A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 2, 1999 Halt teacher layoffs, union urges Economic boost from Skeena Cellulose plans may reverse exodus of families By ALEX HAMILTON SCHOOL DISTRICT officials hope Skeena Cellulose’s return to full production will help staunch the flow of families out of the region and avert plans. to lay off teachers here. | oo “Tf it does provide employment and people move into the district, then certainly it’s good news;’’ said Sharon Beedle, acting district su- : perintendent. © Since the school .board’s operat- ing budget and: the number. of. teachers available for hire depends on the number of students enrolled in schools by September 30, Beedle date the better. Student enrollment bas been con- unuously dropping in Terrace schools since September, said Andrew Scruton, director of in- struction, 7 Substantial numbers of unem- ployed forestry workers and their families have left the city to find work elsewhere. *- coe Because enrollment numbers are predicted to’ be low come Septem: ber, the school board has laid off 34_ teachers for next year. Twenty of those teachers, how- ever, afe on hold and could be rehired next year; depending on en- substitute teachers to work until en- rollment numbers are calculated and it is decided that more full time teachers can be rebired, ‘Frank Rowe, head of the Terrace District Teachers’ Union, wants the “board to immediately rehire all the TDTU members who were issued layoff notices, . Ce ~ He is certain the government’s in- vestment in SC] will lead ‘to an in- crease in economic activity in the area and draw families back, .- | MAJL of . these” teachers. will. be. needed in September,”’ he said. _ “Let's: get teachers back into classrooms so when we open’ ferent people?,’’ he said, _planning.to return.next.year,...... . Scruton said it’s up to the board to decide in the following weeks Whelher or not to rehire those teachers before Seplember: Scruton said it’s: impossible to determine what Kinds of people — those with school aged children or not — will come to Terrace for work, “Will families come back or dif- ~ Scruton said he’s currently trying to work oul bow many-teachers ate There are a number of retire- menls, pregnancy leaves and leaves of absence. planned, and seven said the more families that move rollment figures. back to Terrace for work by this DEPUTY PREMIER Dan Miller announces the $110 million upgrade flanked by SCI president Bill Steele. Road building, logging to accelerate quickly ROAD-BUILDING — could get started within a week or two as part of Skeena Cel- lulose’s $110 million capital expenditure program. Construction of logging roads is necessary so. the company can gel logging and build up enough extra pulp chips to feed its second - pulp line, expected to re- open by October. “We'll start road building and logging as soon as the weather will let us into the woods,” company spokes- man Don McDonald said. “We need to build up three months of fibre before we put B mill into production,”’ James W. Radelet RADELET & COMPANY Barristers & Solicitors Tax Law © Trusts © Corporate & Commercial 1330 - 1075 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, 8.C. YOE 3C9 Phone: 604-689-0878 Fax: 604-689-1386 Recreational/Private Pilot Commercial Pilot Multi-IFR Sightseeing/Charter TK Air Charters Ltd. Bristol Road, Terrace Airport 635-1852 www.canadiantire.com Or Email us at www. cantire.terrace@asg.net SAFEWAY www.safeway.com som, LON, TER TER