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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-02-22, Page 7Wednesday, February 22, 2006 Exeter Times–Advocate 7 Students need set routines to excel Principal's message EXETER — One of the main factors that influences students' performance in school is their readiness to learn, and there are several things that influence their readiness. For us as educators, one of our main responsibilities is to ensure we have provided students with the prior learning necessary for them to achieve success at the next level. In other words, we need to have taught the students the skills, concepts, and knowledge they need to be successful at the next grade level. This is an area to which we have given con- siderable attention in the Avon Maitland District School Board over the last few years, as we have worked to identify the "enduring learning expectations" at each grade level and in each subject. These are the key expecta- tions all students must meet to be successful, and we review our courses of study regularly to ensure these key learning expectations are being met. Naturally, some students achieve greater understanding than others and meet addi- tional learning expectations beyond the key expectations, but we have worked hard to ensure that all students going on to the next grade level have mastered at least the key expectations. This has been our main focus in the area of student readiness. However, there are several aspects of student readi- ness over which we have far less influence as educa- tors and we rely on parents to assist us in these areas. One of these is homework completion. Our task as teachers is to provide homework that is meaningful and suitable for the students' grade level. Homework is intended to reinforce the lessons taught in school, to provide additional practice, and to pro- vide the teacher with an opportunity to monitor stu- dent progress in understanding the material taught in the classroom. It is important, therefore, that stu- dents complete their assigned homework. It would probably come as no surprise to most of you to learn that the students who are struggling in school are often those who don't do their homework. I regularly hear from parents that their kids come home from school telling them they have no home- work. While this may be true on a given day, it is unlikely to be true on an ongoing basis, and even if a student has no actual homework, he/she would cer- tainly benefit by reviewing the material covered that day in class. Parents can help us in this key area by assisting their children in developing regular home- work routines, spending a minimum amount of time each day, preferably at the same time of day, com- pleting homework, reading or reviewing the material covered in the classroom. The other area over which we have little control as educators is students' physical readiness to learn. Students who come to school tired or hungry are far less ready to learn than those who have had a good night's sleep, have eaten breakfast and have a nutri- tious lunch. Frequently when dealing with students who are struggling academically or misbehaving in class, I find that they have no set routines in their lives when it comes to eating, sleeping and physical activity. Many students skip breakfast and sometimes lunch as well. A few consume most of their food during a small period of time from the end of the school day to the late evening. By morning when they head off to school, "the tank is empty" and they are not physical- ly ready for a full day of learning. Parents can really help out in this area by taking steps to ensure that students come to school physical- ly ready to learn. For more information on this topic, I encour- age parents to attend our next community forum, taking place tonight (Feb. 22) at 7 p.m. in the school library. We have invited a nutri- tion expert from the Huron County Health Unit and a professor of kinesiology from UWO to talk to us about nutrition and exercise. This will be a great opportunity for students and parents to get valuable information and to ask any questions they may have about fitness, nutrition, diet and exercise. Hopefully the weather will co-operate and we will see a good crowd in attendance for what promises to be an informative session. JEFF REABU PRINCIPA MESSAGE Capsule Comments by Ernie Miatello There is some controversy about the use of antibacterial soaps. Studies have shown that a good thorough washing with regular soap and water will do just as good a job as using antibacterial soaps. There is some concern that they may contribute to antibiotic resistance over the long term. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) cases have dropped considerably during the past few years. More is being learned about SIDS. To reduce the risk: lay babies to sleep on their backs not stomach; don't put any soft toys or heavy blankets in the the crib and don't allow the baby to become overheated. If you feel the neck area and it's moist, the baby is too warm. One final idea, don't have the baby sleep in the parent's bed. In 2004, Canadians spent $21.8 billion on medications. This represents 16.7 per cent of total health care spending. Hospitals accounted for 30 per cent of health care costs while doctors were in third place with 12.9 per cent or $16.8 billion of costs. One of the most important jobs we perform as pharmacists is to monitor your medication use and to help reduce any medication errors. We ask that you inform us about any problems you may have had with a medication so we can record this information on your prescription record. We all have expert professionals to guide us through various aspects of our life. We'd like to be your prescription professionals and be an integral part of your health