including misfit anarchists with a punk rock ethos Prior to the recent gutting of its historic 1940s interior naval design the Ortona Armoury Arts Building had been open to the public and was home to a steel drum band as well as eleven in-studio artists along with their collaborators The artists of the Ortona always invited and included the wider public community at every opportunity This exhibit captures a glimpse of the Ortona powerhouse of Art OARS is motivated to highlight the significant work of these artists who were dispersed due to their 2019 renoviction from their home the historical Ortona Armoury Arts Building in the Rossdale neighbourhood Community partners include: Art Gallery of Alberta The Works International Visual Arts Society Collins Studio Gallery and Rossdale Community League You are supporting the arts and making a lasting impact by donating to Galleries West Whether you choose a monthly contribution or a one-time gift your support helps us spotlight emerging talent and sustain the vibrant creative community across Western Canada we can ensure that our open-access site continues to thrive and inspire for generations to come This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page emsbopenhouses.com Career Opportunities Search our Schools & Centres Education and Career Fair EMSB Open Houses The English Montreal School Board will offer summer school courses for the secondary grade levels Summer School information Facility Rentals Elementary and secondary schoolopen houses are scheduledthroughout the year Visit Open Houses Pius Culinary School Restaurant Salon & Aesthetics Laurier Mac Voters within the territory of the English Montreal School Board have cast their ballots for the choice of chair and commissioner in 10 wards Joe Ortona was re-elected chair while his candidates swept all 10 seats Ahuntsic-Cartierville–Montréal-Nord Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce  Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve–Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie–Plateau-Mont-Royal–Anjou–Montreal-Est Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension–Mont-Royal–Outremont Westmount–Sud-Ouest–Ville-Marie With a youth and adult sector population of more than 35,000 students, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is the largest English public school board in Quebec. Established on July 1, 1998, when the province created new boards along linguistic lines, the EMSB network consists of 73 schools and centres. For more details, visit the EMSB website at www.emsb.qc.ca customized training packages in vocational training Register Now! Did you know two of our vocational centres offer premium services at a discount English Montreal School Board6000 Fielding AvenueMontreal QC H3X 1T4General Info: 514-483-7200Adult/Voc: 514-488-4636 Ms. Ann Marie MathesonEMSB Director General Visit the DG's Page Territorial acknowledgementThe English Montreal School Board is locatedon unceded unsurrendered Indigenous territory,traditional lands of the Kanienʼkehá:kaand other First Nations This year’s English school boards elections will take place on November 3 The English Montreal School Boards elections are contested Incumbent chair Joe Ortona is seeking reelection but is facing an opponent after being acclaimed in 2021 Ortona was Vice Chair under former Chair Angela Mancini is also the president of the Quebec English School Boards Association the EMSB has been fighting the province’s language and secularism laws and fighting against the move to abolish English school boards His leadership is being challenged by Katherine Korakakis president of the English Parents’ Committee Association of Quebec Ortona is running for chair with a full slate of candidates for commissioners Ward 1 – Ahuntsic-Cartierville–Montréal-Nord a political science student at Concordia University Ward 2 – Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Chelsea Craig is Director of Operations for Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather and a board member of the Quebec Community Groups Network Paola Samuel is a former broadcast journalist who is active in Montreal’s Sephardic Jewish community Ward 4 – Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve–Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie–Plateau-Mont-Royal–Anjou–Montreal-Est Maria Corsi has been a parent volunteer in EMSB schools Sharon Nelson is the 1st Vice President of the Jamaica Association of Montreal and Assistant Director for the Executive MBA Program at the John Molson School of Business (Concordia University) Ward 6 – Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles having taught both English and French before transitioning into the corporate world James Kromida has been a school board commissioner since 1998 Mario Pietrangelo retired from the Montreal police force in 2016 after a 30-year career that earned him the Police Exemplary Medal Ward 9 – Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension–Mont-Royal–Outremont Paula Kilian is a stay-at-home mom who dedicated time to the Family Association and the governing board at Dunrae Gardens Julien Feldman is a former journalist who has served on the governing board at Bancroft School a board member on the Royal West Academy Foundation and on the EMSB’s Council of Commissioners More information on the Team Ortona platform can be found at teamjoeortona.ca n Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: President Donald Trump is planning to put a '100% tariff' on movies produced outside of America Erica Natividad with how this may impact Canada's closely tied industry The family of an Ontario man who died in a correctional facility in 2016 is calling out the provincial government for failing to act on recommendations made in an inquest into his death an Anishinaabe (Algonquin) community member during a rally Monday at Montreal's Cabot Square to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls preparing for a first meeting with the U.S and some say simply getting America to agree to a framework for negotiations going forward is the goal President Donald Trump is planning to put a ‘100% tariff’ on movies produced outside of America Erica Natividad with how this may impact Canada’s closely tied industry and we need it now,” said Naomee James during a rally Monday at Montreal’s Cabot Square to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls The Quebec Liberal party held its only English-language leadership debate on Sunday at John Abbott College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue “Entirely unfair both to the unhoused persons and to the STM,” said David Chapman of Resilience Montreal as the STM lifts its temporary loitering ban in Montreal’s metro system 11 high school lacrosse players in New York have been charged over an alleged hazing incident involving five younger teammates Laura Aguierre looks at the disturbing allegations and the role the suspects’ ages might play in what happens next and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices This government has attempted to abolish school boards imposed arbitrary measures on who we can hire as teachers with Bill 21 and imposed further language restrictions with Bill 96.” the chair of the English Montreal School Board recently made headlines when he pointed out that the EMSB is better at teaching French than the Quebec government Education Ministry statistics seem to confirm his point Ortona, the 43-year-old trilingual Quebecer of Italian origin who’s heading up the Bill 21 Supreme Court challenge says a big part of his role as EMSB chair is fighting against the falsehood that English-speaking Quebecers aren’t interested in French.  “English schools didn’t have bilingual programs when I was young,” he says It was important to them that I attend a school with French immersion They wanted their kids to not only speak French but speak it well.” Our community was the one demanding more French instruction in our schools This idea that French needs to be imposed on us so we can adapt to Quebec’s linguistic reality is a false perception who attended the University of Ottawa and studied civil law He suspects many Quebecers are uninformed about the amount of actual French taught within the English-language school system “The overwhelming majority of our kids are enrolled in either French immersion or bilingual programs,” he says “French immersion is exclusively or almost exclusively in French from kindergarten to Grade 2 That roughly translates to 63% French instruction and 37% English instruction over seven years Bilingual schools are 50% French and 50% English from kindergarten to Grade 6 Even schools with English core programs have 40% of class time in French.” The EMSB was recently successful in obtaining a stay on some of the provisions of Bill 96 meaning parts of the law will not apply to English-language school boards until a legal decision is made on the constitutionality of the bill.  the CAQ government attempted to challenge the ruling but Court of Appeal Justice Geneviève Marcotte rejected it and upheld the Quebec Superior Court decision regarding Bill 96 on May 31 “The fact that the Charter of the French Language requires English school boards to communicate exclusively in French when interacting with other English-speaking community organizations including the QESBA and the English Parents’ Committee Association of Quebec “The decision makes it very clear that English-language school boards are an English institution and they have the right to work and communicate in English.” The EMSB chair refers to the ruling as a “significant victory” for a community feeling increasingly scapegoated by the CAQ government’s identity and language politics this government has attempted to abolish school boards — the only institutions left controlled by Quebec’s English-speaking community — tried to impose arbitrary measures on who we can hire as teachers with Bill 21 and imposed further language restrictions with Bill 96.” none of these measures will do anything to change Quebec’s linguistic reality “If you have legitimate concerns about French Quebecers being ‘anglicized,’” he says “that’s a problem to address with French speakers.”  