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~~Yo~oWeei~iyhmesWednesday, November 2~, 1995 Teaching Parents About Studedit' Stu Annamarle The studer dent's prog nts Sara MeNeil, Stephanie Leith,- and Phillip Lake stand with teacher 'Neill and Vera Lohse, president of the Grandview Parent Teachers Association. took part in the production of the video geared to teaching people how a stu- s is measured. BssAt,%Grandview Public -School Grandview Principal H. Armstrong, Victoria County Sehool Board Trustee Sharon Summers, and Durham East MPP John O'Toole pose at the premier of a new video kit on the measuring of a student's progress unveiled at Grandview Public School in Pontypool. Newcastle's lighting, of the Christmas tree event set a glow in the hearts of the large crowd that turned out Friday evening to witness the sym- boite opening of the Christmas season. The annual event, sponl- sored by the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, was a huge success. Hot chocolate and warm apple eider was served by volunteers from the Newcastle Family Connection. Barb Jacques, from the Newcastle Farnily Connection was pleased with this year's large tumnout. According to the eider and hot chocolate portions served 'over 150 were there', enthused Jacques. A fun evening of singing Christmas carols and miling about talking with friends was combined with an oppor- tunity for residents to share their Christmas spirit with our only way of measuring the success of our sehools." Clear goals and standards set by the Ontario Ministry of Edueation in the Common Curreulum, sueh as effective communication, problemn solving and decision making, using technology and cooper- ation skflls, provide the guide- Unes for students evaluation.. Parents are essential to the assessment , process. Summers prompts parents to mnake an impact on their ehild's academie success by showing interest in their work, making sehool a prior- ity and communicating with their child's teacher. If you would like to view the video and bookiet that aecompanies it, contact your local public school, PTA, school board or trustee for information. by Beth Wilcken-Shkurtoff others. Food donations were aecepted. And at this time of year many of us realize we can actually make a differ- ence with a food or toy dona- tion to one of our community groups. By Saturday evening the magic was stili in the air. A bus load of happy shoppers took a ride to Toronto's well- known Samko (a toy store) and loaded up green garbage bags full of toys and Christmnas decorations. The excursion was arranged by the Optimist Club. Even 1 had a Christmas Open House. Granted, it was a business open house, but it' was a big step for me to open my doors to customers and passin g aequaîntances. The lime put into preparation was enjoyable. Only a small num- ber were able to attend but I enjoyed my small visits. What really made me feel great was one of myv really good customers, who had already finished her purchas- es from me for Chrismtas last week, dropped in just for eider and cookies and a chat. Making friends is an important part of business. Many small businesses will agree. A certain amount of caring must go into our cus- tomers. And not just at Christmas time! Newcastle's Christmas tree lighting marks the beginning of a countdown till Santa an-ives. It awakens the chîld deep within us. It reminds us of ahl the Christmnases gone by - good ones and sad ones. The 100,000 bulbs tumned on in a 'Cavalcade of Lights' at Nathan Phillîps square on Friday evening did not out- shine the beauty, warmth and hope lit in the hearts of Newcastle residents at their own tree lighting event. The Ontario Public School Boards' Association pre- miered a new video kit aimed at teaching parents and com- munities how students' progress is measured. Staff and students from the Victoria County, Renfrew County, Toronto,> Peel and Nipissing Boards of Education were highlighted in the twelve-minute production entitled "Wvhat Did You Learn in Sehool Today?". Grandview Public Sehool near Bethany, hosted the video's launching last week. Ms. Annamarie O'Neill, and her grade six 'class at Grandview participated in ereation of the video last year. Ms., O'Neill described the, experience of beîng on film like being "caught in the headlights of a car." Ms. O'Neill, Grandview's Princip al Mr. H. Armstrong, Durham East MPP John O'Toole, Victoria-Halibuirton MIPP Chris Hodgsen, Superintendent Scott and Board Chairperson Ralph Russell each remarked on the importance of the assessment strategies and commended Grandview on, their contribu - tion. As a demonstration of the comritment of the Ontario Public Sehool systemn to the parents and communi- ty it serves the video kit was officially presented to Vera Lohse, president of Grandview's Parent Teachers Association. The goal ofthe video is to explain the vanious ways that students' are assessed in the classroom today. Teachers no longer rely solely on paper- and-pencil tests to determine students' learning. When teachers use observation techniques, portfolios, con- ferences and interviews, peer and seif-evaluations and jour- nais, as well as standard tests and assignments, "teachers and parents have a compre- hensive understanding of what students are learning," says Sharon Summers, vice- president of the Ontario Public School Boards' Association and a trustee on the Victoria County Board of Education. By measuring students' progress in a variety of ways, it helps students by identify any learning prob- lems early in their academnic careers. Students may demonstrate their knowledge and skills rather than proving that they have "leamned the facts". These processes also help teachers improve teach- ing miethods and the major objectives of learning. According to Ms. Summers, comprehensive evaluation "Is COMPLETE CAR & TRUCK REPAIRS DIESEL ENGINES- CUMMINS, DETROIT & CAT RADIO DISPATCHED TOW TRUCKS MOBILE MECHANICAL SERVICE TRUCK R.R. 1, ORONO, ONTARIO 4 MILES NORTH 0F 401 LOB 1iMO ON HWY. 115&35 PHONE (905) 983-9151 BALLS RADIO &ITV. REPAIR REPAIRS TO MOST MAKES' STEREOS, COLOUR AND B&W T.V.s AND V.C.R.s P.O. Box 27 RAR 2, Orono, Ont. (905) 983-5721