care team. We hope to see you in our Pharmacy soon!. Huron Apothecary Ltd. l•ln•s. Phone 235-1982, 440 Main St. Exeter PHARM ASSIST "YOUR HEALTH CARE PHARMACY" RN L'S POLICE BRIEF Domestic disturbance at residence in Exeter EXETER — Huron OPP responded to a verbal argument at a residence in Exeter Feb. 12. Upon arrival police were informed a marital couple was in the process of separating. The female victim advised the officers that her hus- band assaulted her. A 55 -year-old male Exeter resident was arrested and released. He will attend Exeter Provincial Court March 23, facing one count of assault. ALS LABORATORY GROUP Drinking Water Testing Do you own/operate a public facility and provide drinking water to the public? (Church, Community Centre, Restaurant, Motel, Bed & Breakfast, Gas/Service Station, Campground/Trailer Park, Resort, Sports Complex) Does the Safe Drinking Water Act (Regulation 252/05) affect you? For more information, please contact Darlene or Dan at: ALS Laboratory Group -London 309 Exeter Road, Unit 29 London, ON, N6L 1C1 Phone: 519-652-6044 Toll Free: 1-800.668-9878 Website: www.envirotest.com LIVING IN LAMBTON SHORES... A weekly Update on the Municipal Events in your Community Administration Department – 19 Ann Street, P.O. Box 610, Forest, Ontario NON 130 Tel: 1-877-786-2335, 786-2335, Fax: 786-2135, Email: administration(u�lambtonshores.ca Visit our Web Site at www.lambtonshores.ca NOTICE GRAND BEND AND AREA SANITARY SEWAGE SERVICING MASTER PLAN NOTICE OF COMPLETION The Grand Bend and Area Sanitary Sewage Master Plan was completed by Dillon Consulting Limited and followed Phases 1 and 2 of the "Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA)" (June 2000). The Study Area for the project consisted of a large area extending along the Lake Huron shoreline from the Ausable River Cut to Huron Road 84, in the municipalities of Lambton Shores, Bluewater and South Huron, including the hamlet of Dashwood. The goal of the Master Plan was to identify a long-term, environmentally and economically sustainable servicing scheme to meet the servicing needs of existing and future development over the next 20 years. Phase 1 of the study concluded that malfunctioning septic systems in the Study Area, as well as discharges from the Grand Bend Sewage Treatment Facility (STF), are adversely affecting surface and groundwater, including Lake Huron, the area's most important natural and recreational asset. Septic system malfunction rates are expected to be high over the next 20 years. In addition, currently proposed and future growth must be serviced by municipal sanitary sewage services to comply with Provincial policies and legislation requiring environmental protection. Phase 2 identified and evaluated alternative solutions for addressing these problems. Based on Phases 1 and 2 and public and agency input, the preferred sanitary sewage servicing solution chosen by the three municipalities consists of the following components: • provide municipal sanitary services to the entire Study Area, phased in over time • expand and upgrade the Grand Bend STF to service the entire Study Area. A Mechanical Treatment Plant Upgrade was recommended as the preferred expansion and upgrading option • accept and treat septage at the upgraded plant, but further assessment is required to determine the quantity of septage • low pressure sanitary sewage collection system for almost all of the Study Area. For Dashwood, a conventional (gravity) collection system was selected. The three municipalities will complete the servicing projects identified in the Master Plan over the next 20 years. The priority for improvements includes the following: 1. Expansion and upgrading of the Grand Bend STF to accommodate peak (summer) flows from Pinery Provincial Park and proposed Southbend Estates 2. Lambton Shores — servicing of Pinery Park and Southbend Estates 3. Lambton Shores — servicing of existing subdivisions, west of Southbend Estates 4. South Huron — servicing of South Huron from north of Grand Bend to Huron Road 83 5. Bluewater — servicing of the Lakeshore (west side of Highway 21) from Huron Road 83 to 84 6. South Huron and Bluewater — servicing of Dashwood. Further EA studies, following the requirements of the Municipal Class EA, are required before any of the projects included in the Master Plan can be constructed. The Master Plan Report will be available for public review from February 27 to March 29, 2006 at the following locations: Bluewater Municipal Office 14 Mill Avenue Zurich, Ontario Tel: (519) 236-4329 South Huron Municipal Office 322 Main Street South Exeter, Ontario Tel: (519) 235-0310 Municipality of Lambton Shores Offices: Town of Forest Sub Office 19 Ann Street Forest, Ontario Tel: (519) 786-2335 Village of Grand Bend Sub Office 4 Ontario St. Grand Bend, Ontario Tel: (519) 238-8461 Northville Complex 9575 Port Franks Road Thedford, Ontario Tel: (519) 243-1400 The Class EA document entitles any person who has significant concerns about the projects identified in the Master Plan to request the Ministry of Environment to change the status of the project from a Class EA to an individual EA by issuing a "Part 11 Order" under the Environmental Assessment Act. The procedure for requesting a Part II Order is: • the person with concerns must discuss them with the Municipality first • if the concern cannot be resolved, the person may submit a written request for a Part II Order to the Ministry of Environment at 135 St. Clair Avenue West, 12th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M4V 1P5 (Tel: 416-314-6790) by March 29, 2006. A copy of the request must be sent to the Municipality of Lambton Shores, 9575 Port Franks Road, R.R. 1, Thedford, Ontario, NOM 2N0 (Tel: 519-243-1400), Attention: Paul Turnbull, Director of Community Services.