Implementing French courses in English CEGEPs or restricting English communication among English speakers won’t affect how Quebec francophones behave “It’s not Quebec’s English-speaking community — which has been in decline over the last 50 years — that’s anglicizing Quebec,” Ortona says TikTok and cellphones with internet access That exposure to English is anglicizing Quebec Ortona warns that punitive legislation or adding enormous bureaucratic hurdles that the community has to jump through won’t change things.  The CAQ’s zero-sum thinking essentially requires French Quebecers to believe that a loss for the English community is somehow a gain for them “They’re appealing to their base,” he says “If they’re aggravating the English community they must be doing something good.” Ortona says the focus “The quality of French education needs to be strong,” he says “Current success rates in the French public system show there’s lots of work to be done.” With Quebecers’ massive exposure to American culture — music social media influencers — Ortona believes it’s essential that students master the language from a young age “We need to find ways to incentivise people to speak French rather than punish them if they choose to speak English,” he says “That won’t get anyone to want to adopt Québécois culture I don’t think this government understands that at all.” Responding to an OQLF report showing the use of French among young Quebecers is in decline Ortona says it’s like “trying to change the current of the sea with a fan.” “If you want a society to evolve a certain way,” he says “you need to find creative ways to make it enticing for people to adopt certain habits and eventually it’s going to overwhelm you Ortona insists that it’s not contradictory to believe the English language and culture can thrive within the English community while French thrives in Quebec the EMSB has requested money and resources to offer francisation welcome classes in the English system for children eligible for English education “If you’re coming into our system from abroad or from another province in Grade 7 and you don’t speak French you have a lot of catching up to do,” he says these kids graduate not speaking French as well as they could and far more likely to be immersed in English culture Ortona says the government only recently granted the EMSB permission for welcome classes for adults “only because the French system was overwhelmed and couldn’t meet the demand.” The CAQ also appears ignorant of minority-language educational rights “Section 23 imposes obligations on the Quebec government to protect English-language institutions,” he says you have to expect that at some point we’re going to fight back.” While the French school system is unquestionably a provincial jurisdiction when it comes to minority-language public education it’s a shared jurisdiction between the province and the minority community.  “English education in Quebec and French education in the ROC are not exclusive provincial jurisdictions and haven’t been since the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” he says “Quebec’s English-speaking community has a right to manage and control its institutions and work with us when they legislate in areas of education that touch upon English school boards or they can continue to be hostile towards us and we’ll keep finding ourselves in litigation.” Reacting to the EMSB’s legal pushback, Premier Francois Legault once referred to the EMSB as a “radical” group, a characterization Ortona says is unjust. Having lived through Liberal and PQ governments and one referendum, Ortona says Quebec has never had a government so hostile towards the English-speaking community. “This is our home,” he says. “All we want to do is be contributing and accepted members of society and we don’t get that feeling from the Quebec government. We’re constantly vilified and used as scapegoats to score cheap political points.” “I don’t think there’s anything radical in wanting to be accepted and respected,” he says. “Even if Quebec became independent tomorrow, we’d still continue to be a minority community that has a right to exist and to certain protections. We’re not going anywhere. We’re here, we’re raising our families and we have to find a way to coexist respectfully.” ■ View this post on Instagram A post shared by English Montreal School Board (@englishmtl) This article was originally published in June 2024 issue of Cult MTL Read more weekly editorial columns by Toula Drimonis I spent the day with the renowned chef and restaurateur sourcing rainbow trout in Montebello and watching her assemble a perfect crudo at her restaurant in the Village One of the most complete and enjoyable restaurant experiences anywhere Artists and non-profit organizations will return to the 110-year-old Ortona Armoury Building in September following a $16.3 million rehabilitation project by the City of Edmonton that dates back to the building's closure in 2019 Julian Mayne, executive director of Arts Habitat Edmonton the non-profit that leases and operates the space told Taproot the building had to be taken down to its bricks and other problems you might expect in a century-old building which set out to bring the building to current safety codes and to renovate the interior began in 2022 and was mostly finished in June has 19 studios on the second floor that range from 180 square feet to 400 square feet there is a gallery and offices for non-profit organizations The studios on the second floor will rent for $1 per square foot per month and the lower level offices will rent for $1.50 per square foot per month Those rates are less than half the market rate for arts space the building's general manager Raj Nigam told Taproot during a tour of the building Applications to rent space in the building were open until mid-July, and Mayne said Arts Habitat will allocate the studios in August. Previous tenants at the Ortona included the Film and Video Arts Society (FAVA), which has relocated to the Orange Hub, and the Edmonton Folk Music Festival The Ortona's courtyard has been converted to what officials call "the solarium" — a performance space that can hold audiences of about 150 people Nigam said Arts Habitat will also hold artist markets in the space potentially with food trucks in the adjacent parking lot Mayne said there's potential for multidisciplinary collaboration at the refreshed Ortona of course — to build a space where there is lots of diversity and lots of different disciplines that can use the space and create in the space," he said that we have a really active arts hub that engages both professional artists and the community." "They have interesting stories that you can feel behind the walls You can almost feel the history of everyone who's been in that building and also part of it is because it's a character building." But Mayne said municipal heritage experts worked on the rehabilitation project Most of the rooms have a mix of original exposed brick and new stark white walls Heritage elements were maintained on the floor of the mess room The Hudson's Bay Company built the red-brick structure in 1914 for use as a warehouse and stable for its delivery horses The building was renamed Ortona Armouries while the Loyal Edmonton Regiment 3rd Battalion was its main tenant in the 1960s It was designated as a Municipal Historic Resource in 2004 The rehabilitation project is related to the City of Edmonton's River Crossing Business Plan, which envisions how the Rossdale neighbourhood might transform from a sparse, car-centric area to one with more residential Clockwise from top left: A hallway that leads to artist studios original elements maintained in the building's entryway original elements maintained in the mess room Cary D’Ortona is president of Orlando Health Medical Group and senior vice president of Orlando Health He is responsible for leading the strategic and operational direction of more than 1,700 employed clinicians