Considerations for the proposed Bill 144

September 7, 2017

The English Parents Committee Association (EPCA) is conscious that Bill 144 is outside the realm of its mandate but is also aware that some parents who home school their children do so because they have left the public school system for a variety of reasons.
Society needs to respect the decision of some parents to home school their children. Parental choice is a core value of English parents in Quebec: “Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children” (article 26 (3) from the United Nations, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

EPCA is a strong proponent of data-driven decision making and it supports efforts to register home schooled children. Registration should also bring value added benefit to the registrants and home schooled children. This could include an online repository of resources of teaching materials that reflect the Quebec Education Plan (QEP), available to home schooling parents. This is particularly important for English speaking minority in Quebec that has a wide array of outside resources available but may not necessarily reflect the QEP.

EPCA encourages MEES to seek input from these parents, the primary stakeholders; parents who have chosen to home school as they understand their children best. The home schooling associations should be recognized and funded, to facilitate them with dissemination of resources that would assist parents to best integrate home schooling of their children with the QEP. Some level of flexibility is needed so as to adjust to the specific needs of each family and not have them fall into a “one size fits all” solution. EPCA would also like to ensure that legislation be enacted without incurring growth in bureaucracy and limiting potential litigation costs. Monies spent on education in Quebec must impact students first, including home schooled students, and not reduce educational services currently offered in our public schools.
It is the parents’ wish that MEES continues to assist in developing projects and new policy initiatives that will have Quebec’s students’ best interests at heart, that will help foster better student engagement by harnessing different learning styles and enhancing and valuing the teaching profession.

For more information, kindly communicate with EPCA President: Mrs. Rhonda Boucher by telephone at 514-778-3722 or by email at president@epcaquebec.org

Concrete Measures to Increase Student Success

PRESS RELEASE For immediate diffusion

Québec, November 30th, 2016 – Today, the English Parents’ Committee Association is proud to join forces with the Fédération des comités de parents du Québec, as well as our other partners representing parent groups.

Concrete measures to increase student success

We continue to advocate for our suggestions on improving student success that were found in our Bill 86 brief:

1. Commitment to teacher professional development.

2. Added support mechanisms for school administrators.

3. Improved Governing Board training.

Budget cuts to education over the years have been particularly hurtful to the official linguistic minority public education system and are compounded by Quebec’s restrictive language law limiting enrollment into English public schools. This has negatively affected the availability of resources needed to deliver quality pedagogy to all our students. This has also put additional pressures on our inclusive, government recommended integration model for children with special needs.

We urge the government to move forward on the delivery of quality programs and services that will elevate teaching practices to help raise overall student success. We also note that the desire of focusing on results and system efficiency must be balanced with the ability to harness individual strengths and aspirations of each student.

Need for investment in education

• Increase funding of pedagogical programs

• Restore and increase funding of technology

• Increase funding for children with special needs

Law 105 finally brings forth the provision of the right to vote by commissioners who represent parents. We appreciate this new right for parents at the top levels of School Board governance. This will undoubtedly bring forward a new dimension of proximity and immediacy to serving the interests of the local school populations and community.

We would like to see the Government put forward concrete plans that deal with student success, teacher support and the necessary funding allocations for resources to programs and services.

Parents in the English sector have been “rolling up their sleeves” and volunteering in schools for years. We seek pragmatic solutions and are open and willing to work on initiatives that will improve our public education in Quebec.

We ask that the collective rights of the official linguistic minority be protected. Our specificity and historic distinctiveness is intricately woven into our society. Our children are indispensable to Quebec’s future success.

For interviews or further information, please contact Rhonda Boucher, President at 514-778-3722.

Rhonda Boucher EPCA President

Les mesures concrètes pour améliorer la réussite des élèves

COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE Pour diffusion immédiate

Québec, le 30 novembre, 2016 – Aujourd’hui, l’Association des Comités des Parents Anglophones est fière de collaborer avec la Fédération des comités de parents du Québec ainsi qu’avec nos autres partenaires représentant les groupes de parents.

Les mesures concrètes pour améliorer la réussite des élèves

Nous continuons à recommander nos propositions pour améliorer la réussite des élèves décrites dans notre mémoire sur le projet de loi 86 :

1. Engagement envers le développement professionnel des enseignants.

2. Mécanismes de soutien supplémentaire aux administrateurs scolaires.

3. Réviser la formation des conseils d’établissement.

Les compressions budgétaires des dernières années dans l’éducation ont été particulièrement néfastes pour le système d’éducation publique anglophone en plus de la politique linguistique restrictive québécoise qui limite les inscriptions aux écoles publiques anglophones. La prestation d’enseignement de qualité à tous nos étudiants est brimée par la diminution des ressources. Ces compressions ont également exercé une pression considérable sur notre modèle d’intégration inclusif recommandé par le gouvernement pour les élèves ayant des besoins particuliers.

