HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-10-18, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2007. PAGE 7.Second-year students from theeducational assistant programs at
Conestoga and Fanshawe Colleges
began earlier this month helping
Grades 2 and 3 students in seven of
the Avon Maitland District School
Board’s elementary facilities.
The program is called Tutoring in
the Classroom, and sees the EAs-in-
training paid a “token salary”
through a funding partnership
between the board and the Ministry
of Education.
At a regular board meeting
Tuesday, Oct. 9, primary curriculum
co-ordinator Sandy Lusk provided
details about two tutoring programs
introduced over the past year.
Following the Christmas break
last year, the ministry’s Literacy and
Numeracy Secretariat provided full
funding for boards which
successfully applied for the
Investing in Tutoring initiative.
In the Avon Maitland version of
that program, parents of students
between Grades 3-6 agreed to have
their children stay after school to
participate in Literacy Clubs or
Numeracy Clubs, which ran twice-
weekly from February until May.
Lusk described the goal as
“helping kids become accountable
for their own learning,” and the
sessions typically included a “games
component for when they finished
their homework.”
Then early this school year, an
application was sent out for
Secretariat support for Tutoring in
the Classroom. This program
required the board to share in the
funding, as well as seek out post-
secondary students to lead thetutoring.“We were able to find second-yearstudents from Fanshawe andConestoga who are in year two of
their programs, so they already have
done some practicum placements,”
Lusk explained. “We’re able to
provide them with a token salary and
an opportunity to work in our
primary classrooms.”
Interviewed after her presentation,
Lusk added these post-secondary
students “might be our potential
EAs for the coming years.”
The new program takes place
during school hours, within the
classroom setting.
“The (EAs-in-training) try to do
things with the students that the
classroom teachers can’t do in a
Grade 2 or 3 setting,” she explained.
With both this year’s program and
last year’s, administrators carried
out a selection process to decide
which schools and which students
would take part.
Schools were identified through
their results in standardized testing,
and students were identified through
the same data as well as the input of
teachers.
“We asked teachers to look at
particular students who might fit in
with the program,” Lusk said. “For
some reason or another, they were
identified by their teachers as
someone who would benefit, and
who wasn’t already receiving
support through (programs for
students with special needs).”
According to Lusk, the board
intends to again seek funding in
2008 for a renewal of the after-
school “Investing in Tutoring”
program.
College students help at elementary schools
A Halloween tradition continues
with the annual Blyth Witches Walk,
Saturday, Oct. 20 from 7-9:30
p.m.
Ghosts and goblins will be
prowling the Greenway Trail to
amuse and entertain.
Displays designed for chills and
thrills will be discovered along the
way. Bring your flashlight so you
don’t miss a thing.
The trail is located by the bridge
on London Road (Hwy 4), just north
of the business section.
Refreshments are available.
Admission is by donation with
proceeds benefitting the Blyth Fire
Department.
Witches on the prowl
in Blyth on Saturday
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Honouring one of our own
On Sunday, Sept. 30 the 30th annual police memorial
service was held on the steps of Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
At that time, officers joined together to say thank you to
those who gave their lives so that others may live and raise
their families in safe communities. Sadly, Huron OPP
honoured one of their own, who gave his life in the line of
duty. On Nov. 13, 2006, Const. David Mounsey succumbed
to injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision which
occurred while he was responding to a call for service. His
name has been added to the memorial, along with that of
Matthew Dinning, son of OPP Const. Lincoln and Laurie
Dinning of Wingham. Matthew was killed in Afghanistan in
spring of 2006. (Photo submitted)
By Stew SlaterSpecial to The Citizen