A WORD FROM THE MAYOR – THE SCHOOL TIMETABLE REFORM
Since the four-day week was introduced in 2008, French schoolchildren have had longer and more crowded days than most other pupils in the world. Our country has the fewest school days in Europe: 144 days a year, compared with an OECD average of 187. Our school week is 4 days long, compared with 5 and sometimes 6 in most of our European neighbours.
According to documents published by the Ministry of Education, this extreme concentration of teaching time is unsuitable and harmful to learning. It causes excessive fatigue and difficulties at school. At the same time, French pupils’ results are falling in all international rankings.
The school timetable reform provides for 24 hours of lessons a week over 36 weeks, plus 1 extra hour a week of educational activity, optional for the pupil, free of charge and subject to the parents’ consent. On the other hand, remedial lessons are abolished, as is written homework.
On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays there will be 3 hours of teaching in the morning and 2¼ hours in the afternoon – 45 minutes less per day. But Wednesday mornings will be added, with 3 hours of teaching.
These hours are separate from after-school care, which each municipality is free to organise. In Eguelshardt, the after-school time will not change much, nor will the total weekly childcare time.
Introducing the reform from September 2013 would not, in principle, cause any particular problem in Eguelshardt, where school transport is not an issue. Municipalities that adopt the new system in 2013 will receive €50 per pupil (this aid is not granted to those that wait a year). In addition, municipalities receiving the DSU or DSR solidarity grants – which is the case for Eguelshardt – will get €45 for that first year.
Eguelshardt would be able to apply the reform from the start of the school year in September 2013. However, as the ministry allows mayors who so wish to postpone the reform to the 2014-2015 school year, I preferred to consult in writing the 24 families concerned by the next school year, undertaking to propose for our village a solution in line with the wishes of the majority of the parents concerned.
12 families would have preferred the reform to apply from September 2013, but 14 families voted to postpone it to September 2014.
The proposals I have just sent to the département council and the Education authority reflect this.
Emile Eitel
CLEAN-UP DAY, 23 MARCH 2013
Clean-up day in Eguelshardt, 23 March 2013.
All the participants gathered in Philippsbourg the same day.
GENERAL MEETING OF THE INTER-ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE
The general meeting of the C.I.A. was held on Friday 22 March 2013 at 8pm.
After the president, Mrs Marie-Jeanne Derou, opened the meeting, the report and the various events organised in 2012 were read out. The financial statement showed a surplus of €10,395.76 as at 4 February 2013.
After discussion and a vote, the new committee is as follows:
- President: Marie-Jeanne Derou; vice-president: Sophie Steinmann
- Treasurer: René Nies; assistant treasurer: Tania Grussi
- Secretary: Séverine Harter; assistant secretary: Laurence Bayart
- Committee members: Yvette Holtzinger, Bertrand Baldauf, Gérard Gajowski, Pascal Haller, Cathia Mohr, Gabriel Cuirin, Virginie Kiffer, Marie-Louise Kleinklaus, Eliane Schmitt, Jean-Marie Christmann
Planned events: an “80s” evening on 2 March, a flea market on 12 May and the New Year’s Eve party on 31 December 2013. Several other events were suggested: Midsummer bonfires, a village fête and inter-village games.
The president thanked Mr Jean-Marie Christmann for his commitment to the C.I.A., especially as treasurer since 2004. Mr Christmann is leaving the board but remains on the committee.
GENERAL MEETING OF THE SHOOTING CLUB
The “La Vigilante” shooting club held its general meeting chaired by Jean-Marie Christmann.
The members unanimously approved the 2012 activity and financial reports and the 2013 budget; membership cards cost €12.
The activities still planned this year: the spring walk on 14 April 2013 followed by a meal (start at 9am in front of the salle Rapin). The 50 m shooting range will be open to the public on booking.
At the Dieuze tournament, the under-13 team – Marie Deliessche, Helen Mattana and Guillaume Mancini – took first place, ahead of Bitche and Dieuze.
The new committee: Jean-Marie Christmann (president), Edmond Tousch (honorary president), Robert Niederberger (vice-president), Martine Tousch (secretary), Nadine Mattana (treasurer), Claude Schwanner (assistant secretary), Marie-Jeanne Derou (assistant treasurer), Francis Tousch (range officer), Séverine Harter, Roger Burgun, Sylvain Grussi, Jacky Kayser, Roland Ehrenfeld, Fabrice Jozwiak, Jean-Jacques Callegher and Jacky Nies (committee members).
Information and bookings: the president, 03 87 96 10 82.
GENERAL MEETING OF THE SENIORS’ CLUB
The Seniors’ Club held its general meeting on 9 March 2013. The committee remains unchanged: Mr Roesslinger president, Mrs Wambst treasurer, Mr Houy vice-president and Mr Raud secretary. The financial statement was read, the 2012 activities were reviewed and meetings with the schoolchildren were suggested.
A message to all the newly retired: come and join the Club!
DIARY
- 4 April: monthly meeting of the Seniors’ Club, salle Rapin
- 14 April: spring walk, La Vigilante shooting club, salle Rapin
BIRTH
We have heard of the birth of Ruben on 9 March 2013 to Mr Wilfried Angibaud and Mrs Elsa Borrego of Eguelshardt. Our sincere congratulations to the happy parents, and welcome to Ruben.
OUR OLDEST RESIDENT TURNS 90
Mayor Emile Eitel and deputy mayor Michèle de la Michellerie visited our oldest resident on her 90th birthday.
