly been day-long ventures to Toronto Island or a lays' game. Ms (arbor). who is a membet ofthe parent commit- tectha! planncddteyaduatkmammnsaidshcwamcd her-«on to attend the tnp became. like [us dassmaus. he Parents also took it upon themselves to pmvidc the impending graduates whh a claws trip to Mushka meh for three days ' “Until menfly, we didn't mink there would be awards.” BY SANDRA BOW sbnlanéi'wmgnim worked hard and accqmplishmenm should be celebrated. “I want you to graduate with class. not just as a Bass." Ms Carlson said ofwhat she told her son. About 50 of the 63 Grade 8 students went on last week’s trip. accotding to Mr. Dixon. Because there was no teacher participation. therefore. no principal or school board appmval. students could not be picked up or dropped 06' on school property. I! was done at the Anna. ‘ During the three days of school the students missed. classes Were still held but there were no tests or assign- ments handed out. according to Mr. Dixon. "We were going to be respectful ofwhat the larger pa:- em group wanted to do." he said. ~- Public elementary school teachers marhvd a deal back in March and the ETFO suspended its advice to members regarding they not participate in school extra- curricular “I'm not going to say we're completely hack to nor- mal.” Mr. Dixon said. , “I hope (things will go back to normal in Septunber). It's so removed from my control. It’s a big picture thing With boards and unions." he It was a tough school year for elementary students across the province who experienced one-day strikes. a boycott of extracurricular and bare-bones fall report cards in response to the provincial guvemment's thruttohnposeacontrarnttmtndudedatwo-yearwage freeze and reduction in sick days. Sam Hammond. president of the BernmtaryTeaChers' Federationofmtariosaidsometeadm havetoldthe union they’ll never go back to "because of how we were treated by the government. And some have been frustrated and angered that the vast majority of parents don't seem to recognize that these are things they do in their free time". Whardfeefingsmeandtatsomegaduationcete- moniesanddancesactossthe pmvinoe-irtdtnding Harry M’-haveheenafiected.withteachersnottakingpm or by being scheduled during school hours so that teach- ers will attend. mummme STA." PHOTOINM MASON needs town ‘ approval to move to new location \hnhmw'x rmg « um * The number nf n's‘idenlsyvilh nn rehginus affiliation has increased by almosl 5 per cent between 2001 and 20] 1. according to Statistics Canada. However. the number of peo- ple attending the Stouflville Pentecostal (Zhurch is gummy, so much they need to move. “When we do it with a sense of joy and we do it well. it seems to be resonating with people and they seem to mmv." said the churrh's pastor. )efl laird. » The church has applied to the town to have four acres of land in the Beacon Hill BllSint‘$$ Park rumm-d In allow a church. ‘ The property is cummly zoned as employment land. which allows for such things as nfficm. manufacturing. wurv homing, a hotel. convention/banth facility and commer- cial school. but no churches. the land use program for this area was designed to concentrate upon more intensive empkrymem generating business park uses, in recognition pf the town‘s limited 5le- ply of serviced employment areas." a June l8 council report states. A public meeting was held Tuesday night. Only a rvprv~ scmative from Gottardo Group spoke out against the appli cation. according to Mr. Laird. PROPER" ZONE!) AS “HMO” [AMOS No decision “as made. A ru‘ommcndalinn to flunk“. by staff. will be pmvided at a later date. The Slouffville Pentecostal ( Ihun'h was slam-d by pawn Stan (Eran! in Alluna. just east of Smufivillc. in l968‘ In 1973. the church pumhased 2.5 acres oflamd at 6853 Mam where the current building stands. In 1984. the chun‘h was unnamed. doubling the size of in. samiuary and classnmms. The new church will he paid for through proceeds from thv sale of 12 was of agricultural [and the chun'h owm-d on lvnlh Linc nonh of the Stouffvillc ( bunny Marin and the sale of its current pmpcny. along with hmdralsing. au-ording to Mr. [and The decision was made to not move onto the 12 acres of land n once owned became of its location 'lbday. them are about 150 parishioners attending Sunday service. It can hold a bit mom than 200 people but “it's starting to gm 3 little bit tight”. Mr. [and said. The facility is also multilevel. which is problematic for parishioners who have issues with walking and mamx‘uwing the stairs. “it's a little bit dysfunctional.“ he said The proposed church would primarily be on one floor. The site Stoufl’ville Panteumtal Church wants to mow into is currently vacant and on the northeast comer of I lmmr Park and Sandifnrd drivos. Immediately to its north is the indoor soccer facility under construction and across the road is (bun Pearson Public School. 1he site was chosen not only for its size but for its location. which is in the. ham ofthc town's firming Imidcmial area. It is also close to schools. which wouid be beneficial for afiet utluml programs. according to Mr. Land. The cost of the new facility is unknown as “w drawings pm _to the town repugsem prE-Iimmary mnu'pts. If the m-mning abdication is apprriwd. thén site plans will he submitted to the town for approval. If all gut-s tho way Mr. Laird is hoping construction would start in the spring and they would mow in |atcr next year. Growing church BY SANDRA BOLAN