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Little Theatre’s The Heiress opens Thursday
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
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To mark World Food Day Wednesday, Oct. 16, students, staff and parents from St. Joseph’s School in Chemainus held a food walk through the community. The World Food Day walk is an initiative of the Island Catholic Schools and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to raise awareness of hunger issues around the globe and within the community. Leading up to the walk, students at St. Joseph’s collected about 25 bags of groceries for the food bank. “Our purpose in going downtown is to walk as a community and show the community we care,” said principal Bern Muller. “The initiative is promoting an awareness, not only for our students that others are in need and we need to share with them, but also with the community that this is an issue. I told the children they are empowered — they are actively doing something. This is a way everyone can be empowered without everyone bringing a loonie.” LINDSAY CHUNG
Petition created to keep École Davis Road open Lindsay Chung THE CHRONICLE
A petition is circulating to express support for keeping École Davis Road (EDR) Elementary open. EDR is at risk of closure at the end of this school year as part of School District 68’s 10-year Enhanced Facilities for Learning plan. Last spring, the school board extended the consultation on this decision until Dec. 1, and a working group has been created to meet and discuss potential options. A final decision will be made by Dec. 18. In collaboration with the EDR Parent Advisory Council (PAC), EDR parents Jessica Lowry and Graeme Rouse created a petition to demonstrate the support to keep EDR open. “Its target audience is Ladysmith residents, current Davis Road parents and future parents,” said Lowry. “Our hope is that during this decision making time,
this petition can help with a positive outcome for the school, for south-end Ladysmith and the entire Ladysmith community. With a large amount of support, there will be positive pressure applied to the Town of Ladysmith and to the Board of Education to really consider the short and long term effects of closing such a popular school, with a great educational track record and one that serves as the community hub of the growing south end of Ladysmith.” The petition is directed to Ladysmith’s mayor and council and to the board of education and senior administration at SD68. “We hope to gather as much support over the next month or so, to reflect the community’s support to keep Davis Road Elementary open before the Dec. 18 decision,” said Lowry. As of Monday morning, the online petition had 175 signatures, and Lowry says “ a lot of great, personal feedback” has
been included. and for an hour or two after school, the “I think the parents of Davis Road are playground is brimming with kids playvery aware of the situation and eager ing and parents connecting,” she said. to support keeping Davis Road open or “We are all out there saying, ‘There is ensure that a K-7 French/English school something amazing at this school. They remain in the south end,” she said. “This cannot close it.’ A huge part of that petition will further inform community ‘something amazing’ is undeniable commembers who may not be directly in- munity spirit. If these decisions are drivvolved with the school and especially en by budget and a school needs to be south-end home owners as to the risk of closed to satisfy an operational budget closing such a well-supported school in for SD68, it should not be a school that a part of town that is only going to see is doing extremely well in a populated, more growth. growing area.” “Residents need to consider the effects The École Davis Road petition is availon their real estate should the school able online at wry.io/save-edr. close and the loss of a valued community Anyone who is unable to sign the petispace and all that it offers currently and tion online can leave a message with the could offer in the future.” PAC at the EDR office by calling 250Lowry feels that fostering successful 245-7187. If you leave your name, phone neighbourhood schools like EDR would number and address, the PAC will arkeep a sense of community in Ladysmith range for someone to bring you a hard and also keep students and their families copy of the petition to sign or direct you here. to the nearest business in town where “I pick up my son after kindergarten, the petitions will be available.
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