The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Local school boards respond to EQAO results by Michael Gregory Oakville Beaver Staff 5 | Friday, September 19, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Halton students continue to perform above provincial averages, but both school boards are expressing concern over Junior Math scores after the latest test results were released by the Ontario Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) this week. The results are based on assessments completed in the 2013-2014 school year for Primary (Grades 1-3) and Junior (Grades 4-6) students and compared against expectations outlined in The Ontario Curriculum. The EQAO's Provincial Elementary School Report was released to the public on Wednesday. Both the Halton District School Board (HDSB) and Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) acknowledged that math scores for junior students had declined, while still above the province-wide average of 54 per cent. The HDSB Junior Math scores dipped by two percentage points to 61 per cent, while the HCDSB students fell to five points to 67 per cent. The HCDSB's Superintendent of Education (Curriculum Services) Jack Nigro said they were "concerned" about math results and "it is a priority for us to ensure that supports are in place for our students. "We have planned an extensive range of We recognize and acknowledge there are challenges in mathematics. Our superintendents, principals and teachers will continue to review mathematics instruction to improve the performance of our students. Primary division, HDSB students scored at 76 per cent for reading, 81 per cent for writing and 74 per cent for math. All three areas were higher than the provincial average, but roughly the same as in 2012-2013. Comparatively, HCDSB primary students scored 76 per cent in reading, 87 per cent in Writing and 81 per cent in math -- the latter figure topping the province-wide results by 15 David Euale per cent. Junior students in the HCDSB scored 85 Halton District School Board director of education per cent in both reading and writing, with no change compared to last year's results. The provincial averages in both areas were 79 per cent and 78 per cent, respectively. The HDSB's junior students showed an increase in reading results at 85 per cent, while writing scores remained the same with 82 per cent reaching the curriculum standard. The board noted that in the past five years, reading and writing scores in the junior division had increased in both areas by seven and eight per cent, respectively. "It's encouraging to see Halton students' achievement scores in literacy improve relative to the provincial averages," Euale said. professional development for our Junior and Intermediate teachers with a focus on numeracy," he said. "We will continue to use the wide range of data we collect on a regular basis to identify strategies for improvement so as to respond to the individual learning needs of our students." The HDSB said it had implemented a threeyear plan for math instruction to provide a minimum standard of 300 minutes per week of math for Kindergarten to Grade 8 students. "We recognize and acknowledge there are challenges in mathematics," said David Euale, director of education for the HDSB. "Our superintendents, principals and teachers will continue to review mathematics instruction to improve the performance of our students." According to the EQAO results for the A STEP BEYOND IN CARE Do you have: Salima Kassam Reg. Chiropodist · Foot/Arch Pain? · Ingrown Toenails? · Diabetes? · Swollen Ankles? · Corns, Calluses? Call for an appointment 905-632-1414 728 Burloak Drive www.footandhealthclinic.com Helping You Make Smart Decisions About Your Money Voted #1 Financial Planner 11 Years Thank you for this year's First Place award for Best Financial Planner and Gold award for Investment Company THIS IS MY MENTOR MacLachlan's small school approach embodies a strong sense of community and a warm family atmosphere. Our teachers' enthusiasm inspires the freedom to learn, discover, accept challenges and achieve. MacLachlan College: this is where your child belongs. Visit us to show you why. Inquire about securing early acceptance for September 2015. GOLD Peter Watson MBA, CFP, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI Certified Financial Planner Since 1991 905-844-0372 ext. 235 admissions@maclachlan.ca 337 Trafalgar Road, Oakville www.maclachlan.ca 220 Randall Street · Downtown Oakville Phone: 905.842.2100 www.peterwatsoninvestments.com