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wnecas 2t *4 Trustee candidates discuss the issues â€" - Dona'd Baker â€" | Classes smaller in grades one to three Mr. Baker, 41, served as a trustee on the local board in 1973â€"74. During this period he was active in promoting smaller classes in grades one to three; the implemenâ€" tation of French instruction in grade one as opposed to grade six; more Canadian content in curriculum:; the reduction in the size of cenâ€" tral administration: more content about the working world after graduation and saving the already threaâ€" tened Alexandra School. Mr. Baker would like to continue with his unfinished business. He would like to see that classes are in fact smaller in grades one to three and in other grades or Jim Beechey sees a number of issues in this election. He sees declining enrolment and the loss of teaching jobs as a major concern. On top of this is the problem of taxes. ‘"First and foremost the board has got to hold the line with taxes,"" he said. ‘*Soâ€" mething will be achieved beâ€" cause of the fact there will be a slightly reduced teachâ€" ing staff I think that‘s ineviâ€" table." Mr. Beechey said that one of the things that has been thrown up for consideration David Granskou â€" Mr. Granskou is conâ€" cerned about how the board of education is hanâ€" dling the question of inflaâ€" tion and how the board is viewing the fact that Kitâ€" chenerâ€"Waterloo is one of the fastest growing comâ€" munities in Canada\ is the reduction of class sizes in order to protect If we react too much to inflation we will undercut the population dynamics working in the city," said Mr. Granskou. ‘*To my mind this is a serious quesâ€" tion." The chairman of the School of Religion and Culâ€" ture at WLU, said that Wilfrid Horst, 49. 658 Highpoint Avenue, ran for school board trustee in the ‘76 municipal elections and promised his supporters he would do the same in 78. One of his major conâ€" cerns this time around is that young people are not being taught the necessary basic skills to fit into an inâ€" dustrial situation. ‘‘We need more apprenâ€" ticeship programs resembâ€" ling those in the European system,"" said Mr. Horst ‘‘Basic education should be pushed from grade one through to grade nine. A child has to have enough Wilfrid Horst subjects where low pupilâ€" teacher ratios are most deâ€" sirable. He would like to see the French programs upâ€" graded and extended both in terms of the number of schools and number of grades. Students who begin to study French should be allowed to continue. During a time when deâ€" clining enrolment is taking its toll and teachers are not being hired, the candidate weuld like to see a constant upâ€"grading of curriculum and teaching methods ‘"in a time when little fresh blood is entering the system." As the mandate for educaâ€" tion in Ontario states, all children should be given ‘‘But in anything I‘ve looked at. it appears the preâ€" sent level of one teacher to 30 students is providing a good level of education,"" he said. Mr. Beechey said that everything possible has to be done to give teachers within the system the jobs that open up. He said that beyond this, the board‘s only obligation is to give teachers a good severance pay package. teachers‘ jobs. The candidate believes that new schools will be required as Kitchenerâ€"Waâ€" terloo‘s population expands. while the country is sufferâ€" ing a declining birth rate nationally, Kitchenerâ€"Waâ€" terloo has a population growth rate of six percent and children are coming into the community. ‘*‘There is an inflationary squeeze one way and in anâ€" other way we are an exâ€" panding dynamic comâ€" munity,""‘ said Mr. Gransâ€" kou. "I am afraid we will over react to the inflation and under react to the dynâ€" amics of the exploding poâ€" pulation. As a result, we may not look at the comâ€" munity responsibility the reading, writing and arithâ€" matic to be able to learn a trade." Mr. Horst would like to see the government workâ€" ing more closely with the school system in setting up apprenticeships. ‘‘The government can afford to assist in this area instead of throwing out money on two or three month programs While Mr. Horst believes the present board is doing a good job, he would like to see elementary education improved so students have a better base for their high school education and peoâ€" equal opportunity, thereâ€" fore, Mr. Baker is in full support of implementing a program for gifted children. The former trustee would like to see the creation of an alernative program for stuâ€" dents who otherwise drop out or are shunted, with no speeial desire or aptitude into technical programs where he believes they are often disruptive. He beâ€" llieves that the A.R.M.S. proâ€" gram presently underway is the beginning of such a proâ€" gram but he would like to see the practice more genâ€" eral, enlarged and