Safety measures eyed for Caledonia school

Cheryl Bauslaugh, Expositor Staff
Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 01:00

With negotiations on hold in the ongoing land dispute in Caledonia, the Catholic school board is looking at increased safety measures at Notre Dame School beside the protest site.

The Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board held a special meeting Wednesday night to discuss a number of concerns and possible solutions, including building a wooden fence at the back of the school, which adjoins the disputed Douglas Creek Estates property.

Were trying to be proactive, education director Theresa Harris said in an interview. But its a moving target.

The proximity of the school to the protest site which has been occupied by native protesters since February has been a concern to parents, students and staff. The school was closed for four days: on April 20 and 21, after an ill-fated police attempt to remove protesters from the site, and on May 23 and 24, during a power outage caused by vandalism to a hydro tower.

Trustees listened to a panel of advisers on Wednesday night that included Insp. Brian Haggith, who heads the Haldimand OPP detachment, John Nolan, senior negotiator for the Secretariat on Aboriginal Affairs, and Notre Dame principal Joe DiFrancesco. Also on hand were the co-chairs of the school council, Jackie Dove and Brenda Taylor.

Haggith told trustees that native protesters do not pose a danger to students and staff.

Theyre not there to intentionally hurt people, he said. They just want the government to deal with their land issues.

He said a June 7 confrontation at the protest site involved renegades who are no longer on the property.

If I felt children were at risk you can bet your butt Id be the first guy through the door to get them out of there, he said.

However, he said the OPP are willing to add additional officers inside the school or in the school yard if thats what parents want.

We are here to work with you, in order for people to feel comfortable with their kids going to school, said Insp. Doug Babbitt, of the OPPs Western Region headquarters in London.

Trustees felt that blocking the view of the protest site would help alleviate parent concerns.

Its not so much a case of danger, its a case of constantly viewing this, said Trustee June Szeman.

Haldimand trustee Bonnie McKinnon said the abandoned construction site it not a pretty site to look upon.

Its like a dump.

After some discussion, trustees agreed to have a wooden fence, at least six feet high, built at the rear of the property. The board will also ask the province, which now owns the Douglas Creek site, to create a more permanent barrier by adding a berm and trees.

Other pieces of the back-to-school plan include:

* The school will have a full-time principal and vice-principal, to deal with the added communication and security issues. Normally, the vice-principal teaches for half the day.

* To improve communication with parents, the board will add a link to its website that will provide up-to-date information on any new developments.

* The Ministry of Educations Department of Aboriginal Education is leading a workshop for Notre Dame staff Aug. 29. The idea is to help staff understand the issues involved in the land dispute and how to deal with students who may require counselling.

* In the event that students have to be evacuated, the Grand Erie District School Board has offered classroom space or space for portables at its schools.

However, Harris said shes not expecting that situation to arise.

This would be for a worst-case scenario.

Details of the plan will be discussed at an information meeting for parents at Notre Dame on Tuesday at 7 p.m.