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Waterloo Air Show Giveaway

April 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Waterloo Air Show welcomes back all 3 Canadian military Demonstration Teams:

  • Canadian Forces Snowbirds
  • CF-18 Demonstration Team
  • Canadian Forces SkyHawks Parachute Team (Sat only)

on June 2 & 3, 2012 and you could win a a pair of tickets.

 

 

 

 

To Win:

OakvilleChitChat.com has 5 pairs to give away. To win, send us an email at chitchat@oakvillechitchat.com.

 

Event Description:

Kick-start your summer by experiencing amazing aerial displays at the 2012 Waterloo Air Show. Aviation is showcased both in the air and on the ground. Highlighting the show will be spectacular displays by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, Canada’s CF-18 Demonstration Team, the Canadian Forces SkyHawks Parachute Team (Sat only), daring aerobatics, warbirds and more.

This two-day family event is complemented by a Static Display — additional aircraft parked for the weekend allowing people to see them up close, take photos, and speak to the pilots.

 

For additional entertainment, there will be displays, vendors, a kids amusement area, interactive family activities, performer autographs, food, a beer garden and more.

 

 

 

2012 Waterloo Air Show line-up:

  • Canadian Forces Snowbirds – with their awe-inspiring 9-plane aerobatic formations
  • Canadian Forces CF-18 Demonstration Team – Canada’s fighter jet
  • Canadian Forces Parachute Team, the SkyHawks – Saturday only
  • Red Bull Pilot Pete McLeod – 1st Canadian and youngest pilot ever to compete in Red Bull races
    Corsair – WWII fighter from Vintage Wings of Canada, Gatineau
  • Otto the Helicopter – a unique, comedy act that will surely entertain the kids!
  • T-33 Silver Star – otherwise known as the Mako Shark, from the Jet Aircraft Museum
  • Harvard Formation Team – 4 planes from the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Assoc. in Tillsonburg
  • Wayne Hadath – a Kitchener resident who races his home-built F1-Rocket

(all acts are subject to change due to operational duties and mechanical difficulties)

Bring your chairs and cameras out to the Region of Waterloo International Airport and let your wings soar!

 

 

 

DATE: Saturday, June 2 & Sunday, June 3

TIME: Gates open 10am – 5pm. Air Show begins at 1pm.

WHERE: Region of Waterloo International Airport, 4881 Fountain Street North, Breslau

COST:

General Admission – $25 (buy online and save)
Children 5-10 – $10 (buy online and save)
Seniors (65+) – $15 (buy online and save)
Children under 5 – FREE
Veterans – FREE
VIP Tent – $150 (advanced sales only; limited tickets) Includes 1 onsite
parking, VIP tent, catered lunch, cash bar, centre stage viewing, performer autographs.

TICKETS:

Tickets go on sale May 3, at www.waterlooairshow.com or at the gate.

PARKING:

FREE parking.

For more information, go to www.waterlooairshow.com,  info@waterlooairshow.com or call 519-465-0317

The Waterloo Air Show is made possible by one staff member and hundreds of dedicated volunteers.

Filed Under: Contests, Events Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Raising Awesome Kids…The role of Self-Esteem, Character & Discipline

April 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

C.A.P.P. for KIDS (Community & Parent Partners for Kids) is hosting an event that many parents will find interesting titled “Raising Awesome Kids…The role of Self-Esteem, Character & Discipline”.

Guest speaker Gary Direnfeld will speak on turning a negative situation around, using behaviour-specific feedback and using love, fun and joy to create great relationships with your children.

Date:

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Time:

7:30 – 9:30 p.m. (Community displays 7:15 – 7:30 p.m.)

Place:

Gary Allan H.S. / New St. Ed. Centre
3250 New Street, Burlington

*Donations toward future speakers will be gratefully accepted*

To register or contact Halton Region at 905-825-6000

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: , , ,

Canadian youth volunteer Harnoor Gill

April 16, 2012 By 54 Comments

Do you know a special volunteer that has given back to his/her community? Is that special person younger than expected?

