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&6- The Canadian Champion, Fnday, June 22, 2007 Does Halton need homework reform? Arc teachers beaping too mucb homework on today's stu- dents or arc abter-scbooî assigmcnts taking a backseat to part-lime jobs, sports, video games and myspace.com witb our children? li's the question being bandied about at the Toronto Distrnct School Board, where two sttîdent trustees have pro- posed homework reform that would limit assignments being sent home .,ith chîldren and teens. Most school boards in the GTA follow a guidelîne of assîgning five to 10 minutes of work per grade, per evening. Thai means a Grade 1 student can expect five to 10 minutes of bomework per day on average, while a Grade 6 student sbould anticipate a daily average of 30 to 60 minutes. Accorcling to the Halton District School Boards website (www.haltondsb.on.ca) Grade 7 to, 10 students sbould be prepared to face four to 10 bours of homework per week. The samne website defines four different categories of homework: completion - anything not completed in class; practice - review and reinforcement of learning presented in class; preparation - home preparation for the next day's class work and extensionlcreative - creative applications that integrate and/or expand upon classroom learning. Halton's public board characterizes homework as "an aid in developing life-long learning skills such as self-discipline, task commitment, time management, responsibility; inde- pendence, initiative and prublem solving. Homework is une means of demonstrating and building the partnership between home and school that leads to more consistent school success." We would like to, hear what you think about homework. We welcome anyone - but especially students, parents and educators - to share their views with Champion readers. ls there too much, not enough or just the right amount of work being sent home ,vith students today? Are parents taking enough of a proactive approach to their child's education by keeping a watchful eye on their progress? Do Mom and Dad know how much homework their child is assigned each day - or each week? Are familles designating time every evening for the com- pletion of homework? Send your thoughts to miltoned@haltonsearch.com. The Champion will highlight the most interesting respons- es in future editions. My husband and I went up north for our first wedding anniversary last week, and 1 do mean Up north. We went as far as the pîctur- esque Lake Superior, a great water body every Ontarian should seie. I hadn't been that far north since 1 was a smaîl child - an experience 1 don't remem- ber. So it wav aIl new to me as we travelled farther north than what we know as cottage country to explore the land unknown ini my mmnd. 0f course itfs natural to compare your vacation destination to home in martyr ways. That 1 did, noticmng the most difference in the nature of both the lands and the people. On the way back, we drove through manitoulm Island and took the ferry 'across Lake Huron to Tobermory As we drove horueward down Hwy. 6, famidan4 was La abundance, a itice seg~t to 1~ ?~-EI.WE~ - UT IF WE WEI PROMISE Po0t ITI$ lu11 RA1USE STIL~ MIKE Readers Write E-mail your lettrs to miltcneiul nsearchom. Thanks to everyone who made family fun day such a big success DEAR EDITOR, program and a summer camp. On June 2, Hornby Co-operative A big thank-you goes out to ail of Nursery School held its annual Family the Hornhy families that helped organ- Fun Day and Silent Auction. ize the event, as welI as the local busi- The day was a huge success, raising nesses in Milton and Halton His that more than $3,900. The funds will help donated items tor the sulent auction. improve our current programs, which MEAGHAN CHRISTIE, PRESIDENT include a morning pre-school program, HORNBY C0-OPERAT1VE an afternoon kindergarten ennichment NURSERY SCHOOL sce. But as 1 gazed at the Niagara Fscerpiment levels And what will be the envîronental close to home, 1 commented to, my huvband, and human impacts of that increased pollu- ,ufs beautiful here, too." tion? He agreed and asked, "What do In response lasi week, they have that we don' have?"j Halton Regionv health and "Cleaner air," I revponded social services committee without thinking twice. ~'7~ endorsed an initiative that He couldn't help but agree. would see a stationary air mon- And many others know, too, itor set up in Milton - since about our pollution levels, espe- they already exivt in south cualy with the town's population '.Haîton - avsd a portable moni- growirsg vo rapidly tor purcbased to, meavure air A report Irom Halton Medical ..pollution in different locations Officer of Health Dr. Bob Nosal across the community. And ut noted that north Halton residents - anxious about thse pace of developmnent ini their comn- munities - have expressed the need for bet- ter information about air quality And for good reason, too. A growing corn- urLity ne o qbt will mean nising pollution The initiative wiîI alîow the Region to track air quality in ncrth Halton as deveîop- ment occurs. Stay tuned... Karen Miceli cati be reached ai mtsltoned@hafronsearch.com. lEbr (Canaetaîî QEIampioii Miitonrrm rii yNmaaspéip Since 1860 555 Industnial Dr., Milton, Ont. L9T 5E1 905-878-2341 Editonial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 www.niütoncanadianchampion.com Publisher Neil Oliver Advertising Director Wendy McNab Managing Editor Karen Miceli Production Manager Tim Coles Circulation Manager Charlene Hall Office Manager Teri Casas The Canadian Champion, published every Tuesday and Friday, is a division of Metroland Media Grosap Ltd. - Group Publisher Ian Oliver. Advenising 15 cepted onthe codito tat inte vniofa fflrgaphal eronfii aportionof te adw5srspaceoccapied y the errneous item togelher witi a resmahie allowance for signa f ie il flot be chamged for but thae balance of the advetiserrient wili be paîir for at the applicable rate The plihemeeethe rightoi categonze adverroeerits or dedinma CCAB Audited te'qcz- oi emce'îfac by o fa Ontario Commammty e c a Newspapers Association Camadian Ccmmuty CCA Newspapeo Associationc Sabumbac Newspapers Urim of Amnetra Halo Heaacaear Ilot, o for WA(;OfNk Jingl Bel Fud ' UNITED WAP 0F MIL.TON TV AUCTION MILTON SANTA CLAS PARADE 1, ATIIbVA h Sfo Showease Mta GA14A 4-,d,, Eclitor'sclesk Thne truth hurts, but the truth is - knowledge is power