It’s February… let’s keep going!
Dear parents,
How are you doing these days? February is notoriously difficult for motivation and perseverance. That’s true for our children, and also for us. That’s why the Hooked on School Days (HSD) are held in the middle of February. I invite you to take this opportunity to talk to your child about how things are going at school, and to offer words of encouragement. Every little gesture counts in encouraging our youth to persevere. Even if it doesn’t always seem like it (!), our children see us as role models and we can set an example for them to follow by promoting the school and its staff and showing interest in their education.
We’ll be unveiling the results of our national survey next week, as part of HSD, in collaboration with Dr. Mélissa Généreux and the English Parents’ Committee Association. Our survey was designed to paint a picture of families’ well-being in the context of social crisis. You are all invited to this webinar. A follow-up will be scheduled to discuss possible solutions for promoting families’ well-being.
Also on the radar in February, we’ll be monitoring the implementation of the school catch-up plan, which is currently underway. Last week, I raised my concerns about the support offered (or not) to adapted classes as part of this catch-up plan. Considering the large sums of money devoted to catching up, and specifically to students with special needs, specialized classes should benefit from supportive measures if the students need them.
I’d also like to mention that our Federation was present at the National Assembly last week to make recommendations to reinforce student protection. The objective of Bill 47 is particularly close to my heart, and I was proud, if jittery, to present parents’ recommendations to the commission responsible for studying the bill.
The Federation team will be back at the National Assembly this Wednesday to make recommendations on Bill 48, amending the Highway Safety Code. Several of the measures introduced by this bill concern school zones.
I’d like to end this note by telling you about our 50th anniversary celebrations, which are fast approaching! Today we’re unveiling the program for our event on June 1st. It’s a not-to-be-missed celebration to which all parents are invited. Hope to see you there!
Mélanie Laviolette, president