From time to time we get requests to acknowledge youth volunteers. With pleasure we share the story of Harnoor Gill.

—-
I am a retired elementary school principal from Dunnville who moved to the Georgetown area in May of 2009. Having taught elementary school for over 30 years. I can say that from time to time I have been privileged to teach some amazing young people who have already had a significant impact on many aspects of the community, province and country and quite possibly beyond.

It was not long after moving here that I heard about Harnoor Gill from others who knew of him or had read articles he had had published in the local paper. In 2010, I offered my services as a volunteer to the Halton Hills Big Daddy Festival to be held on Fathers’ Day weekend. I was aware that Harnoor Gill was involved but regrettably our paths did not connect because he was at a different location.

In 2010 I was stunned to learn that this young man who was so active in so many ways in the community was a Grade 7 student at Stewarttown Public School. Fascinated that this person had published articles and had many hours of volunteer service was so young. I knew I must establish a connection with him. To that point well into 2010 and early 2011 my only communication had been by email but that was soon to change. After several emails it finally happened but not until September 29th 2011.

Harnoor was involved with a significant display at the Georgetown Market Place Mall assisting in P.O.W.E.R. and the Halton Peel BioDiversity Network for the launch of the Canadian Museum of Nature’s traveling exhibit Waterscapes. I was anxious to meet this Grade 8 student in person and had the chance to chat with his mother as well. I am still completely in awe of the passion, dedication, intelligence and outreach that he demonstrates on a daily basis. Few adults can come close to achieving in their significantly longer life, the degree of service to the community than Harnoor has given in his 13 years. I will endeavour to briefly touch on some of the ways he has already served his community and the area.

His environmental concerns have drawn him to the above-mentioned Waterscapes display as well as a tree plating festival October 2011 in Glen Williams. I have only given you a small picture of his eco activities here.

He has been active in supporting the 2010 and the 2011 Big Daddy Festival in Halton Hills. He has contributed over a thousand (1000) volunteer service hours with many organizations and events. He is student leader at his school and is actively involved and plays a leadership role with the local environmental groups such as Willow Park Ecology Centre, POWER and a student member of environmental sub-committee of the Sustainable Committee of Town of Halton Hills. He inspires others to take positive steps through his articles and stories that have been published locally and internationally. His message to the youth is that age is no longer a barrier to volunteer and 40 hours of community work to fulfill the requirement of Ontario High School Diploma is not the end. We all can make a big difference! He holds three (3) leadership positions and is founding member of the Green Team at his school. Youth Caucus at POWER Halton, Youth volunteer leader at Willow Park. He is a committed activist, published author and volunteer. He wants to be a “role model“ for youth by setting an example which clearly shows that ‘if I can do it you can do it too!’. He doesn’t see volunteering forty community hours as a part of the Ontario High School Diploma requirement as an inconvenience, instead as a tool for making a difference and attempting to change the world.

It is so gratifying to see someone so young taking such an active role in bettering his community and surroundings. I have only given a short report on this special young Canadian. There will be more to come for sure. `Look out folks, Harnoor Gill is on his way!!

Ron Speer

—–

Do you know a special person you would like to write about?

Send us your submission for consideration.

Filed Under: Letters to the Editor Tagged With: , , ,

HDSB decision for new Ward 4 high school

June 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The much anticipated decision regarding the new Ward 4 high school was passed yesterday to a rather crowded room of residents after months of accommodation review committee meetings, letter/email campaigns and public outcry regarding the honesty and transparency of the process.

The community heard the board pass the Director’s recommendation but not before several trustees tried to slip in ‘recommendations’ for optional FI attendance.

Because these were presented only as recommendations and not motions, they are not binding but the public must be aware at any time trustees could bring forward a motion to allow optional attendance and/or flexible boundaries.

To many such a change would represent not only potential overcrowding for the English and mandated programming at the school but a complete disregard as to the wishes of the 75% mandated community.

