Dear Parents,
As summer begins to wind down and we prepare for another school year, I want to welcome families back and extend a special welcome to those joining our school communities for the first time. Although the first bell hasn’t rung yet, this is an important time for parents to get informed, get organized, and think about how they may want to become involved in the year ahead. This month’s newsletter is designed to help you do exactly that.
We’re starting with school AGAs, one of the first opportunities of the year for parents to learn more about their school and the different ways they can participate. If you’re new to parent involvement, we also explain what parent volunteering can look like and why you don’t need years of experience or endless amounts of free time to make a meaningful contribution.
At the same time, involvement needs to be sustainable. Many of us begin the school year with the best intentions and quickly find ourselves juggling work, family, school emails, meetings, and volunteer commitments. We’re sharing some practical advice on avoiding volunteer fatigue and finding the right level of involvement for you.
We’re also very excited to introduce EPCA’s new website. It was redesigned to make information and resources easier for parents to find, and we’ll walk you through how to navigate it and make the most of what’s available.
On the practical side, we have included a reminder about school tax registration for families outside Montreal, as well as important information about fees charged to parents. With back-to-school expenses adding up quickly, parents should understand what schools can charge for, what should be provided free of charge, and what questions they can ask when reviewing school fee lists.
A new school year always brings a lot of information at once. Our goal at EPCA is to help make that information clearer and to ensure parents across Quebec have the tools they need to understand the system, participate in it, and advocate for their children.
Enjoy these last days of summer. I wish all families a smooth and positive start to the 2026–2027 school year.
Katherine Korakakis
President, English Parents’ Committee Association