Clarendon_central

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Nov. 14/99

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A Community School - Clarendon Central in Plevna by David Brison

Clarendon Central Public School in Plevna, a JK- 8 elementary school with 62 children in 3 classrooms, is a focal point of activity for the residents in the Municipality of North Frontenac -- the northernmost part of the Land O'Lakes region. Parents, many of whom went to school in Plevna themselves, along with students, teachers, and residents in the area have worked over the years to make the school an integral part of the community. Children and youth in this area of North Frontenac have educational and recreational activities that are missing in many other settings -- both urban and rural. For children in Clarendon Central, school is not just a classroom with one teacher and same aged peers. The distinctions between school and community, young and old, professional educators and parents, are all blurred by active involvement of the residents in this northern community in the school. A community school, often sought after but seldom attained, is alive and well in Plevna. Residents have a sense of ownership of the school that simply isn't present in most places (the school gymnasium is actually owned by the community, not the school board). Another unique feature is the direct support that volunteers provide teachers in the classroom. There is a sense that the school is part of the community -- not isolated as so often is the case. Clarendon Central does not sit idle on evenings and weekends when children aren't in school. I visited Clarendon Central last spring and again this week. This story draws on observations from both those visits. The School Council, chaired again this year by Ms. Heather White, coordinates school/community activities. One of their functions over the years has been to defend against school closings instigated in part by their own board but mostly by Ministry of Education school closing initiatives. Some of the in-school volunteer programs that the Council coordinates are: breakfast and hot lunches, lunch playground supervision, educational assistance in the kindergarten, helping students in the computer room, and enrichment in math, science, and language for grade 7 & 8 students. In addition to their direct efforts in the school, volunteers supervise volleyball tournaments on the weekends, take children on camping trips, and participate in fund raising promotional events. Mr. Winton Roberts, a retired educator from Quebec with a background in special education, is a member of the School Council. Winton and wife Gladys, a retired teacher, moved to Plevna in the early 80s.. Winton serves on the Special Education Advisory Committee of the Limestone Board. One of his roles on the Council is to help keep a watching brief on the implications of both Board and Provincial policies for rural residents. page 2

In the spring of 1998, the Provincial government, in a cost cutting measure, issued guidelines for school closings -- guidelines that, if implemented, would have closed down Clarendon Central and other small rural schools in sparsely populated areas of the province. At the same time, the Limestone Board made noises about moving Clarendon Grade 7 & 8 students to Sharbot Lake. The School Council reacted immediately and vigorously opposed both the closing and moving of students to Sharbot Lake. Briefs were submitted and meetings held with Board officials. Board officials were supportive of the strong community school and have since lobbied hard to convince the Ministry of Education that small rural schools in sparsely populated areas should have special treatment. The suggestion by the board that Grade 7s & 8s should move to Sharbot Lake was put to rest in the spring of 1998 -- they stayed at Clarendon Central for the 1998-99 year and are still there this year. The recommendation was made, according to Superintendent Jack Fox, because it was thought that Sharbot Lake could provide some program advantages (e.g. computer facilities, reference books). The School Council disagreed -- they argued that the Grade 7 & 8 students were better off in their community/school program -- that they helped younger children and set good examples for them. They also objected to the long bus ride (from 6:30 am - 5:00 pm). In addition, having the older children removed would only further weaken their enrolment base. Lobbying by the Limestone Board of Education, supported by presentations and briefs from the Clarendon School Council, appears to have paid off. According to Ms. Heather White, the Council is not as concerned about losing the school as they once were. The closing guidelines were put on hold for the 1998-99 and the 1999-2000 years. This year the powerful Education Improvement Commission was set up by the Ministry to review, among other things, progress on restructuring. The Commission recommended that the ministry review grants to small, remote schools to ensure that the legitimate needs of these small communities are met. The closing crisis appears to have passed but the School Council will undoubtedly remain vigilant. The big School Council project this year is to replace old playground equipment. In the spring, board maintenance personnel inspected the playground, said that it was unsafe, and took away the equipment. The Limestone Board is no longer able to provide new equipment. In 3 months, the Council has raised $11,000 for playground equipment. Funds have come from a variety of sources, for example, Lion's Clubs in Northbrook and Sharbot Lake, The Goodyear plant in Napanee, North of 7 (a restaurant in Plevna), the Golden Friendship Club, the Ompah Snowmobile Club (to list only a few), and fund raising activities and events organized by the Council. The equipment, purchased by the Council, will arrive on the 12th of this month. It will be installed on the 20th by a team of 10 volunteers. The Limestone Board will fill in with sand and gravel and children will be playing on the equipment on the 23rd. In what has become typical Clarendon school style, meals for volunteers and school staff will be organized, on the day of the installation, by the School Council (pizza from North of 7). page 3

