HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-03-05, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009.
Big or small, and regardless
of the social realities in the
surrounding community, each
secondary school has been told
to provide a list of 20 Grade 11
students who are at risk of not
completing their diplomas.
The Ontario Education
Ministry decree came to light
at a regular meeting of the
Avon Maitland District School
Board on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
And trustees wondered
about the wisdom of such a
requirement.
Goderich representative Al
Sygrove was first to raise a
question, following a
presentation by education
superintendent Ted Doherty
about his recent visits to
secondary schools.
“This year, there is a new
focus on Grade 11 students
who are at-risk of not
graduating in five years (of
attending high school),”
Doherty’s report states. “Each
secondary school has a list
of 20 students and has
put individual plans in place
to help each of these stu-
dents.”
“With the student success
teams for Grade 11s, was any
thought given to the enrolment
levels of the different high
schools?” Sygrove inquired.
Doherty agreed that
administrative staff had asked
the same question, but that the
directive from the Ministry is
clear: 20 students per high
school.
“We certainly have some
schools where we could have
provided a list of 40,” the
superintendent said. “And we
have other schools where we
struggled to come up with 20.
But that was what the Ministry
wanted, so we put 20 names on
the list.”
In an interview after the
meeting, Doherty noted that
the Ministry has repeatedly
stated it wants to see an
average 85 per cent high
school graduation rate across
the province by 2010-11. That
brings this year’s Grade 11
students – who would graduate
that year if they take five years
– into the focus of the
government.
“I guess, if you multiply
every high school in the
province by 20 and increase
the graduation rate, (Ministry
officials) believe this will have
a significant impact,” Doherty
said.
Funding is being flowed
from the Ministry for the extra
assistance being given these
students. But Doherty
reassured trustees that, in the
cases where more than 20
students need special
attention, those students will
also benefit from the ideas put
in place.
“They’re not being ignored.
It’s just that we have to report
on 20.”
And in smaller schools,
where it’s difficult to find 20
struggling Grade 11s, “you
have to broaden your
definition of ‘at-risk’.”
Challenging times for parents of disabled
Secondary schools to list
at-risk Grade 11 students
THE EDITOR,
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture (OFA) strongly
objects to any suggestion that
coyotes from Toronto, or any
other urban centre, be trapped
and relocated when they pose
a nuisance to urban residents
and/or their pets.
Firstly, it is illegal to release
nuisance wildlife more than
one kilometer from their point
of capture.
To release them further
poses a risk of disease
transfer to the resident
wildlife population. It also
upsets the delicate balance
between wildlife populations
and their sources of food.
Many species of wildlife
are highly territorial, meaning
that animals trapped in one
location and released far from
their point of capture may
well be viewed as invaders,
and killed by local wildlife.
Secondly, and perhaps
more important from the
perspective of farmers, rural
and agricultural Ontario
already has large numbers of
coyotes who prey on livestock
like calves and lambs.
Losses suffered by Ontario
livestock producers to wolves
and coyotes have exceeded
$1,000,000 for the previous
two fiscal years. To add more
coyotes would simply
exacerbate the current
problem Ontario livestock
producers face.
Ontario farmers and rural
residents have always dealt
with the realities of coyote
predation on their livestock,
poultry and family pets.
Expanding coyote
populations have now moved
in to urban areas. Urban
residents cannot simply dump
their problem on rural Ontario
by releasing trapped coyotes.
It’s illegal, unfair and
moreover, inhumane. Urban
residents need to solve their
own coyote problems, as we
in rural and agricultural
Ontario have been doing for
years. Lobbying Ministry of
Natural Resources for
comprehensive species
management strategies would
be a good start. Welcome to
our world.
Sincerely,
Bette Jean Crews
President.
All parents want their
children to grow up happy,
healthy and self-sufficient.
For families who have a child
with a physical disability,
these goals are much more
difficult to reach, especially in
these economic times. Debbie
Braun from Wingham, is a
single parent of four, who
knows this better than anyone.
