Prince Edward Island Home and School Federation

Featured Stories

Owen Parkhouse is President of the PEI Home and School Federation. HIs column appears in The Guardian newspaper during the school year on the first Wednesday of the month. He welcomes comments from readers and information for his column. Contact him at peihsf@edu.pe.ca

February 2012

Working together to be a voice for education

“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning." Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie.

The PEI Home and School Federation (PEIHSF), parents, and local home and school associations must strive to ensure that a meaningful voice for the Home and School Family is heard at all levels of the education process. The parent/guardian voice is increasingly being recognized as a first-rate component of a strong and vital public education system and Home and School has proven itself to be a cost-effective promoter of our children’s best interests. As we begin our 60th year, PEIHSF can proudly recall our many accomplishments and look to the future to advance our vision of achieving the best possible education for children and youth on PEI.

We work together with our partners – like-minded organizations, teachers, support staff, principals, district staffs, trustees, department officials and the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development - to determine how best to meet the needs of future generations. In order to ensure that a strong parent voice is heard clearly and well articulated at all levels of our system, we must continue to improve these partnerships and increase involvement in the community.

Of course one of the challenges faced, as parent leaders, is how to spread this message to all the parents / guardians in both our schools and our communities. We must continue to encourage more parents to become well informed about their child's education, their teachers and schools and of the benefits that come from volunteering within their schools. In addition, we must continue to look at the big picture...how are our students being affected by policy and curriculum initiatives by the educational decision-makers.

Involvement provides an opportunity to understand relevant issues and provide input and feedback to decision-makers at various levels. This is a time for the Home and School family to be solid in advocating for improving education and the ensuring a good future for youth on PEI. To present your views, the needs of your school and to network with other schools throughout the province, I encourage as many of our members as possible to contact us when you have a concern about the educational system. The deadline to submit resolutions to PEIHSF was the end of January, but if there is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed please give the office a call at 620-3186.

Teacher / Staff Appreciation Week (TSAW) - a Canadian Home & School initiative is taking place this year from February 12-18, 2012. Posters and tip sheets for this event have been mailed to association presidents. If you have not received yours, please call Shirley at 620-3186. Further T/SAW planning ideas can be found on the Federation’s website at: http://www.edu.pe.ca/peihsf/TSAWeek.html

Presidents are asked to submit your Annual Report to PEIHSF by March 1, 2012 for inclusion in the Federation’s Annual Book of Reports. These reports are a way to write the history of Home and School on PEI. Don't have nightmares in considering what to write – it definitely does not have to be a rewrite of War and Peace. Keep it simple and light! A template can be found at: http://www.edu.pe.ca/peihsf/documents/Sample%20Pres%20Report%20Template%20.pdf

The PEIHSF announces the annual Volunteer of the Year Award for exceptional contribution to the total well being of children and youth on P.E.I. through service at the Local Home and School Association. A Life Membership recognition will also be presented to an individual for outstanding service in the provincial federation. Awards are presented at the Annual General Meeting in April. Criteria can be reviewed on-line; submit nominations by March 16. Nomination forms are at: http://www.edu.pe.ca/peihsf/initiatives.html

The PEIHSF Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be taking place on Saturday, April 14, 2012, from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the RODD Charlottetown Hotel on Kent Street in Charlottetown. Member Home and School Associations are asked to invite all members to attend and can designate up to five members to be Official Voting Delegates. More information will follow.

The PEIHSF will have some vacancies this spring. Any member of Home and School may nominate another member for a two-year position. The Federation Board of Directors, comprised of 6 executive members and 8 regional directors, provides leadership, support, and resources to its members. Positions will be outlined on a nomination form and mailed to every president this month. Why not consider taking an active role in the governance of your Federation?

On behalf of the Federation, I wish all students, staff and parents a great second semester!

_______________

....Click here for past columns