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The Oakville BeaverGuest Column467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566Classified Advertising: 905-632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on thecondition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be chargedPublic schools among bestfor, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of theOakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Kevin Flynn, Oakville MPPNEIL OLIVERVice-President and Group Publisher,MARK DILLSDirector of ProductionMetroland WestMANUEL GARCIAProduction Manageroday, Ontario boasts one of the top-10 education sys-DAVID HARVEY Regional General ManagerCHARLENE HALLDirector of Distributiontems in the world. Its taken a lot of hard work andJILL DAVISEditor in ChiefSARAH MCSWEENEYCirc. ManagerROD JERREDManaging EditorWEBSTeffort to reach that mark.ITE oakvillebeaver.comDANIEL BAIRDAdvertising DirectorWhen our government was first elected in 2003, class-The Oakville Beaver is a division ofRIZIERO VERTOLLIPhotography Directorrooms in Oakville and around the province were overcrowd-SANDY PAREBusiness Managered, schools were crumbling and labour discord was hurtingour children and grandchildren. A third of our studentsKevin FlynnRECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY:Ontario CommunityCanadian Community Suburban Newspaperswerent graduating from high school.Newspapers AssociationNewspapers Associationof AmericaOur children and grandchildren deserve better.THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:Thats why our government made education a priority. We understood thatthe single most important thing we can do for our province is build a highlycompetitive workforce and ensure our children receive an education that willUnited Wayof Oakvillehelp them enjoy full and successful lives.ATHENAOver the past few years, we worked alongside students, teachers, schoolAwardboards and parents to rebuild our education system.Today, that hard work is paying off.97 per cent of primary class sizes have fewer than 23 students meaning stu-dents get the attention they need from their teachers during these crucial edu-cational years. In fact, more than 90 per cent of grade 1-3 classes have only 20students. In 2003, only 31 per cent of primary class sizes were that small. In Oakville, there are 11 new schools either built, under construction or inplanning and development stages including Clearview and St. Thomas Aquinas.Many other schools have seen additions and extensive renovations. Students are also learning and achieving more. Haltons school boards areranked among the best in the province. The number of students in grades three andsix around the province meeting the Ontario standard in reading, writing and mathhas risen to 68 per cent. In fact, the 2009 Programme for International StudentAssessment lists Ontario students amongst the top 10 in the world for reading.On top of that, 81 per cent of students are now graduating with a high schooldiploma - compared to only 68 per cent in 2003.We have also invested in student aid and thousands of additional college anduniversity spaces, which has helped increase the number of Ontarians with apost-secondary education to 70 per cent.And most importantly - were not stopping there.Our government remains committed to improving our education systemSUBMITTED PHOTOfurther and helping more students succeed. Thats why we are now implement-ing Ontarios ground-breaking full-day kindergarten program, which will putGIRL STUFF:A trio of Oakville girls spent Sunday selling ice-cold lemonade for a good cause. Graceour youngest learners on the path to success. With full-day kindergarten,Yamamoto, Ammin Sahdra and Aparna Iyer, all 11 years old, set up their lemonade stand in their Joshua CreekOntario families could also save up to $6,500 per child each year on child careneighbourhood to raise funds for Plan Canadas Because I Am a Girl campaign. The campaigns goal is to improvecosts.the lives of girls in the developing world. The youths' homemade lemonade was so popular they ran out of sup-See School page 8plies within 90-minutes of setting up. They did raise $55. For more information, visit plancanada.ca. As first heatwave arrives his thoughts (almost) turn to snowlas, I guess you can get too much of a good thing. Consider: I spent sanitys sake, the summery montage made Killing my grass. Siphoning my energy. Suffocating any ambi-Amy entire winter California Dreaming, contemplating all the a return engagement in my head.tion I might have had (golfing, biking, gardening no thanks, toothings that the gunship-grey, icy-cold, snowy season had stolen from Then, one day, the sun poked out hot). And driving me back into the dreaded (albeit seemingly nec-me the uplifting sunshine, the comforting warmth, the ability to between the clouds and the next thing I essary in this day and age) air conditioning. Where I stayed, waitingskip outside without donning layers of protective clothing and snow-knew we were finally in the heat of sum-out the heat. Feeling a little cooped up, a little shut-in, feeling likeshoes.mer. If I didnt have two bum knees and (gasp) it might as well be winter if I cant get outside. Granted, II slogged about in the slush and snow with a summery mon-one bum shoulder, I would have run out-was not quite at the point of having wintry montages goingtage in my head (playing Frisbee on a beach with the hound, side and done cartwheels. In my new through my head, but close.reposing at poolside with a mysterious martini, cutting the lawn in Speedo.You know what the trouble is? Im a human being. Worse, ImAndy Junipermy new mesh, thong, Speedo, that sort of thing). While the mon-Did you know that the sun is as addic-a Canadian. And humans in general, and Canadians in particular,tage strayed slightly from reality my hound wouldnt fetch a tive as a drug? According to David Fisher, are never fully happy.Frisbee even if you attached a steak to it; Ive never drank a mar-a dermatologist affiliated with Harvard University, the suns ultra-Things are never quite right.tini in my life; and I certainly wouldnt cut grass in my new mesh, violet rays not only offer up vitamin D, and provide us with a wel-I think what we need sometimes is a little perspective. My per-thong, Speedo (thats what my old ones for) it was a soul-saver come psychological boost, they also trigger the production of spective was provided by my sister-in-law, visiting from Cambodiathat sustained me.high-inducing endorphins. Giving you a sense of happiness, and who listened to me complaining about the crazy heat and stinkinFinally, spring arrived. I usually love spring, as winter recedes making you crave more. Of course, we now know how dangerous humidity and laughed: This, she said, would be considered aand is replaced by a season of hope and rebirth. But this spring was this is, given that the very rays that are making us feel good are cool day in Cambodia.sunless, joyless, day after day of deluge, saturating our property and actually damaging our skin.Ill bet she daydreams of blizzards. sapping my strength. Golf dates booked, then postponed by rain. Suffice to say, I was higher than a kite with summer sun. That Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, found onBike rides interrupted by cloud bursts. The lawn mower choking is, until last week when the first searing heatwave of the season Facebook http://www.facebook.com, or followed at www.twitter.com/on overgrown, soggy grass. My mood as dark as the clouds. For rolled into town.thesportjesters.www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, July 21, 2011 6