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t The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, November 27, 1996 9 Real Estate Deadlines and Policies Deadline for Wednesday Publication is Monday at 12:00 Noon. Any compensation for errors or omissions by The Canadian Statesman will be limited to the Value of the space occupied by the error in the advertisement. Please phone 623-3303 and ask for the Real Estate Sales Department J BHS Student Eyes Education Reform Chiropractic Clinic Opens The Municipality of Clarington welcomes the new Clark Chiropractic clinic which opened November 16 on King Street W., in Newcastle. Above, Mayor Diane Harare (centre) cuts the ribbon with Katie McFadden (left) and chiropractor John Clark, to mark last Saturday's Saturday's official opening. by T. Wakefield "You can please some of the people, all of the time, and all of the people some of the time. But you can't please all of the people all of the time." Abraham Lincoln Education is the backbone of our future. Tomorrow's leaders are developed in the classrooms classrooms of today. Therefore, it is understandable why the effectiveness effectiveness of education is constantly constantly under the microscope. Recently, there have been changes to our education system. system. The de-streaming of Grade Nines in 1993 is one example example of a modification believed believed to improve "the system". system". Yet, it is a small change when compared to those being proposed. What changes? The Ontario government is committed to weigh the recommendations of two royal commissions on education. education. Those recommendations recommendations include: The return to four years of high school education. Ontario is the only province to still follow the five year high school format. Test scores appear to reveal that Ontario students do not fare significantly significantly better in university than students students who follow a four year program. Therefore, the reduction reduction in term seems to make sense. However, the reduction in term also means a condensing of curriculum. Teaching five years of material in four creates a situation where abbreviation abbreviation is unavoidable. While the attention paid to primary subject matter would remain similar, there would be an inevitable inevitable decrease in secondary material. The wide range of topics available now would be reduced, lessening the impact a subject could have on a student. student. The return to four years begins begins in 1998. The increase in credits needed and the reduction of hours needed to earn a credit. The ministry currently requires requires that a student spend 110 hours in a classroom (and pass) to cam a credit. That number will be reduced to 90 hours. In addition, to graduate, students will have to have 37 credits to their name, up from the current 30. Hand in hand, these changes changes echo the argument staled above-that the condensing of curriculum is potentially hazardous. hazardous. The appointment of a teacher advisor for every student. This process has already begun begun at BHS, with homeroom teachers acting as mentors to students who require help with future planning, adjustment (for Grade Nines) or advice in particular areas. The idea of a positive and supportive relationship between between students and faculty is a glorious one. The idea mirrors the belief that society would function better if we all knew each other. A glorious, harmonious, harmonious, utopian community. During the past five years I have attended BHS, I have had my share of conflicts with teachers (my memories of Grade Nine all seem to take place in the office). Nevertheless, Nevertheless, I have found the relationship relationship between students and teachers at this school to be remarkably remarkably positive. The faculty has always made themselves available to students. Increased testing of a student's performance The subject of the effectiveness effectiveness of testing has been debated debated time and time again. The case of the student whose mind goes blank as the test begins has been heard ad nauseum. While high marks arc still the cornerstone, universities now grant acceptance to those who score well on personal essays and interviews. Excellence docs not require fast recollection recollection of fact. However, life is a test. The decisions we make at our desks today arc reflective of the decisions decisions we will make in the boardrooms of tomorrow. Maybe the greatest indicator of success is in how we prepare for each test we face. Unfortunately, Unfortunately, there is no way of evaluating evaluating good study habits. The increased testing will in clude Grade Nine and Grade Eleven provincial literacy tests. Ontario Student Transcripts will now display all attempted courses. Student transcripts are the list of marks that universities and colleges look at to determine the readiness of an individual for post-secondary education. The list shows the highest mark that a student has achieved in each course, but nothing else. However, the new proposal insists that all attempts attempts at a course be listed, including including repeats and failures. Let us look at an example. As of today, a