The Barbados High Commissioner visits Beverley Heights MS to hear about Future Aces

H. E. Edward Evelyn Greaves, GCM made a visit to Ward 5's Beverley Heights Middle School on June 11. Mr. Greaves wanted to learn more about the success of the school's Future Aces program. The entire school came out to welcome the High Commissioner. The school has had one success after another over the last three years.

The Future Aces philosophy is based on the belief that positive attention contributes to and reinforces a person's self-esteem. Future Aces focuses on the positive rather than the negative, by recognizing and encouraging attitudes and actions that are desirable and constructive. Founder Herb Carnegie says that "being a Future Ace means being a good person with feeling in your heart."

In the picture above, the High Commissioner is third from the right.

Improving Special Education in Ontario

In an effort to bring real change to the delivery of special education in Ontario I brought two motions to the Special Education Advisory Committee on Monday night. In one motion, we are asking TDSB Director Chris Spence to ask the Minister of Education and other school boards to support a Special Enquiry into the funding and delivery of special education programs in Ontario. There certainly is a long way to go. The second motion asks the TDSB to hire a special education parent facilitator to help families navigate the complex programs and options in special education. These motions will come before the Board of Trustees at our June, 2010 meeting.