Alfred College council has a plan EDUCATION
editionap.ca
GREGGCHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
L’ORIGNAL | If Alfred College is going to have any kind of a future it will need the support of not just its local community but also of all the municipalities within both Prescott and Russell counties. That support does not have to involve money says the head of the college council but it does have to be strong and solid and show that the farming communities in the region need, want and are proud to have their own local agricultural college. “Let me make this clear,” said Tom Manley. “The success of Alfred College is going to be a question of ‘Use it or lose it.’” Manley presented a power-point sum- mary during the June 11 committee of the whole session of the United Counties of Prescott-Russell council (UCPR), outlining the history, current situation, and the poten- tial future for Alfred College. The president of le Conseil communautaire du Collège Alfred (CCCA) emphasized that his group is working hard with officials from both La Cité collégiale and Collège Boréal on plans to keep Alfred College open and operating as a post-secondary institution focused on agricultural science and research and serv- ing the needs of its student body, both “francophones and Francophiles”. Earlier this year the University of Guelph, Alfred College’s parent institution, an- nounced plans to close down both its Al- fred and Kemptville campuses as part of budgetary operation cutbacks. Concern and protests from community leaders in Prescott-Russell and other parts of Eastern Ontario have brought the provincial gov- ernment into the situation with both the incumbent Liberals and the Opposition Pro- gressive Conservative parties promising ac- tion during their recent election campaigns to protect and maintain the colleges. Manley told counties council that the CCCA is now seeking moral support from the community for its lobbying efforts with the provincial government to keep the col- lege open, whether as part of a regional effort in partnership with either La Cité collégiale or Collège Boréal or the two of them together, or as an independent au- tonomous community college on its own. He emphasized that the CCCA is not asking for any kind of financial support agreement with the UCPR. “It is not what I am asking,”he said, adding that the provincial government, through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities would have ultimate responsibility for fi- nancing Alfred College, whether it operated as an independent institution or in partner- ship with La Cité collégiale and Boréal Col- lège. Manley’s presentation received verbal support from counties council members. “We used to take it (Alfred College) for granted,” said Jean-Paul Saint-Pierre, UCPR warden. “We can no longer take it for grant- ed. The community needs to step up and take action.” “My support is assured,” said Mayor Jean- Yves Lalonde of Alfred-Plantagenet Town- ship, where the college is located. The CCCA request will now go to the UCPR economic development and tourism advisory committee for further review..
Photo Gregg Chamberlain
Tom Manely (centre) president of le conseil communautaire du Collège Alfred, pitches a power-point summary of the past, present and hoped-for future for the agricultural college to the counties council as part of a community support campaign for the local post-secondary education institution.
New rules for French immersion
BROCKVILLE | French immersion pro- grams at Upper Canada district have new guidelines to make them better and more available to students. Upper Canada District School Board trust- ees (UCDSB) reviewed new guidelines for the district French immersion program dur- ing its June 4 committee of the whole ses- sion. The goal is to make it easier to provide the program in more schools where the de- mand for French immersion exists. Phil Dawes and TimMills, co-chairs for the French as a Second Language Review, pre- sented the new guidelines and explained how they developed as a result of both the UCDSB’s past success at introducing Early French Immersion (EFI) programs for its schools and also from changes to school programming as a result of the Boundary 2020 project aimed at building up local school student populations. “More schools would like to offer both the regular English and French,” stated Dawes, “and the the Early Immersion programs to ensure that all of the students in their im- mediate communities have an opportunity to attend their local school rather than an- other school further away. But this is about more than just offering early immersion where it didn’t exist before. It is about the reorganization of elementary school lan- guage instruction in small schools to pro- mote innovation and inclusion for all stu- dents.” Dawes noted that providing EFI is more than just setting up a class at a new school. Introducing an EFI program requires plan- ning and involving the entire family of schools for those areas of the Upper Canada district where the demand exists. This September the UCDSB will hold a
curriculum. The following October groups of schools wanting the program will have to provide a “letter of interest” for the program followed later by a draft plan dealing with factors like potential impact of EFI on area enrolment figures, on available school space, staffing, existing resources, and other related issues. The UCDSB will need approved language reorganization plans by next February to al- low for advance regional planning on its an- nual staffing needs in line with its operating budget for next year..
general information session for school prin- cipals interested in adding EFI to their core
Blue Elephants on parade in UCDSB of the campaign, a stuffed blue elephant will take its place as part of the décor in at least one room in every UCDSB school. The toy elephant marks a “safe area” of the school where students and staff can go to talk about any mental health issue or prob- lem they may face.
BROCKVILLE | There is no doubt about the presence of these elephants in the class- rooms of Upper Canada district schools. Upper Canada District School Board trust- ees and staff (UCDSB) are making no bones about the fact that there will be “blue el- ephants on parade” in the halls and class- rooms of schools throughout the district starting in the fall term. The district is putting its support behind the Mood Disorders Society of Canada’s El- ephant in the Room anti-stigma campaign to heighten both student and public aware- ness about the difficulties some people face having to deal with mental illness, both mild and severe or chronic forms. “We want to eliminate the stigma at- tached to mental health issues,” stated Su- zanne Rivard, chairwoman of the UCDSB parent involvement committee, “and pro- vide a safe place for children to reach out and communicate.” The committee is sponsoring the society’s awareness campaign in the district. As part
Typical locations for the blue elephant may be the main office of a school or a guid- ance office. School administration and staff will decide the best site for the anti-stigma mascot. Students and staff can go to these rooms then to talk about mental health is- sues without fear of reprisals or any type of stigma attached. “Younger kids can even go into these rooms just to cuddle the elephant,” Rivard said. The campaign will also include posters on display at district schools. “Our students will be treated with respect and dignity,” said David Coombs, UCDSB superintendent, “and will find support and understanding from someone who cares.”
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