Make those votes count. Ballots for school board elections due Nov. 10

School board election voting ballots are in the mail. P.E.I. residents have until Nov. 10 at noon to vote for the elected school board trustee and return ballots to Elections P.E.I., so today. Results will be posted beginning at 6 pm on Thursday Nov 10, 2022 on the Elections PEI website.

The Prince Edward Island Home and School Federation (PEIHSF) thanks everyone who helped to promote the election for the Public Schools Branch School Board Elections and La Commission Scolaire de langue Française (CSLF). A special thanks to the schools hosted “Meet the Candidate” nights: Three Oaks Senior High School – Zone 2; Kinkora Regional High School – Zone 3; Englewood Consolidated School – Zone 4; Charlottetown Rural High School – Zone 5; Vernon River Consolidated School – Zone 6; Mt. Stewart Consolidated School – Zone 7.

Home and School is composed of parents and teachers working together for students. This month, there will be three fall Volunteer Training Workshops to help local Home and Schools better understand what the federation and associations do for school communities. Find out more about the education system and focus on the total well-being of students, volunteers’ roles, fundraising, and more. Dates are Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:00-7:30 pm at Westisle Composite High School; Monday, Nov. 14, 6:00-7:30 pm at Montague Intermediate High School; and Tuesday, Nov. 29, 6:00-7:30 pm at Parkdale Elementary School. Workshops will be presented by consultants Vicki Bryanton and Stephen Gould. Call 902-620-3186 to register both new and returning volunteers. Mark your calendars and make every effort to attend.

Home and School associations are reminded to submit membership fees in November. Pay fees by mailing a cheque to the federation office or submitting online at: https://peihsf.ca/become_a_member/ – scroll down to “Make a Difference for All Children.”

For any school seeking funding for the school playground, applications are available for the Playground Equipment Program at: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/apply-for-the-playground-equipment-fund.

Parent Leadership Grants are available for up to $1,000 per Home and School Association to organize a parent-focused initiative in your community. For more information, contact the Federation office.

Awards recognize deserving educators, school admin support staff, school bus drivers, school crossing guards, and parent volunteers in school communities. The federation’s 2023 program begins with the Extra Mile Award to celebrate school staff personnel with nominations due Jan. 20. Nomination forms are circulated to each Home and School community with details on nominating individuals for PEIHSF Awards.

Healthy lunches are available to students from P.E.I. School Food Program Inc. Sign up on the P.E.I. School Food Program website at: peischoolfood.ca 

Celebrate National Child Day on Nov. 20 to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC.) The UNCRC outlines our responsibility to keep our children safe, healthy, and engaged. Celebrate National Child Day, and help raise awareness of the rights of children in Alberta and contribute to a healthy environment where children can thrive. Visit nationalchildday.ca to learn more, access planning resources, and find events happening in the community.

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Dionne Tuplin, president of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, lives in Tyne Valley area, with her husband and four children, who attend Ellerslie Elementary School, Hernewood Intermediate and Westisle Composite High School. A Home and School column appears in The Guardian during the school year on the first Friday of the month. For questions about this column or to find out more about the work of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, contact peihsf@gov.pe.ca or 902-620-3186/1-800-916-0664.