Elementary School Principals as Leaders of Inclusion for Students With Exceptionalities

Inclusion promotes equality, provides opportunities, breaks down barriers, and ensures accessibility for all members of a community. Consequently, elementary-school administrators should become inclusion leaders who introduce and maintain inclusive learning environments. This qualitative study profiled and discussed practices and beliefs of 4 elementary school principals in southern Ontario who are recognized leaders of inclusion for students with exceptionalities. The researcher used multiple instruments for triangulation, thematic qualitative data analysis (constant comparative method) of interview responses and reflective field notes, and data from the Principal and Inclusion Survey to interpret qualitative findings. Findings revealed distinct leadership profiles reflective of empathy and compassion among participants who all regard accommodation of students with exceptionalities as a moral obligation and view inclusion as a socially just pedagogical framework. The researcher recommends that senior school board administrators screen and secure principals who value inclusion to create and maintain school cultures that ensure students’ access to inclusive education.

Niagara Parks Commission School of Gardening Graduation Program, 1956

The Niagara Parks Commission School of Gardening was organized in 1935 in order to help fill the Commission’s need for skilled gardeners to maintain the extensive parkland owned by the Commission. In 1959 the School was renamed the Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture. The name changed again in 1990 to the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens and School of Horticulture to better reflect the development of the program.

Handwriting Intervention: Impact on the Reading and Writing Abilities of High School Students

Handwriting is a functional task that is used to communicate thoughts using a written code. Research findings have indicated that handwriting is related to learning to read and learning to write. The purposes of this research project were to determine if a handwriting intervention would increase abilities in reading and writing skills, in graphomotor and visual-motor integration skills, and improve the participants’ self-perceptions and self-descriptions pertaining to handwriting enjoyment, competence, and effort. A single-subject research design was implemented with four struggling high school students who each received 10.5 to 15.5 hours of cursive handwriting intervention using the ez Write program. In summary, the findings indicated that the students showed significant improvements in aspects of reading and writing; that they improved significantly in their cursive writing abilities; and that their self-perceptions concerning their handwriting experience and competence improved. The contribution of handwriting to academic achievement and vocational success can no longer be neglected.

Fairview School class photograph, ca. 1930.

Fairview School (9th Street Louth, St. Catharines, Ontario) photograph, ca. 1933 Individuals in the photograph are identified as follows: Front Row, L to R: Stuart McDonald, Pete Burtch, Carl Schwenker, Bill Davey, Jim Barnes, ? McDonald, Marie Youngblutt, Lorraine Havens, Margaret Sinclair, Carla Prince, Verna Sinclair, Helen Welsh, Margaret Welsh, Elsie Backshall, Smith girl, Amy McDonald. 2nd Row, L to R: Nelson Sinclair, Gordon Wilson, Ivan Burtch, ? Smith, George Corman, Roy Burtch, Mort Corman, Bob Bell, ?Wilson, Jim Combe, Murray Combe, Jack High, George Welsh, Larry Downes, Gordon Schwenker, Albert Davey, Harvey Davey. Back Row, L to R: Bert Sinclair, Jim Mason, Len Corman, Johnny Corman, David Hallett, Lloyd Graham, Paul Harndon?, Gordon Dormes, George Bell, Doug Garriock, ?McDonald, Mary? Honsberger, Mary Backus, Hilda Wilson. The teacher may be Beatrice Armstrong.

Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections and Nutritional Status in School-age Children from Rural Communities in Honduras