to support the needs of the organization During his tenure at Orlando Health he has guided expansion of pediatric specialty services and primary care Prior to his appointment as president of the Orlando Health Medical Group chief operating officer and chief financial officer with Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital and held positions in finance and internal audit Cary worked as an auditor with Ernst & Young He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and master’s degree in accountancy both from the University of Central Florida in Orlando He also holds a Master of Science in Health Services Administration Cary is a member of the board of directors of Camp Boggy Creek Junior Achievement and Special Olympics Florida he is a board of directors’ member for Orlando Health South Lake Hospital and a member of the executive committee of the Florida Hospital Association of Children’s Hospitals He also serves on the supervisory committee of the Addition Financial Credit Union archaeologists and the general public have shared their stories about Ortona Indian Mound Park The common thread among these conversations has been a passion for preserving Ortona’s cultural past While there may be individual aspirations to enhance the park everyone acknowledges the need for official action 🔊 Listen to Forgotten Park Episodes 1-5 Dorinda Williams-Campos: “We wouldn't mind spending money on it if the county didn't want to to let them know a little history on the Calusa Indians and on that park Larry Luckey: “It needs to be actually taken all back out and redone It's gonna take a group of people that has an interest Kate Adams: “I think it's important that we expand the interpretive display I hope we can do that and definitely get some signage Bob Carr: “The park needs to expand to officially encompass the large mound and part of the remnant earthworks that are associated with the mound you can create a boardwalk that links all of that to other parts of the park.” Glades County has a population of 12,790 with a median household income of $37,220, according to 2022 and 2023 Census data Archaeologist Bob Carr explains that this places Glades County in a unique position that may be beneficial to fixing up the park “The challenge is that Glades County is one of the poorest counties in Florida it has that interesting reality of being the poorest county it allows them to get 100% of any grant applications from the state,” said Carr Carr says the county needs additional resources to secure these grants somebody needs to help them get the grant monies to get the repairs done in that park," said Carr "I think the park has a long way to go in terms of fulfilling its public education interpretive mission During the investigation of Ortona Indian Mound Park various entities in Glades County were contacted to assess their plans for improving the park's fading ancient earthworks and addressing the lack of historical signage Representatives from Glades County Parks and Recreation and the Glades County City Manager’s Office were reached out to I made an impromptu visit during City Manager June Fisher's office hours to bring the community’s concerns to her attention Fisher expressed interest in recording an interview but I have not heard back from her or another staff member The Florida Public Archaeology Network shared an outside perspective and possible solutions for Ortona Indian Mound Park Sara Ayers-Rigsby is the Southeast & Southwest Regional Director of the Florida Public Archaeology Network She said she first visited Ortona Indian Mound Park in 2016 “I was really sad the first time I went out to see you have this really beautiful park that's being really well maintained in terms of like the grass has been mowed," said Ayers-Rigsby "There's people who are coming and working on the pavilion But the interpretive signage about the archaeological site had clearly fallen into some disrepair So the bridges that connected over the canals were sort of rotted and fallen away.” Ayers-Rigsby explains that the state of Florida has special grant categories to help address situations like Ortona “Our role with FPAN is to not only promote public awareness of archaeological sites but we also assist the state Division of Historical resources and we assist local governments as well," said Ayers-Rigsby I think we would be really happy to try and help the county.” the interior of South Florida is called an understudied area and that Ortona has a lot of potential yet to be discovered we really still have a lot to learn about what was happening in the interior and how some of these communities were interacting with the coastal communities who were there at the time," said Ayers-Rigsby "There is the potential for this site to still yield a lot of potentially groundbreaking information about the history of Florida." Ortona Indian Mound Park remains a subject of discussion thanks to the steadfast efforts of community members like Dorinda Williams-Campos who tirelessly advocate for its restoration we can get this park back up to what it needs to be "It just needs some TLC and it needs some attention The preservation of Ortona Indian Mound Park now rests in the hands of Glades County officials With the start of the new year and a new semester, the Volusia County School District also celebrated the opening of a new school The consolidation of Osceola Elementary and Ortona Elementary culminated on Tuesday with the official opening of the Beachside Elementary campus in Daytona Beach We anticipated this as adults that the kids would be in awe and they were," Principal Lynn Bruner said Tuesday afternoon "(There was) lots of wow factor for the kids." Coming soon:Volusia/Flagler Teacher of the Year awards are around the corner; here are the nominees Year in Education:Superintendent saga, new boards top Volusia/Flagler stories from 2022 Verdict is in:Court rules on allegation that Seabreeze High School excluded student with Down syndrome who had been Osceola's principal since 2018 said moving to the new campus was unique compared to the first day of school in that everyone knew each other but didn't know the campus or where their classrooms were Some of the new campus features include bathrooms in every classroom high ceilings and ergonomic and modern seating including some chairs shaped like sea turtles and dolphins Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and school board members Anita Burnette and Ruben Colón also welcomed students to the new campus which features horizontal stripes in shades of blue which Burnette likened to a sunset over a beach "It was very nice and refreshing to see happy smiling faces (that were) excited to be at a new school,” she said in a phone interview Tuesday morning It was a good day for Volusia County students and there are still a few kinks to work out Burnette says staff members arrived early and were excited and helpful She added it was nice that the school drop-off line streamlines students right into the cafeteria each morning The Ormond Beach community had preferred rebuilding at Osceola instead and tried to rally support with a petition of more than 600 signatures and a pledge of $2 million from Ormond Beach to update the campus represents the final stage of merging the two communities of 560 students who have already been attending school together for the past year and a half The process dates back to before Burnette joined the board in 2020 to represent District 2 "I think that the school is going serve the community very well and it looks like everyone was very happy,” she said “Everybody looks like they came together pretty well and even those who would have preferred a different outcome Burnette says the old Osceola campus will serve as a relief campus for Ormond Beach’s Tomoka Elementary while it gets a full rebuild as well over the next few years Bruner said they were sad to leave the previous campuses and see Ortona demolished but the Beachside community — whether originally from Ortona or Osceola — has united over the unique shared experience of leaving behind an old school and moving mid-year had been in the same classroom at Osceola for 30 years and others had been students at the schools themselves Bruner also recognized "the amazing dedication of every single staff person and countless volunteers and business partners making it happen Beachside Elementary posted on Facebook that its teachers participated in a memory walk of the Osceola campus which “gave our staff the opportunity to share wonderful memories about the campus we are leaving and to talk about all the amazing experiences that we will create at the new Beachside campus.”  Contact Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com SEARCHThe global authority in superyachting The 50-metre motor yacht Arbema has been sold, with Charles Carveles at Edmiston representing the seller and Petko Bachiyski of BG Yachting representing the buyer Arbema accommodates 12 guests in six cabins consisting of a master suite on the main deck The main saloon on this 591GT yacht is semi-open plan, with a lounge area aft and formal dining forward. Throughout the vessel, the custom furnishings are neutral, creating a sophisticated atmosphere with a relaxing, serene feel. There is an upper deck sky lounge, which features further comfortable seating and is ideal for socialising.  