Selling off Ontario's schools to the highest bidder?

A News out of London had an interesting piece on two rural schools in Midwestern Ontario that are on the chopping block. Zurich Public School and Hensall Public School. The Avon Maitland is using the usual crutch of falling enrollment. The Numbers do show declining enrollment for the two schools, however these schools are in small rural communities and according to the residents in these towns the school is lifeline of the communities. It also brings up a question, Is the province trying to kill off rural schools? Other school boards in the province have done their best at doing so. It also begs the question, How far ahead can school boards predict and plan for future enrolment,. Gil Owens a planner for the Thames Valley District School Board said they plan for 5 years ahead during the ARC Review for Ingersoll. Lets say that all the School boards have that same planning process, which begs the question do these planners ever ask themselves what happens if there happens to be a big surge in enrollment 7 or 8 years down the road. At the current rate of planning at 5 years it is possible in 7 to 10 years they are asking themselves why did they close schools and how do we deal with a capacity issue. There is one solution to all of this mess. Fix the Funding formula, it's flawed. There are area's in education that they could find room to cut to beable to put money into the funding formula.

I think there needs to be a moritirium on school closings untill the government gets the funding formula fixed. There also needs to be a mindset of before they close a school lets make sure 7 to 10 years down the road they wont have a moment of capacity crunch because they didn't plan on having a rising enrollment and a capacity crunch.

Merry Christmas

Wishing All the readers of my blog a Merry Christmas and all the best in 2010.
I thank each and every one of you that has taken time out of your busy lives to read my musings no matter how small they seem.

Thank You
Seth

PS- To all the democrats in the senate that voted for the healthcare bill may you find a lump of coal in your stocking this year from Santa and a earful from your angry constituents.

Ontario- FOR SALE

Welcome to the have not province of Ontario where apparently everything is for sale, the LCBO, Hydro One, OLG and well whatever else Dalton and his minions at Queens Park can think of. Oddly enough back in the days of Mike Harris' government it was Dalton McGuinty who was against Privatization when Mike Harris government sold off Public Assets, funny how things change when you've spent this province into financial oblivion eh Dalton? Personally If I were Dalton's Liberals I'd be hanging on to the OLG and the LCBO because of the revenue that they are able to generate. And who is to say that the Liberals can be trusted with the money they'd get for selling off Public Assets, it's not as if they have been fiscally responsible with the public purse. I would however applaud the Liberals if they sold off the Service plazas along the 400 series highways.


ARC 13 Update

Last night the Thames Valley District School Board's Senior administration gave thier report to the 68 recomendations and through their report managed to cut down the recomendations to a mere handful as the majority of the recomendations were detailed to planning commitees that look after closing and opening schools. The big unknown is still the boundaty lines once this process is done. The Public will have a chance to speak before the board on Feb 23rd in London and the Trustees will get to vote on March 9th. If I'm a betting man I'm betting that the Trustees will go along with what the administration wanted all along.

A few thoughts on a Sunday

Just a few things that I'd like to bring up this great Sunday afternoon.

Saw a blurb this morning on US cable network that some US Congress members want to create a bill forcing the NCAA to have a playoff system put in place in College football. I guess they don't have bigger fish to fry and you would think that there is nothing more important than that? I wonder if thats the hope and change that Obama voters were hoping for. I could think of a few things that are more important than that.

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/734749 According this article in the Toronto Star seems like some Liberal MP's are getting antsy with Iggy's leadership with the HST vote last week. Dumping Iggy might please some Liberals but really they would be wise to let him have one election before they cast him aside. The Liberals that want Bob Rae in charge I must ask you REALLY? Untill Dalton came along it is safe to say that Rae was the worst Premier that Ontario ever had. My advice to the Liberals, Think long and hard before you guys decide to dispose of Iggy.

My Intentions in 2010.

Let me be honest with you all. I have seriously thought about running for public office now for a long time, and have finally decided that now is the time to finally run. I am unofficially announcing that I am going to run for School Board Trustee for the County of Oxford. in the 2010 Municipal elections. I believe that the time is right. We need more accountability from our Trustees and the constituents of Oxford deserve to have their voices heard at the board level. As your next trustee I would make sure that your voice is heard, that your concerns are heard and that you are made to feel that I want to hear your concerns and to my best to come up with a resolution to your concern. I also believe that Parents deserve a greater voice in their children's education. I plan on making parents voices count at the board level, too often that has not been the case with the current crop of trustees. It's time for a new voice with fresh ideas as a trustee on the board. Lets bring the Education of your children back to where it belongs YOU THE PARENT.

I will make a more formal announcement on my candidacy early in the New Year. It's going to be alot of work to get my name out thier but I believe that I am ready and willing to work hard to make sure that I am the next Trustee for Oxford County.

Stay Tuned.