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h ,The Oaoiadian Champion Tuesday. July 8,-1997-3 Photos by GRAHAM PAINE Berry time Three-year-old Taire Satelmayer reached between the leaves to pick up some strawberrles at Sprlngrldge Farm on Bell School Lins over the weekend and then lt was dime to sneak a taste. Strawberrlea are ripe and ready at local pick-your-own forma. RC schools welcome delay_ By CAROL BALDWIN Special to The Champion Halton Roman Catholic Sebool board offiCiaIs are pleased with the province's decision to postpone the implementation of a new high school pmogram for one year. Ontario Minister of Education and Training John Snobelen announced recently that the new high sehool program, scheduled for implementation this faîl, will be postponed until September, 1999. The education minister also announced that Stream- ing will be introduced back into grade 9 ait that lime. According to a press release from the Ministry of Education and Training, one reason for delaying implementation of the new high school program, designed 10 compact the five-year curriculum into four years, was the "more than 20,000 responses" received. One of those responses came from the Halton Roman Catholie Sehool Board in the form of a letter 10 the minister asking for a postponement "to ensure our students enter grade 9 with sufficient preparation 10 complete a secondary achool diploma in four years." At that time, the trustees said more lead time was nceded to prepare both teachers and students for the curriculum change, which ideally would go ai the way back to the primaiy scbool level. "Obviously, the board is pleased with the decision," said Fred Sweeney, director of education for the Roman Catbolic Scbool Board. -The government was wise t0 do Ibat," agreed Donald Schrenk, chair of the board. "The inIent was premature. The delay will give us some time to put in proper programs and lead int it. "The educators have expressed concern and obvi- ously. the government has lisîened to that," Mr. Schrenk added. "They are beginning lu show some response 10 the boards !Rnd the educators, in general." Mr. Sweeney, however, voiced concern there still may not be enough time 10 compress the curriculum and train the teachers adequately. "A lot will have 10 be donc 10 compact back in the math and science areas. French is okay, because there is no grade 12 French. Il is not necessary 10 compact social science, and those who are good ait English could take OAC Englisb and still be good at il," he said Mr. Sweeney womred about the pressure on today's grade 7 students t0 catch up. Students entering grade 7 in the faîl will have Io be "They are beglnig to show some response to the boards and the educators in general."' - -.............. prepared 10 absorb in four years of high sehool what the students before tbem learned in five. "We're putting kids in grade 7 this year in jeopardy. Tbe com- pacîing is nul far enough back, il sbould be ta grade 6 or 5. We don't have any new curriculum for grade 7," explained Mr. Sweeney. However, he said, an initial 'gap analysis" bas detected litîle difference between the new grade 7 pro- gram and the old one. But, added Mr. Sweeney, a group of teachers will conduet a more extensive analysis in the second week of July. "We're not going 10 be able 10 have our teachers trained by the faîl. We have a couple of PA days whicb we'll use, but t doubl il (the compacted pro- gram) will be fully implemented by next year. But we will gel started on it," Mr. Sweeney said. -We'll be îaking on a beck of a lot in one year." As for de-streaming aI tbe grade 9 level, Mr. Sweeney said be would be sonry 10 sec il go. "We baven't done a study on de-streaming. AO we don't know the success or failure of it," be said, explaining de-streaming allowed aIl grade 9 students 10 take aIl the same subjects aI the same tevel. Tbis uniform grade 9 curriculum, be said, gives students an extra year 10 decide wbeîber tbey will necd advanced, general or basic level courses 10 fulfill Ibeir career goals. "Now, kids will have lu make a dec.isiun for advanced, general or basic wiîb no understanding of wbat higb sebool is aIl about. t tbink il's a bit of a backward step." Mr. Scbrenk said, "De-streaming was always con- troversial, so tbey took il off the table." However, be agreed de-streaming provides "a better opportunity for kids 10 change programs if tbey need 10." Mr. Scbrenk said of the new provincial higb sehool literacy exam that Mr. Snobelen is proposing as pant of bis bigb scbool reform: "We're always hearing that kida can't spell or put together a proper sentence. If Ibis tests their SIS and allows for proper remedial work 10 correct the pmob- lems, then it's a good tbing." 1996 CAVALIER Ureen/grey clotS auto. air cooditioning, AM/FM stero cassette. Balance ot Factory Warranty. Only 40, 000 Ams. OHNIv13.877 1995 DONNE VILLE SE W/te/Taupe c/Ut/t. V6, Auto, Air, PW, P .Lks., Tilt, Cruise, Cassette, A/loy Wheels. On/y 59, 000 kms $18, 888 LaDs. for $320136 mo. 1994 SUNDIRD Red/GrapAîte dlot/t 1/B. auto., air, p. toc/to, AM/FM, stereo causette. Oo/y 60,000 kmo. OnIvs$10844 199 SAFARI SU1 One owner burgundy/ugnycu/ asoe air condiAioned, PD., t/tru/uc, cassette, deep tint ,ally w/tee/s, OR/y 52,000 kmu. 1995 DELTA 88 Amet/tystGrey c/utA. V6, auto., ait, P W, P L, w 199 CORSICA Seat, cassette. 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