Her two sons, born two years
apart, have a rare disease that
has serious health
consequences and a shortened
life expectancy. Brothers Lucas, 11, andZane, nine, were both bornwith Morquio Syndrome, adegenerative bone disorderthat results in a kind of
dwarfism. Weighing 30
pounds each, Lucas and Zane
are as big as they will ever be.
They do not have
developmental delays, but
don’t have the hand strength
to put on their own socks in
the morning, nor do they have
the mobility to raise their
arms over their heads to pull
on a shirt. Both boys require
electric scooters to get
around.
In 2002, Braun faced the
possibility of moving her
family from their home. The
brothers have endured so
many corrective surgeries on
their legs and backs, that they
could not access the main part
of their home. Easter Seals
Ontario was there to help with
the financial assistance
needed to add a stair lift to
make their home accessible.
“My kids just want to get
around. You just can’t say
thank-you enough to Easter
Seals for helping to give my
kids a normal life—well, as
normal as it can be, “ says
Braun. Easter Seals assists familiesof kids with physicaldisabilities with the purchaseof costly mobility equipmentsuch as walkers, wheelchairs,
porch lifts and ramps, as well
as communication devices
and bathing equipment. By
providing financial
assistance, Easter Seals
performs an essential service
to families who might not
otherwise have the resources
to obtain this equipment. And,
in these challenging times the
need is greater than ever.
“These are especially
challenging times for
families. A family with a child
with a severe disability incurs
huge expenses associated
with their care that can cost
up to $40,000 a year, “says
Carol Lloyd, president and
CEO, Easter Seals Ontario.
All year-round, but especially
during ‘March is Easter Seals
Month,’ we wish to thank
supporters and tell people
about the importance of their
donations in helping children
with physical disabilities live
safely in their own homes
with dignity, and a greater
level of independence.“
Easter Seals also owns and
operates two fully accessibleresidential camp propertiesand is recognized as anindustry leader in providingspecialized recreationprograms for kids with
physical disabilities. Lucas
and Zane have attended
Easter Seals Camp
Woodeden, near London
Ontario and their mom reports
that they ”can’t stop talking
about it.“ At camp they escape
isolation and meet other kids
that they can relate to,
something that is not
available in their small
community.
During March is Easter
Seals Month, there are many
ways to help kids with
physical disabilities, like
Lucas and Zane. The
brothers’appear on the annual
Easter Seals Telethon on
Sunday, April 5 on CBC and
are featured in the Easter
Seals direct mail campaign,
one of Easter Seals’ largest
fundraising initiatives. Easter
Seals direct mail will be
arriving in households in
early March and is a great
way to donate.
For more information or to
donate on-line, visit
www.easterseals.org
Letter to the editor
OFA objects to trapping and moving coyotes
Health Canada Advisory
on RetroFoam Insulation
Health Canada was recently advised that RetroFoam has been
installed in a limited number of homes in Ontario. This product
is prohibited for sale in Canada.
Health Canada is informing consumers that RetroFoam insulation is
a urea formaldehyde-based thermal insulation, a type of insulation
that has been prohibited for sale in Canada under the Hazardous
Products Act since December 1980, as it may release formaldehyde
gas into indoor air.
Health Canada issued a “cease and desist” letter to RetroFoam
of Canada Incorporated, the Canadian importer of the insulation,
to stop all importation and sale of RetroFoam in Canada. Health
Canada also instructed Enerliv, the Canadian distributor of
RetroFoam, to stop all sale, advertisement and further installations
of the product and to call back any unused product. As a result of
Health Canada’s actions, RetroFoam is no longer available for sale
or installation in Canada.
Health Canada will be communicating with affected homeowners to
provide further details on how they can obtain Government support
for having their indoor air quality tested.
For more information call
1-800-443-0395
www.healthcanada.gc.ca
I M P O R T A N T N O T I C E
Smiling through challenges
Lucas Braun, 11, and his nine-year-old brother Zane, right, have Morquio
Syndrome, a degenerative bone disorder that results in a type of dwarfism.
Easter Seals assisted the family to upgrade their home to meet the boys’
special needs. (Photo submitted)
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen