Keep connected during the school year
Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year!
Home and Schools play the most important role in bringing parents, guardians, teachers, students and administrators together to discuss education. The work of the provincial federation is to connect local member associations and, through our annual resolutions process, make our collective voice heard on matters of broad provincial importance.
Parents are encouraged to get to know the school staff and to get involved at their child’s school early in the school year.
In the coming months, the federation will continue to do its work of bringing people together around the common vision of an excellent education system, with the education and wellbeing of each Island child at the centre. Regional directors can help bring school community members together to discuss common concerns, define visions for their schools or develop plans for action. A list of the PEIHSF Board and Regional Directors is available at https://peihsf.ca/board/
Communication is key! Federation news is posted on the PEIHSF website and emailed to local presidents. NEW this year, PEIHSF updates will be available in twelve languages on the free Nuwelcom app. Details on this service is available online at https://nuwelcom.com/. Home and School associations are invited to send local news to the federation office for circulation to other schools across the province.
The 2021 Semi-Annual will be an in-person meeting held Tuesday, October 21st, 6:00 PM, Gulf Shore Consolidated School, Rustico, PEI. Officials from the Department of Education and Lifelong Learningand Public Schools Branch will be invited to join parents, guardians, teachers, administrators and staff for discussion about current issues in education, focusing on the federation’s policy resolutions adopted at the May annual meeting and progress that has been made on past-resolutions. Registration packages will be circulated to home and school presidents in September, and each school is encouraged to send representatives.
Awards of recognition are presented to volunteers, school staff, school bus drivers and school crossing guards throughout the school year. Consider nominating a person who goes above and beyond to help children and youth in the education system. Criteria for the 2021-2022 awards is available at: https://peihsf.ca/awards
To get us off to a quick start this fall, presidents are asked to ensure your current contact information is submitted to the federation office to update the provincial directory. Treasurers are to submit membership fees to the federation office as soon as possible. Forms were mailed to presidents and are online at: peihsf.ca
NEW this year, the PEI School Food Program has transitioned to a non-profit organization. The website is now open for registration on the new School Food platform – Bon Appetit at https://www.peischoolfood.org/. Caregivers, students, teachers are all welcome to create an account. The program continues to provide an opportunity for families to order healthy lunches five days a week. To better serve our diverse communities, Bon Appetit website and ordering platform is available in twelve languages; however, the customer service representatives are providing service (eg. email, phone) in English.
Meals will be prepared and delivered directly to schools at lunch time by local food service providers or from a local school food hub. All students will have access to the same healthy lunch options, which will include nut free, gluten friendly, dairy free and vegetarian options. The pay-what-you-can program offers families three options: pay the entire meal value $5/day; pay a partial amount of the meal value; or order lunch for your child if you are unable to pay.
Find the latest enhanced measures to protect school communities on the Public Schools Branch website at: https://edu.princeedwardisland.ca/psb/
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Heather Mullen, president of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, lives in Canavoy, with her husband and two children. Her column appears in The Guardian during the school year on the first Friday of the month. She welcomes comments from readers and information from the column. She can be reached at 902-620-3196. For questions about this column, or to find out more about the work of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, contact the office at peihsf@edu.pe.ca or 902-620-3186/1-800-916-0664.