Serving the Eastern Townships English-speaking Community since 1979.
SCHOOL PERSEVERANCE DAYS
February 10, 2010
By Christelle Bogosta and Debbie Bishop, Co-Cordinators Montérégie-East and Estrie Networks, Eastern Townships Partners for Health and Social Services.
In 2010, February 15 to 19 are dedicated to the theme of school perseverance. In the Eastern Townships, two groups will be holding activities to consider, raise awareness and establish future activities to favour educational success.
MONTÉRÉGIE-EAST
Partenaires Brome-Missisquoi Partners (PBMP) for Educational Success will be holding an animated conference on February 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Massey-Vanier High School’s library. Townshippers’ Association is an active participant in this group. Supper will be served to participants who must register in advance (450-266-1665 or guylaine.cccr@qc.aira.com).
Programming for the evening includes participatory theatre, an update of the PBMP’s activities, testimonials, a panel and facilitated discussions that will help nourish future action plans of the PBMP group. Speakers on the panel will include a teacher, a school board representative, the director of a youth centre, a representative from a local business and town councillor as well at the mayor of Cowansville and prefect of the MRC Brome-Missisquoi, Mr. Arthur Fauteux.
One principal axis of the PBMP activities in the past year has been work-study balance. In partnership with local Chambers of commerce, the PBMP has elaborated a campaign that includes an information pamphlet for parents and students that was distributed with report cards last Fall, a social contract for employers and students that defines an engagement to school perseverance and a series of publicities in local media putting the spotlight on businesses that put to practice their commitment to the educational success of their young employees.
ESTRIE
We've all heard the expression “It takes a village to raise a child.” In Stanstead, the Health and Education Committee believes it. That is why they are teaming up with “Partners for Educational Success” (PREE) to launch the Stanstead Educational Success Awareness campaign. Stanstead has a 62% dropout rate, one of the highest in the Estrie region.
This is a community concern. Investing in our youth benefits many things such as employment, economic development, and healthy lifestyles, all of which lead to a prosperous community. Investing in our youth is investing in our community because they provide our future workers, parents, and community leaders.
Dropout prevention is not just a school concern. There are social, cultural, economic, and family issues that come into play. Our youth are faced with many challenges and choices and not all include or require educational success. In order to beat the dropout trend and increase educational success, we need to combine forces at all levels: schools, businesses, organizations, municipalities, friends, parents, families, and all others who are involved in our youths lives. We can all contribute towards school perseverance.
Our campaign slogan is “In Stanstead, Education, We all take part.” So come on, Stanstead, become concerned, get involved, and promote the value of an education for the future of our youth. Let's get our kids “Hooked on School” and decrease our dropout rate.
The Stanstead Health and Education Committee is a combined workforce of partners: the Municipality of Stanstead, Sunnyside Elementary School, École Jardin des Frontieres, the CPE Chapeau de paille, CSSS Memphremagog, Townshippers' Association, Literacy in Action, and Partners for Educational Success (PREE). With the help of the local media to promote the awareness campaign and keep the community involved and informed, we hope to encourage pride in our youth about educational success and perseverance. So read your local papers for tips on how to encourage learning at all levels. It can be a fun family shared event. Let's get our kids hooked on school.