The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

It was just three weeks ago that the CH-year-old Wilfrid Laurier University student risked his own health and safety by venturing out into the frigid waters of Silver Lake to rescue the Prendiville fami- ly's dog Basil. Basil, along with Smyth's dug, Jackson, were frolicking in Waterloo Park when both decided to run onto the ice- covered water. The weight of the dogs was too much, and both fell through into the lake. But the person who pulled into the drive-way wasn't wearing a suit of armour or a black cape. Clad in a pair of beige Cargo pants and a hooded sweatshirt, Andrew Smyth emerged from the vehicle. Ashe approached the front door, the children's eyes lit up with excitement. This was the moment they had been waiting for, a chance to thank Smyth for making a difference in their lives. Waterloo family thanks young hero' for saving their drowning dog Maddie and William Prendiville sat anxiously at their living room window Monday, awaiting the arrival of their hero. . my.» - "tk-s-ri-tau., $11 fail I.‘ rmcsmusm "r.Aqbhmt Negotiations on the new deal. which included a 55-per-cent wage increase over the next two years, stretched into December when both sides decided to employ a new method of negotia- tion called "interest-based bar- he last major contract dis- l pute between the region's two school boards and their respective teachers' unions was settled last Thursday when the Waterloo Catholic district school board and its 900 elemen, tary teachers ratified a new two- year collective bargaining agree- ment. Catholic school board and teachers' federation reach agreement looking For a New Bv ANDREA Bum Chronicle Sta)? Be Boa VRBANAC Chronicle Staff new. "lt was a good feeling to be able to do that for the family," he said. "I don't know if I'm a hero though. but I'm glad I did it." Smyth also said he never worried about his own well, being during or after the episode. When contacted, a shocked Smyth said he didn't even know anyone was looking for The next week she request- ed a call be put out to the com- munity, asking anyone with information on the young man, whom she knew only as Andrew. to contact the Chronicle. A neighbour of Smyth's rec- ognized his description, called the Chronicle and gave the Good Samaritan's address. While Jackson managed to pull himself to shore, Basil struggled to keep his head above water. It was then that Smyth took matters into his own hands, walking into the chest-deep water and carrying the pet to safety. In the midst of the commo- tion, Smyth left to dry off before Basil's owner, Julia Prendiville, was able to for- mally thank him for his courage. gaining." The method puts all the issues being negotiated between the parties on the table in order to reach a more constructive con- tract solution free of the adversar- ial positions usually staked out in traditional collective bargaining sessions. The change in negotiation strategy was also a nod to the third party at the table, the provincial government. The province had previosly this year imposed restrictions on what could be settled through negotia- tion by the board and its teachers. The province budgeted for a I 95 per cent salary increase provincewide this year, with indi- cations there will be another two "It brought so much good feeling knowing there are peo- ple like Andrew in this world. We really cant thank him enough." "What he did meant an awful lot to us," Julia said. "He's a good role model for the kids to show them what can be done in a situation like that. But it may have been their mother who best summed up the farpily't emqu‘pns. To show their appreciation for his bravery, the Prendiville family presented Smyth with a token of thanks for helping to keep their family together for the holidays. "You'rerthe best person in the world," Maddie told Smytl1. 7 7 ‘Thank you for saving our dog" William added. "I was fine, just a little frost- bite on my fingers," said the modest student. "Nothing a hot shower did- n't cure." At the time, he said, his concern was only for the dog and its owner, who was visibly upset on the shore. i "I didn't want her to go in after the dog, so that's when I decided to walk out," he said. "I know if it had been my dog I hope someone would have htlped Te." PAGE 3 Pat Cannon. president of the local chapter of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association, said the increase was per cent increase budgeted into next year's funding model. Un relation to what's happening out there in the province, it's a reasonable increase. " - Pat Cannon president. Ontario English Catholic "chers'Association Mlliam and Maddie Prendiville were excited to thank their hero Andrew Smyth in per son for saving their dog Basil from drowning in Silver Lake just over three weeks ago. "In relation to what's happen- ing out there in the province. it's a reasonable increase." said Cannon, about the wage settle- ment that puts local elementary teachers in the middle of the pack of agreements their colleagues have reached around the province. "It has addressed the needs of the teachers to see that they're getting an actual dollar increase, something that begins to reflect the effort that we've had slightly smaller than the one agreed to by the separate board's secondary school teachers earlier this month, but puts both units at par with the wage increase achieved over the last two collec- the agreements. "II-.014? . "Supervision of students. activity programs and the stu- dents' own lunch time left very lit - de personal time over lunch for our teachers In addition to the 5.5-per-cent wage increase, local Catholic ele- mentary school teachers also secured a guaranteed lunch peri- od that will leave teachers free of some supervision duty, like lunchroom supervision. "Ptevious to this there was very little control over how much time teachers had to eat their lunch." said Cannon. to put into all of these changes happening around, us." Continued on we 4 Mun-macro