imâ€" proved. _ **The need exists, the need must be met. Serious stuâ€" Where these facilities are to be located are of great conâ€" cern and must be given a lot of thought. ‘"As long as there are enâ€" ough students to support a school, two or three empty classrooms aren‘t a probâ€" lem. Just shut the door, turn the lights out or use it for another activity."" he said. The candidate is not in favor of making a financial commitment to turn it into something useful for the community. He sees this as Mr. Beechey is of the beâ€" lief that people are overâ€" reacting to a few empty classrooms. school board has to proâ€" vide a service both in old residential areas, which are now popping back beâ€" cause of the demand for housing, and in new subâ€" divisions being built."‘ ‘"Declining enrolment does not mean a reduction in costs because it is so gradual and inflation drives the costs up. If teachers want smaller classes I say it‘s selfish moderation to keep their jobs. In this profession there is no room for selâ€" fishness. It is supposed to be all dedication." Mr. Granskou believes it isâ€" serious when schools are not being built in new subâ€" divisions, The candidate sees the need for building schools in new areas and keeping the old ones open‘‘ in such a way as we don‘t undersell the momentum of the comâ€" munity."‘ ple won‘t fall behind or drop out â€" Mr. Horst commented on the fact that teachers are pushing for smaller classes and are using deâ€" clining enrolment as an exâ€" cuse. School system needs more apprenticeship programs Mr. Granskou believes Board has got to hold the line with taxes Waterioo Chronicie, Wednesday, November 8, 1978 â€" Page 3 a costly undertaking. ‘*Where a whole school is shutdown that‘s different." said Mr. Beechey. ‘"The school board will then have to work with the city and other community groups td find a use for it." â€"â€" Mr. Beechey said that with this pressure on educaâ€" tion to keep the costs down, he feels strongly that existâ€" ing programs should be kept going. While it may be neâ€" cessary to eliminate a proâ€" gram it should not be done in mid cycle. Mr. Beechey said this could become difâ€" ficult if government funding is cut back. dents in technical programs are not getting value for their money because they are surrounded by people who shouldn‘t be there," he Mr. Baker said this proâ€" gram need not involve the ooutlaying of more money. *‘*We‘re not talking about additional students, nor are we talking about additional staff." Mr. Baker would like to see neighbourhood schools maintained so far as it is possible. He would like to see countyâ€"wide performanâ€" ce tests at several grade levels to see that stated eduâ€" cational objectives are in fact being met and a further the board should make sure that all the goods and services they purchase are done with economy in mind. ‘*"The economy should be geared to keeping teachers in place or putting teachers in place in their community as they deveâ€" lop," he said. Mr. Granskou said that to his knowledge the board has no policy for closing schools nor for reâ€"opening them. He suggests that beâ€" fore they take the final step in selling a piece of property zoned for a school Mr. Horst criticized the school board for bussing the Lakeshore Village senâ€" ior public school students to McGregor School, downâ€" town. He said now the latâ€" ter facility is overloaded and the gym facilities are not up to date. We had in the new subâ€" division a property reâ€" served for a senior public school,"" said Mr. Horst. ‘‘The school board decided not to build and sold it back to the contractor." The candidate believes that if a school site is in a prime location and isn‘t needed in that area. the Decisions being made too quickly content in libraries and courses and the implemenâ€" tation of the official policy of putting a greater emphaâ€" ssis on the realities of onâ€"theâ€" job life after leaving school. review of both Canadian The candidate‘s other conâ€" cern is the proposed new headquarters. *\ would think at this time with empty schools and classrooms, I can‘t see the justification of a $2â€"$3 milâ€" lion expenditure. Mr. Beechey suggested renting more space at their present location or renovatâ€" ing an empty school for one half the cost. site, or closing an already established school, they should hold back and see what happens. , The candidate said he personally feels the econâ€" omy is not going to get worse and there is the posâ€" sibility it could get better. **We don‘t have all the facts now but we do know there are turnarounds,"‘ said Mr. Granskou. ‘‘We shouldn‘t make a hasty deâ€" cision."‘ "At any rate the town is still growing.‘‘ ‘‘*We‘re making all the decisions too quickly,""‘ he said. board should sell it and build a school where it is needed. He suggested more coâ€"operation is needâ€" ed between city developers and the school board.