Nous exhortons le gouvernement à aller de l’avant avec la prestation de programmes de qualité et de services qui rehausseront les pratiques pédagogiques associées à la réussite globale de l’élève. Nous remarquons également la tendance vers les résultats et l’efficacité ce qui doit être équilibré avec la capacité d’exploiter les forces individuelles des élèves pour qu’ils puissent réaliser leurs aspirations.

La nécessité d’investir dans l’éducation

• Accroitre le financement de programmes pédagogiques.

• Rétablir et accroitre le financement pour la technologie.

• Accroitre le financement pour les enfants ayant des besoins particuliers.

Le projet de loi 105 apporte enfin la disposition du droit de vote des commissaires qui représentent les parents. Nous apprécions le nouveau droit des parents au plus haut niveau de la gouvernance de la commission scolaire. Sans aucun doute, ceci présentera une nouvelle dimension de proximité et aura un effet immédiat sur les intérêts de la population scolaire locale et de la communauté.

Nous souhaitons que le gouvernement présente des solutions pratiques qui sont toujours axées sur la réussite des élèves, le soutien des enseignants et l’allocation du financement des ressources requises aux programmes et aux services.

Les parents du secteur anglophone s’impliquent activement en tant que bénévoles dans nos écoles depuis des années. Nous cherchons des solutions réalistes et nous sommes ouverts et prêts à participer à des initiatives qui amélioreront notre système d’éducation publique au Québec.

Nous demandons de protéger les droits collectifs. Notre particularité historique est étroitement liée à notre société. Nos enfants sont indispensables à la réussite du Québec.

Pour entrevues ou information complémentaire, veuillez communiquer avec Rhonda Boucher, présidente au 514-778-3722.

Rhonda Boucher
EPCA President

Récapitulation de réunion de l’ACPA – novembre 2016

12 novembre 2016 – Assemblée spéciale pour les élections & assemblée générale annuelle

•Lors de l’assemblée spéciale, Rhonda Boucher a été élue par acclamation présidente de l’ACPA (Directrice CSWQ).
•Debie Germann a été élue vice-présidente (Directrice CSNF).
•Suzanne de Jonge a été élue trésorière (Directrice CSEM).
•Le chef d’équipe de chaque comité a été élu(e) comme suit : David Fournier, chef d’équipe du comité des règles et règlementations, Bobbi Brown comme chef d’équipe du comité d’audit interne et Dayo Odubayo comme chef d’équipe du comité de communications.

•Lors l’assemblée générale annuelle, deux discussions principales ont eu lieu – « ACPA avant le projet de loi n°86 et ACPA après le projet de loi n°105 » et « plan d’action 2016-2017 de l’ACPA. »
•Un bref résumé du projet de loi n°86 et la progression du projet de loi n°105 ont été présentés.
•Tous les nouveaux membres de l’ACPA vont recevoir les documents pertinents concernant le travail d’ACPA sur les projets de loi n°86 et n°105.
•La discussion concernant le plan d’action de l’ACPA a généré plusieurs idées : créer un sous-comité consacré aux élèves en difficultés d’adaptation ou d’apprentissage, élaborer et mettre en place une formation universelle pour les conseils d’établissement et de réitérer la conversation sur le problème du faible taux d’inscriptions pour les écoles anglophones.
•Chaque directeur de l’ACPA préparera une carte de leur commission scolaire qui démontre chaque école appartenant à cette commission.

EPCA Meeting Recap – November 2016

November 12th, 2016 – Special Elections & Annual General Assembly

•At the Special Elections Meeting, Rhonda Boucher was acclaimed as President of EPCA (Director WQSB).
•Debie Germann is elected Vice-President of EPCA (Director NFSB).
•Suzanne De Jonge is elected Treasurer of EPCA (Director EMSB).
•The Lead of each committee are as follows: David Fournier as Lead for Rules and Regulations Committee, Bobbi Brown is Lead of Internal Audit Committee and Dayo Odubayo is Lead of Communications Committee

•At the Annual General Assembly Meeting, two major discussions took place – “EPCA before Bill 86 and EPCA moving forward with Bill 105” and “EPCA’s 2016-2017 Action Plan.”
•A general synopsis of Bill 86 and the progression Bill 105 were given.
•All new EPCA members are to receive all pertinent documents regarding EPCA’s work concerning Bill 86 and Bill 105.
•EPCA’s Action Plan discussion revolved around what EPCA can do for Parent Committees.
•This involved ideas such as creating a subcommittee within EPCA devoted to special needs, coming up with a universal Governing Board Training and raising awareness about decreasing enrolment within English schools.
•The EPCA directors from each school board will prepare a map of all schools within their respective school boards.

