Going the extra mile
Six Prince Edward Islanders receive awards for their contributions to their schools
One of the most rewarding experiences of any leadership role is the opportunity to recognize hard work and celebrate success.
Every year, the Prince Edward Island Home and School Federation accepts applications for our Extra Mile Award and our provincial board members select two recipients to receive the awards. Applications are compiled by school communities and include heartfelt support letters from administration, teachers, and parents, along with beautiful artwork and testaments of appreciation from students. These applications are evidence of the extra effort and care that many teachers and school staff put into their work every day, and the end product is truly a work of meaningful collaboration from the entire school community. The decision is always a hard one.
This year, in honour of our 65th anniversary, we were able to present six individuals from across the province with Extra Mile Awards in recognition of their contribution to their school. They are: Kensington Intermediate Senior High teacher Todd Dyment; Queen Elizabeth Elementary chef
Bev Campbell; Souris Regional teacher Graham Townsend; Georgetown Elementary principal George Trevor; O’Leary Elementary teacher Tanya Gaudet, Kinkora Regional High custodian Elmer Croken. Heartfelt appreciation is expressed to these individuals for going the extra mile to support student success and wellbeing.
One of the most important activities that local home and school associations go through each year is the discussion of proposed provincial policy resolutions. Once passed, these resolutions allow the Home and School Federation to speak with a collective voice. Since its beginning in the 1940s, almost 500 resolutions have been debated and adopted almost, many of which have had a direct impact on education policy.
The theme for the annual general meeting on April 14 is “We are all in this Together.” There will be an opportunity for members to put their heads together to come up with collective impact plans for resolutions from our past, present and future.
This year, resolution topics include communication with school and education decision makers during crises, revisions to the student attendance policy to promote student wellbeing, redefining school communities, helping students navigate transitions, funding for playground equipment and a call for a return to elected trustees and school boards. The meeting is a chance for members from across the province to gather in discussion on issues in education, to celebrate successes, examine challenges, and to learn from each other about how to best carry out the Home and School mission and influence educational policy from the bottom up.
Along with representatives from the Teachers’ Federation, principals, La Commission scolaire de langue française, La Fédération des parents de l’Î.-P.-É., the Department and the Public Schools Branch, a representative from the federation board sits on the Department of Education, Early Learning, and Culture’s School Calendar Committee. We meet to discuss items such as when March break, Christmas break, provincial exams, and Professional Development days fall. Some things are predetermined by union contracts, such as the start and end days, or other regulations, such as the number of instructional days per year, but the committee tries to find a solution that works best for student success. This year we have requested feedback from parents in the form of a survey and we have received an overwhelming response. We welcome your thoughts about this approach.
Anyone with questions about the annual general meeting, resolutions or any aspect of Home and School should contact the federation office at peihsf@edu.pe.ca, 902-620-3186 or 1-800-916-0664.
Lisa MacDougall, president of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, lives in North Rustico with her husband and two children. Her column appears in The Guardian during the school year on the first Thursday of the month. She welcomes comments from readers and information for the column. She can be reached at peihsf.ca or 902-620-3186.