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HomeMy WebLinkAbout756"Article copied from: Pickering Profile (magazine), page 20. PICKERING TOWNSHIP EDUCATION c. 1971 Educational processes in the area are now organized by the recently formed Ontario County Board of Education, but Pickering Township children are still the beneficiaries of the excellent school system set up by the boards which were originally responsible for the administration of School Areas 1 and 2. The whole school system had a reputation for providing some of the best education available in the province, taught by some of the best qualified teachers. This solid foundation has withstood the radical shift from local boards to the new county authority, and Pickering's three elected representatives on the County Board are all past members of the old boards, who have plenty of experience of this school area. In fact, one of them, Mr. Milton Mowbray, B.A., Q.C., has just been appointed Chairman of the County Board. Also, newly appointed as Director of Education, is Mr. K. D. Munroe, B.A., M.Ed., who was Supervisor of Schools in School Area 2 for several years. Pickering Township residents, therefore, should not fear that the new board is remote and ignorant of Pickering's needs; not when people with local knowledge are in key positions. The County Board of Education is situated at 555, Rossland Road West, Oshawa. The telephone number is 728-1644, but anyone outside the calling area can call the long distance operator and ask for ZENITH 64230, thus avoiding toll charges. Space has not permitted a detailed history of every school, but general details, taken from a sampling of interviews, give some idea of the quality and diversity of the local educational system. Bayview Heights School, Bay Ridges, for example, is at present developing a conservation project. Mr. J. Strachow, Principal of the school, reports that he is obtaining a supply of trees from the Department of Lands and Forests, which will be planted by students, on the school grounds. This will lead the children to take an interest in the growth of trees, and will also encourage them to care for, and respect, all growing things. It is also a method of teaching young people to care about keeping school property attractive. Woodlands School, a junior high school at Dunbarton, has major achievement classes as part of its curriculum. These classes are for the exceptionally quick learners, who find difficulty in keeping their rapidly working minds occupied in normal classes. Just as slow learners need extra help, so do those with advanced mental processes. If left in normal classes such students can regress because of boredom. Therefore, major achievement classes are set up to allow these children to advance at their own rate, thus preventing frustration, and keeping gifted minds in peak form. Other large, modern schools in the area include West Rouge and William G. Davis Schools, which have enriched programming. Not all area schools are large. There are several smaller ones, serving less built-up districts, and these often retain that family like atmosphere which, unavoidably, is lost in the bigger institutions. Schools at Cherrywood, Claremont and Brougham are examples. Some, schools have grown rapidly from being small ones to being large ones, but these still seem to keep that sense of belonging, a legacy from their origins. Such a school is that at Fairport Beach. Once a small school, it now has 21 classrooms, ranging from Kindergarten to Grade 5, yet its programme, centred around the language arts, leaves plenty of room for exciting excursions, and a very good library schedule. A fine physical education programme is also carried out, and, as the school is on a hilltop, with a magnificant view, the outdoor sports take place in a stimulating setting. The Principal of the school says it is known as ""Friendly Fairport."" From public schools, area students advance either to Pickering High School or to Dunbarton High School, both excellent centres of secondary education. These two schools offer exceptionally varied programmes, providing the widest range of subjects. This enables each student to choose the subjects most suited to his, or her, interests. Such a policy leads to a richness of experience, which will prove invaluable when each student has to deal with the intricacies of our complex world. Seperate schools in the area include Holy Redeemer, in Bay Ridges; St. Mary's, in Rouge Hill; and St. Francis De Sales, in Pickering Village. These ably serve the needs of the Catholic community, and have fine academic records. One programme must be mentioned in some detail, partly because of the intense interest it has generated, and partly because it will probably be extended to other schools. This is the i-t-a programme, and the following report from Sir John A. MacDonald School will emphasize its success. Pitman's Initial Teaching Alphabet, with its 44 symbols and words illustrating the sounds these symbols represent. The Story of i|t|a ""If asked, I would definitely recommend this method, - we only wish the elder boy had had the chance of going to an i-t-a class. In this age of television, it is good to see a youngster turn the 'off button, and sit down to enjoy reading a book - by himself!"" ""I am very impressed with the i-t-a course as a tool in assisting a child to read early and with such enthusiasm!"" ""We would feel remiss if we did not convey to all concerned our unreserved endorsement of the i-t-a classes."" The letters i-t-a stand for 'initial teaching alphabet', and the above testimonials are a few of the many received from enthusiastic parents since i-t-a, the odd 44 character alphabet, was introduced into Sir John A. MacDonald's grade one classes, two years ago. The basic idea of i-t-a is simple and logical. Instead of the conventional 26 letters, i-t-a uses 44 characters, each one of which has only one look and one sound. Thus, while our regular Roman alphabet uses more than 2,000 visual patterns for the 40 sounds of English speech, i-t-a uses only 88. Principal Bruce Cornwall, at Sir John A. MacDonald, objects if you call i-t-a an ""experimental programme."" He will tell you that, since Sir James Pitman devised the medium over ten years ago, it has now been used by tens of thousands of children throughout the world. It is used in over 3,000 schools in England alone, and in many other coun tries. Sir John A. Mac Donald has pioneered its use in Ontario County, and other schools are planning to use it. Perhaps, next fall, your child will read to you from a book using ""that crazy-looking alphabet""! Our Lady of the Bay Roman Catholic School. Frenchman's Bay Public School Fairport Beach Public School. [Message translated from i|t|a to Latin characters:] My name is Mark. I am in grade one and I am 7. I enjoy reading and writing in [i|t|a]. I have read many interesting stories. Written by MARK GIFFORD, grade one, SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD SCHOOL, Bay Ridges [On Back:] From: Pickering Profile (magazine) ed. Wm. Earle Pickering Litho Print c. 1971 p. 20 Inventory #95-01468; 2-2; Envelope # 156 p. 20 "