student who receives receives a mark of 55% in a class, may repeat that class, if he or she desires. If, upon the second try, he/she receives a higher mark (for instance, an 85%), then the 85% goes upon the student transcript, in place of the 55%. Under the new format, both marks would appear. The new format would enable universities universities and colleges to witness that a student has taken two tries at the course, and raised his/her mark on the second try. The transcripts will also indicate indicate the mark received on the Grade Eleven literary test. Other proposals include the switch of levels from General, Basic and Advanced to a new course scries. Scries one courses courses are for those students without without specific post-secondary goals, while series two and three arc for those interested in college and university, respectively. respectively. Scries four courses are "transfer courses"; for those students who wish to move between between series two and scries three. Governments implement change. With change comes opposition. Governments tend to ignore the voice of opposition, opposition, unless the voice is strong. In our society, the greatest amplifier amplifier of voice is the media. Unfortunately, the media is a business. Ratings, newspapers sold, shares of the listening audience audience all influence what is said by the media. In terms of business, the reporting of educational educational reform has poor retail value. Parents and future students need to be made aware of the potential changes. Education is for the student. Education is for the betterment of our future. future. Getting involved in shaping shaping the future is in your best interests. interests. Speak to your local trustee or school representative and leam about what is being proposed. Make the voice strong. sutton group- dynamic realty inc. 129 King Street East Bowmanville Telephone: (905)697-1700 New Executive for Horticultural Society The Bowmanville Horticultural Society held its annual meeting on Wednesday, November November 20th, at Trinity United Church. Pictured above are: (from left) Second Vice President Luba Samochin; First Vice President Diane Howarth; President Dorene Kelsey Kelsey and Secretary Dianne Darch. Also on the executive are Treasurer Heinz Netten and Auditors Don Hutton and Verna Robinson. Two-year directors will be Anita Griffin, Laurie Kelm and David and Elizabeth Craig. One-year directors are: Elaine Hutton, Helen Ellis, Elizabeth Barnes and Sheila Zastawney, 10 ACRES, LARGE DETACHED WORKSHOP, ENNISKILLEN $259,990. Sprawling brick rancher, 3 bedrooms, huge kitchen, main floor family room, 1 1/2 baths, oversized single attached garage plus heated and insulated shop. Call Betty Smith 697-1700. 95 McCRIMMON CRES., BOWMANVILLE $124,900. 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, eat-in kitchen plus dining room, 4 newer appliances. Spotless!! ON TOP OF THE WORLD 2200' custom bungalow on Werrydale Drive in Enniskillen. One acre plus lot. 3 + 1 bedroom, plenty of room for large garage. Asking $199,900. Call Bob Craig 697-1700 to view....,... Janet Mulder I GREAT STARTER or retirement home in north end of Bowmanville. Two plus one bedrooms, newer carpets throughout, new windows, windows, single detached garage and huge lot. For more information call Janet Mulder 697-1700 $122,500. 2 storey link in Newcastle. 3 bedrooms, large eat-in kitchen, walkout from living room to deck, basement partially finished with gas fireplace. For more information call Janet 697-1700. $37,900. Two bedroom trailer just south of Newcastle on beautiful treed lot. Walkout from living room to huge deck, eat-in kitchen, kitchen, full 4 piece bath, heated by propane furnace. Park fees are $230.00 a month. For more information call Janet or Bob 697-1700. Ebenezer United Church Women The Ebenezer U.C.W. met on Tuesday, November 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the C.E. room with 19 ladies attending. President Eileen Eileen Down opened with a thoughtful pocni called 'My Creed'. It was agreed to give extra financial financial help to Gate 3:16, Oshawa, and to bring an appropriate appropriate gift to the Christmas meeting. Midge Buzza, the Literature Secretary, brought four books from our library to our attention. Olive Munro was in charge of the devotional and program and we sang 'How Great Thou Art' with Eileen at the piano. Prayer followed. The theme of the meditation was 'Teach us to Pray'. The scripture verses were from Matthew and Luke when Jesus taught the disciples to pray 'The Lord's Prayer'. Wo were given questions and suggested Bible references and then we gathered around small tables to look up to Bible passages passages and discuss the very familiar familiar Lord's Prayer. We decided decided it was very meaningful to study the prayer line by line and realized that we loose some of the depth of meaning when we simply repeat the words so automatically. The meeting closed as we sang 'The Lord's Prayer', and it was evident that the words of that personal prayer were more meaningful following our brief study time. Doreen Metcalf and Hazel Forsey served a very tasty lunch. 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