Parents seek answers on double cohort situation

by Neil Zacharjewicz M'CHIGEENG - Parents are concerned whether their children will be accepted to a post-secondary institution in light of an increased number of students flooding into the system as a result of the elimination of the Ontario Academic Credit. "I think the double cohort situation is a concern for all of us," suggested Carolyn Lane-Rock, principal of Manitoulin Secondary School (MSS), at a meeting held at the school on Thursday, October 10, to provide parents with the answers to their questions. Jill Patterson, guidance counsellor with the school, explained to the parents that, in all likelihood, students are not faced with a true double cohort situation. Last year, post-secondary institutions experienced a 15 percent rise in the number of applications received, and that number is expected to rise by another 15 percent this year. She noted this is not expected to be an one-year event, as post-secondary institutions are anticipating a rise in applications over the next three to five years. "The government is assuring there will be a place for every willing and qualified applicant," Ms. Patterson said. However, she indicated while most institutions are taking more students, certain limited enrollment programs, such as Cambrian College's Dental Hygiene program, are not increasing their enrollment. "Most institutions are expanding their residences," she explained. She said most of the institutions she has spoken with have indicated they are puting forward their best effort to ensure first year students are admitted to residences on campus, with students from later years being entered into a lottery system for any remaining spaces. However, she did warn parents there is still the possibility students may find themselves in a situation where they might have to commute. Ms. Patterson explained some institutions have indicated that their cut-off marks for certain programs are likely to increase, but she noted marks are not the only factor these institutions look at when considering a student. Other factors include a student's portfolio and community involvement. Students have been working on portfolios within the school setting, she said, and emphasis has been put on ensuring they are as professional looking as possible. "This is a competition, there is no doubt about that," she said. For university admission, students are expected to have a minimum average of 60 percent. They also must have four 'U' level courses, and in the case of some institutions, five U courses. Universities generally take the top six marks to determine the average, but English is always included among those six marks. As well, pre-requisites for a given course might also be included among those six marks. Universities will be considering OACs, U and M level courses equally, however some institutions do recommend all of the marks be either all old or all new curriculum. College, on the other hand, do appear to be weighting the marks, giving students in the new curriculum leeway of approximately 10 percent. "Students have to be realistic about their marks," Ms. Patterson stated. In the past, students who made a last minute decision to enter into their post-secondary education generally were accepted to the institutions and programs they were interested in. Ms. Patterson said this is not likely to occur this year. In fact, Cambrian College actually capped its Millwright apprentice program last year, the first time the college has ever capped an apprenticeship program in its history. If students make wise choices, and look into the demands and requirements of a program, the should get into the program of their choice. This will be the first year that students will apply for their post-secondary education online, Ms. Patterson noted. Students can apply from either school or at home. "It is a fairly easy application process," she explained. She noted all of the students biographical information is also sent out to the post-secondary institutions electronically. There will also be the opportunity for students who apply early to win money. This may particularly be key, since Ms. Patterson explained there will be not be an increase in the number of scholarships available to students. Once students have received their blue cards or papers informing them of which institutions they have been accepted to, they must be returned by June 9 with an indication of which program and institution the student has accepted. "There will be a second round of offers in June," Ms. Patterson pointed out. She did emphasize if a student does not receive a response from all of the institutions they have applied to, whether positive or negative, they should contact the institution to ask questions about their application. She indicated last year, blue cards for five students were lost in the mail. The only reason this was discovered was because a student received a call from a professor at a university she had been accepted to, yet she did not know she had been accepted as she had not received any confirmation. All of the students were eventually able to submit their choices before the deadline. Ms. Patterson stated that on October 24 at 1:30 pm, representatives from Ontario universities will make presentations at Espanola High School. These presentations will also be open to parents. Also that evening, a similar presentation will be held at Lo Ellen Secondary School at 7 pm.

 

 Landfill site to open

by Cheryl Waugh NORTHEASTERN MANITOULIN and the ISLANDS (NEMI) --- It may have seemed at times like this day would never arrive, but it finally has, starting next Thursday, October 24 the new NEMI landfill site will be open for business. The operation of the new landfill will be preceded by a ribbon cutting ceremony and a reception this Tuesday, October 22. The ribbon cutting will take place at the site at 11 am, followed by a reception at the Little Current Howland Recreation Centre. It's taken 16 years, and maybe more, to get this new landfill built, said NEMI Mayor Ken Ferguson. "I'm really excited (about the opening). All that time and it's finally going to happen. We didn't end up wasting all that time, and we have an end product that is going to be a benefit to our community for a long time," he said. No longer can municipalities just pick open ground, and start dumping garbage on it. These days new landfill sites are under intense scrutiny from the Ministry of the Environment. There are studies to be done, and environmental certificates to achieve. Mayor Ferguson said Little Current and Howland started cooperating on a new landfill in 1986. At that time, he never suspected it would take 16 years for the landfill site to become a reality. "I sure would have liked to have it opened a lot sooner, but there are a lot of environmental safety requirements that have to be met, which is for the best, and a lot of bureaucracy," he said. He said both Little Current and Howland were told by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs early in the process that they would never be able to build a landfill. "We were told it would be too expensive to develop a new landfill site. We said we'd try." The two municipalities formed a waste management steering committee, and slowly but surely followed the bureaucratic process that would see a landfill site for the new amalgamated town of NEMI. The process went through its stops and starts over the years, with studies and applications for certificates sometimes sitting on desks at the Ministry of the Environment for months or even years. "It took us so long just to get stage one approval," said Mayor Ferguson. Once the landfill had gone through the process of meeting the requirements of first the Environmental Assessment Act, and then the Environmental Protection Act, the municipalities found they didn't have the money to start building the landfill. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs initially said they would provide some money towards the project, and then never did. The town did get funding from the Ministry of the Environment, but not nearly as much as they expected. All of which has led NEMI to take on financing for the $2 million project. The new landfill site has an approved capacity of 128,300 tonnes, which NEMI estimates will take 40 years to fill. In order to divert as much waste as possible from the landfill, the site will have recycling, rubble and brush, and compost areas. The operation hours for the landfill are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 9 AM to 3 PM. The Little Current and Green Bay dumps and recycling depots will be closed once the new site opens. Plans for the ribbon cutting ceremony haven't been finalized yet, but Mayor Ferguson said the town is hoping to offer bus trips out to the site for NEMI residents. For more information on whether this service will actually be available residents should call the municipal office at 368-3500. Added Mayor Ferguson, "I invite everyone out on Tuesday to come and see our new landfill site before it is christened on Thursday."