At its meeting in Guelph Tuesday of last week, the Upper Grand District School Board decided to write the Minister of Education seeking a review of Ontario Regulation 612/00 (Section 4 (2) (a)), which deals with membership on school councils.

Concern had been expressed by Dufferin school councils that parents who work as lunchroom supervisors, literacy helpers or in other non-union positions at their children’s school cannot serve as parent members of school councils.

This request for a review is supported by the board’s Interim Parent Involvement Committee and the Dufferin Family of School Councils.

Board chair Bob Borden will also write to the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) to ask for consideration of this recommendation.

The board meeting was preceded by a seasonal concert, compliments of the Kenilworth Public School Choir, under the direction of Chris Kay, principal.

New school budget set

The board approved the final project budget of $7.4 million for the Southcreek Public School (Guelph). The building project was awarded to the low tenderer, Devlan Construction Limited.

The Kindergarten to grade 8 school will be built for approximately 460 students and will also contain a 52- space child care centre built under the Best Start Program. It is anticipated construction will begin in the spring, with a projected opening date for the school in September 2008.

Special Ed advisory council

The board appointed Greg Parker, representing VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children and Michael McDevitt of the Tourette Syndrome Foundation as members of the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) effective Dec.1, to Nov. 30, 2010. Other members of this committee include Marg Abbink, Community Member-at- Large (chair), Carolyn Brown, Autism Ontario, Marg McElroy, Association for Bright Children (alternate Pat Pugh) and Pauline Busby, Community Living Association. Trustees Jennifer Waterston and Linda Busutill are the trustee representatives on the committee.

Erin Multi-Use Facility management committee

Gail Baldwin, a long-time resident of the Town of Erin and a retired teacher at Erin District High School, was appointed to represent the school community on the Erin Multi-Use Management Committee for the period Dec. 1, 2006 to Nov. 30, 2007. This committee manages Centre 2000, the joint facility in Erin which houses Erin DHS, the arena, local library and various businesses. The board also thanked the previous school community representative, Cricket Yule for her work over the past years on the management committee.

The next monthly meeting of the board will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007 at 7 p.m. in the Board Room at the Guelph administrative office, 500 Victoria Road North. Everyone is welcome to attend.