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.
The Flin Flon School Board will call on the province to develop outdoor recreational facilities at Queen's Park near Hapnot Collegiate. It's one of six projects the board will submit to the province's Public Schools Finance Board for funding consideration in 2004-05. The projects were reviewed at Tuesday's board meeting. "For high schools, when you go around the province and you look at the facilities they've got outside their schools, for ball diamonds, soccer fields, and tracks, we are so far behind," said Superintendent of Schools Blaine Veitch. "It's a shame." While supportive of the idea, Chairman Jim Wilson expressed doubt that the province would pay for any sort of project on municipally-owned property like Queen's Park. "It's hard enough to get money out of them at the best of times," he said. "That's recreational development on city property." Superintendent Veitch agreed that the province isn't likely to step up to the plate with money, but said this would be an opportunity to make them aware of what he sees as a need. In the event that the province did approve funding for the project, Superintendent Veitch said the division would then have to discuss the matter with the City. Another project the board will ask the province to fund is the construction of new power mechanics instructional space for the vocational programs offered through Hapnot and Many Faces Education Centre. Superintendent Veitch feels the division's current vocational facility, based in a garage at Many Faces, isn't up to par. "Other school divisions of our size have much better vocational training facilities than we presently have, and I think it's only fair that we be provided with the same facilities," he said in a previous interview. Also on the board's wish list is an upgrade at Hapnot for wheelchair accessibility, as well as the construction of gym change rooms with shower facilities at the high school. The two other projects to be submitted are structural repair to a wall at Parkdale School, and similar repair to a wall and floor at McIsaac School Ecole McIsaac. Superintendent Veitch said the division has wanted to see each of these projects realized for some time. Other matters In another matter at Tuesday's meeting, the board okayed a request from McIsaac student Grace Smith to conduct extracurricular Bible studies at her school. Superintendent Veitch said McIsaac administration was supportive of forming a school club of this nature, though a teacher will be required to supervise the sessions. Grace appeared at the previous board meeting to make her request, saying she wanted to clear up misunderstandings youth have about Christianity and the God of that religion. See 'Bible' P.# Con't from P.# The student also attended Tuesday's meeting and thanked the trustees following their approval. The Bible studies are to take place once a week during noonhour for any interested students. As well, Trustee Gordon Mitchell reported that the division's Facilities and Grounds Committee has approved a request to pay for new floor tiles in the Kiddie Korner Day Care, which leases space within Ruth Betts School. It will cost approximately $2,500. Chairman Wilson admitted he's "not very happy" about the committee's decision because "we've got schools that we can't remove carpet from, and tile." "But, according to the fact that we are the leaser of that building, and we are liable for maintaining it at a certain level of condition," he said, "and if we don't maintain it at that level, then we're subject to, I suspect, legal action." Due to safety concerns, the health inspector has mandated that the day care repair or replace the carpet in its pre-school and pre-kindergarten playrooms. Kiddie Korner had asked the school board to foot the bill for new tiles in the problem areas, with the day care to pay for materials, labour, and installation. Chairman Wilson made a motion, which passed, that the division now incorporate into its lease agreements with the day care and Flin Flon Guidance Nursery, also based in Ruth Betts, a fee to cover costs of this nature. Also, Superintendent Veitch congratulated McIsaac student Karla MacDonald, who will represent Northern Manitoba at the Canada Wide Science Fair in Newfoundland next month. Karla's project, "Humidity," was the Overall Winner at the recent Regional Science Fair in The Pas. "It's an exciting opportunity and I know she'll represent our community and our region well," commented the superintendent. Karla, who won top spot in the grade 7/8 category, was one of eight Flin Flon students to place at the Regional Science Fair. The others were: Caitlyn Davidson and Melanie Walker of McIsaac, who won third place in the grade 6 category; Jennifer Kritzer and Sarah Phair of McIsaac, who won an honourable mention in the grade 6 category; Paige Kowal of Parkdale, who won second place in the grade 7/8 category; Megan Hall of Parkdale, who won third place in the grade 7/8 category; and Michelle Podaima of Ruth Betts, who won an honourable mention in the grade 7/8 category.
