In the interest of getting first-hand comment and commitment on the issues that are of concern to our educational community, EPCA reached out directly to the provincial political parties in the National Assembly to ask them eight questions pertaining to these topics and our children’s education. In addition to previously published responses, EPCA has now received responses from one additional political party - their answers are attached.
Category Archives for Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
A group of parents and children deliver their message and a piece of art on road safety on the way to and from school at the National Assembly
Quebec City, April 20, 2023 – Following the demonstrations held on January 24 and March 15 in the schools, a group of parents and children from the Let’s put an end to road insecurity on the school route movement will speak at a non-partisan press briefing initiated by MNA Étienne Grandmont on Friday, April 21 at 9:30 a.m. This will be followed at 10:00 a.m. by an appeal to the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Geneviève Guilbault.
The parents will table at the National Assembly dozens of resolutions signed by municipalities and MRCs from across Quebec calling on the government to increase budgets for safety around schools and to ease development standards to protect the lives of children who choose to use physical means of transportation to get to school.
Children from École des Berges in St. Roch will present Ms. Guilbault with a large piece of original art illustrating their demands for change. They hope that she will be present to welcome them and receive their symbolic work.
Schedule
- 9:30 a.m. Press briefing and questions with reporters
- 9:50 a.m. Meeting of the children with the Minister Geneviève Guilbault (to be confirmed)
- 10:00 a.m. Questioning of the Minister on the subject of road safety on school roads
The movement is calling for:
- An increase in the budgets dedicated to road safety;
- The implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Mobility Policy in order to adopt a “zero accident vision”.
- The modification of road safety standards in order to shift the paradigm from “all cars” to the benefit of the most vulnerable road users, as stipulated in the Highway Safety Code.
For more information on the event, please contact:
Katherine Korakakis (514)-668-8672
Annie Mathieu (418)-255-7374
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EPCA Newsletter Vol. 13
Dear parents,
With the angst over the upcoming Quebec election looming not far away, we sometimes forget that a new school year has started. EPCA wants to know how it’s been for you and your children so far. We will be launching an online survey to find out so stay tuned for that survey and for our next newsletter. The results help us know what your concerns are and help us make sure we can align our services to meet your needs. There will be many more surveys to come throughout this school year, so we can stay attuned to the reality you are your children are facing.
As soon as the election was announced, we asked all five political parties present at the national assembly eight questions. The questions were put together after months of consultations with English-speaking parents across the province of Quebec. In this newsletter you will find the answers we received. Note that no answer is an answer in our books.
In closing, I want to urge each and every one of you to turn out and vote. Whomever you are voting for, it is imperative that our community makes their voices heard loud and clear on Election Day. This election is an important one for our community, so please vote! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions, we are very responsive and eager to help.
EPCA Newsletter Vol. 12
It has been another long year getting through COVID and fighting for the rights of parents and English speaking students and I am really proud of what we have been able to accomplish together again this year. Students have again showed incredible resiliency in the face of a third year in the middle of change and uncertainty and parents have pulled together within their communities to support the educational needs of our children! Way to go!!
Over the past year, EPCA has:
- Created memory aids and tips and tricks for all levels of school to encourage student success;
- Presented webinars for parents on a wide variety of subjects in partnership with the FCPQ;
- Developed tips on advocating for students at schools;
- Worked with the OMETZ Foundation and The Betty and Bernard S. Shapiro Family Lecture Series to present Dr. Eli Lebowitz; and
- Described in detail Individual Education Plans (IEPs), Progress Reports, and Report Cards to help parents.
We have also had to contend with serious bullying issues and provided resources for conflict resolution and combating youth violence; you will find in this issue reminders on Digital Citizenship and resources for your and your children. We also continue to fight for English educational rights when it comes to Bill 96 and the impacts this law will have on our children – especially our most vulnerable students – for many years to come.
But for now, I would like to wish you a summer filled with joy and laughter and rest. I look forward to seeing you all in the fall!
EPCA disappointed with new Assistant Deputy Minister appointment
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Québec, January 27, 2022 – The English Parents Committee Association (EPCA) was taken aback when the Québec Cabinet announced on January 26th the nomination of the sous-ministre adjointe au réseau éducatif anglophone, aux relations interculturelles, et aux Autochtones to the Ministry of Education.
EPCA expresses regret for the manner in which this appointment was made and has great concerns about the new appointee’s professional profile, which includes no experience working in the elementary, secondary, adult technical and vocational systems over her career.
“The English-speaking community has been fortunate to have been represented at the Department by high-calibre educators who are recognized for their leadership and who have understood the growing needs and challenges facing the English-speaking minority community”, EPCA President Katherine Korakakis explained.
“Historically, EPCA and all of our partners have been in the forefront of assisting in the selection of the Assistant Deputy Minister overseeing our education network. We find it disheartening that an appointment of this importance has been made without community consultation” the President said.
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About the English Parents’ Committee Association (EPCA)
The English Parents’ Committee Association represents Quebec English-language school boards. With a team of Directors chosen by member Parent Committees, it is the official voice of Quebec’s English public-school parent community, representing more than 100,000 students. Speaking with one voice for parents and their children, EPCA represents parent interests in all dealings with the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur (MEES) and across all levels of government.
For more information contact:
EPCA
Katherine Korakakis – President
Cellulaire: (514) 668-8672
Courriel: president@epcaquebec.org
Where is the Plan?