The School Council plays a role, in cooperation with staff, in the educational program offered to the Clarendon students. One of the examples of cooperation between the school staff and the community is the Jolly Phonics program offered to Junior and Senior Kindergarten children. The School Council heard about the program from a resident of the area, Ms. Marily Seitz, who teaches in Sharbot Lake. After consultation with the Principal, Mr. John Pariselli, and the Head Teacher, Ms. Lesley Melcher, the program was purchased by the Council. The program was offered last year by an educational assistant, Ms. Laurie Lemke, under the supervision of the K-2 teacher, Mr. Karl Kent. This year it is continuing under the direction of another educational assistant, Ms. Shari Tallon. Laurie was a very active parent volunteer in the school before becoming an educational assistant and starting the Jolly Phonics program. She also runs a Pioneer Club for children in the community (50 children participate).. Winton Roberts, who works on the Pioneer Program says Laurie is an extremely effective program coordinator -- a born administrator. Ms. Lemke's administrative ability was evident in the implementation of the Jolly Phonics program last year. When I observed in the spring, 14 children were all progressing at their own pace in the structured phonics program, review assignments were sent home each night for parents who wanted to work with their children, and volunteers were incorporated into the program. The children obviously liked the program and were learning sound-symbol correspondences. Ms. Leslie Hanes-Boles, a parent volunteer, was helping children with name printing and counting on the day that this reporter was in the school.

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Karl Kent, in his second year at Clarendon, is now teaching the students who were in the Jolly Phonics program last year. He says that he can notice the difference, ...they are moving ahead quicker and know the letter sounds. This is especially helpful in a split grade (kindergarten to grade 2).. Winton Roberts says that he can already see improvement in the reading ability of the younger children in the Pioneer Club. Laurie says, these children are ready to learn at this age and shouldn't be sold short. They need to have every advantage they can get. Mr. Marshall Shaw, an experienced teacher who taught grades 6,7,8 last year (he has been replaced this year by Ms. Elizabeth McKenzie, a beginning teacher) echoed the sentiments of his colleagues, This is an strong community based program. It is as if they are essential partners in deciding and pulling things off. You see the support of the community every day in a whole series of activities. It wouldn't have been possible for us to fit in so smoothly without that kind of support and cooperation from the community. Cooperation is clearly a key feature of the program at Clarendon Central. Ms. Donna Inwood, the school secretary, says, ... everyone simply does what needs to be done. She herself handles (very admirably) public relations, acts as M.C. at volunteer nights, goes on school trips, and helps out wherever she is needed. She produces a newsletter which goes home to parents. Using the school Internet connection, she searches the web for student activities which are included in her newsletters. Eight Grade 7 & 8 students (Andrew Hillier, Amber Lemke, Amber Rowland, Phil Hertendy, Megan Keats, Caleb Cox, Lisa Card, and Jason Manion) were interviewed in a group last spring. They are, with the exception of Jason Manion, all in Sharbot Lake High School now. They commented on, and gave examples of, numerous contributions parents made to the school. Without the help of parents, they said, there would be far fewer activities in the school. They like the school because it is cozy and you know everybody. The spirit of cooperation amongst the children was evident in statements like, We help each other in everything. They mentioned in closing that they have good basketball, soccer, and volleyball teams -- the best of the northern schools in the county. The reason for their success, according to Phil Hertendy, is not adult coaching but, that we are all friends and push each other to do better, we help each other out. If one of us needs help on something, we show them how to do it.