the highlight of which is her generous 140-square-metre sundeck with benefits including a large custom Jacuzzi spa tub The space is completed with an exterior bar and a gas barbecue grill for cooking up the catch of the day Arbema has a cruising speed of 13 knots with power coming from two Caterpillar engines She had recently completed her five-year survey Arbema was asking €11,900,000. Latest news, brokerage headlines and yacht exclusives, every weekday SubscribeSign up to our newslettersSign up to BOAT International email newsletters to get the latest superyacht news Boat International Media Ltd © 2008 - 2025 Content presented under the "BOAT Presents" logo is an advertising feature and Boat International Limited has been paid to include this content In episode four of “Forgotten Park,” the annual Cane Grinding Festival in Glades County continues to draw visitors to Ortona Indian Mound Park the remnants of Ortona's ancient civilization are succumbing to the passage of time and lack of attention 🔊 Listen to Forgotten Park Episodes 1-5 Luckey’s Ortona Indian Mound Park,” has been open to the public since 1989 Although the park bears the name of the former county property appraiser Larry and I walked through his namesake park He pointed out one of the dig sites from Bob Carr’s archaeological survey in 1987 Larry’s dream park is starting to show signs of neglect The pavilion meant to educate the public about the history of the Ortona’s indigenous people is laden in spider webs and natural debris which was built to lead visitors through chosen mounds and canal systems that date back to 400 A.D Pine and palm trees have grown through the wooden planks leaving the walkway in a state of disrepair Since Ortona Indian Mound Park is owned by Glades County the county holds authority to make any improvements Larry laments the absence of markers explaining the region's sugarcane heritage and ancient earthworks “There is not enough signage," said Luckey The Cane Grinding Festival has been held at Ortona Indian Mound Park on the first Friday in February for the last 35 years It’s a volunteer-run and operated festival that's now organized by the Williams and McRoy families The focus for the festival is on sugarcane lets me hitch a ride in the buggy he’s driving to help demonstrate sugarcane grinding I asked him why he volunteers his time to take part in the festival “I think it's really important," said Wesley I think it's pretty important to people that don't know about sugar cane or have never tried sugar cane Kimberly Clement was at the festival with her one-and-a-half-year-old young son Caine “It's very important that people in the area realize how important these farmers are," said Clement they get to see exactly the syrup that comes from there.” Kimberly knew about the mounds and canals throughout the park the histories of sugarcane grinding and indigenous settlers here would be lost “If we don't support our culture and what our ancestors made for us our parents worked so hard for us to be able to enjoy what we have now So we keep feeding our culture and we keep making sure that everything has a way to survive.” She recently moved to Glades County from Tennessee and discovered the park while out exploring I was amazed to see that it's a county park," said Admas there's a diversity of plants on the ground.” Kate also knows about the park’s indigenous significance She says that she’s concerned about the obstacles Glades County faces in preserving this historical site “I think preserving all history is important," said Adams because I think a lot of the public education it's easy for things to fall by the wayside because of lack of funding or lack of interest.” She said she’s making plans to possibly assist Glades County in preserving the park And I hope to form a group of volunteers to become kind of friends of this park I think it's important that we expand the interpretive display I hope we can do that and definitely get some signage.” Amanda McRoy is related to Dorinda Williams-Campos from episode one Their family legacy extends six generations in Ortona Amanda says that the Cane Grinding Festival transcends a mere celebration; it’s a tribute to a fading past preserving its history for generations to come so we don't want that to go away," said McRoy radiocarbon dates trace the Ortona site back to 400 A.D. but evidence of the indigenous canal systems and earthworks are fading due to a lack of preservation Voters within the territory of the English Montreal School Board will cast their ballots for the choice of chair and commissioner in 10 wards on Sunday The directeur général des élections du Québec has declared that the period for anyone to be added on to the school board electoral list has concluded Eligible voters will get a card in the mail instructing them where to vote. In order to ensure you are eligible to  vote you must go to  this website and see if your name is listed: https://bit.ly/4haPW2Y It also tells you where to vote for advance polls and on election day The Gazette’s Corner Booth Podcast interviews the candidates for chair, Katherine Korakakis and Joe Ortona.You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53bcLmYCPdY&list=PLQi06po0r-tjVlt84EQMQwA-Dkp6Bolmi Below are the candidates and the polling station locations: Ward 1 Ahuntsic-Cartierville–Montréal-Nord Candidates : Franco Mazzariello Election Day: Our Lady of Pompei Elementary School (9944 St Ahuntsic); Gerald McShane Elementary School (6111 Maurice Duplessis Montreal North); John Caboto Academy (8955 Meunier Ward 2Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Chelsea Craig Election Day: Coronation Elementary School (4810 Van Horne Côte des Neiges); Marymount Academy International (5100 Côte St Election Day: Hampstead School( 83 Thurlow ); John Grant High School (5785 Parkhaven Côte Saint-Luc);  Royal West  Academy (189 Easton Ward 4Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve–Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie–Plateau-Mont-Royal–Anjou–Montreal-Est Maria Corsi Election Day: Edward Murphy Elementary School (6800 Pierre de Coubertin Hochelaga-Maisonneuve);  Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School (6855 Cartier Rosemount); Bancroft Elementary School (4563 Rue Saint-Urbain Ward 5Notre-Dame-de-GrâceJoseph Lalla Election Day:  Willingdon Elementary Senior Campus (4850 Coronation Ward 6Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles Tony Aversano Election Day: Michelangelo International Academy (9360 5th Street) RDP; East Hill Elementary School (10350 Perras RDP); Leonardo Da Vinci Academy (12025 André Dumas Election Day: Parkdale Elementary School (1476 Deguire Laurent); LaurenHill Academy Junior Campus (2355 Decelles Ward 8  Saint-LéonardMario Pietrangelo,  Team Joe OrtonaAntonio Zaruso,  Team Katherine Korakakis Election Day: Dante Elementary School (6090 Lachenaie Leonard); Honoré-Mercier Elementary School (8280 Nantes Léonard); Pierre de Coubertin Elementary School (4700 Lavoisier Ward 9Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension–Mont-Royal–Outremont Joanne Charron Team Katherine KorakakisPaula Kilian,  Team Joe Ortona Election Day: Dunrae Gardens Elementary School ( 235 Dunrae TMR); Sinclair Laird Elementary School (8380 Wiseman Ward 10Westmount–Sud-Ouest–Ville-Marie Shalani Bel Team Katherine Korakakis  Julien Feldman Election Day: Westmount Park Elementary School ( 15 Park Place Westmount);  Roslyn Elementary School (4699 Westmount); St Charles); Options High School (1741 de Biencourt You can see the geographical breakup here: https://bit.ly/3QyViJEYou can learn more about the candidates here:https://teamjoeortona.ca/ https://katherinekorakakis.ca/For more information go to www.emsb.qc.ca About the English Montreal School BoardWith a youth and adult sector population of more than 35,000 students the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is the largest English public school board in Quebec when the province created new boards along linguistic lines the EMSB network consists of 73 schools and centres. For more details BREMERTON — A former Bremerton police officer who resigned last year after eight months on the job when she was accused of dishonesty is facing the revocation of her state-issued law enforcement certification next month Samantha Ortona 28, took the oath at a Bremerton City Council meeting in October 2017 according to a social media post from the department publicizing her hiring according to documents obtained by the Kitsap Sun through the state Public Records Act Ortona was accused of spending time while on duty visiting a woman with whom she had been in a dating relationship and not being truthful when initially confronted by internal investigators.  