The Director explained his rationale for changing the Option 5 that was presented by the BRC. He qualified his change that allowed FI years early if ‘numbers warranted’ (i.e. 2 classes existed) as being a product of the BRC recommendation. This explanation would seem important because the board has been publicly criticized not only from the community members but also BRC members themselves for misrepresenting their support regarding his changes as being their recommendation.

The BRC Superintend acknowledged last night that community members had contacted the board and/or him to voice their anger and that residents had asked for the Ministry of Education to conduct an investigation regarding the process itself.

For some residents, the board and FI trustees have again hijacked the process because FI could potentially go in years early if 2 classes exist. For some, however, they feel a temporary victory has been met because optional attendance was not part of the decision (at least for now).

In addition, the Palermo community was given the same protection that was afforded T.A. Blakelock and White Oaks – allowing grade 11 and 12 students to remain at their current schools until graduation. Although discussion from trustees centered around this being included only for consistency purposes, for many it needed to be included to afford this community the same consideration as others. Community members have been demanding the board revise Palermo Public School’s FI boundaries and enrollment imbalance forced on the new school after the Ward 4 trustee’s approved motion did not include any enrollment balancing protections. As such, many residents are particularly sensitive to the fact they feel completely unprotected regarding English/mandated programming. They felt their high school students had to be provided grandfathering protection just like the other two protected schools. Although Trustee Amos did insist on a specific amendment stating their grandfathering be included, the fairness of such an addition seemed to be lost on the crowd.

At the end of the day, the school will open, FI could go in early and yes, many still believe a FI supporting trustee will try to hijack the original BRC intended recommendation by motioning a measure allowing FI students outside the current boundaries to attend the school earlier, and Palermo high school students were afforded the same protection as everyone else.

Filed Under: Halton Public Board Schools Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Is Halton school board sensitive to the appearance of ‘Conflict of Interest’?

April 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Is the Halton District School Board (HDSB) reacting to community complaints that conflict of interest is occurring when trustees vote in services and benefits to select groups? Could this explain why during this week’s board meeting, that the normal declaration of ‘Conflict of Interest” was noted instead as a ‘Pecuniary Conflict’.

Complaints have been sent not only to the board, discussed openly within the community but have now reached even the Ministry of Education.


Pecuniary Conflict is defined as an adjective as:

1. of or pertaining to money: pecuniary difficulties.
2. consisting of or given or exacted in money or monetary payments: pecuniary tributes.
3. (of a crime, violation, etc.) involving a money penalty or fine.


School board meetings usually start with a ‘Declaration of Possible Conflict of Interest’. It is standard for the board to ask if any conflicts exist. In fact, the Agenda even notes it as such.

Why is this so important to state this when a school council meeting begins?

For residents, it shows that vested interest does not exist when decisions are made and voted on. For trustees, however, it refers to a monetary connection.

Based on the Education Act, most do not realize the narrow definition allowed under Conflict of Interest is related to only money and not the trustees’ ability to represent their community based on relationship or influence.

Many community members who have contacted Oakville Chit Chat do not necessarily mean ‘conflict of interest’ exists only based on money exchange. Rather, most believe that decisions they see as being biased and siding with optional programming or most recently the Primary Gifted programming rollout may have been based on trustees having a preference to the groups based on their children or family members being part of the group, affiliations with that community, etc.

HDSB critics state that far too often extra benefits or services are provided by trustee votes that do not serve the mandated or majority of the residents the trustees are supposed to be representing. Their objection is the narrow scope to which the conflict of interest term refers and what they believe is the manipulation of the HDSB trustees to work around that very definition.

So now we must ask, is the HDSB and its trustees sensitive to the appearance of conflict of interest based on the distrust of the public as noted above and could that explain the sudden switch to amend the verbal wording at their meeting contradicting the paper Agenda/Minutes distributed at the meeting and general tradition?

Could the new wording have resulted in the implementation of Bill 177 and its changes regarding trustee behaviour and conduct?

Does other areas of government, business and life not have the obligation to disclose the fact that outside relationships or interests exist that could affect one’s ability to provide objectivity. Is it not fair to expect the same to be included in the education system’s definition of conflict of interest?

