S E R V I N G
M I S S I O N
S I N C E
1 9 0 8
2010
85¢+HST
BRENT HAYDEN SURPRISES THE MARLINS
THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011
Olympian in Mission to film promotional video with old club PAGE 33
POSTAL LOCKOUT Postal workers were on First Avenue picketing on Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning had been locked out. PAGE 4
Hertiage Park secondary students bring public attention to education cutbacks, which include layoff notices being served to teachers in the district with less than eight years of seniority. NEIL CORBETTW PHOTO
Students protest layoffs
VOLUNTEERS HONOURED The District of Mission rewards 18 people who have given generously of their time for the betterment of the community. PAGE 3
Heritage Park kids show support for teachers, decry education cuts BY NEIL CORBETT Mission Record
“Bring Back Books!” “Save Our Schools!” “Wasn’t Durieu Enough?” Those were some of the slogans on the signs high school student protestors held up as they demonstrated outside of Heritage Park Secondary on Thursday when classes ended for the day. They were protesting cutbacks in education, and rally organizers Clinton Large and Kylie Harmatuik said it was the prospect of losing eight Heritage teachers that most struck a chord with the students. Large explained that all teachers at the school without eight years of seniority were given layoff notices. Many will be hired back, but in the mean-
time they have no job security. “They are some of the best teachers in our school,” said Harmatuik. “They’re phenomenal.” The protestors received many honks of support from passing motorists, some adults grabbed a sign and joined the protest, and Large got the message across with a bullhorn, barking slogans like” “When I say teachers, you say stay!” They highlighted a serious issue in the Mission School District this year. Mike Trask, the bargaining chair for the Mission Teachers’ Union, said approximately 130 teachers across the district have been given layoff notices this year. Many, he concedes, will be hired back. However, in the past a teacher with even five years of seniority could reasonably expect their job would never be hit by the budget axe. “These students are right in saying there will
be a lot of dislocation or relocation around the district,” said Trask. “It’s a very, very uncertain time for teachers.” There are three factors impacting educators, Trask explained. First, Grade 7 classes will be shifted from elementary schools to the three secondary buildings for next year, as the district creates a middle school stream within the high school buildings. Second, vice-principals are being asked to spend more time in the classroom, displacing teachers. And third, enrollment is still in decline, by an estimated 100 students for next year. Many teachers will be shuffled to different positions in the district, and he estimated that a See PROTEST Page 2
SENIORS CELEBRATE Mission Seniors Centre marks its first anniversary, and plans are already underway for expansion. PAGE 9
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