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6- The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 16, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate.The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. 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Manager WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver is a division of Guest Columnist Smaller classes here and across Ontario Kevin Flynn, Oakville MPP tudents in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 are receiving more individual attention from their teachers. Across the province almost 90 per cent of primary classes have 20 or fewer students and nearly all classes have 23 or fewer. This year, 530,000 primary students are in classes of 20 or fewer, compared to only 166,000 students four years ago. At the same time, average class sizes for grades 4 to 8 have decreased. I would invite parents to check primary class sizes at their local school by using the government's Class Size Tracker at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/cst. What it shows us is that results have been significant at Oakville's local school boards. The percentage of primary classes with 24 or fewer students has increased at the: · Halton District School Board from 69 to 100 per cent · Halton Catholic District School Board from 53 to 100 per cent. The percentage of primary classes with 20 or fewer students has increased at the: · Halton District School Board from 23 to 91 per cent · Halton Catholic District School Board from 17 to 90 per cent. This has been a result of working together. Parents, teachers, students, principals, support staff and all educators - partnered with us to make this positive impact in our local elementary schools. This partnership is having far-reaching benefits for Ontario's families, ensuring that Ontario remains a world leader in publicly funded education. For our part, the McGuinty government has increased annual funding to $406 million to support over 5,100 teachers who have been added across the province to significantly reduce the size of Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 classes. Primary class sizes across the province are down compared to four years ago: · 88.4 per cent now have 20 or fewer students this year compared to 31 per cent in 2003-2004. · 99.7 per cent now have 23 or fewer students this year compared to 64 per cent in 2003-2004. It is no secret that students in smaller classes receive more attention and have greater success in the early grades. Smaller class sizes combined with improved teaching of literacy and math makes it much more likely that students will excel in high school, graduate and reach their full potential. While we are pleased with the great strides already made, we will continue to work with our education partners to fully implement our ambitious plan to cap 90 per cent of primary classes in Ontario at 20 or fewer pupils. Our education investments are working, and thanks to them, we're seeing positive results for our students in classrooms across the province. Smaller class sizes today means bigger opportunities for our children tomorrow. Kevin Flynn IAN OLIVER Group Publisher Media Group Ltd. Canadian Champion, Milton Shopping News, Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News, Napanee Guide, Newmarket/Aurora EraBanner, Northumberland News, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Oakville Shopping News, Oldtimers Hockey News, Orillia Today, Oshawa/Whitby/Clarington Port Perry This Week, Owen Sound Tribune, Palmerston Observer, Peterborough This Week, Picton County Guide, Richmond Hill/Thornhill/Vaughan Liberal, Scarborough Mirror, Stouffville/Uxbridge Tribune, Forever Young, City of York Guardian RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America S THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: United Way of Oakville TV AUCTION An open letter to God about His mistake we call winter Dear God: First let me say, I'm a huge fan of you and your stellar body of work: the formation of the heavens and earth, the creation of light and all creatures big and small, not to mention Man and Woman (yeah, I think you did a particularly sublime job creating Woman). Oh, and just the other morning I stood staring out my window, humbled and in utter awe of one of your sunrises. But I have a problem these days, God, and I'm hoping you can help. I know you're not one to micromanage ­ you're more a bigpicture, visionary type ­ but I'm wondering if you can do something about this thing you created we call "The Canadian Winter." I don't mean to be critical, and I don't wish to raise your ire -- and risk being smited by lightning bolts -- but, when it comes to The Canadian Winter, you've made some miserable mistakes. For starters, it's too long, too harsh, and too unforgiving. Take this winter ­ please! Unlike last winter, the Miami Beach of all winters, this year it's been so cold there have been days when the hounds simply refused to go outside. To boot, you've given us more snow than we can humanly endure, and not near enough sunlight to sustain human existence. I don't know if they have Seasonal Affective Disorder in heaven, but here on Earth, we're seriously sick of not seeing the sun. God, I know you're all-seeing and allknowing, so I know you know that I can be a real whiner, oh, and that I exaggerate profusely. But I'm not exaggerating now, God, and you know it. No offence, but this winter has been hell on Earth. Let's do some simple math. It's only mid-February and already we've had four Andy Juniper storms this year, three Snow Days, and our laneway has had to be plowed five times, at $52 a pop. That's too many storms, way too many Snow Days, and that's a whole lot of cash plowed right on out of my wallet. From November onward, driving has been a nightmare. Every drive seems to take five times as long as it should -- I'm starting to turn into Willie On The Road Again Nelson -- and every drive is dangerous and fraught with peril. When I manage to get to my destination without spinning out on black ice, or piloting into a snow drift, I jump out and kiss the ground. Rather, I kiss the six feet of snow on the ground. Not fun, God. Listen: while I've got your ear, I'm wondering if there's anything you can do about the potholes your wild winter has created? Last fall the roads were in okay shape. Then came the snow and ice and the bitter cold. Now the roads around our place resemble the moon, with huge craters opened up all over the place. To drive the kids to school is to risk life, limb, and the Jeep's shock absorbers. While we're on pet peeves: how about the morons who are too lazy (or too stupid) to clear the snow off their cars after one of your huge snowfalls. I see them careening down the highway, peering through the tiny eyeholes they begrudgingly scraped off their windshields. Feel free to smite them, God, feel free. You know, a lot of people, from Al Gore on down, blame this crazy weather on global warming. But I have another theory. I've noticed that the onset of all this weird weather coincided with Alanis Morissette's portrayal of you in the 1999 movie, Dogma, and only got worse after Jim Carrey took a turn as you in 2003's Bruce Almighty. Coincidence? I understand your anger, God, but do you have to smite everyone for mistakes made by a few crazy casting directors? Andy Juniper can be visited at his Web site, www.strangledeggs.com, or contacted at ajuniper@strangledeggs.com.