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 is ready to renew talks with their Creighton counterparts regarding the high school issue. At Tuesday's regular board meeting, Trustee Tim Davis presented a motion directing Superintendent Blaine Veitch "to indicate the willingness of our board to reopen discussions with the Creighton School Board on their decision to establish their own high school." The motion, presented less than a minute into the board meeting, passed unanimously. The Creighton board voted 4-2 last month to incorporate a high school program into Creighton Community School, a decision that will cost the Flin Flon School Division more than 100 students and hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition fees. With a petition to have the issue revisited having been circulated throughout Creighton and Denare Beach, some opponents of the high school have renewed hope that the decision could be rescinded. In another matter at their meeting, the board learned that the Hapnot Collegiate Leadership Council, made up of interested students, has concerns about the high school's facilities. The board reviewed a letter from the students requesting a meeting to discuss the budget of Hapnot facilities and methods with which "they can be improved." The students wrote that they feel there are three main areas of concern at their school Ñ facilities, the smoking area and school spirit Ñ but want to focus on facilities at this time. The board agreed to meet with the students at the Hapnot cafeteria next month. As well, the board agreed to again call for reform to the province's mandatory ward voting system, a setup that prevented half of Flin Flon from voting for its current school board. For the second time, the board will submit a resolution to its provincial body asking that the system, which is perceived to have been designed for larger centres, not be forced onto Flin Flon. The resolution will be brought forth to the province by the Manitoba Association of School Trustees (MAST). The trustees have until January 31 to bring forth any other resolutions. Implemented by the province in the summer of 2002, the ward system forced all Manitoba municipalities to establish at least two wards for school board elections. See 'Rumours' P.# Con't from P.# In Flin Flon, voters in one of the two wards were denied the opportunity to vote and the candidates running in that district were acclaimed. The ward system mandated that four trustees join the board from Ward 2. With only four candidates running in that ward, an election was not required. Had one less candidate ran in Ward 1 (four people vied for three positions), the entire 2002-2006 school board would have been assembled with no voter input. Also at the meeting, the minutes from a recent Workplace Safety and Health Committee meeting stated that false rumours have been circulating about the fire last summer at McIsaac School Ecole McIsaac. The RCMP and the Fire Commissioner concluded that the July fire started when a beer bottle thrown through a window hit science lab chemicals, causing them to mix and ignite. The minutes mentioned a staff member would look at the availability of a written report on the matter. The minutes also noted that the Public Schools Finance Board has denied the school division's request for additional funds to replace all existing carpet within the division. As well, Superintendent Veitch agreed to send information to the schools about MAST's Student Citizenship Award. Six students from across the province will be chosen for the award, which includes a $500 cash prize. In addition, Superintendent Veitch congratulated Hapnot and McIsaac teacher Sylvie Dufour on being selected to join the Provincial Science Curriculum Committee for the high school level.