Press Release
For immediate release
Where is the Plan?
(January 5, 2022 – Montreal) – With the 17th of January maintained as the day students return to school, the English Parents’ Committee Association (EPCA) is still unclear of the plan for a safe return to school.
“Today’s press conference left parents with more questions than answers,” Katherine Korakakis, President of EPCA, stated.
Report Cards
EPCA is astounded that the first report card of the school year has been pushed back two weeks to February 11th. Parents rely strongly on information sent by schools about their children; since the beginning of this school year, only one official communication has been sent to parents. ” The report card is an important tool for parents. Parents rely on the report card and the teachers’ comments to know how there child is doing in school. This allows them to make appropriate arrangements as needed in order to better assist their child with their educational success,” explains Katherine Korakakis.
Distance Learning
It is critical to consider vulnerable students, who are disadvantaged the most when school is physically inaccessible. Students with disabilities, in particular, must be able to access the ancillary services to which they are entitled, even when they are not physically present. What remedy do parents have if educational services are not delivered throughout the distant learning period? EPCA is greatly concerned about inaccessibility further impacting these vulnerable students.
Mental health issues and school dropout
Dropout prevention methods must be incorporated into the plan. Young people drop out of school for a variety of reasons, including a lack of desire and the allure of the labour market. Everyone talks about mental health, but there is no plan in place to assist adolescents who are disconnected from their environment, have lost access to their source of inspiration – such as sports or extracurricular activities – or are in despair. EPCA wants to know what the Government will put in place to address these issues.
Ventilation
“We’ve known for over a year and a half that there is an issue with the air quality in our schools, the situation needs to be addressed. What about air filters?” Katherine Korakakis inquires.
We have been living in a pandemic for nearly two years; we must adapt to this reality and develop a concrete plan to ensure that our children can attend school. Where is the strategy? This wait and see approach serves no one and harms both the school system and our most defenceless population – the children of Quebec.
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For more information contact:
Katherine Korakakis – President
Cellulaire: (514) 668-8672
Courriel: president@epcaquebec.org
About the English Parents’ Committee Association (EPCA)
The English Parents’ Committee Association represents eight Quebec English-language school boards and is the official voice of Quebec’s English public school parent community, representing more than 100,000 students. Speaking with one voice for parents and their children, EPCA represents parent interests in all dealings with the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur (MEES) and across all levels of government.
The Ministry of Education has published the frequently asked questions regarding the holiday season.
EVALUATION OF LEARNING 2020-2021
As you know, the 2020-2021 school year began under unique circumstances, and it continues to present a variety of challenges for both school staff and students. Adjustments have been made to the requirements for the evaluation of learning that normally apply so that attention can be focused on supporting students in their learning. In this document, you will find information on the modifications that have been made to the report card.
Report cards and communication with parents
The number of report cards you will receive during the 2020-2021 school year has been reduced from three to two in order to allow more time for remedial activities and additional learning.
The report card that you would normally receive on November 20 will not be issued this year, on an exceptional basis. You will, however, receive two full report cards. They will provide you with all the information you need to support your child throughout the year, if required. To assist you in this regard, the usual parent-teacher meetings will take place, whether in person, virtually or by phone. The first written communication will still be provided, but schools have until November 20 to issue it.
In preschool
If your child attends preschool, the teacher will assess their overall development based on observations made throughout each term. This assessment will be communicated to you in the two report cards, which will include a grade explained by a legend.
If your child attends full-time kindergarten for 4-year-olds, the teacher will determine the methods by which to communicate with you about your child’s development.
In elementary and secondary school
If your child attends elementary or secondary school, their teachers will send you two full report cards: marks will be provided for each of the subjects and competencies indicated. For example, marks for English Language Arts will be presented in the first term report card as follows.
Questions ? and answers
?? Will the changes to the report card affect my child’s admission to CEGEP?
✅ No. CEGEPs will be able to access all the necessary data. The first report card, issued in January, will be complete: all the subjects and competencies listed will have been evaluated. This report will count for 50% of the school year.
?? My child is enrolled in distance learning for medical reasons and must complete a workplace internship. How will my child’s learning be evaluated?
✅ The internship that your child is required to undertake is essential for successfully completing their program of study. Their success in the program depends largely on demonstrating work-related competencies based on practical training. If your child has medical reasons that do not currently allow them to undertake an internship, the practical component of their training can be suspended temporarily. The educational institution can adjust your child’s schedule to allow them to complete the practical component later. Once your child is back at school, they can complete their internship or training in the workplace in order to obtain their certificate.
??My child is enrolled in distance learning for medical reasons. How will their learning be evaluated and what will the report card look like?
✅ The results on every student’s report card are based on evaluation methods and tools that their teachers feel are appropriate. Your child will receive the same type of report card as students who attend school in person.
?? My child’s learning is normally assigned a letter grade (A, B, C or D) in their report card, based on the expectations set for them. Do the changes to the report card apply in this case?
✅ The changes related to the number of terms and the first written communication apply. The other changes do not apply. Therefore, your child’s learning will be graded in the usual way (numbers or letters) based on the expectations set for them. The report card will not include subject marks or group averages, and the usual value assigned to each term to calculate the student’s final mark does not apply. Like all children with an individualized education plan that modifies learning expectations, your child is not required to write ministerial exams.
For More Information:
http://www.education.gouv.qc.ca/en/home/