Ortona’s hearing date at the state Criminal Justice Training Commission is scheduled for Nov. 5 After quitting, Ortona applied for a job with the Shelton Police Department according to a city Civil Service Commission meeting agenda from November 2018.  Bremerton did not make a public announcement of Ortona’s termination but Shelton police were informed that Ortona’s certification was under review after contacting the Criminal Justice Training Commission during a background check two former Bremerton police officers have been stripped of their peace officer certification — the professional license for police officers The case of another Bremerton police officer who resigned at about the same time as Ortona after being accused of having sex while on duty is under review by the commission the department began questioning Ortona after receiving a complaint about a house on the 1700 block of Sixth Street that neighbors said created a nuisance through loud parties and suspected drug activity The neighbor mentioned that an officer was seen parking her patrol vehicle in the alley for up to 40 minutes at a time while visiting a woman at the residence “The general theme of the complaint was that the officer was loafing and/or inappropriately associating with a suspected problem house,” according to the internal investigation report obtained by the Kitsap Sun through the state Public Records Act GPS data included in the investigative report showed Ortona’s vehicle was twice parked near the house the evening of June 10 Ortona said she had been in a dating relationship with the woman and may have hugged and kissed the woman during the meetings A neighbor told investigators that she was certain she saw the woman get into Ortona’s vehicle Other officers were aware that there may have been a relationship between Ortona and the woman as the woman had mentioned Ortona’s name when talking to officers during an unrelated domestic violence call.  Ortona had friends who frequented bars around town and when called to break up fights Ortona’s friends occasionally came up to her to give her a hug One officer reported “this has become sort of a joke amongst her co-workers stating she can’t go with them to bar fights anymore,” according to documents Ortona later contacted investigators and said she had recalled more and asked to add to her statement Ortona said during one shift she had twice visited the woman while on duty.  and touched Ortona as she leaned into her vehicle to see if she had missed a call The woman then got into the back of Ortona’s car and refused to get out for a few minutes Ortona told investigators the woman took Ortona’s handcuffs from her belt attached one end to her wrist and the other to the vehicle door handle Ortona said she unlocked the restraints and left When considering whether to revoke an officer’s certificate officers face “charges” but the penalties are not criminal she is accused of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant If the panel finds that the legal burden is met Ortona’s certificate will be revoked Chief Jim Burchett said Ortona’s alleged conduct was not the result of a lack of supervision Often officers have legitimate reasons for parking for 30 to 45 minutes including writing reports and conducting surveillance and supervisors catch on to what an officer is doing.  “Sergeants get to know their people and work habits,” Burchett said was accused of having sex while on duty and resigned rather than be fired according to Ortona’s internal investigation report Stottlemyer worked as an officer for the city from July 2015 to April 2018 Previously he spent more than 12 years as a Washington State Patrol trooper Burchett said he could not remember the allegations in the Stottlemyer matter but confirmed that the accusation of having sex while on duty was the underlying reason for Stottlemyer’s departure Efforts to contact the former officers were unsuccessful Stottlemyer’s case is under review by the commission but no decision has yet been reached whether to pursue decertification.  the hiring authority is required by law to notify the commission Those who sign the required form are asked to notify the commission if they are aware of conduct by the officer that “may” amount to disqualifying misconduct This is how the commission knows what terminations to investigate and why the commission inquired about Ortona Burchett said he routinely informs newly hired officers of specific violations that will result in immediate termination; among them are untruthfulness and having sex on the job “They have fair warning,” Burchett said In episode three of “Forgotten Park,” Larry Luckey's vision for a community park to host the Cane Grinding Festival was beginning to take shape Luckey knew the general history of the plot of land that he chose for his park including its past as a site inhabited by indigenous people … and its current use as Ortona's dump What he did not anticipate were the historical treasures awaiting discovery Those were revealed during a site survey he needed in order to build his park I asked him if his neighbors knew about the native mounds He said that even though the land was owned by Glades County the information wasn't exactly public knowledge "Nobody else really understood it and knew the significance," said Luckey When Luckey applied for a state grant in 1987 to build a community park on the site of Ortona's dump he met Director of Archaeological and Historical Conservancy Carr was the one to give Luckey the news that he needed a site survey “I was contacted directly by the Property Appraiser for Glades County "He finds out that he has to do an archeological assessment as part of getting the money although he's very interested in the history.” Luckey's family has lived in Ortona for roughly 100 years I asked him what he already knew about the property before the site survey “The park was where the old original Ortona dump," said Luckey He said he knew about the mounds since he was a child "I think I even had a picture of my sister on one of the mounds," said Luckey When asked why the mounds were not protected The site survey at Ortona occurred in 1988 Bob Carr and his team of archeologists discovered that the property contained a vast array of mounds and an intricate network of canals created by indigenous people “We were fortunate to be able to do excavations on the bed of one of the canals we came up with a radiocarbon date also around 300-400 A.D.,” said Carr The canals were hand-dug using wooden and shell tools The waterways were 20 feet wide and 3 to 4 feet deep Carr said that the site’s original surveyor in the late 19th Century attributed the creation of the mounds and canals to another group entirely like most Americans would have believed at that time that it's impossible to think of Native Americans doing canals and earthworks300-400 A.D.,” said Carr "This must be the result of Europeans and whites and he believes that it's from the Seminole Wars that the military might have made these canals.” Carr and his team's discoveries show that the area's indigenous population possessed these advanced capabilities 400 years prior to the start of the Seminole War in 1835 effectively refuting all previous assumptions is one of the most ambitious and energetic and effective canal systems in North America that had been done by prehistoric people,” said Carr South Florida experienced a "Golden Age of Development.” “Ortona is a significant archaeological site,” said Carr trade and habitation for Native people that are likely the Calusa.” The Ortona site yielded common trade items, like copper and basalt, similar to artifacts uncovered at indigenous Hopewellian sites in the Ohio River Valley “You get this idea of this very expansive trade area of a very strongly defined social stratigraphy and management of a very large site or been greatly lessened by the time Europeans arrived,” said Carr The largest remaining mound can still be found today It’s outside the park boundaries in between the current Ortona dump and the historic cemetery standing nearly 26 feet high and 328 feet wide Carr said that the mound used to be bigger but it was quarried for road construction 70 years ago were a solution to living in an area prone to flooding by the Caloosahatchee River “The idea of the mound is to create a platform that's elevated sufficiently that you could do something on top of it,” said Carr That "something" could have included housing the earthworks at Ortona have been leveled,” said Carr "We have historic aerial photographs going back to the 1940s the earthwork locations and patterns are very clear and discernible that we have a better idea of where they were before that before it was leveled.” Carr and his team also discovered a 450-foot pond in the shape of a baton near the site of the park which Carr notes is a traditional religious symbol and it was still there at the time that we did our assessment," said Carr it was very unique effort to create this pond with this particular shape." He believes that the placement of the Ortona mounds fit a pattern for other historic sites “They were reoccurring across Southwest Florida in various