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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012 THE NEW TANNER 7 GRAPEVINE Skills upgrading Need to upgrade your reading, writing, basic math or computer skills? Registration is now open for the Adult Learning Centre's 10week computer workshop to help Acton area job seekers residents create a resume and cover letter. The computer workshops are suitable for adults, age 19 and older, and will cover the basics of Windows, Word, email and the internet. Classes run on Wednesday evenings. The Adult Learning Centre also matches tutors with people who need to upgrade their basic literacy skills. Literacy North Halton is looking for volunteers who can offer three hours a week of their time to help tutor clients. No experience is necessary and training is provided. For details, call 905-873-2200 or visit www.literacynh.org MVP survey says... Want to have your say about upcoming changes to Halton waste collection services, or even how you would like to receive waste collection information? Halton is inviting all residents, 18 and older, to join the MVP (my ViewPoint) survey. It provides residents a chance to electronically provide their feedback to Halton Council and staff on a variety of regional issues and initiatives, including waste management, service optimization, emergency preparedness and more. Residents who join Halton MVP may be invited to participate in up to eight surveys each year. Visit www.Halton.ca/MVP to complete a registration survey to join the panel. Canvassers needed The Heart and Stroke Foundation needs canvassers in the Acton area for its annual door-to-door campaign which takes place in February. The organization already has re-enlisted seven Acton canvassers, but needs many more to help raise funds, which are earmarked for research. Last February's campaign raised $109,000, $10,000 more than the goal, and officials hope that this February's campaign will be just as successful. Officials said they make every effort to assign a canvasser a route of their choice, and volunteers should expect it to take approximately three hours to cover their route. For more information call Rheya Mall at 1-905-451-0021 or email rmall@hsf.ca Action in Acton A free education session on caning and a free after school cooking program for kids are two of the new programs being offered in Acton by Community Development Halton. Community Development Halton, and also played a role in helping Acton Together stage monthly dinner and move nights at St. Alban's Church and the Roxy, helped volunteers begin a co-operative community garden in Rotary Park, and offered free March Break programming. The first session of the four-week cooking class, a pilot project hosted by Active Chefs, was at St. Alban's Church yesterday (Wednesday) and 25 students from Acton's three elementary schools discussed recipes, cooked, ate and played. The first canning session ­ preserving some of the food grown in Acton's Community Garden, is October 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Alban's. With help from a second Healthy Community grant from Queen's Park, Community development Halton is now inviting people to identify priorities for moving forward in areas including access to healthy food, recreation and transportation. All are invited to a meeting at the Roxy on October 25, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to discuss future endeavours. Refreshments and child care will be provided. For details call Rishia Burke at 1-905-632-1975 or email rburke@ cdhalton.ca GRILL MASTERS: No one went hungry at the Limehouse Memorial Hall on Saturday at the corn roast and silent auction barbecue. Manning the grill were, from left: Carl Sinclair, Kara Namink and Eric Namink. ­ Ted Tyler photo To the Editor, I would like to bring to your attention a factual error in your recent September 20 article entitled, "Mixed EQAO results in local schools" with regards to the achievement results from Brookville PS. The article stated that Brookville PS achieved results that were lower than both the provincial and board wide averages in Grade 3 and Grade 6 assessments in reading, writing and math. This was not the case, in fact all achievement results from Brookville PS exceeded both the provincial and board averages and our school has consistently demonstrated favourable results, not only with regards to EQAO data but also with other sources of data that should be taken into consideration when discussing student learning and school performance. Brookville PS is considered a Correction high achieving school when it comes to EQAO. Once again this local school exceeded board and provincial results in the Grade 3 and Grade 6 assessment of reading, writing and math in spring 2012. Although the school is proud of its accomplishments and is considered a high achieving school, a designation given to schools in which 75% or more of the students achieved the provincial standard or above (Levels 3 or 4), it is important to remember a few things. Every school community is unique in its composition and therefore should not be compared to other schools. As long as we are all moving forward the starting point doesn't really matter, it is more about the improvement made by each school and every child The results of these mandated assessments are just a snapshot of student achievement at a given time and don't necessarily reflect Halton police launch traffic safety campaign So far this year there have been six fatal accidents in Halton Region, five in rural areas. To raise awareness of traffic safety on rural roadways, Halton Police are conducting a rural traffic safety campaign. From September 24 to October 8, officers will focus enforcement efforts in the rural areas of Milton and Halton Hills. This initiative includes speed enforcement and RIDE spot checks at various hours of the day at a variety of locations on rural roadways. "Traffic safety on all regional roads is a priority. Whether urban or rural, we need to provide a comprehensive response. Our upcoming project focus on the rural roads serves several purposes," said Deputy Chief Bob Percy in a press release. He said the program segues from the "Safe Start" program for school areas to include streets where school buses transport students. It also serves as a reminder to drivers to be aware of their speed at all times on all roads and to refrain from drinking and driving. *** Halton police issued 752 Provincial Offence Notices in One District ­ Acton, Georgetown and Milton ­ during its Project "Safe Start" which wrapped up September 14. Project "Safe Start" began in 2006, as a highly visible reminder to drivers that children are back to school and they need to slow down in and around school zones, watch for pedestrians and pay attention to school crossing guards escorting children across busy intersections. the complete picture of a school. Many other data sources should be considered when looking at school effectiveness and a positive school climate should be at the top of the list. The true value of EQAO is that it is a catalyst for conversations amongst educators around student learning and how we can improve our instruction so that we remain committed to every student in our richly diverse and unique schools. Let's celebrate all our schools that are doing their best to improve student achievement. Regards Tony DiLeo Vice-Principal Brookville PS Editor's note: The EQAO figures printed in last week's issue were for Brookdale PS, not Brookville PS. The New Tanner regrets the error and apologises. BOUNTIFUL BASKET: Acton BIA manager Josey Bonnette holds the basket full of healthy produce that will be awarded to two lucky shoppers ­ one free draw will be held today (Thursday) and one October 4. ­ Ted Tyler photo