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chairman calls for polio review for grade promotion vimemzidmmwmm holidays conquhr tours by julie caspersen staff reporter mfilim the vast number of students who did not complete grade 9 last year attended three schools in stouffville markham and thornhill notes public board chair bill crothers and crothers wants to know if the policies of the principals at markville secondary thornhill secondary and stouffville district secondary are different from the policies of other principals in the region there is a common promotion policy but there must be a variation at these three schools crothers said tuesday during a committee meeting how can you make a statement that there is a consistent policy when there is inconsistencies crothers raised his concern at during a discussion of grade 9 destreaming which is now in its third year the levels of advanced general and basic have been erased in grade 9 and students are grouped together in the same way as in elementary school there are 161 students who are taking some grade 9 instruction while in grade 10 and 81 of these attend the above three schools superintendent of schools frances mckenna a member of the com mittee studying the impact of destreaming said failing or passing students is up to the principals and one of the factors could be a schools proximity to a summer school centre it might appear there is a disproportionate number of students repeating grade 9 classes at particular schools mckenna answered crothers but she added the promotion policy is flexible crothers also questioned data showing a substantial jump in the number of students earning all eight grade 9 credits last year 89 per cent of all grade 9 students received eight credits compared to 80 per cent in 1993 and 74 per cent in 1991 the increase is very dramatic crothers said does it reflect higher achievement on the part of students or does it reflect lower expectations or standards committee member robert harper an executive assistant in oper ational services answered that the best gauge of student success in a grade 9 destreamed model is to look at the number of credits earned at the end of grade 10 k0 am get bonus sears club points book your winter vacation now no money down no interest no payments until you return plus get the rr travel commitment only sears has it book with the security of a lowest price guarantee weve taken the guesswork out of choosing your vacation nofee regular american express trawliers cheques sears ttavdcoomitniea scars travel guarantee means youll oner be stranded valuable sears oub rewards when you book with your stars card we will even give you free passport photos signature varadero 7 nighln all inclusive superclubs varadero 4 monday departures nov v95apr 2996 price applies lo dec 111795 and includes airfare from toronto oca rtr iwk9 1049 cancun 7 nights oasis cancun playa nov 4dec 1695 price includes 200 us beverage credit per room and airfare from toronto of kelt fouuntof afrtransat hodaqs 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inc any reproduction without the written consent of sears canada inc is prohibited notice to travellers traveller should be aware that different living standards and practices and different standards and conditions with respect lo the provision of utilities services and accommodations may exist outside of canada sears canada inc d b a sears travel sears call sears travel for details and conditions expect mowjvom seots onl reg 2264141 growing bodies growing minds dont ignore educational aspect of home computer there isnt a computer geek either adult or child sitting alone at the keyboard nor is there a sophisticat ed businessman tapping away nope the computer has become part of the family commercials shows parents sitting with their children as they discover and explore the computer and its pro grams together when you hear computers being described as interac tive it is this type of interaction dr ron ragsdale likes to imagine a retired researcher for the ontario institute for stud ies in education ragsdale likes to see parents sitting down with their children at the computer thats because he is concerned too many parents feel they have fulfilled their computer obligations if they have bought a machine some programs and games and made them available to their children if you do want to buy your child a computer dont load it up with games and ignore the educational aspect he said dont lead the child to the computer and leave them there alone parental involvement in all aspects of edu cation is important he said that includes reading writ ing and social skills lt is important to have those kinds of activities it does nt have to be just in computer use and if you think the computer is going to take away that responsibility that is a mistake it can be a hazard if you buy it to take over your own responsibilities parents have to be there to help their children learn he believes he also believes children should have a limit put on the time they spend in front of a computer 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