geometric forms and shapes which probably were largely functional,” said Carr alignments that connected mounds in some cases.” When the Ortona archaeological survey began Carr showed Larry Luckey the mounds and earthworks that remained throughout the proposed park you'd have to integrate all this into your park Luckey’s Ortona Indian Mound Park officially opened in 1989 An informative pavilion and a boardwalk were constructed to educate the public about the history of the Ortona’s indigenous people it is neglected and covered in debris; the connecting boardwalk is in ruins “The Ortona site complex is certainly one of the most significant sites in Florida,” said Carr "And it's worthy of preservation and continuing for what's left to the site and for creating the narrative of that site by interpreting it in a proper way.” In the fourth episode of ‘Forgotten Park,’ the annual Cane Grinding Festival continues to bring visitors to Ortona Indian Mound Park Yet no concrete plans to preserve the land’s indigenous legacy are officially in place This article was published more than 2 years ago First Person is a daily personal piece submitted by readers. Have a story to tell? See our guidelines at tgam.ca/essayguide First Person shares readers’ stories about war and remembrance the site of a Canadian battle in the Second World War looms forebodingly a couple of hundred feet above its port and train station meets me punctually at the train station at 8:30 His rudimentary English and my non-existent Italian make for an interesting introduction Fallen, not forgotten The drive south to Moro River Canadian War Cemetery from the train station is brief pony-tailed guide tells me to take as much time as I need While he digs out his rolling papers and tobacco I have been to dozens of Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries Perhaps it’s the ages on the headstones: so many teenagers I involuntarily gulp and blink several times not wishing to fall apart in front of my Italian host or the two gardeners who are doing their thing Perhaps it is my uneasiness about such pilgrimages a feeling which has intensified over the decades close kin with “dark tourism,” usually associated with visits to places of natural or human-made disaster to witness the spaces of suffering I console myself with a reminder that I do have academic and family interests in military history Yet while I’ve always found CWGC cemeteries remarkably comforting for reasons that it would likely take a team of psychologists to unpack the infinite Mediterranean sky and the Adriatic just beyond – an artist’s dream – enhance the melancholy a part of the ancient landscape they had fought so doggedly and at such cost to help liberate Derided by other Allied troops as “D-Day dodgers,” the troops who spearheaded the allied offensives in Italy came to know all too well just how difficult it was to crack German defensive positions learnt first-hand just how soul-destroying morale-sapping and bloody the Italian campaign could be His book And No Birds Sang has become synonymous with the toll of Canada’s Italian campaign A primarily Canadian battle fought in December marginal affairs – dubbed “Little Stalingrad” for the ferociousness of its fighting – peripheral in the grand scheme of things – an allied assault on the Bernhard Line – except of course to those involved the Canadians confronted and eventually overcame determined resistance by German paratroopers the town – what was left of it – was in Canadian hands over 1,000 Italian civilians are thought to have died and I spend far longer than the 15 minutes I’d anticipated snapping multiple images and making mental notes as I walk Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment casualties – Mowat’s own unit – amongst others Just how many 24-year-olds in the Canadian Army achieved such exulted rank at such a young age We visit the medieval fort overlooking the sea first a statue and a street named in honour of the Canadians who played such an important role in liberating the town I’m encouraged by Mario to pose for a few images the nearby café denizens undoubtedly smirking and indeed all Canadians who make the pilgrimage I offer Mario 40 euros for his efforts; he accepts only 20 I settle on the station café patio with a local beer but it propels me to record my thoughts in words While I end up toasting the folks whose graves I’d just visited I’m loathe to admit the fact for the simple reason that this cavalier mixing of pleasure and commemoration is the very thing that complicates the experience Within a short stroll of Piramide is Rome War Cemetery which seamlessly negotiates thousands of years of history while fitting into a chaotic and modern urban environment at the same time And the perfection begins and ends with an inscription above the domed entrance: “These soldiers of the British Commonwealth gave their lives to preserve liberty and by their sacrifice restored the freedom of Italy and the ancient friendship of the Italian and British peoples 1939 1945.” protestors disrespected the National War Memorial and grotesquely compared themselves to war veterans – all of this collectively exhausted me So it was heartening to see those words inscribed for all to read for as long as there are people who wish to read them Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate If you do not see your comment posted immediately it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons or for abuse. For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions DAYTONA BEACH — Parents were notified Monday that Shantell Adkins is no longer the principal at Ortona Elementary — a decision that follows a district investigation into unprofessional conduct at the school Superintendent Scott Fritz decided to move Kati Dyer the district’s director of K-12 curriculum and turnaround schools to interim principal at the Daytona Beach school [READ MORE: Here’s what Superintendent Scott Fritz has planned for Volusia schools in 2020] Adkins’ removal comes after a district investigation obtained by The Daytona Beach News-Journal revealed that multiple school staff members alleged Adkins made comments or jokes about their weight showed favoritism to a specific teacher at the school with whom he was rumored to be having an affair and created a work environment with a lot of “hostility” and “tension.” District investigators found there wasn’t enough evidence of misconduct to support disciplinary action but sent Adkins a “letter of caution” on Nov “Your actions seriously reduce your effectiveness as an employee of the District and constitutes poor judgment by you in violation of these ethical standards,” the letter from the Office of Professional Standards stated after custodian Keyla Phillips emailed district investigators a list of complaints are you pregnant?” and “When you first started here you were petite;” that Adkins planned to give delivery drivers her cellphone number so she could accept deliveries which she was uncomfortable with; that Adkins did not assign an administrator to supervise students during lunchtime and reprimanded her when she did it Phillips told district investigators during the interview that Adkins told her “I own you for four hours.” And Phillips’ supervisor told district investigators she felt Adkins was trying to intimidate or aggravate Phillips As investigators looked into Phillips’ complaints more allegations of unprofessional conduct came to light School Resource Officer Rachel Ditton recalled a time that Adkins told her if she spent more time walking around the campus she would lose weight She also pointed out a number of instances that they disagreed over her responsibilities as a resource officer a possible home visit for a family and a child who threatened to leave school campus and kill herself And school counselor Sydney Rowe believed Adkins was retaliating against her for an anonymous email sent in April alleging that Adkins was having an affair with a teacher She outlined a series of three meetings she had with Adkins where he said he was going to get to the bottom of the anonymous email asked why their relationship felt strained this year told her she was ineffective in her role and would not explain why and distressed her so much that she sought medical attention Adkins’ version of the conversation differs He stated that Rowe was the one to bring up the anonymous email and that he said he wanted the email issue to end so she could do her job effectively And in almost every conversation district investigators had and others shared that they felt favoritism was at play his wife and the teacher he was allegedly having the affair with all denied that it was true but he was directed to attend mental health and threat assessment training as well as professionalism in the workplace training Parents received a message about the decision to remove Adkins on Monday the first day back to school after the break we’ll make 2020 the best year yet,” Dyer said in the message Dyer has not been a principal in Volusia County before Shultz said the district would not be commenting Monday on Adkins' removal and district officials did not say if he had been reassigned Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — Students from two Volusia County elementary schools started the year off together as a new consolidated state-of-the-art school is built after a lot of debate over which elementary school would be the site for the new one County leaders broke ground earlier this month on Beachside Elementary, which is being built where Ortona Elementary currently stands in Daytona Beach. Beachside will eventually be home to students from both Ortona and Osceola Elementary schools.  