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are endemic in Honduras and efforts are underway to decrease their transmission. However, current evidence is lacking in regards to their prevalence, intensity and their impact on children’s health. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and intensity of STH infections and their association with nutritional status in a sample of Honduran children. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was done among school-age children residing in rural communities in Honduras, in 2011. Demographic data was obtained, hemoglobin and protein concentrations were determined in blood samples and STH infections investigated in single-stool samples by Kato-Katz. Anthropometric measurements were taken to calculate heightfor- age (HAZ), BMI-for-age (BAZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) to determine stunting, thinness and underweight, respectively. Results: Among 320 children studied (48% girls, aged 7–14 years, mean 9.7661.4) an overall STH prevalence of 72.5% was found. Children .10 years of age were generally more infected than 7–10 year-olds (p = 0.015). Prevalence was 30%, 67% and 16% for Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworms, respectively. Moderate-to-heavy infections as well as polyparasitism were common among the infected children (36% and 44%, respectively). Polyparasitism was four times more likely to occur in children attending schools with absent or annual deworming schedules than in pupils attending schools deworming twice a year (p,0.001). Stunting was observed in 5.6% of children and it was associated with increasing age. Also, 2.2% of studied children were thin, 1.3% underweight and 2.2% had anemia. Moderate-to-heavy infections and polyparasitism were significantly associated with decreased values in WAZ and marginally associated with decreased values in HAZ. Conclusions: STH infections remain a public health concern in Honduras and despite current efforts were highly prevalent in the studied community. The role of multiparasite STH infections in undermining children’s nutritional status warrants more research.

Marriage Certificate - Charles Nickles & Margaret Nelles

A marriage license for "Charles Nickles of the Township of Grimsby Gentleman and Margaret Nelles of Same place Spinster" and is dated 23 July, 1831.

Certificate of Acceptance and Initiation to Canadian Order Chosen Friends - Thomas Cowan

A certificate of initiation and acceptance to the Canadian Order Chosen Friends, Thomas Cowan. The certificate reads "This certifies that evidence has been received that Thomas Cowan has been accepted and initiated by the Council name below, and has thus become a member of the Canadian Order of Chosen Friends, and entitled to all the rights and privileges of membership and a benefit of not exceeding one thousand dollars from the relief fund of said order, which shall in case of death be paid to Annie Cowan his wife in the manner and subject to the conditions set forth in the laws governing said relief fund and in the application for membership. This certificate to be in force and binding when accepted in writing by the said member, with the acceptance attested by the Councilor and Recorder and the seal of the Subordinate Council affixed, so long as said member shall comply with the requirements of the Constitution, Laws and Regulations now in force or hereafter adopted for the government of the Order: otherwise, and also in the case of granting of a new certificate, to be null and void. In witness whereof, we have hereunto attached our signatures, and affixed the seal of the Grand Council of the Canadian Order of Chosen Friends. Dated the Twenty Seventh day of July, A.D. 1891." The front and back of the certificate are available for viewing.

Certificate of Membership United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada

A certificate that Francis Bond Head Wilson "being of United Empire Loyalist Descent has been regularly proposed, balloted for, and elected a member of this association." It is dated September 14th, 1934.

Marriage Certificate - Thomas Cowan & Annie Easling, 1884

A marriage certificate for Thomas Cowan of Thorold and Annie Easling of St. Catharines. The certificate is dated October 8, 1884 and is witnessed by W. Ross and Jennie McElroy.

Shares Certificate - Gladstone Mines and Reduction Company

A shares certificate for Gladstone Mines and Reduction Company in the amount of 200 shares. The certificate is dated 13 March 1925 and is signed by the secretary F.J. Carr and the president Charles Stoddart. The price is one dollar per share and it is made out to W.H. Cowan.

School Board report, Bertie Township, January 13, 1848

Dexter Deverardo settled in the Niagara District around 1834. In 1842, he was elected to the District Council. He served in this position until around 1848, when he became Superintendent of Education for the Niagara District. He subsequently served as county Registrar (appointed in1852), Registrar of the Surrogate Court for Welland (1856), and served as county clerk until 1873.

Certificate of Service

A certificate of service detailing the career of Lieut.-Colonel Frank Case McCordick. He is noted at being enlisted in the 19th Battalion on the 13th November, 1914. He served in Canada, England and France and was "struck off the strength" November 21, 1918. The certificate is dated 16 October, 1919.

Communion Certificate - Helen Stanley Smith, 1919

A communion certificate for Helen Stanley Smith dated 31 January, 1919. The certificate is signed by George H. Smith D.D. (minister).

Girl Guides Certificate, 1915

A certificate enrolling Helen Smith as a B.P. Girl Guide, 2nd Company, 17 June 1915. Three proficiency badges are marked off as achieved.