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22 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday November 28, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com BRONTE TREE LIGHTING: Bundle up, bring a chair and visit Centriller Square in Bronte Village for the annual open house, tree lighting and carol sing this Saturday. At noon, gather the family at Centriller Square to await the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. At 4:45 p.m., join in carolling Kids can visit with Santa and with the a capella voices of the have their photo taken with Saint Tempus Choral Society. The choir, Nick until 4 p.m. whose members number more than 90, was formed in the fall of 1999 as a celebration of the millennium. At approximately 5:20 p.m. join Oakville's Town Crier and Mayor Rob Burton in the countdown to the tree lighting of the newly-installed evergreen Christmas tree at Centriller Square. Christmas is Coming! g So are your guests! A new shower enclosure is sure to impress. 20% off until the 28th Have your's installed before it's too late! We cannot guarantee pre-Christmas installation for orders placed after November 28. Discount applies to materials only. r 28 materia 550 Bronte Rd., Oakville 905.827.2951 THE OXFORD DIFFERENCE FIVE TIPS TO UNDERSTANDING THE REPORT CARD The end-of-year report card is a pivotal time for families. It's a time of transition as students complete one grade and ready themselves to begin a new grade in the fall. It's also a time of stress. For a child, poor report card grades can mean punishment and restrictions on their anticipated summer activities. For parents, poor grades are a source of worry--is their child facing an educational roadblock that could put their dreams for the future on hold? These five tips can help your family keep any report card stress under control 1. Cut to the Chase. Make sense of what the report card is really telling you. Forget the gobbledygook and meaningless jargon. Read the comments written by the teacher. These comments can give you a better idea of how your child is performing overall. 2. Attend the Parent-Teacher Conference. If lessthan stellar grades have you worried that your child's opportunities for the future may be slipping away, meeting and speaking with the teacher can help. The teacher has spent hours every day observing your child in the classroom. Often, they can paint a better picture of where your child is headed academically. 3. Put it in context. Some school years are more challenging than others. Certain grades are transition years, such as the first year of high school or the shift from early to middle school. Transitions are challenging to all students, regardless of their academic abilities. 4. Go to the Source. If your child's report card contains some surprises, ask the one person who would know best: your child. But before you do, take some time to read the report card by yourself. Identify the subjects that are the biggest concern and address those concerns when you sit down together and go over the report card. Remember to remain calm--you and your child are allies in education, not enemies. Be sure to praise your child for the positives on the report card. 5. Take Action NOW. A poor report card can be a serious roadblock to opportunities for the future, but it doesn't have to be. Just because school is out doesn't mean that parents have to wait until the next school year begins to get their children back on track. The report card is a red flag. If parents don't act now, the urgency of that report card will be forgotten and there will be no progress made. Voted Best Learning Centre A better future for your child starts here! Contact us today for more information. www.oxfordlearning.com Ask about our little reader program. OAKVILLE NORTH EAST 380 Dundas St. E. Oakville (905) 257-1207 OAKVILLE NORTH 1131 Nottinghill Gate, Oakville (905) 469-1929 OAKVILLE SOUTH Maple Grove Village 511 Maple Grove Dr. Suite 2, Oakville (905) 849-4027