THREATENED SCHOOL PROGRAMS HOPE TO SURVIVE

Losing school board funding shouldn't sound the immediate death knell for
three popular programs for Halton students.

However, it likely means organizers of those programs will have to scramble
to make up the difference or perhaps scale back what is offered in schools.

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) initiative for Grade 6s, and the
Celebrating Literacy and Food For Thought snack and breakfast programs for
elementary schools are all poised to lose significant funding.

Halton District School Board staff are recommending the three programs have
their combined funding removed as a cost-saving measure. The board paid out
$125,000 in those areas this school year.

Halton police, which administers the DARE program, and the Halton Social
Planning Council, which oversees Celebrating Literacy and Food For Thought,
are concerned about the school board's intentions and the possible after
effects.

"When schools have to cut loose a resource like this it is a tragedy. I
would say we regret what is happening to education in our community," said
planning council executive director Joey Edwardh.

"Whatever the reason for it, hungry kids don't learn well," said Edwardh.
The Food For Thought program, ironically, expanded by three Halton schools
just last week, to more than 20 across the region.

"Right now, (we) are not an organization that has its own resources, it
leverages resources. Very basic funding ($90,000 for each of the last two
years) was given by the board that allows us to leverage funds in the
community. That's the chunk that keeps it alive," she said.

"We have to turn this challenge back to our community. Nobody wants this
program to disappear," she said. "We'll convene some meetings and see if we
can develop some interim funding."

The hundreds of parent volunteers associated with the two programs affected
will be notified of the situation, said Edwardh.

As for the fate of DARE, Halton police Sgt. Joe Prasad, co-ordinator of the
program, said he also isn't sure what will happen next now that they are
about to lose $80,000 in public school board money.

"Obviously, we're disappointed and we'll have to see where we go from here.
We are at the crossroads with this knowledge. The chief strongly believes
we need officers in the schools as a proactive stance.

"Every Grade 6 child in the public and Catholic boards in Halton is exposed
to it."

Prasad said the program costs half a million dollars to run annually. The
DARE Halton fundraising committee generates much of the funding, while the
Halton Catholic District School Board donated about $75,000 this year, he said.

Halton police service covers about 40 per cent of DARE's costs.

"We have a specific fundraising committee. We'll have to visit large
corporations and ask for help," Prasad said of a probable initial plan of
action.

One piece of good news for DARE is that the Catholic board has no immediate
intention of altering its funding commitment.

"We were aware that the (public) board was considering reducing its support
for this program, " said Catholic board business superintendent Joe Birett.
"Although we discussed the merits of doing that, we didn't feel that was an
appropriate thing to do until we knew what the funding was and what the
total balance was on the budget."

The Catholic school board's budget has yet to be approved.

The DARE program 'graduates' about 5,000 students each year, said Prasad.

A police officer comes into a Grade 6 class for one hour per week for 16
weeks. Pupils have to write an essay along the way. A 'graduating' ceremony
attended by parents and senior police officials is held at the end of the
program.

The board is in the midst of tense budget deliberations and expects to have
trouble staying within its means, so it has identified areas where savings
can be made.