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Page 12, Whitbhy Free Press, Wednesday, April 17, 1996 Public board continuesto slssendin -r- Hy iMark iieesor Durhamn public school board trustees have shavèd another $54 million off the 1996 budget but more cuts are required to avoid a tax increase. Major reductions approved at last week's budget committee meeting include canceling a plan to -buy 1,200. computers at $1.5 million,' reducing the main- tnnebudget biy another $1 million (it's àaeady been cut by $1 million), rescheduling staf training to evenings and week- ends. s0 supply teachers aren't required (saving $165,000) and reducing custodian overtime (saving $92,000 thus year and $139,000 in 1997) by shutting down schools on weekends. The board- will also withdraw ]Board to develop standard testing The Durham public school board i8 one of five boards selec- ted to develop standard reading, writing and arithmetic tests for Ontario Grade 3 students. The five boards -- the, others; are Lakehead, Halton, Scar- broug and North York - have been given a contract by the Mimistry of Education and Train- ing to deveiop the testing pro- gramn. Province-wide tests of Grade 3 students will begin next spring. $655,000 from its capital reserves. Trustees will 'consider almost $5 million more in spending cuts at tonight's (Wednesday) budget committee meeting (7 p.m., room 1017 at board headquarters), in- ciuding eliminating the* com- munity services department ($87,000 savings this year and $ 130,000 ini 1997), reducing maintenance s pending by another $1.8 million, cutting administration b another five per cent ($368,000 savins this year and $552,000 in 1997) and eliminating $400,,000 spent on technology initiatives. Durhami public board suppor- ters would pay about $40 more per houshold(average hike of about 3.1 per cent) if the present budget is adopted. If the addi- tionai cuts are approved, that wouid drop teout $10 per household (average hike of about 0.8 per cent). Pickering trustee Ruth' Ann Schedlich is worried the cuts have already gone too far. u«When we look at what's on these board changes, I can't live with a lot of these cuts and I know ail my colleagues are struggling as well... "I thinik a lot of people wouldn't have a probiern'with a $40 (three per cent) tax increase, she said, adding 'Tmn not iooking at zero... 'Mhe taxpayers who have stu- dents in our systein say'we need these things' and yet were hear- inq froinpeple that do not have chîidren inthie systein any more or ftfpie that are retired (say- ig that we can't afford it. Wehave te find a balance somewhere.» «rm happi y thear some trus- tees say a zero is an impos- sible tagtn said Ajax trustee Coileen or âan. «My stemach turne when I see some of the items were cutting.» Jordan~ said "pipe who are concerned for children» wouid be willing te say «okay, Ill do with. Parent: 1Mo By Mark Rèesor Forcing 23 students fromIn e- lie McFarlane Public School te attend the new C.E. Broughten school M* September will have a traumatic effect on them, says a parent. The students will be 'isolated isiands ini an unfamiliar sea' at Broughten, Maureen Clark toid tihe Durhain Board of, Educa- tion's standing committee Mon- day night since they7ll have left behindahà or most of their friends. Parents can do notig te pro- tect their chldren froin tLh detri- mental. effects of the m'ove, she says, since staff has said boun- darnes will be strictly enforced. «Aiready we feel like our chul- dren are being utilized as an afterthought te fulfilI the comple- ment requirements of the new school, as we were not even given the option of registration for the reglar track (as were students choosing the modifled caiendar).» out a littie te make sure children are looked afler.» the Another budget committee meeting is scheduled for April 24 at 7 p.m., with a final meeting, if required, te be heid April 29 at 6 p.m. The budget is te be approved at aspeciai board meeting tobe held May 6, either pre-emptin or postponing aschedluled stand- img committee meeting. Trustees urged parents and others who want te comment on the budget process te put it in writing Correspondence will be addedte the agenda so trustees can review it before budget meet- ings,. they promised. ve wou1d be 'trauffai Removing 23 students will do littie te relieve overcrowding at MeFarlane, Clark says, noting that the board forecast an enrol- ment of 695 students and, 15 portables theil in 1995. The actual 1 figures at McFar- lane as of MOch 1, 1996, says Clark, were 1628 students enrol- led and seven portables. The elimination of junior kmn- dergarten means removing one portable and «removing 2~ stu- dents from this sehool wili, in al probability, empty one class- room. «Was this the intent of the boundary changer» Parents would rather see the board transfer the 100 French immersion students at McFar- lane te Brou.gten, shle says, since they only attend McFa-r- lane in Grade 7 and 8 so "Itheir transference to another school is' e c ild en would ail stay tegether, shle adds, so they wouldn't have te abandon friend- report on Clark's suggestions. ships. Another alternative would be tranferring the gifted program froin EA Fairman te the new school, she suggests. «This would also free up E.A. Fairman for the massive influx of students froin the new Wil- liamsburg Developinent at Ross- land and Cochrane when they are ready te be bused in.» She suggests the board direct new kindergarten registrants te the new school and give the 23 students a choice. "Some of the 23 are already enrolled in the modied pro- gram; others may be attractedbPy the new achool -- let's give the amail remaininj number of stu- dents the stabihity in their youn lives te build character ang remain'in the comfort of lifelong fiends at Leslie McFarlane » she conciuded te a round of appIause froin parents. Staff was asked te prepare a S>pRhVC Corne see us or cali for details 1100 Simcoe St. N. Oshawa (905) 728-8205 mWhitbyTransftï à' 24 Hour Info 668-3544 CLEANSIT NR "Quality Cleaning Products" 500 Hopkins St. Whitby OO- 1224 J 16*ET'PS SAVE. 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