DVP spring cleaning will clog South Bayview this weekend
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The City knows it as the annual spring maintenance of the Don Valley Parkway but residents of South Bayview know the real name. It’s called a flood of cars onto our high street this weekend. The detour will also slow down traffic on other roads. It’s still better than shopping anywhere else. But it will be busy. The City of Toronto’s Transportation Services Division will perform maintenance activities on the Don Valley Parkway from 8 p.m. Friday, April 24 to 6 .a.m. Sunday, April 26
“Volatile, ignitable liquid” to blame for house explosion
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Fire officials have offered a fragmentary bit of information about the house explosion in Scarborough. A fire official says it appears that a “volatile, ignitable liquid” is to blame for the explosion that rocked the residential neighbourhood in the east end yesterday afternoon. He did not say gasoline, but that’s what jumps to mind. Even at that it would seem to require a bathtub full to create that type of blast.
Leaside’s CGS keeps JK student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1
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- Students at CGS at a monthly assembly where parents attend
Parents frequently wonder if their kindergarten kids are learning up to their potential.The issue is in sharp focus this year as all-day kindergarten has been fully implemented across Toronto in the public school system for 2014-2015. Previously, half-day kindergarten had capped the number of children per class but the government specifically refused to do that last fall and some parents complained of classes with as many as 40 children in them. It is one of the things that motivates Marie Bates, principal and founder of Children’s Garden School (CGS) in Leaside to keep kindergarten classes at the appealing ratio of 13:1. The kindergarten classes at CGS also separate Junior and Senior Kindergarten classes. The kids all get to know each other but the classes themselves are separate for JK and SK in both the half-day and full-day programs. It seems like an asset to the task of young learning. Kindergarten is a time of great potential for children. The CGS presentation to parents makes the point. No learning opportunity is to be missed. “Kindergarten age children are very capable students who can achieve high levels of literacy well before Grade 1. At CGS we move beyond the sand table and provide students with daily challenges in a supportive atmosphere.” The foundation of the CGS kindergarten program is a highly successful phonics program called Remediation Plus. It is a program which addresses many different styles of learning using a multisensory approaches. Children manipulate letters on magnet boards, look in mirrors as they watch and experience letter sounds as they speak them and draw in rice trays to “touch” the letter sounds they form words. These techniques guarantee that no young reader is left behind.” With all this innovative teaching comes a structure that most parents find gratifying. The JK children study language arts and mathematics every day, incorporating basic facts mastery all the way along. They learn French four days a week and fit in generous periods of gym, music and specialized visual arts. Parents keep well connected by many means but mostly through the enjoyable monthly assembly. The photo above shows JK kids reporting to their parents on the nature of Trust. In the next few weeks The South Bayview Bulldog will report further on this remarkable local school which was founded in 1986. We hope you are able to catch the articles. The Director of Admission is Kelly Scott who may be contacted at kscott@cgsschool.com and (416) 423-5017 x 43. The CGS website is here.
Jon Burnside explains need for stop-sign cameras
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Jon Burnside (Ward 26) has spoken with the The South Bayview Bulldog about the need for stop-sign cameras everywhere, including Leaside. There is a growing view at City Hall, led by the Councillor, that the only way drivers will observe stop signs faithfully is to increase the likelihood of getting charged.
Kids hockey showdown tonight at Victoria Village Arena
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Scarborough: CBC says it looks a bit like natural gas
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St. Cuthbert’s Church Fair Saturday, April 25, 2015
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The signs are up around the neighbourhood because it is almost time for St. Cuthbert’s Spring Fair. See you this Saturday 11 am to 2 pm for books, kids toys, jewellery, art, books, kitchen wares, BBQ lunch, free kid’s activities and more.
See you in September: Northlea blood clinic in Fall 2015
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The Northlea Middle and Elementary School Blood Clinic is over for another semi-annual period. It returns in the Fall. Today’s event had a goodly turnout but there was room for anyone who wished to give. If you were not able to make it this Spring, please keep the idea in your mind for the Fall. It is among the most worthy events in our community. Think about saving a life. Thanks. The South Bayview Bulldog will have a report on the accumulated supply soon
Oliver buys running shoes to give budget a “New Balance”
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Finance Minister Joe Oliver has purchased pair of New Balance running shoes to stand in Parliament and say he has balanced the budget. It is an easy pun but a good one for the 75-year-old MP from Eglinton Lawrence.
Peewee Gold Flames showdown with Ted Reeve Tornadoes
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There will be ding-dong battle between the Leaside Flames Minor Peewee Gold team and Ted Reeve Tornadoes on Tuesday, April 21. 2015 when they meet in a winner-take-all game. The Flames scored with 2 minutes remaining in last night’s game to beat the Tornados and force tomorrow’s showdown. It’s at 7 p.m. at Victoria Village Arena. The Flames got off to a rough start in series losing the first game 3-0 but bounced back in games 2 and 3 by tying and then beating the Tornadoes to force game 4. Good luck to boys Tuesday night.
The foremost four: Was your school Fraser razor-sharp?
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How has your high school done in this year’s ranking by the Fraser Institute? It is a statement about something that schools in what we call South Bayview always do well. Good teachers? Smart kids? Smart parents? You may wish to figure these angles for yourself. Here’s the foremost four: Lawrence Park C.I. had 8.5 out of ten for the year 2013-2014, compared to 8.3 for the previous year. North Toronto registered 8.1 against the previous year’s 8.5. Leaside High School had 7.8 versus 8.0. That put LHS at number 86 among the provinces 749 high schools just to give a sense of where the better Toronto schools stand among all schools. Northern Secondary School scored 7.5 and 7.3. By comparison, East York Collegiate scored 4.9 and 4.3 Fraser Institute Report Card