Refreshing news!  Jo-Anne, why don’t they simply throw out the curriculum that doesn’t work well, and implement Remedial plus?  Wouldn’t this save a lot of time and $$?

One thing that constantly puzzles me, is why there is a low key presence on the school district web sites regarding remediation and SE programs that have their origins in the private sector. Meanwhile, for the Niagara area at least there is credit being given where credit is due regarding the rising achievement rates on EQAO. At least with the external organizations - “They don’t know what they’re reading and it’s very taxing on them,” says Gross, whose “Remediation Plus” program is in school boards in Niagara, Waterloo, Alberta and on-reserve First Nations schools.”  http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2011/05/08/fraser-report-many-ont-students-below-standards

But not when it comes to the school boards and EQAO

September, 2013 - “The District School Board of Niagara continues to make strong improvements in literacy. EQAO data released by the province shows Grade 3 and Grade 6 results at the DSBN increased in both reading and writing.  In fact, Board success rates surpass the provincial average in Grade 3 reading and writing, as well as Grade 6 reading.”
http://www.dsbn.edu.on.ca/Communications/news-release.aspx?id=15833

One would think, some credit would be going to Remediation Plus, the classroom teachers being trained…...I know there is a host of other variables but the EQAO results are 5 years of steady improvements.

Bev, school boards and faculties of education have been ignoring your advice for decades..

Jo-Anne has been fighting the good fight for almost as long. We celebrate the successes at the DSBN even though they won’t give proper credit.

I am not sure there is as much hope for the DSBN as you suggest. Recently, trustee Jonathan Fast—also a real estate agent—voted to close schools in the face of huge community opposition. Now, he has plans to develop that land. It reeks of Conflict of Interest and the province needs to investigate.
http://www.niagaraadvance.ca/2013/10/03/school-trustee-floats-vision-for-former-high-school-site

On the other side - it be over the dead bodies of the local residents in Niagara-on-the-Lake. My old haunting grounds of my youth.

Just imagine getting rid of “Veterans Memorial Park — which currently houses an outdoor public pool, tennis courts, a playground, soccer fields, and picnic pavilions — to a developer for the construction of town houses or condominium units. He further suggests most of the recreational services be moved to the former Niagara District Secondary School site on Highway 55 at East-West Line…...........Before it was brought into the Town’s fold, Veterans Memorial Park was owned by the Royal Canadian Legion General Nelles Branch 124. Branch president Stan Harrington said part of the recreational facilities, like the ball diamonds, were built by Legion members. The Legion gave the land to the Town at an extremely discounted rate for the benefit of the community. Harrington said he’s not sure how the Legion membership would respond to the Town selling the land to developers for profit. “
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/4136055-proposal-out-of-touch-with-community-s-wishes-councillor/

According to the Councillors - its a no-go and they are demanding the head of Fast on a platter. ” Coun. Mazza, said it’s an “abuse of power” for Fast to suggest the deal before a board vote.

“If he doesn’t (step down), I’m sure there won’t be a shortage of people in the community willing to take legal action.”

Fast is going to have a tough time walking into the eateries and bars of N.O.T.L to enjoy a meal, when people will come up to him to expressed “pound salt” in various hues and colours.

By the way it is no idle threat of many people in the community willing to take legal action, not by a long shot. The public education schools in N.O.T.L. used to be top schools - kids actually got an education! But not anymore when well over 50% of residents are sending their kids to private schools. Well over 70 % of N.O.T.L. are opting for alternative education options including homeschooling, other then sending their kids to the local schools in N.O.T.L. 

I am sure, the parents in N.O.T.L. collectively are steaming what has happened to the local schools in the last 20 years - the education quality has taken a very steep dive, to where the local schools are no longer an option. Now Fast, who by the way is not part of the N.O.T.L. crowd - the townies - wants to destroy the green spaces of the town, N.O.T.L. for more housing. I am sure, the old money in town will tell Fast to pound salt and a call across Canada for former N.O.T.L. residents to signed a petition saying no to this daff plan of Fast.

The Niagara School Board has screwed a lot of surrounding communities that are considered rural or semi-rural by destroying the schools’ education quality. Which in turn, parents are turning to other education alternatives other then the local schools. Standardized education of the 21st century calls for the destruction of schools…............ rather then building upon the foundations that includes 21st century methods in the remediation of reading, writing and numeracy.