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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-02-19, Page 36By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Intervening before learning problems become -severe was a theme for much of the most recent meeting of the Avon Maitland District School Board, held Tuesday, Feb. 10. • First, trustees gave the final stamp of approval •to an earlier decision to free up $300,000 for expanding upon the board's Team Read project. ► Initiated in 2002 to target Primary- level literacy in 12 elementary schools, each of which compared poorly in provincially-standardized EQAO tests, Team Read provided literacy resources as well as three specialized teachers for once-per- week school visits and the creation of an "early reading intervention program." Team Read 2. .to be established using the newly-approved cash injection, will provide a similar program for 12 additional schools, at which EQAO improvement is also sought. Those schools are Central Perth (Wartburg), East Wawanosh (Belgrave), Elma (Atwood), Hamlet (Stratford), Listowel Central, Listowel Eastdale, Mornington (RR I, Newton), Shakespeare, Stephen Central (RR2, Crediton), St. Marys Central, Usborne (Exeter), and Wingham. Not only that, but the $300,000 will also allow Team Read will step into the Junior division in four schools, in what 'education superintendent Marjatta Longston identified as a pilot project, in her Feb. 10 report to trustees. One junior language resource teacher will be hired through June, 2004, to conduct once-per-week visits to each school, including Colborne Central (Goderich), Listowel Central, Robertson Memorial (Goderich) and Wingham. On paper, money for the Team Read expansion came' from the board's reserve funds but, in reality, it has only -been on reserve for a few weeks. Essentially, the program's expansion was made possible by the windfall of provincial government contributions made both prior to last fall's election by the Conservatives, • and- in the wake of the Liberals' electoral victory. Just over $131,000 represents the board's share of a "literacy and numeracy" grant, while the ,balance of the Team Read money is provided by a portion — about $170,000 out of a total of over $600,000 — of the Avon Maitland component of a recent injection of "rural and remote" funding. Longston's report notes that a recommendation for allocating the rest of the "rural and remote" money "will be forthcoming later in the school year." Promotion of the board's commitment to early intervention, however, didn't stop with the Team Read recommendation. Longston's report also included an explanation of another literacy-themed Project". — this one targetting the Intermediate level. And the approval of the Team Read recomniendation'was followed by a lengthy presentation from the board's recently-hired system principal for so-called "at-risk students," Ted Doherty, along with some staff with whom he has been working. - Two English departmental heads — one from F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham and one from St. Marys DCVI — will work half-time with board staff through June, 2004, on a series of resource acquisition and teacher training initiatives. This Intermediate literacy pilot project, as well as Doherty's work, are supported through yet another of the funding announcements made in the wake of last fall's provincial election — one geared particularly towards students who aren't identified as having a learning disability, yet are at risk of leaving school before they earn a diploma of any kind "We're somehow failing these students, and this is an attempt to keep them in school for a few more years," explained F.E. Madill principal Joe Jankowski, who introduced trustees to two half-time teachers who came out of retirement to co-ordinate a program at the NENTR urges owners to stop their dogs from chasing deer The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) reminds dog owners not to allow their dogs to run loose and to prevent them from chasing deer, particularly in deep snow. "It's very difficult for deer to run in deep snow and being chased by a dog can cause stress, exhaustion and even death," said Brad Gerrie, enforcement supervisor, Guelph District. "There's also the danger that deer being chased by dogs may run across roads and cause traffic accidents." Dog owners are- urged to keep their dogs leashed or in enclosures to ensure the safety of both dogs and deer. Under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, it is illegal to let a dog run at large in an area inhabited by deer, moose, elk, caribou and bear during the closed season. MNR Conservation Officers are authorized to destroy dogs found chasing deer, and dog owners may be charged under the legislation. Incidents - of doe running after deer should be reported to your local MNR office. The telephone number for the MNR office in Clinton is 519-482-3428. A message can be left after normal office hours. GET CLICKING WITH THE CLASSIFIEDS! Now you can think locally and act globally at the same time, because when you place a classified ad in your favorite hometown paper, you'll also get a FREE electronic listing on our classified Web page! 523-4792 or 887-9114 The Citizen PAGE 36. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 Valentine crafts After watching a movie and eating delicious cookies and cupcakes, .kindergarten students from East Wawanosh Public School made Valentine's Day crowns on Feb. 13 to help celebrate the day. Brooklyn Tiffin glues a big paper heart onto her crown. (Elyse DeBruyn photo) 40 , ,,,, ,„, „ „ 11. ,11 11111'. 1 1110 111 Ili' .'1111 1 ill~I• 1.1 k II 0 II 0 1111 1111 ii il 1 10. .1 1 10 10 , 1, „ II, il At 11,. ii II I 1 . 0 to III 10. u Jill, ,11 IV 41 Iil. ,Illi it „, , - advertiser N1,\INA 4 1 '415 p ..- -.0 Use It's our way of saying splash for the For more information tr You (z21(P 1/2 price Take this offer thanks for readers of the contact: The II, ill la on during can Feb. Get Get to create more Jamie Fax: 523-9140 k ,, -1 -4--- DOUBLE SPACE ($89.07). advantage and your patronage Citizen be a small our 26 a full page for 1/2 1/2 page (regularly (All of double special and than 2000 copies or Alicia at a & (regularly prices this special your letting of 523-4792 price ($178.13) do you sales. budget SALE March savings! The YOUR $356.25) $178.13) not include both put on a Citizen or 887-9114 , 11 .,,,, ii, .11 li 41 4111 0 41 0' 11 0 41 0 i, .0 , . 4 11 ,4 11). 111' '4 0, 1 ) 411 4 4 , 4, , 11 loo ,o 0 for ,lu GST). ,'o weeks ,4 big i i. il 11 0 Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Team Read to be expanded school entitled We Care. According to Doherty. We Care began before the At-Risk money became available, but it will now be used as a model for new initiatives at three other schools: Central Huron in Clinton, South Huron in Exeter, and Listowel District Secondary School. Stratford Northwestern also has -a similar program. - The two F.E. Madill specialists will also branch out to the high school's feeder system, visiting Grade 8 students in Wingham, Howick Central, Lucknow (a Bluewater District School board facility which sends some students to F.E. Madill Secondary School) and Brookside. All of the projects aim to identify students at risk, examine their course timetable to see if -other courses would be more appropriate, and perhaps alter the timetable so the workload is more manageable. Another goal of Doherty's work, which he calls "Project GRASP — _Goals, Relationships, and Successful Pathways" — includes working with school administrators to recognize how many students would be best served by courses which aren't meant for students hoping to attend university or college. He suggested that, based on available statistics for where students end up, most of the board's high schools are geared too much towards university-bound students and not enough towards those who will eventually move straight into the workforce.