SEXUAL ASSAULT & VIOLENCE INTERVENTION SERVICES (SAVIS) OF HALTON WO lâ€"hour violence presentatior usine ) t unselng e FREE 2« upport line [ * FREE ant 905.825.3622 « Toll free: 877.268.8416 * www.savisofthaiton.org SAVIS is secking candidates for Board Membership positions. If you are interested in this rewarding volunteer position, please send your inquiry to boardofdirectors@savisothalton org Sexual Assault & Violence Intervention Services ursday, August 11, 2016 | 14 _IT‘S TIME TO NOMINATE YOUR FAVOURITES IN The 2018 Milton GChoice Awards . and it couldn‘t be easier‘ Just give us your top picks in the areas of Food/Drink, Entertainment, Automotive, People, Business{Service and Shopping! www.insidehalton.com | MILTON CANADIAN CHAMPION | Th Just Visit www.insidehaiton.com and click Nominate Now or visit readerschoice.miltoncanadianchampion.com «Nominate online 24 hours a day until August 19", 2016 at midnight! NOW o y ols es -’ € i Do you have a passion for public service and community engagement? Apply io become a Returning Officer in an electoral district near you! Returning Officers are accountable for the preparation and conduct of election: byâ€"el referenda in their electoral district For more information on the position and how to apply, visit www.elactionsontario.hrassociates. Aussi disponible en frangais Applications due August 19°", 2016 An Equal Opportunity Employer tano is a nonâ€"partisan Agency of the Legis/at www electior r ammoresanmmmenmme omcs _« Elections HIRING RETURNING OFFICERS Ca NEWS No plans to close schools: Minister &@® tried to close these schools, but I believe we‘ve kept them off the chopping block one more time" The fate ef the Ontario Street school for stuâ€" dents wity severe dyslexia has been in quesâ€" tion sincs the year began. The Province then held corsultations addressing the future of Trillium and four other deaf and demonstraâ€" tion schools â€" a process that left many fearâ€" ing the ‘acilities will close for good in the name of budget savings. Monday‘s announceâ€" ment is the result of the consultations. "The corsultation gave us valuable insight and feecback about how to best meet stuâ€" dents‘ needs so they can reach their full poâ€" tential in school, and in life," said Hunter. "It is importnt for us to listen to parents and to | respond o their advice and insights. | want to thank them for their passion and perspective." Hunter net with representatives from the afâ€" fected scrools on Monday evening in Milton. Bourachst said the Province requested the meeting.not the parents, to discuss the findâ€" ings of the consultations and next steps. While the school council chair was initially skepticaland believed the session would be | used to segin laying the groundwork to ulâ€" timately close the schools, she said Hunter was verygenuine and clarified that there are no plansto close the schools now or in the | future. She said parents also pushed Hunter for | details or the pilot program the Province intends o launch in select school boards â€" an intnsive reading intervention project designed to increase the availability and reâ€" sponsiveress of supports for students with severe leirning disabilities. While specifics on the program aren‘t yet available parents who‘ve formed an advoâ€" cacy group representing the province‘s three English cemonstration schools â€" including Bourachot â€" are lauding the initiative. ‘The advocacy group foals this is a good first step to increase awareâ€" ness of severe learning disabilities at the school board level and introâ€" duce more children to the Empower (reading) program," a press release from the group states. Keeping provincial dem onstration schools open during the research and implementation process is not a just a victory for the group, but a vic tory for future students with learning disabilities across the province. reference group will be t up to provide guid nc ind nput s the ilot proje t r for nove ward. Bourachot said parents who attended the meeting with Hunter have offered to be part of the ongoing process. The Liberals released a report on Friday (Auâ€" gust 5) prepared by market research firm The Strategic Counsel that contains an extensive summary of comments received during the consultations. It highlights the many successes students have had as a result of the intensive learning at the demonstration schools â€" something parents said their children wouldn‘t have reâ€" ceived in the traditional education system. "Current students and their parents reported significant progress in students‘ reading and social skills," says the report. "Within a few months, students jumped several grade levels in their reading skills. This view was supported by teachers who also observed significant stuâ€" dent progress based on ongoing evaluation." The document also highlights the achieveâ€" ments of former demonstration school stuâ€" dents who attended the consultations. "Virtually all of them reported success in their postâ€"demonstration school experience, both socially and academically," notes the report. "Some of them reported that they had graduâ€" ated from university. This success, they said, was a result of their experience at the demonâ€" stration school. This is noteworthy given their previous challenges at their regular school prior to attending the demonstration school. Even when students had setbacks, they reâ€" ported using the learning tools and strategies they developed at demonstration schools." The report goes on to detail input received from school boards, which indicated that furâ€" ther supports are needed to help students with severe learning disabilities. "Many school board staff indicated that caâ€" pacity building is needed to best support students with severe learning disabilities and that they rely on one of the demonstration schools," states the report. "There were also a number of comments by board educators that the issc » was compounded where teachâ€" ers, principals, and school board leadership teams need to develop a better understandâ€" ing of the complexities surrounding teaching and supporting students with severe learning disabilities." Besides Trillium, the consultation process Inâ€" cluded Sagonaska Demonstration School in Belleville, Amethyst Demonstration School in London, Robarts School for the Deaf in Lon don and Centre Julesâ€"Leger in Ottawa, which serves French students who are deaf, deaf blind and/or have severe learning disabilities The three English demonstration SC hools across the province provide educational pro grams for approximately 120 come to the programs significantly or all academic areas, tates the Ministry students, who under and achieving in some anc with immature social skills of Education‘s website. at the school for one to two yeals and return home on weekends e students reside