Born in Varennes-Saint-Sauveur (Saône-et-Loire) on 5 March 1923, Mrs Py worked from the age of 12, including 40 years for the town of Mulhouse. She had 3 daughters, one of whom died in an accident at the age of 11. She was widowed at 56. She settled in Eguelshardt, in rue du Waldeck, in 1983. For the past 12 years she has lived with her daughter Geneviève and her son-in-law Martial Hendrich, where she enjoys a happy old age. She is in good health and still sometimes does a little gardening.
On behalf of the municipality, the mayor and deputy mayor presented her with a bouquet of flowers.
NIGHT-TIME DEER COUNTS
Night-time deer counts using headlights will take place on 4 and 11 April 2013. The areas covered include the N62 between Eguelshardt and the département boundary, with the adjacent valleys.
The counts will be carried out with staff from the ONCFS (national hunting and wildlife office) and the FDC 57 (Moselle hunters’ federation) and will last from 8.30pm to 2am.
TRAFFIC IN RUE SAINT-SIMON
We have been told that drivers coming from rue des Chalets regularly drive the wrong way up the one-way rue Saint-Simon, and too fast, which could put our children’s lives in danger.
Drivers, please respect the traffic rules: the mums and the municipality ask you to.
PLANÈTE JEUNES
Mr Damien Weureither will be at the Eguelshardt Town Hall on Wednesday 10 April from 5pm to 7pm to take registrations from parents who wish to enrol their children in Planète Jeunes during the coming holidays (20 April to 6 May 2013).
Damien Weureither, activities manager, Planète Jeunes, tel. 03 87 06 62 30, Baerenthal Town Hall.
METER READINGS
ERDF and GrDF, Eguelshardt: 8 April 2013.
If you are out, you can send your readings:
- online: www.erdfdistribution.fr for electricity, www.grdf.fr (“votre relevé en ligne”) for gas;
- by phone on 0820 333 4330 (€0.118 per minute);
- using the self-reading card.
Please make your meter easy to reach. We can then bill your actual consumption and check that your meter is working properly.
PLEASE NOTE: MULTI-STREAM COLLECTION IN EGUELSHARDT
- The multi-stream collection of 28 March 2013 is brought forward to Wednesday 27 March 2013.
- The collection of Thursday 9 May is postponed to Friday 10 May 2013.
- The collection of Thursday 15 August 2013 is brought forward to Wednesday 14 August 2013.
- The collection of Thursday 31 October is brought forward to Wednesday 30 October.
- The collection of Thursday 26 December is postponed to Friday 27 December 2013.
All other collections take place as planned: Thursday 4 April 2013, Thursday 23 May 2013, Thursday 11 July 2013, Thursday 14 November and 2 January 2014.
Please keep this list and check it before public holidays, as it is the only one we will publish before January 2014.
Reminder: multi-stream bags will be handed out on Wednesday 3 April 2013 from 5.15pm to 7.45pm in the church car park.
WATER IS A PRECIOUS RESOURCE
We use – or “waste” – an average of 120 litres of water a day. Food and drink account for only 4% of this… compared with 36% for the toilet alone. Yet many litres could be saved, to the benefit of nature and your bank account. Here’s how:
Keep an eye on your meter. We are not used to checking our meter… except at the annual reading – and sometimes get a nasty surprise. Checking your meter regularly (once a month, for example) is still the best way to spot excessive consumption while there is still time.
Does your installation leak? Leaks can be expensive. A dripping tap or a faulty toilet cistern can waste several m³ a year. To check:
- note your meter reading in the evening;
- don’t use any water during the night;
- note the reading again in the morning.
If there is a difference, there is a leak!
How can you cut your water bills? The first thing to do is to turn off the tap while you brush your teeth or wash up… Use small devices to save water, such as tap aerators. Fitted to taps, they reduce the flow while keeping the same pressure. With this system you save more than 50% of water.
A toilet flush uses 15 litres of water. With a dual-flush device fitted to the cistern you can choose to release 3 or 6 litres.
For appliances (washing machines and dishwashers), look for the energy label, which will tell you their average consumption.
When washing up by hand, use both sinks: one for washing, the other for rinsing.
A bath takes an average of 120 litres of water! Take a shower instead (30 litres).
If you have a garden, reuse rainwater for watering by collecting it in a tank (or fit a rainwater collector to your gutter).
By following all these tips you will save a lot and do something for the planet.
Reproduced by kind permission of Baerenthal Town Hall.
LET’S EAT GAME
Each year, hunting in the Pays de Bitche takes about:
- 1,000 wild boar;
- 1,000 roe deer (does and bucks);
- 170 red deer: stags, hinds and fawns.
Enjoy the flavours! More than ever! Game has always been the guest of honour at hunters’ tables. Don’t deprive yourself – on the contrary, invite more people to share it, using the following advice.
Those watching their diet can enjoy it without a second thought: a study by Professor Ducluzeau, a renowned nutritionist, has shown that game is healthy, rich in mineral salts and magnesium, and low in sodium. Game that lives free and active in nature provides meat that is both tasty and light – less fatty than a yoghurt! A far cry from game’s dubious reputation and the famous attacks of gout caused by too much sauce and, above all, by hanging the meat too long – practices of another age.
- Partridge: three times less fat than farmyard poultry
- Pheasant: the highest in protein and the lowest in sodium
- Roe deer: the lowest in calories of all game
- Hind: a red meat rich in protein and low in fat
- Wild boar: rich in oleic acid and monounsaturated fatty acids, good for the cardiovascular system
All our game extends the pleasure of the hunt and makes our meals festive. So let’s eat! The hunters will be happy to sell you game, at a very low price.