HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-11-21, Page 23Superintendent
impressed by
culture of reading
at high schools
Stew Slater
GEMESEEMED
As the superintendent in been achieved in standard -
charge of the Avon ized tests — towards writ -
Maitland District School ing.
Board's elementary cur- But following the pres-
riculum, Pat Stanley does- entation, Stanley boiled
n't get to spend much time down the strategies to a
in the board's secondary few tangible targets:
schools. attracting the attention of
But when the board took boys in both reading and
its twice -monthly regular writing by concentrating
meetings on the road more on non-fiction topics;
recently, bringing top involving students in daily
administrators and writing; and moving read -
trustees to South Huron ing materials off the dusty
District High School's library shelves so the front
library on Tuesday, Nov. cover can be easily viewed.
13, she was clearly "Many schools are now
impressed by the tech- ordering or having built
niques used to display racks which display the
reading material. cover of the book, much
Stanley, in - preparation like the ones in this
for her presentation about library," Stanley said,
the "District Improvement while gesturing around
Plan" — in response to the South Huron library.
results from annual "And what we're hearing
provincially -standardized back from these schools is
tests for Grade 3 and 6 that books that have sat
students — gathered a on the shelves for years
series of magazines that without being checked out
are prominently displayed are now off the shelves
in the library. almost all the time."
Among them were the Stanley encountered
most recent editions of some negative feedback
"Car and Driver", "Sports from Perth East trustee
Illustrated", "Guitar Tina Traschel, who related
World" and — obviously the the story of one student
most well-read of them all, who was discouraged by
judging by its well-worn school staff from bringing
corners — "Four Wheeler." to school a hunting -
"I think this demon- themed magazine.
strates a real commitment Traschel noted the
on the part of this school school's library contains
and this library to develop reading materials about
a culture of reading among war, yet the student was
students who haven't tra- told there was too much of
ditionally . been strong a connotation of violence
readers," she commented. in the hunting magazine.
The District Stanley responded it's
Improvement Plan makes not board policy to prohib-
commitments to such it reading materials about
activities as sharing best hunting, and that the mat -
practices between differ- ter requires further inves-
ent schools, developing lit- tigation.
eracy skills among stu- "We anticipate that
dents in younger grades, schools and students
and shifting the focus would use good judgment
away from reading — in terms of resources," she
where improvements have said.
The Huron Expositor • November 21, 2007 Page 23
News
CHSS Reach for the Top team members
Shepherd eagerly await the next question
held at the Clinton school last Thursday.
Jennifer Hubbard photo
Scott Selvey, Stacey McLachlan -Kiss, Natalie Elliott and Jon
in a match up against South Huron during a junior tournament
Avon Maitland trustee seeking
presidency of OPSBA
Stew Slater
aiiiMMEND
Wingham's Colleen Schenk has been on the
campaign trail for the past month, seeking
support for her candidacy for president of the
Ontario Public School Boards Association
(OPSBA).
The provincial lobby organization plans a
special meeting Dec. 1 to elect a replacement
for its former president, who left to contest a
seat in the Oct. 11 Ontario election.
"I've emailed material to all the school
boards across the province, and I've been on
the phone to as many trustees as
possible," Schenk said Tuesday,
Nov. 13, following a regular meet
ing of the Avon Maitland District
School Board.
A long-time OPSBA delegate for
the Avon Maitland board who, in
recent years, moved into more sen-
ior leadership positions, Schenk is
currently an association vice presi-
dent.
Her opponents in the campaign
are Howard Goodman of the
Toronto District School Board
(TDSB) and Loralea Carruthers of
the York Region District School
Board.
Avon Maitland trustees, led by
voting delegate Doug Pratley of
Stratford, discussed the process for
the Dec. 1 vote during the Nov. 13
meeting.
But it wasn't the presidential
vote that was on the agenda; it was
the potential vice presidential
choice that would open up if
Schenk or another current VP is
elected president.
"They've been very supportive," commented
Schenk, when asked if the lack of discussion
about the presidential vote should be inter-
preted as full-fledged Avon Maitland support
for her candidacy.
The OPSBA process gives weighted votes
depending on the population served by each
board. The TDSB, most populous in the
province, receives eight votes, some northern
boards receive just one, and the Avon
Maitland board receives three votes.
t• • • • • • • • • • • •
• WED. NOV. 21
10-11:30 a.m. Rhyme Time Ontario
Early Years Program at Duff's United
Church
1-4 p.m. Seniors Shuffleboard at
Seaforth Arena
• THURS. NOV. 22
10-11:30 a.m. Baby and Toddler
Time at S.e forth Co -Operative
Children's Centre
12-1 p.m. Seaforth Library Book
Club. Bring lunch. Free
• FRI. NOV. 23
9-10:30 a.m. Ontario Early Years
Program at Brussels Public School
10:00 a.m. Morning Out at Bethel
Bible Church, Seaforth
10:30-11:30 a.m. Pre -School
Storytime at Seaforth Branch Library.
Register 519-527-1430
• MON. NOV. 26
9:30-11:15 a.m. Play and Learn Early
Years Program, Grey Central Public
School
10-11:30 a.m Get Ready for
Kindergarten, St. James School .
• TUES. NOV. 27
10-11:30 a.m. Get Ready for
Kindergarten, Seaforth Public School
• WED. NOV. 28
10-11:30 a.m. Rhyme Time Ontario
Early Years Program at Duff's United
Church
1-4 p.m. Seniors Shuffleboard at
Seaforth Arena
If you're organizing a nonprofit event of interest to other Seaforth area residents, phone
the Expositor at 519-527-0240, or mall the information to Community Calendar, The
Huron Expositor, Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1WO well in advance of the scheduled
date. Free listing includes date, time, name of event and location only. Space for the
Community Calendar is donated by T1‘ Huron Expositor.