Board Happy with EQAO Results

The Rainy River District School Board is pleased with the results of recent provincial literacy testing of its high school students in April.

Eighty-two per cent met or exceeded provincial standards.

Education Director Heather Campbell says that's on par from previous years.

"Although there was a slight decrease of 2 per cent from our last year's results, over time we continue to have strong results in the literacy tests," says Campbell. "We also managed to reduce our deferral rate. It means more students writing the test as opposed to postponing the writing of the test."

Campbell says the strong scores are the result of successful education programs in place.

Individual schools results show Atikokan High School had an 87-per cent success rate. Rainy River High was at 82 per cent and Fort Frances High in at 81 per cent.

Full-Day Kindergarten at St. Michael's

The implementation of an all-day kindergarten program at St. Michael's School in Fort Frances will mean little change.

Education Director for the Northwest Catholic District School Board Mary-Catherine Kelly says Tuesday's announcement expands the school's current program.

"We have always offered the junior kindergarten program as twice a week and alternating Fridays," says Kelly. "We've been doing that on our accord, our own dime so to speak. So we are highly committed to a full-day kind of program."

Kelly says the board also received $100-thousand for school upgrades to permit the program for the fall of 2011.

Indian Act to be Updated

Ottawa will strike out sections of the Indian Act that allowed the government to set up residential schools and remove children from their homes.

Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl made the announcement as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission began in Winnipeg.

Strahl added it's important to ensure First Nations education is reformed and strengthened to improve aboriginal high school graduation rates.

HST Protests Planned

First Nations leaders are ready to roll out blockades across Ontario even though they expect to reach an accord by Friday with Ottawa and the province for a break under the new harmonized sales tax.

The protests are set to kick off Monday morning with a blockade of the railway in Batchewana First Nation, near Sault Ste. Marie.

But the protest will be called off once First Nations leaders ink the tax deal with the federal and Ontario governments.

2nd Street Detour Planned

A section of Second Street in Fort Frances is being shutdown next week.

The road between Victoria Avenue and Mowatt Avenue will be closed for about ten days starting next Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Traffic control signage will be installed to re-routed traffic onto First or Third Streets.

The closure is to allow contractors working on Portage Avenue to begin work on the section between First and Third Streets.

Body Still Unidentified

(Tent were woman's body was discovered last June near Kenora - OPP Photo)

Provincial police in Kenora are asking for the public's help to identify human remains found one year ago in that city.

The body of a female was found in a small tent in a wooded area near Miller Rapids Road.

An investigation revealed the deceased was at that site for no longer than a week before her body was discovered.

Police don't believe foul play was a factor in her death.

The woman was light-skinned, between 26 and 50 years, about five-foot-five, 10 pounds, with shoulder length light brown hair.

Show Your Canadian Swagger

The Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce wants local businesses to show their Canadian Swagger.

Manager Anthony Mason says its part of a contest they're running for upcoming Canada Day.

"They just, in the windows of their businesses, create a theme promoting Canada Day," says Mason, " and just put the swagger kick on it."

Businesses must inform the Chamber of their entries with the winners selected June 30.