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6 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2007 By Frances Niblock The Grade 10 students at Acton High School enrolled in Academic English cours- es who wrote the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test in March showed the greatest overall improve- ment in the Halton board, with 93 per cent passing on their first attempt, compared to 86 per cent last year. Weve been working hard at literacy and it shows, said a clearly pleased Acton High School principal Bert OHearn last Thursday as he reviewed the results of the mandatory Education Quality and Accountability Office (EAQO) test. CONCERTS IN THE PARK 5PM SUNDAY JULY 1 AT PROSPECT PARK ACTON OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE ROTARY CLUB BAND SHELL EVERYBODY DANCE CLUB - Robert Little School CAIN & ABEL - local teen band THE BLUESERS - 5 pce. blues band from Halton Hills area Canada Day Cake compliments of Acton Sobeys AMAZING FIREWORKS DISPLAY AT DUSK Acton Firefighters Association Acton BIA presents... ROTARY FISHING DERBY - 7:00 A.M. TO 1:00 P.M. REGISTRATION AT THE BOAT HOUSE IN PROSPECT PARK STARTING AT 7:00 A.M. FREE TO YOUTH FROM 17 AND UNDER BRING A LAWN CHAIR & ENJOY THE CONCERT A Message From Michael Chong, M.P. Wellington-Halton Hills On July 1st, 1867, Canada became a nation. Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald and Georges Etienne Cartier united the three colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to form a new nation called the Dominion of Canada. This July 1st celebrate the 140th birthday of this wonderful country we all call home. Happy Canada Day! Happy Dominion Day! 1-866-878-5556 The test gauges reading comprehension and writing skills. Ninety per cent of Halton students passed the test on their first attempt. The provincial average is 84 per cent. Unlike the results at many Ontario school boards, the boys scores at Acton High School do not lag behind the girls. OHearn said a number of programs, including D.E.A.R. drop everything and read have helped. Weve been working hard at getting some materi- als that boys would actually read thats always the trick and that is part of the suc- cess, he said, adding the school also saw a big jump in test scores for students in the applied program - 79 per cent this time, up from 63 per cent last year. Asked to explain the suc- cess, OHearn said the entire school, not just teachers in the English department, takes responsibility for lit- eracy. Weve intensified the focus on skills building in English courses and we have a reading assessment program that were using in Grade 9 so we can have a look at how they are do- ing and tailor our classroom activities to try to address those things, OHearn said. The school also staged a literacy skills camp for stu- dents identified as needing additional help. OHearn said they are not going to rest on their laurels. Work still needs to be done, including with kids who did not pass on their first attempt or did not take the test at all. Our scores are still kind of low in those areas. Sometimes there are attendance issues and if they are not here, all the strategies in the world arent going to help them. OHearn said for the new school year, they will intro- duce a new English literacy course and will expand the focus of skill-based in- struction in Grade 9 and 10 English, moving away from the study of various pieces of literature to do some in- tensive skills work. Staff at Acton High are now going through the detailed test results to de- termine where more work is needed. While the results are a snapshot of how last years crop of Grade 10 students performed, OHearn said it is just one assessment of literacy skills. Passing the test is a pre- requisite for graduation in Ontario. Students who dont pass may rewrite the test or take a Grade 12 literacy course as an alternative way to show they have the literacy skills necessary to earn a diploma. *** At the Halton Catholic District School Board, 89 per cent of first-time eligible students passed, a three per cent decrease from last years results - the first time the Boards results have dropped since testing began in 2003. Board officials said they will address the issues with more intensive prepara- tion for students in applied courses and a review of staffing to support students, among other things. At Christ the King Second- ary School in Georgetown, home to many Acton high school students, 88 per cent passed the literacy test on their first attempt. For the first time, the EQAO has made the com- pete test and the answers available to the public at www.eqao.com Acton students ace literacy test Property rights and heri- tage preservation clashed at Town Council on Monday night as the owner of a historic property protested Councils approval of a Heritage Register listing properties to be protected. McGibbon Hotel owner George Markou is one of five property owners who rejected the Towns at- tempt to include them on the Register the others are the Olde Hide House, MacKinnon Funeral Home, St. Stephens Church in Hornby and the William P. Brown House in Ban- nockburn. Marcoux said they pur- chased the 145-year-old hotel because of its beauti- ful fae and brick work and will continue to faith- fully maintain and restore it, but will not accept anyone telling them what to do with their property. He said the property own- ers opposed to the Heritage Registry dont think the amount of risk or expo- sure is worth any minimal benefit. Inclusion in the Register could affect the commercial uses of our own properties and tie the property own- ers up in costly and inane wrangling with committees that have no vested interest in our properties, Markou said, criticizing the Towns public relations efforts on the Heritage Registry, warning that some property owners are becoming more and more distrustful of the heritage process. Markou said it is not fair that they must use their own money and resources if they want to oppose any heritage listing or designation, not- ing that a criminal with a gun who committed heinous crime would be entitled to more resources and legal assistance Bob MacKinnon, who operates MacKinnon Fam- ily Funeral Home in the former historic Sunderland Villa on Mill Street built in 1869 refuses to be on the Heritage Register be- cause it could impact on his livelihood. He said Heritage Halton Hills is more than welcome to put a plaque on the build- ing, but he wont agree to any encumbrances on title resulting from any listing or designation. Everyone knows this is an historic building I just dont want it encumbered and I just dont want the negative parts that come with being part of a historic property, MacKinnon said on Monday, adding that includes delays of up to one year in approvals for changes or additions to the building. He and wife Margaret earned the Civic Pride Award from the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce this year for their loving care and restoration of the build- ing, originally constructed as a convalescence home for WWI veterans. No one, bar no one has done as much to restore that building as we have, but it is my home, it is my busi- ness and Im not coming on bended knee to anyone to ask if I can make alter- nations to my business, MacKinnon said. Proponents of the Reg- istry, with 20 properties designed under the Ontario Heritage Act, and 26 others non-designated properties with heritage value or in- terest, is a significant first step to recognizing that the heritage of Halton Hills is important to its citizens. In an earlier presentation to Council, Heritage Halton Hills chair Mark Rowe suggested that owners of properties on the Heritage Registry been seen as care- takers. Opposition to Heritage Register