Do you believe the Ministry of Education should amend the Conflict of Interest rules to include guidelines that factors in a bias based not only influence of money but that of family connections to the subject being voted on or discussed, etc.?

Many community members are stating the limited definition of Conflict of Interest as defined in the Education Act is no longer acceptable and should be changed to include what has become a standard within business, government and society today.

Let it be noted that school board trustees may have stated Conflict of Interest exists regarding issues being presented even when monetary compensation is not the issue but rather they too have seen the issue to include influence or relationship to the subject that could be interpreted as their objectivity to an issue or item being voted on could be questioned. Let it be noted, however, that many in the community believe when it comes to key programming decisions regarding French Immersion and Primary Gifted conflicts based on non monetary connections have not been noted even when relationships and influences could be argued.

Let us know what you think?

Other Related Stories

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Teacher association funds election campaign

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Filed Under: Halton Public Board Schools Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

HDSB holds meeting to discuss new high school scenarios

March 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The public is being invited to an information night with the Halton District School Board to discuss the remaining boundary scenarios for the new high school being built in Ward 4.


This newest school referred to by the board as SRA 103 (the new high school in Oakville located at 2820 Westoak Trails Boulevard). The meeting is to share information about the boundary review process and update the public on the 5 remaining options.

The meeting will take place on:

Thursday, April 7, 2011
Iroquois Ridge High School
1123 Glenashton Drive, Oakville
7- 8:30 p.m.

The board’s website is stating it is the public’s opportunity to provide feedback on the scenarios.

Meetings have been held at affected elementary schools to update parents on how the process is going and to discuss concerns. Representatives have often met with parents who have openly expressed outrage and distrust at the HDSB, its handling of these types of processes, the board’s motivations and transparency regarding the final outcome, and the issue with programming again being factored into sessions that are supposed to be about accommodation.

The scenarios are supposed to be posted as early as this Friday on the board site for the public to review.

The public has also been encouraged to submit questions/concerns on their site.

Send your questions to plan@hdsb.ca. Make sure to label them SRA 103 Boundary Review Question





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Filed Under: Halton Public Board Schools Tagged With: , , , ,

Do you have questions on the new Oakville high school?

March 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you have any questions you want considered regarding the new Oakville High School it is important you submit them as soon as possible.

As the consultation sessions begin to wrap up it is really important to send questions today to plan@hdsb.ca.

Label your question as SRA 103 Boundary Review Question so the board knows it is related to the new high school.

These questions are to be brought up at the meeting tonight, discussed and then answers are to be posted on the HDSB site.

Let us know what you think.




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Filed Under: Halton Public Board Schools Tagged With: , , , , , ,

New high school review meeting met with distrust

March 29, 2011 By 2 Comments


Many of the representatives attending the accommodation advisory committee sessions for the new high school in Ward 4 are encountering distrust and outrage when they meet to update residents on how these sessions are progressing. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Halton Public Board Schools Tagged With: , , , , ,

Abbey Park High School boundary review meeting

March 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Abbey Park High School is holding a Boundary Review update meeting regarding the new high school on Monday, March 28th at 7 p.m. in the school library.

This meeting is open to all parents wanting an update on this matter.

Because of the late notice regarding this meeting by the school, parents have contacted Oakville Chit Chat to inform parents as well that this meeting is open to the public.

Many parents have contact us over the last weeks concerned about the consultation sessions going on regarding the new high school so here is your chance to find out some information about this.

Hope to see you there.





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In addition, the notice stated that the next Parent Council meeting is scheduled for April 18th.

Filed Under: Halton Public Board Schools Tagged With: , , , ,

Halton parents mobilize demanding education reform

March 9, 2011 By 9 Comments

Has the Halton District School Board’s (HDSB) program decisions once again pitted family against family? To many in the community, they are stating overwhelming ‘Yes’.

People debate who needs what and when but most are clear that it is the method in which programming is voted on, how it is delivered, who gets what, and who does not get what causing the outrage in our community.


[Read more...]

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