PAGE 2, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1985, WHITBY FREE PRESS Farewell P.T.A. to meet with board tomorrow.... Over enrolment may force bussi*ng Residents in the Otter Creek subdivision are afraid that as many as 25 of their kindergarten aged children "Il be bussed to -schools in other parts of Whitby this September. According to Tom An- derson, president of the Parent-Teacher Associ- ation Col. J.E. Farewell Public School, there' are 75 children currently enrolled for the kmn- dergarten programn at the McQuade Ave. i school that begins this September. Anderson notes that the school can only ac- commodate 50 of them - 25 in the morning and 25 in the afternoon. That leaves 25 without places at the school. "One of the ruxnors flying around the area ...is that one full class will be bussed to another school," he told the Free Press last week. Anderson said that a meeting has been called by the P.T.A. to discuss the issue. It will be held tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. in the school gym. He noted that Durham Board of Education Trustee Ian Brown, director of education Bruce Mather and superintendant Chuck Powers have promised ta attend. The presidnet also said that the "whole community is quite up- set and angry" about seeing their7 children bussed to another school. "Some of the people in Otter Creek are afraid some of their children will have to go to Palmerston or Fairman (public schools)," he said. The P.T.A. estimates that Farewell has about 475 students in kmn- dergarten to grade 8 and believes there is enough room on the site for an expansion so that no local children will have to be bussed to other schools. I "Our view is -that there is enough room to warrant another por- table to keep al aur children at the school," Anderson said. "Besides which, why should they go to another school?" he ad- ded, "For less than the cost of transportation, they can put in another extra portables that they need." When Anderson firat brought up this subject with board officiais, he was encouraged but noted that they have yet to give any solid solutions or make any committments. "They told me they -na "M h L lp t Offe he said, "But when 1 tall<ed to them, 1 feit good, that everythlng was golng to be okaY but that wasn't a 100 per cent assurance." Anderson said that tomorrow evening's meeting promises tu be a llvely one at best. Anderson also points out that an increased enrolment in the kmn- dergarten program this year means a bigger gr- ade one class beginning September, 1986. And that Is one issue the P.T.A. also wants to see addressed. "This is such a young community, they would be wise ta spend somne money here over the next few years," he said. Ideally, the parents would like to see one class moved out of the schools main building ta a portable s0 that another kindergarten class can be established. Bussing of children should also flot be necessary. "We are no way near our capacity for studen- ts," Anderson said. "We Education Relations Commission has appoin- ted Kingston lawyer Doug Belch as the mediator in the contract dispute between the Durham Board of Education and District 17 of the Ontario Secon- dary School Teachers' Federation (O.SS.T.F.) Belch is a member of the law firm of Cun- ningham, Swan, Carty, Little and Bonham. He bachelor of arts and law degree from Queen's University and was named a Queen's Coun- sel eariier this year. He is also a lecturer at the university faculty of law. He previously acted as a- mediator in disputes nvolving school boards in Peel Region, Sudbury and Northumberland and Newcastle. Late last year, the commission appointed fact finder in the dispute between the Durham board and its secondary teachers said that the main differences bet- ween the two were salary demands and the pupil-teacher ratio. The fact finder noted that the board has only offered a five per cent salary and benefit package increase while the teachers are demanding 7.5 per cent. The teachers are also seeking a lower pupil- teacher ratio. SOLIDOAKAND PINE FURNITURE ACCESSORY SALE NOW ON il10 DUNLOP ST. E. WHITBY 6661331, kj Opein Mon.-Wed. 10-6, Thurs.. 0-9, at j. - NOW OPIEN SU NDAY 11-5 Mediatô-r appomnted 1 Tel. _6857-1-9-68-] 1