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Public School Reports Dramatic Results in Grade 3 Test Scores

Thanks to an after-school program at a United Way agency

When Emma came to Canada from China only a few years ago, she did not have a strong command of English. But thanks to after-school programs at a United Way agency, Emma, now 10, has blossomed.

Braeburn Neighbourhood Place and its after-school program are funded by United Way of Greater Toronto. The popular program includes a jazz class, a basketball program, pottery-making, and a homework club. The individual attention Emma receives at the Braeburn homework club has helped her the most.
The success of the program can be measured with the latest results from Braeburn Public School in the province’s standardized tests for Grade 3 students. In 1998, only 17% of students passed the reading test, compared to 51% in 2002. In writing, the figure jumped from 14% to 52%, and in mathematics, from 10% to 50%.

"Emma can now complete her homework very well," says Emma’s mother, Wendy. She adds that the agency’s trained staff can explain homework assignments better than some parents.

Skye is another regular at the Braeburn homework club. "We can’t get her to leave at 5:00 when the program ends for the day," says Skye’s mother, Lynn. "Now she likes to get homework so she can go to the homework club."

Donors to United Way’s Community Fund help get projects like Braeburn’s after-school program off the ground, and keep them going, so more children like Emma and Skye can have a safe, stable place to learn and grow.