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6 stouffville suntribune thursday sept 7 2006 tstouffvme suntnbune a metroland community newspaper 6290 main st stouffville on l4a1g7 publisher ian proudfoot editor in chief debora kelly business manager robertlazurko director advertising distribution barryblack director interactive media technology john futhey director circulation systems lynn pashko marketingpartnerships director debra weller york region printing general manager bob dean editorial liberals made tests easier mpp in an electionstyle stop at a york region public school tuesday premier dalton mcguinty boasted about how his liberals have made educa tion their priority as noisy children excited to be back on the first day of class scampered about atthornhillwoods public school mr mcguinty pointed to higher standardized test scores as part of the proof in his pud ding results from the latest round of grade 3 and grade 6 tests administered by the education quality and accountability office eqaq do show improvements the 200405 tests found a 5percent improvement in reading among grade 3 students a 3percent increase in writing and 2percent in math the grade 6 results also show improvements in reading and writing there was a 5percent improvement and math scores were up 3 per cent sounds pretty impressive but the question is why did the liberals influx of funding to battle the years of mike harris cutbacks really pay dividends so quickly not if you askndp education critic rosario marchese who says mr mcguinty and then education minister gerard kennedy cheated by making the standardized tests easier he says in the last round of tests stu dents were allowed to use calculators were given more time and more multiple choice questions and only spent six hours being tested compared to 10 on earlier tests actually parents of elementary school students who have taken the test dont need to take the ndp for their word they only need to ask the children unfortunately the same cant be said for the liberals as they pump up their education plumage for next years elec tion without debating the overall merits of standardized testing one thing is cer tain if you are going to have standardized tests the results should be based on the same type of test showing improvements based on an easier test a different test isnt fair its like comparing dr suess to shakespeare as mr mcguinty played hopscotch with the children atthornhill woods rolling up his sleeves pretending to be one of us his act is a reminder to parents education has always been and will always remain a political football politicians will always use it to further their goals its up to parents to make sure it works for their children standardized tests smaller class sizes and such are meaning less unless parents take stock of whats happening at their schools daytoday after all thafs what public education should be about not political rhetoric and election grandstanding letters to the editor powersthatbe repaved wrong section of mccowan road no doubt residents along mccowan road between bloomington and stouffville roads are pleased their stretch has been nicely repaved why did the powersthatbe have paints solid lines the whole length previously one could pass except near the top and bottom of the stretch and at crossroads may those responsible be stuck behind a slow- moving vehicle every day of their commute considering the reasonable state of the old surface one also wonders why this stretch was repaved at all has anyone thought of the stretch between aurora and bloomington roads this section has been signposted as caution broken road for years it is long overdue for attention hardy nissen ballantrae will anyone challenge girls team at stouffvilles terry fox run as we all know stouffville is what you would call a hockey town since hockey teams flourish in stouffville what exacdy is it that makes any team different from the rest it is the commitment to give back to the community to make it even stronger the bantam stars girls a rep team is prepared to do just that by participating in whitchurch- stouffvilles 25th annual terry fox run sept 17 from the stouffville arena as the coach of this team i know our girls the stouffville suntribune welcomes your letters all submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number name and address the stouffville suntribunereserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and space write letters to the editor 6290 main st stouffville l4a 1g7 emailjmasonyrngcom or fax 9056408778 believe teamwork is needed to accomplish any goal whether it be on the ice or in the commu nity for this reason they are excited to announce they will be stickhandling their way through the run they are also putting out a challenge to any boys teams to do the same just to let you know these girls have been working hard during their regular dry land train ing sessions all summer is any team up for the challenge pledge sheets are available at locations throughout stouffville including the arena volunteers will be at sobeys schell lumber tdbank ar shoppers drug mart and the lebovic leisure centre saturday from 10 am to noon for more information on the run call 905- 6404705 mikehumpheys stouffville editorial editor jim mason jmasonymgcom assistant editor rick vanderlinde rvanderlindeyrngcom interactive media marketing advertising manager dawna andrews dandmvsymgcom advertising classified manager ann campbell acampbellymgcom assistant classified manager bonnie rondeau brondeauymgcom retail manager staceyallen salknymgcom new business development manager mikerogerson mrogersonymgcom production team leader sherry day sdayymgcom editorial 9056462612 fax9056408778 advertising 9056402612 classified 18007433353fax 9058531765 distribution 9052942206 canadm cktujbcns aamwdmmtkr onurto pns coax sffitribune a york region newspaper group community newspaper the suntribune published every thursday and saturday is a member of the metroland printing publishing and distributing ltd a whollyowned subsidiary oftorstat corporation metroland is comprised of 70 community publications across ontario the york region newspaper group includes the liberal serving richmond hill and thomhifl vaughan citizen the economist sun markharo the erabanner newmarketaurora georgjna advocate york regton business times north of the city yorfvegioncom and york regkm printing off the top with jim mason for the love of our friends we hit the road even if we dont find cures for all can cers and god knows i hope im wrong there is another purpose to these road course marathons people are tackling this month we see the women pounding the stouffville pavement in packs prepping for this weekends weekend to end breast cancer a twoday trek through the neigh bourhoods of toronto a week from sunday its the 25th anniversary of the terry fox run in stouffville the 26th nationally we know these events will raise mil lions of dollars across the country they already have and that money has funded research into a disease that has invaded all of our families and neighbourhoods what the donations cant buy is love and anyone who has merely stumbled by a terry fox run or heard the spirited chants from weekend to end marchers has felt it love may not buy a cure but it can do a ton it can bring families neighbours friends and entire communities together it can remind us howfragile health and life are how one day we can be planning for retirement birthday parties and vaca tions only to be stopped sharply in our tracks there will be bands blaring and com petitive runners warming up before the terry fox run at the stouffville arena but one of the neatest scenes is the dedication board in the rink lobby away from the hustle of the registra tion desk and the water stop entrants write a message to a loved one struck by cancer its a private moment gone public shared with all who care to stop i dare you to read half the dedications and not cry cant be done it will change your day putting those petty problems at home or work into perspective it will also put an extra spring into your step as you cruise the north side of stouffville on your walk run or cycle just ask your neighbours bill murphy dixie sellers bob gatfield dal gourley brad stevens jeremy schell and keith acton they have members of whitchurch- stouffvilles terrys team cancer survivors who help promote the event they have been the subject of dedica tions and prayers during their battles theyve felt the love of this communi ty during the last 24 terry fox runs while helping to raise thousands of dollars to slay the dreaded disease terry fox run pledge sheets are available at schell lumber the lebovic leisure centre and the arena jim mason is editor of the suntribune