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THE OAKVILLE BEAVER LBE ‘Canada‘s Best Community Newspaper" CCNA Better Newspapers Competition 1993 k A Metroland Community Newspaper 3 Vol. 32 No. 115 alton students to face ew math, literacy tests y KATHY YANCHUS Pakville Beaver Staff 0 improve public accountability â€" particularly with parents â€" the Halton Board of Education is introducing a series of literacy and mathematics tests that will compare their stuâ€" ents with others across the province. Achievement levels in literacy will be recorded in Grades 3,6, 9 and 2 while similar information will be garnered from mathematics ssessments in Grades 3, 6 and 9. The tests will be part of the onâ€"going teaching process and the esults part of the students‘ overall evaluation, explained buperintendent of Education Services, Joanne Zywine who presented he information at Thursday‘s board meeting. Results will be compared o provincial standards and individual results provided to students and heir parents. Several samples of both reading and writing assignments will be issessed in Grades 3, 6 and 9 while the Grade 12 test administered will be the same Writing Review initiated in 1991/92. There will also be a andom sampling of Halton students work marked externally to provide ""system" results, said Zywine. She assured trustees that teachers would receive training in marking techniques to ensure consistency. The Grade 3 test of reading and writing is being developed this fall and will be implemented next spring while the Grade 6 reading and writing test will be developed next summer and implemented in 1996. The Grade 9 reading and writing test will be administered this fall and winter while the mathematics tests for Grades 3, 6 and 9 will be develâ€" oped over this school year and administered in 1996. The testing will provide multiâ€"layer results said Zywine. For the stuâ€" dents, they will be able to determine their level of performance. Teachers will have the opportunity to diagnose the needs of individual students; schools the opportunity to analyze and improve their proâ€" grams; and the Halton system will maintain its accountability to parâ€" ents and the community, aad measure the progress of its programs. Information about the testing will be distributed to parents prior to the testing in Grades 3, 6 and 9, said Zywine. Costs of the testing plan for the 1994/95 school year will be found within existing resources with further funding for full implementation will be absorbed in subsequent budget years, she explained. A number of factors may influence the final dollar figure, one of those being a cost sharing partnership with three other boards particiâ€" pating in the testing, she added. Mexico wants to bring Latin nations into NAFTA By BRAD REAUME Special to the Beaver The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is seen as the beginning and not the final component in Mexico‘s ecoâ€" nomic renewal strategy, according to that country‘s Consul General. "The system emerging is one of trading regions such as North America, Asia and Europe. It‘s a mistake to think each region can sustain itself without interaction. Mexico is pursuing a policy of global trade integration. There should be no closed economic blocks," ergio Aguilera, Consul General of Mexico old several hundred business people in Dakville, Tuesday morning. Speaking at the Mayor‘s Business Breakfast, Aguilera suggested it is easier to promote regional trade by allowing countries Consul General says Mexico is now politically stable to join NAFTA rather than negotiating bilaterâ€" al agreements between individual political blocks. He said NAFTA‘s incorporation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) rules makes it easier to enter the block. "Culturally and historically Mexico is part of Latin America. We have trade agreements with Chile, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Columbia," said Aguilera. "We want to give them access to NAFTA to help bring their economies up to the NAFTA level so they can eventually join." When it comes to trading with Mexico, (See ‘Mexico‘ page 2) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1994 60 Pages 100% Government Guaranteed Strip Coupons Maturing in 2004 o (416) 359â€"4633 *Rates subject to change 75 Cents (GST included) FLYING HIGH Computer gear stolen from firm Computer equipment totalling $66,000 was stolen over the weekâ€" end from Lear Seating in east Oakville. According to Halton Regional Police, the Bristol Circle manufacâ€" turing company was entered Sunday sometime between 2 and 7 a.m. Police have not yet determined how entry was gained. A total of 15 computers, five printers and two fax machines were taken. A van stolen earlier from Genesee Drive in Oakville may have been used in the robbery, say police. Man ‘flashed"‘ Blakelock girls Police are on the lookout for a man who exposed himself to three girls in Blakelock High School, last week. The incident occurred Sept. 20th at approximately 5:15 p.m. on the second floor of the Rebecca Street school. According to police he pulled down his shorts and began masturbating in front of the girls. He did not touch the girls. The principal was notified and police responded but their search turned up no one.. The suspect is described as a white male in his midâ€"twenties, clean shaven, fiveâ€"feet eightâ€"inches tall with a stocky build and dirty blonde, collarâ€"length hair. At the time of the incident he was wearing either purple or blue shorts and a white tâ€"shirt. Investigators are asking anyone who saw the suspect or has inforâ€" mation to call police. INSIDE Today‘s Paper NEWS Heritage plan hits skids Core area residents oppose imposition of guidelines SPORTS Blades drop season opener INDEX EDITORIAL.. FOCUS........ CLASSIFIED........ SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS Sears, White Rose, Coupon Clipper, Good News, Overdrive HOMEOPENER Friday, Sept. 30, 8 p.m. Oakville Arena Oakville Blades vs Burlington Cougars Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435â€"201