The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor The Flin Flon School Board chose a new chairperson and reiterated the importance of school zone safety Tuesday. Trustee Murray Skeavington was acclaimed as the new chair. Joining him as vice-chair is Trustee Karen Yeo, who was also acclaimed. Skeavington succeeds Trustee Glenn Smith, who chose not to let his name stand for the position. Yeo replaces Trustee Trish Sattelberger as vice-chair. Skeavington is among the most experienced trustees, having first joined the board in 2002. He also has experience as chair. Yeo joined the board in 2006. In another matter, Superintendent Blaine Veitch issued a safety reminder to parents, guardians and motorists now that classes are back in session. 'Safety hazards' "Each year, serious safety hazards are created when children are being dropped off and picked up from school," he wrote in his Superintendent's Report. "Parents and guardians who are stopping or parking their vehicles while dropping their children off are reminded to do so in an appropriate and legal fashion, paying particular attention to no stopping/parking signs in school zones. Drivers should be abiding with the pick up and drop off programs that are already established for your school." Veitch also urged parents whose children walk to school to make the walk with them several times to familiarize them with the route and point out traffic hazards and situations to avoid. "Talk to your child about traffic safety and teach them when and where it is safest to cross while stressing the importance of using crosswalks and abiding by the direction of school patrols," he added. "Parents, guardians and other motorists should consider the volume and speed of the traffic in your area. Be mindful of children in the area and pay particular attention near schools as children could dart from between vehicles at any time. Stop signs on buses picking up and dropping off children must always be respected. Anyone not stopping when a school bus has its stop sign and lights activated may be subject to a fine under the Highway Traffic Act." See 'Schoo...' on pg. 14 Continued from pg. 1 Veitch's warning comes several months after trustees called for a police crackdown to deal with the numerous motorists who speed in school zones. An MPI-sponsored radar program around the schools last spring found 24 per cent of drivers were going faster than the posted limit. It recorded speeds during times when students of the four schools were walking to or from school. At Green St. and Highway 10A, near Hapnot Collegiate and Many Faces Education Centre, as many as 61 per cent of vehicles traveling at a given time were speeding. Four intersections near Ruth Betts Community School were monitored, with as few as zero per cent and as many as 30 per cent of motorists going too fast. At Green St. and Balsam Ave., near Ecole McIsaac School, the speeding rate varied from zero per cent to 21 per cent, depending on the day and time. While near McIsaac, this intersection technically falls outside of a school zone. Committees Also at Tuesday's meeting, the board tentatively set its committees for 2011-12. On the committee overseeing planned improvements to Queen's Park are trustees Skeavington, Smith and Tim Davis. The MTS Negotiating Committee consists of trustees Sattelberger, Yeo and Vicki Davie. The United Steelworkers Negotiating Committee includes trustees Smith, Davis and Angela Simpson. On the Social Committee are trustees Skeavington and Simpson. Representing the board on the school division's Technology and Workplace Safety and Health committees are trustees Smith and Davie, respectively. Sattelberger is the board's voice on the City of Flin Flon Traffic Commission, while Yeo sits on the Suspensions Committee. Sattelberger is also on the Bursary Committee. A motion to finalize the committees is expected to pass at the next board meeting on Sept. 27.