L’ACPA est heureuse suite à l’adoption du projet de loi 105

COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE Pour diffusion immédiate

Montréal, novembre 2016 – L’Association des comités de parents anglophones (ACPA) est heureuse d’annoncer que le l’assemblée nationale a adopté le projet de loi 105 aujourd’hui.

Parmi les changements les plus importants, les commissaires-parents auront maintenant les mêmes droits, y compris les droits de vote, que les commissaires qui ont été élus au élections générales, et cela entrera en vigueur dans les 30 jours.

L’ACPA examinera les modifications apportées au projet de loi initial et se réjouit à l’idée de collaborer avec nos comités parentaux, membres et nos conseils d’administration. Pendant cette période de transition. Notre mission sera de veiller à ce que nos parents, les plus importants intervenants dans le domaine de l’éducation, soient prêts à assumer la responsabilité supplémentaire d’une manière informée et efficace.

Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez nous contacter Mme. Rhonda Boucher présidente de l’ACPA au (514) 778-3722 ou par courriel info@epcaquebec.org.

EPCA is pleased with the passing of Bill 105

PRESS RELEASE For immediate diffusion

Montreal, November 2016 – The English Parents’ Committee Association of Quebec (EPCA) is pleased to announce that Bill 105 was passed in the National Assembly today. Amongst the biggest change, Parent Commissioners will now have the same rights, including voting rights, as Commissioners that were elected at large, and this will come into effect in 30 days.

EPCA will be examining the amendments made to the original bill and looks forward to working with our member Parent Committees and Governing Boards during this transition period. Our mission will be to ensure that our parents, the largest stake holders in education, are prepared to take on the extra responsibility in an informed and efficient manner.

For further information, please contact Ms. Rhonda Boucher, EPCA President Tel. (514) 778-3722 or e-mail info@epcaquebec.org.

ACPA Loi 86 Mémoire

Dear parents,

On April, 5th, the English Parents’ Committee Association will be presenting a brief at the Culture and Education committee hearings on Bill 86 in Quebec City. The presentation is scheduled to start at 10:30 and ends at noon. It will also be webcast via the National Assembly web site, available at the link given below
EN DIRECT ET WEBDIFFUSIONS À VENIR

After consultation with our member parent committees, we found that some elements of the proposed legislation to be positive while others drew concerns. Our starting point was to ensure that all efforts that have been made to advance our children’s education in the past couple of years would not be harmed going forward or cause instability. Our position has been carefully thought through so as to respect the varying views of our member committees while at the same time promoting the success of our English schools that in many communities across Quebec are the centers of social and cultural interactions.

EPCA’s role as the provincial advocate for Quebec’s English public school parent committees is guided and centered on the student and student success. EPCA’s Board of Directors, made up of parent volunteers, is committed to better the education of our children, lobby for fair and equitable funding be made available for public education and defend our linguistic minority schools so they may continue to help graduate bilingual students into our distinct society.

On Tuesday morning, we invite you to visit EPCA website where EPCA’s Bill 86 brief will be posted. We ask that you kindly share with fellow parents in your school board.

Lastly, we would like to thank the many parent volunteers in our schools, that over the years, have been key contributors to the English public school systems’ success.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Boucher
President of EPCA

Brief Presentation to the Parents on Bill 86

Dear Parents,

On April, 5th, the English Parents’ Committee Association will be presenting a brief at the Culture and Education committee hearings on Bill 86 in Quebec City. The presentation is scheduled to start at 10:30 and ends at noon. It will also be webcast via the National Assembly web site, available at the link given below
EN DIRECT ET WEBDIFFUSIONS À VENIR

After consultation with our member parent committees, we found that some elements of the proposed legislation to be positive while others drew concerns. Our starting point was to ensure that all efforts that have been made to advance our children’s education in the past couple of years would not be harmed going forward or cause instability. Our position has been carefully thought through so as to respect the varying views of our member committees while at the same time promoting the success of our English schools that in many communities across Quebec are the centers of social and cultural interactions.

EPCA’s role as the provincial advocate for Quebec’s English public school parent committees is guided and centered on the student and student success. EPCA’s Board of Directors, made up of parent volunteers, is committed to better the education of our children, lobby for fair and equitable funding be made available for public education and defend our linguistic minority schools so they may continue to help graduate bilingual students into our distinct society.

On Tuesday morning, we invite you to visit EPCA website where EPCA’s Bill 86 brief will be posted. We ask that you kindly share with fellow parents in your school board.

Lastly, we would like to thank the many parent volunteers in our schools, that over the years, have been key contributors to the English public school systems’ success.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Boucher
President of EPCA

Education to become a ‘national priority’ as Quebec plans to increase spending, premier says

Unlike his predecessors, Quebec’s new education minister, Sébastien Proulx, will have money to spend in the system.

Source: montrealgazette.com