21 | durhamregion.com This Week | Thursday, March 31, 2022 | REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHARGES FOR REGIONAL TRANSIT SERVICE On April 27, 2022, the Council of the Region of Durham will hold a public meeting, pursuant to Section 12 of the Development Charges Act, 1997. This public meeting will be held to present the proposed Regional Transit Service Development Charge By-law, along with the related underlying background study, and obtain public input on both the proposed by-law and study. The public meeting is to be held on: Wednesday, April 27, 2022 9:30 a.m. The Regional Municipality of Durham Headquarters Council Chambers 605 Rossland Road East Whitby, Ontario In order that suffuffuf icient inforforf mation is made available to the public, copies of the proposed by-law and the background study will be made available as of April 12, 2022, upon request. The documents will also be posted on the Regional website, at durham.ca, on April 12, 2022. To submit written correspondence to Regional Council, contact Legislative Services by email at clerks@durham.ca, or mail your comments to the Regional Clerk, Regional Municipality of Durham, 605 Rossland Road East, Whitby, ON L1N 6A3 by 5:00 PM on Friday June 3, 2022. If you wish to make a delegation beforeforef e Regional Council at the public meeting, submit your request in writing to delegations@durham.ca by noon on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. Members of the public who register in advance of the meeting will be provided with the details to delegate electronically. Please note that this meeting will be held in an electronic meeting forforf mat with limited in-person participation. Notwithstanding the above, if in person attendance is required, arrangements must be made by emailing clerks@durham.ca prior to the meeting date to discuss the accommodation. Members of the public are strongly encouraged to view the meeting via live streaming at www.calendar.durham.ca/meetings as an alternative to attending the meeting in person. Infornfornf mation you provide or present during the public meeting, including your name, are subject to the requirements of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This will fofof rm part of the public record and may be made available to the public. All submissions received in writing, as well as those opinions expressed at the Public Meeting, will be considered prior to Council's decision. Council's decision is anticipated during the regular Regional Council meeting of June 29, 2022. Further infornfornf mation may be obtained by contacting Mary Simpson, Director of Risk Management, Economic Studies and Procurement, Regional Finance Department at 905-668-4113 (ext. 2301) or mary.simpson@durham.ca. Cheryl Bandel Acting Regional Clerk / Director of Legislative Services THANK YOU FOR MAKING US YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION FIND UP-TO-DATE LOCAL COVID-19 NEWS ONLINE DURHAMREGION.COM/CORONAVIRUS New data from the Durham District School Board reveals how students are faring with the new de-streamed Grade 9 math course introduced in September 2021 -- and the results are mixed. De-streaming means students are longer separated into "academic" and "applied" math streams in Grade 9. The Ministry of Education says the change allows students to keep more post-secondary options open. "Research shows that students living in low-income households, as well as students who are Black, Indigenous, racialized, students with disabilities and students with special education needs are more likely to be placed in the applied stream, which can limit options and create barriers after secondary school," says a ministry document. A new DDSB report says, "overall, more students in the de-streamed course are achieving provincial standard, with higher average marks." Provincial standard means a grade of at least 70 per cent. In the first half of the 2021-22 school year, 65 per cent of DDSB students in de-streamed Grade 9 math achieved the provincial standard Over the last five years, that number was 46 per cent for DDSB students in Grade 9 applied math and 64 per cent for those in Grade 9 academic math. However, the early data shows students with an IEP (individual education plan) are not having the same outcomes -- just 34 per cent achieved provincial standard. "When we started out with the discussion around de-streaming we had some parent concerns around ... students with an IEP and how they would be supported in a de-streamed class," said Ajax trustee Patrice Barnes, speaking at the DDSB's March 7 standing committee meeting. Over the previous five years, students with an IEP had better outcomes. Forty-two per cent achieved provincial standard in the Grade 9 applied math course and 50 per cent achieved provincial standard in Grade 9 academic math. "That's something we're watching very carefully and we've put some supports in place," said DDSB Superintendent Stephen Nevills. "We don't know if it's the quadmester that's had the impact on their learning or if it's the new course," he added, noting the board will gather more data. HOW ARE STUDENTS DOING IN NEW DE-STREAMED GRADE 9 MATH? JILLIAN FOLLERT jfoller t@ durhamregion.com NEWS One man has been arrested after Durham Regional Police executed a search warrant in Markham. Officers arrested a suspect in Toronto on Sunday, March 20, and then searched a home on Fernhill Lane and seized four kilograms (eight pounds, 13 ounces) of cocaine with a street value of about $400,000, police said. They also seized more than $29,000 in Canadian currency and a loaded Glock handgun with ammunition. Daniel Frier, 36, of Fernhill Lane in Markham has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine) and seven firearms-related charges. He was held for a bail hearing. ONE HELD AS POLICE SEIZE $400K IN COCAINE CRIME A Markham man is facing charges after Durham Regional Police arrested a suspect and then searched his home on Sunday, March 20. Durham Regional Police photo