attend a brand new fantastic ECHO delightful new facility,” said Linda Cuthbert chairman of the Volusia County School Board.  The new $22 million school will be home to up to 765 students and feature outdoor learning places two playgrounds and two stories of classrooms It will be a big upgrade for students of both Ortona and Osceola elementary schools which were both built in the 1950s and in need of repair While some students like Carly Miksits helped with the ceremony for the new consolidated school, her mother “I think combining the schools will be good,” Kathleen Miksits said “I am still a little sore about the location.”  loved Osceola Elementary School and did everything she could to make sure the new school would be built on the Osceola campus in Ormond Beach with the mayor offering funds for the project last February in hopes of not losing the city’s only beachside school.  with the decision made in a vote that still does not sit well with Miksits.  “They waited until everybody was involved with all the coronavirus and then made a decision without a lot of community involvement,” she said says they make sure that they put it out and they have their 30-day notice and I just don't feel like it was adequately put out there and I ended up with roughly 700 signatures from mostly Osceola (Elementary) and Ormond Beach parents that did not want the school moving down here." Cuthbert knows Kathleen is not alone in feeling this way.  more efficient [way to] serve our public using (the) half-cent sales tax is to build one school to combine the school and the two communities,” Cuthbert said we came to a decision to make it on the best site so that the facility which has to stand for a minimum of 50 years students from both schools are integrated at the Osceola Elementary campus Portables have been added to the Osceola campus to accommodate the influx of students Cuthbert said he is hopeful that once the new school is fully built and everyone is settled in “There is nothing more invigorating than having a brand new facility Just like moving into a brand new home,” Cuthbert said.  now that there is no turning back, she’s trying to look on the bright side for her children as they start the new year.  I tried not to let my kids get upset about any of it and they are just happy to be back at school and seeing their friends,” she said.  Once all the students are moved to their new permanent home Cuthbert shared that students from Tomoka Elementary will be bused to the old Osceola Elementary School while their school is rebuilt as well school board members told Spectrum News 13 they will evaluate the best use for the Osceola Elementary property It is the story of three partnering organizations that came together to create a facility that would honour Edmonton's phenomenal female basketball playing team of yesteryear by building one of North America's largest facilities for the sport born in Canada; become home to Ortona Gymnastics a club with a long history of gymnastic excellence whose aging facility needed replacing and Edmonton Volleyball Centre Society whose dream it was to have a magnificent facility in which to play this popular sport The intent of this partnership (originally called the GO Centre Ortona Gymnastics was the first organization to partner with the Edmonton Grads Centre Ortona Gymnastics' president Ken Flesher and board member Don Logan were already working towards building a new facility the Alberta Volleyball Association (AVA) was also looking for space and joined the project The AVA brought together the Edmonton Volleyball Association the Millwoods Recreational Volleyball Society the Northern Alberta Volleyball Club and the FOG Volleyball Club to form the Edmonton Volleyball Centre Society (EVCS) The EVCS brought dedicated volunteers and commitment to the project as well the University of Alberta joined the partnership and contributed the land and infrastructure for the building With solid support from all three levels of government - $14.8 million from the Government of Canada the project was all but assured - except for a shortfall the project was awarded and Clark Builders began construction in 2010 The original GO Community Centre board members were (in alphabetical order): These individuals collectively contributed over 15,000 hours of volunteer time This facility is a testament to the strong vision and cooperation between very different organizations with a common dream About usFAQsGo Sports PartnersDonationsEmployment  savillesports@ualberta.ca  (780) 492-1000 labs and research stations are primarily located on the territory of the Néhiyaw (Cree) Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and Anishinaabe (Ojibway/Saulteaux) lands that are now known as part of Treaties 6 The University of Alberta respects the sovereignty knowledge systems and cultures of all First Nations The Volusia County School Board will not reconsider its decision to consolidate Osceola and Ortona elementary schools on the Ortona site in Daytona Beach.  After voting on the plan in August; after a swell of dissent from the Ormond Beach community; after a petition garnered more than 600 signatures; after the city of Ormond Beach resolved to spend almost $2 million updating the Osceola campus; and after elected officials and parents from both cities attended School Board meetings to make their case — after all that the School Board is sticking with its earlier choice.  "That ends that," said School Board Chairwoman Linda Cuthbert.  More: Ormond and Daytona both want new elementary school; Volusia School Board cancels meeting The coming months and years will be dedicated to merging these two communities that have spent recent weeks on opposite sides of this issue.  The first step: Getting past the wedge that’s been driven between neighbors.  Volusia School Board turns the pageAt a January School Board workshop board members discussed the benefits of the Daytona Beach campus over the Ormond Beach location and made tentative plans to discuss it further at a workshop It was an unusual move for board members to revisit a topic they already voted on The debate between the locations has been taking place for about a year the School Board voted 5-0 to build a K-8 school instead of an elementary school That question — a K-8 or K-5 — was back on the agenda in August But at that meeting the board also voted to build the new school on the Ortona Elementary site but would have required improvements to its stormwater system that the Ortona site would not Construction on the Ortona site was also about $1 million cheaper at least in part because of the cost of temporary housing for students during the construction phase.  More: Ortona, Osceola elementary schools may fold into new K-8 campus, Volusia officials say Ormond Beach city commissioners expressed their dismay at the plan to move those elementary students to a new school about 3 miles south they committed to do “whatever it (took)” to make sure the Osceola location was chosen whether that be through the use of their CodeRed emergency messaging system or spreading around a resident-created petition which has over 600 signatures.  On Monday they agreed to put up $1.95 million for improvements to the Osceola Elementary campus to make it a more attractive option for the district and constructing a new multi-use sports field More: Volusia School Board wavers again on plan for consolidating Osceola, Ortona schools Ortona and Osceola — both opened in the 1950s — have more than 600 students between them Ortona has just over 200 and Osceola just over 400 The School Board canceled the workshop Tuesday where they were going to talk again about consolidation of the two schools Cuthbert said that Ormond Beach asked to make a presentation but they didn't have enough time to give Daytona Beach the same opportunity The topic came up anyway during board member comments at the end of the meeting When Cuthbert asked if anyone who voted in the majority in August wanted to make a motion to put the issue on a future workshop agenda none of the three eligible board members did.  neighbors are exchanging solemn words and worry over the future The result from Tuesday’s school board meeting We gave them two million reasons to cooperate with us and make the right decisions and they admittedly did not give right due process,” said Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington “Even though they admit that they failed in that they still made the decision to go through with this That’s the unfortunate part in all this.” Ormond Beach resident Mike Pavelka said he was upset to hear the Ortona campus had been chosen As the father of a third- and fifth-grader at Osceola Elementary he’s worried about how the relationships between students and teachers will change after the mixture of students “It’s just kind of heartbreaking Osceola Elementary PTA President Kristin Keeler said she’s unsure whether her three children will attend the new school now that the community will be changed The staff at the school was like family to her “I think the change will change the feel of the school itself,” she said “We really loved having that family feel that close-knit community and I think obviously that will change.” Despite Ormond Beach’s determination While Pavelka and other residents plan on continuing to speak up through social media about the decision Partington said there’s nothing more to do “They’ve made up their mind,” he said “We believe it’s a bad decision based on no public input no due process and incomplete information.” As bitter about the situation as some Ormond Beach residents feel who has a daughter in first grade at the school and another one who will start in 2022 said she’s excited about what’s to come for the community.  “I want this for Daytona Beach,” she said “I think this is a time where the Ormond and Daytona Beach families can come together and say ‘What do we want at this new school?’ ” Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry said he’s “thrilled” about the School Board’s decision not to continue discussing the issue.  He’s hopeful that a new school in the city will help in ongoing efforts to revitalize the beachside and attract new families to the area.  And although he emphasized that he respected the city’s position Henry said Ormond Beach’s offer of $2 million for a school at Osceola Elementary was “unbelievable” and exemplified the inequity between the two cities that a new school in Daytona Beach may help address.  “Residents in Ormond were projecting a sort of an image or idea that it was OK for Daytona Beach’s kids to come over to their house but it wasn’t OK for Ormond Beach kids to come over to our house,” he said “That didn’t leave us feeling too well in Daytona Beach.” Residents have also pointed out that the school district closed another elementary school in Daytona Beach — Bonner Elementary in 2008 — instead of closing Ormond Beach Elementary.  “we had to live with a decision and we weren’t happy about it when it happens Both communities look aheadWith the location officially settled (again) Construction is expected to start in November and the new school will be substantially completed in October 2022 Portable classrooms will be set up on the Osceola Elementary campus which is where Ortona Elementary will be housed during the construction process.  although I know it plays out that way,” Henry said “I want us to be able to have healthy and collaborative conversations about those in the future that are not peppered with a sense of one community is more suitable for this than another.” But a community must still process the impending closure of a school that’s been at its heart for more than 50 years The district will still own the Osceola Elementary School property but no plans have been finalized as for what it will be used for.  a kindergarten teacher at Osceola Elementary thinks school district officials will regret this choice later — but by then it will be too late.  “There’s nothing we can do to save it,” Heller said about the school she’s worked at for 15 years “All we can do now is as a faculty move forward and pray that we can all be together Go to the Subscriptions Centre to manage your: Volusia School Board members want to consolidate Ortona and Osceola elementary schools into a K-8 school on the beachside but at a virtual board meeting this week the school board expressed support for a newly built K-8 school on an existing campus in Ormond Beach or Daytona Beach The original plan was to rebuild Osceola Elementary in 2021 Then board members wanted to see what could be done about Ortona Elementary just 3 miles down the road and in a similar condition they agree they want to build a single new facility on one of the properties that students at Ortona and Osceola would both attend But after the meeting Tuesday they’re leaning toward a K-8 school instead of a new elementary school — which would take an extra six months to build and almost double the cost [READ MORE: Volusia School Board tackles vaccinations, leadership, new schools at Superintendent Fritz’s 1st meeting] And underlying it all is the threat that the coronavirus pandemic will derail the district’s plans no matter what — particularly because funding for new construction like this comes from a half-cent sales tax “The coronavirus pandemic stands to disrupt all forecasting,” district staff wrote in a memo to the School Board explaining that they expect to see declines in revenue collection “It remains to be seen the extent of the economic damage associated with the pandemic.” what the new facility will look like or even if it wants a K-8 or elementary school district staff will head back out into the community to discuss the options Months of prior community outreach didn’t dive into the potential plans for the K-8 schools “Those parents at those meetings never really saw the concept of a K-8 school,” board member Carl Persis said “I believe I can say with a great deal of certainty that they would be thrilled that a K-8 school could be there on the beachside.” Staff was hesitant to present options for a K-8 school to the community before the board indicated they wanted to do that because of problems they anticipated with the construction of such a school [MORE: See the potential plans here] The two sites are almost half the size that would usually be necessary to construct a middle school so space for athletic amenities and parking would be tight And the limited acreage means it would be hard for students and teachers to keep using the old school while construction is taking place Then there are geographic difficulties: soil and drainage challenges at either site mean there will be higher construction costs associated with erecting any new facility There’s already extra space at the nearby Ormond Beach Another middle school in the area would draw even more students from those schools [READ MORE: Volusia School Board will borrow $100m to build schools faster] most board members expressed interest in having a middle school closer to where students live “These kids deserve to be in their neighborhood,” said board member Ruben Colon the School Board must decide what type of school it wants to build and on which site This will inform the next steps in the planning process The board is leaning toward one of two options: A K-8 school on the Osceola Elementary campus in Ormond Beach which would cost an estimated $44.7 million; or a K-8 school on the Ortona Elementary campus in Daytona Beach which would cost an estimated $43.4 million Either option would be completed in December 2022 If the board changes its find and decides to stick with the original idea of combining the two existing schools into a single elementary school the new facility would be completed in June 22 and cost about $20 million less than the larger school The board would still have to pick which site to build on Right off State Road 78 in Glades County lies a large wooden sign marking the entrance of the Ortona Indian Mound Park The park has remnants of several Calusa Indian mounds and extensive canals that were once used as waterways for travel and transportation The site was first documented during a survey in 1839 and archaeologists date the canals back about 1700 years ago a retired Glades County Property Appraiser was instrumental in the creation of the park and the preservation of the mounds and canals The park is officially named The Larry Luckey Ortona Indian Mound Park I first asked the county commissioners to consider my plan everything was in place for both the creation of a park and a protected area,” said Luckey Luckey also convinced neighbors to help out who willingly provided equipment and helped clear the land Not only did the spot have an important place in history as an archaeological site “There was a scrub habitat with wading birds a hammock habitat The site offers educational plaques and a boardwalk Every  year the Ortona Cane Grinding Festival It celebrates the early settlers' cultivation and the processing of sugarcane syrup and the proceeds go to help the Glade’s County Fire Department as both my wife and I were very active with the department,” said Luckey Also nearby the Ortona Indian Mound Park is the Ortona Cemetery where the Seminole Indian Chief Billy Bowlegs III is buried along with other early Glades county pioneers Look for the sign on the left at the entrance MontrealNewsQuebecers get ready to vote in English school board electionsBy Kelly GreigPublished: October 31, 2024 at 7:48PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved