COVID-19 INFORMATION: The EMSB has launched a special COVID-19 newsletter. Three editions have already come up and plans call for regular such updates to continue. They are posted on the EMSB website and sent out via School Messenger to all stakeholders. There is also a comprehensive FAQ section, updated daily.
Please click here for a link to the latest newsletter
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| Our dedicated staff. |
PPE FOR SCHOOLS & CENTRES: In just five working days a team of five people, with help from Field Services, sorted thousands of boxes of personal protective equipment to be shipped to all of schools and centres across Montreal. Over 21, 000 masks, 21,000 visors, 4,000 gowns, 4,000 sanitizer bottles, 200 dispensers and 200 Plexiglas safety screens have been sent to protect teachers, professionals and support staff. The EMSB would like to thank its Material Resources PPE team for their amazing and efficient work, Field Services and the administration of Royal Vale School for the use of their facilities and their help.
FAQ SECTION UPDATED DAILY: We understand that parents have many questions/concerns and that this is a period of uncertainty. Rest assured that we are doing everything possible to make sure your children are safe while attending school. Although there will be differences in the organization of each school based on their own realities, the general planning and organization must respect the directives from the Ministry of Education. Please stay up to date with our comprehensive FAQ section.
VIDEO OF MEETING: Please see this video from our August 31 Board meeting where questions related to exemptions. home schooling and other matters are explained at the beginning.
BACK TO SCHOOL: Students of the EMSB’s primary and secondary institutions returned to class on Monday, August 31, 2020. Kindergarten children must be five years of age on or before September 30, 2020 while Grade 1 (Cycle 1) students must be six years old on or before the same date. The EMSB serves more than 40,000 students at 34 elementary schools, 15 secondary schools, eight alternative outreach high schools, seven social affairs institutions and nine adult and vocational centres. All pupils registering for the first time are required to provide a birth certificate and vaccination records to the school the child will be attending. Parents will be asked to fill out forms which will allow the school to apply for the certificate of eligibility for English schooling. Under the Charter of the French Language, a certificate of eligibility is generally granted to children who did the majority of their elementary or secondary studies in English in Canada; whose mother or father did the majority of his/her elementary studies in English in Canada or whose brother or sister did the majority of his/her elementary or secondary studies in English in Canada. Please note that as a result of Quebec law, this criteria excludes studies completed in the Quebec Private School system.
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| Marlene Jennings, Evelyne Alfonsi and Benoît Duhême with some Bancroft students. |
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: Historic Bancroft Elementary School in the Plateau, which is 104 years old, served as the media centre for the first day of classes at the EMSB on August 31. EMSB Trustee Marlene Jennings, Interim Director General Evelyne Alfonsi, Assistant Director General Benoit Duheme and Interim Assistant Director of Educational Services Myrianne Lusignan were among those on hand to greet the students. When Principal Dorothy Ostrowicz arrived a decade ago, there were 150 students and the school was on a list being considered for closure. Enrolment is now close to 400. The building also houses MIND (Moving in New Directions) High School.
See our video by Daniel Smajovits as he goes into teacher Donna Friedman-Perlin's classroom.
Willingdon teacher Kathleen Usher on CBC News Network
CBC Behind The Scenes at Bancroft
Psychologist Cheryl Wiltzer on CBC News Network
Matt Galloway, host of the CBC National Radio Show The Current, was on site with his crew to produce a documentary about the start of this very different school year. It will air on September 8 at 8:30 am on CBC Radio One 88.5 FM.
CHANGES TO ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE: At a public board meeting August 31, under the leadership of EMSB Trustee Marlene Jennings, a resolution was adopted approving important changes to the administrative organizational structure of the English Montreal School Board. ‘’Today’s announcement is the result of a 10-month process of in-depth analysis, benchmarking, consultations and planning completed with the external support of our consultants,” said Ms. Jennings. “Our objectives are to modernize EMSB’s administrative structure, implement stronger governance and management practices at the board, while maximizing the support of EMSB head office towards schools and centres – to the direct benefit of all students.’’ For all of the details please see our announcement.
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| Francesca Magliocco |
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| Jessica Monti |
SEE OUR NEW HIGH SCHOOL GUIDE: Starting to explore secondary school options can begin as early as Grade 5, but it doesn’t have to be daunting. The earlier you know about all of your options, the better equipped you’ll be to make the right choice when admission dates come around. We have prepared a special high school guide for parents starting their approach into the world of sec- ondary education. Here you will find a snapshot of what each of our mainstream high schools has to offer: What are the programs they excel in? What sets them apart? What are their extra-curricular activities that go such a long way in enriching the life of a high school student? The important dates, including open houses, admissions applications and placement exams, are listed for each school so you can mark these into your calendar. You can acess our guide here
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| Dr. Christopher Labos |
DOCTORS WEIGH IN ON PODCAST: COVID-19 has changed everything for everyone: there are so many questions on how to get our children back to school and how to keep everyone as healthy as possible. To answer these questions and to give parents the best current advice available, three doctors joined the EMSB podcast: Gerald Fried, Professor of Surgery at McGill, MUHC Surgeon and Associate Dean Education Technology & Innovation; Dr. Debbie Schwarcz, ER physician at Lachine Hospital and Family Practitioner at Santé Mont Royal; and Dr. Christopher Labos, Cardiologist and Epidemiologist. Dr. Schwarcz is a parent at Merton School; Dr. Fried attended Hampstead School as a child; Dr. Labos is a grad of LaurenHill Academy in St. Laurent. You can listen to it here.
GLOBAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The EMSB had this Public Service Announcement running on Global TV in August. We extend our best wishes to Jamie Orchard, who is no longer with Global. Jamie is not only an EMSB parent, but she has co-hosted our annual Volunteer Appreciation evenings.
EXPRESS NEWPAPER: The fall edition of the EMSB Express Newspaper is being distributed to schools and centres this week. It features special sections on our libraries and volunteers, the winners of our teacher appreciation awards, the story of a remarkable teacher who retired after 60 years of service and much more. You can read it online here.
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| Evelyne Alfonsi |
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| Ann Marie Matheson |
EMSB DG STEPS DOWN: EMSB Trustee Marlene Jennings, announced earlier this month that Director General Ann Marie Matheson has resigned, effective August 13, 2020. The Trustee also announced the nomination of Evelyne Alfonsi as Interim Director General. Ms. Alfonsi has 22 years of service at EMSB and presently serves as Assistant Director General – Education. Ms Alfonsi will also continue to fulfill her current role and be fully supported by her seasoned EMSB management team colleagues. See more here.
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| Angela Mancini |
CHANGES AT FACE: The EMSB has adopted a resolution to approve the establishment of a new Governing Board, as well as creation a new position of School Principal, at FACE (Fine Arts Core Education) School located in downtown Montreal. Marilyn Ramlakhan, formerly VP at James Lyng High School, has been appointed Principal of FACE.
This school has been managed jointly by the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) and the EMSB since 1998. Following the resolution adopted by the EMSB, the two organizations will work jointly to revise the protocol established by the EMSB and the CSSDM with the aim of ensuring the continuity of FACE's unique educational project. It is important to stress that this decision will be made in maintaining the educational services offered to students, while respecting the essential components of the curriculum and the Education Act. The adoption of this resolution would also allow those elected to the EMSB FACE School governing board to be candidate as a member of the new board of directors of a school service center this fall, in the event that the Law amending mainly the Education Act with regard to school organization and governance (Bill 40) was to come into force with regard to English-language school boards in Quebec. Here is the press release.
ST DOROTHY FACILITY: The EMSB and CSSDM have announced a 24-month lease agreement for the former St. Dorothy Elementary School premises, located at 8961 6th avenue, in the northeast Montreal district of St. Michel. Over the past two years the EMSB undertook a long-term planning exercise and a wide-ranging consultation focused on the enrolment figures in its schools across the territory. Following this process, EMSB students attending St. Dorothy School were twinned with students from nearby Our Lady of Pompei School, beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year. In this context, the premises of St. Dorothy are made available for the next two years following which the EMSB plans to implement a new educational program for students with special needs. The CSSDM identified that the availability of the St. Dorothy facility met its temporary needs to relocate a portion of the activities of the Sophie-Barat School while major renovations are planned. Here is the press release.
HECHT SCHOLARSHIPS: After 13 successful years of activity and the awarding of 38 scholarships to teachers working in the Quebec public school system, The Riva and Thomas O. Hecht Scholarship: Teaching of the Holocaust for Educators is now moving forward in new directions. Many of the teachers who have benefitted from this experience were from the EMSB. As such, the EMSB intends to touch base with them to see how they have been using what they learned in the curriculum and how they see things going forward. In this video we speak to teachers Donna Friedman-Perlin from Bancroft Elementary School in the Plateau; Lev Berner from Vincent Massey Collegiate in Rosemount; Audrée Ann Dupont from Merton Elementary School in Côte Saint-Luc and Ramin Khodaie from Marymount Academy International in NDG.
STATUS OF ELECTIONS AND BILL 40: The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) takes note of the decision of Justice Moore of the Québec Court of Appeal to not grant the Government of Quebec’s leave to appeal the August 10 decision by Justice Lussier at this time. Justice Moore deferred a ruling on the permission to appeal to a hearing of the Court of Appeal before a minimum of three Justices, which he scheduled for September 14. In the same decision, Justice Moore also refused to lift the stay granted by Justice Lussier, deferring this issue as well to the September 14 hearing date. The Quebec government had filed a leave to appeal the stay of Bill 40 and furthermore, requested that the Judge immediately reverse the original judgement on the stay. Given that the implementation of Bill 40 continues to be suspended for English school boards until at least September 14, the QESBA believes that the holding of school elections on November 1 becomes totally impractical. They have asked for a postponement until 2021 and to extend the mandates of current commissioners until those elections are held.
VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSES: Stay tuned to our special website (www.emsbopenhouses.com) for more information on how open houses will be presented at the primary and secondary levels. Schools will move towards a virtual format.
VIRTUAL EDUCATION FAIR: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 20th annual EMSB Education Fair (formerly the Career Fair) will take place virtually this year toward the end of October. Jack Dym of Pipe and Piling Supplies Ltd. and RBC Royal Bank are once again the event’s title sponsors. The Education Fair represents a good opportunity for students and their parents to look towards post-secondary education options. This program is coordinated by the EMSB Adult Education and Vocational Services and the Student Services Departments. The main objective is to provide students with an in-depth exposure to the various educational opportunities available to them. Stay tuned to www.emsb.qc.ca /educationfair for more details regarding programming. Students will then have the chance to visit virtual information booths from English vocational centres, CEGEPS, universities and some private business colleges. There will be a video describing the steps that must be taken to apply for CEGEP and another featuring present-day vocational students sharing their positive experiences.
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| Harini Karthik |
EMSB STUDENT AT BOOT CAMP: Ten bright minds from Canada’s science fair community wrapped up an intensive four-day boot camp to learn more about bringing their innovation to market. Held virtually, from August 11 to 14, the fourth annual YSC-York University STEM Entrepreneurship Bootcamp allowed students to learn and apply current entrepreneurship best practices to turn their projects into viable businesses. The class of 2020 included 10 ribbon recipients from Youth Science Canada’s first Online STEM Fair, held last April and May. Representing Quebec was Secondary V student Harini Karthik from LaurenHill Academy in St. Laurent. Harini’s project was at first intended to enhance the efficiency of solar panels by working on the material they are made of. To do so, it must be able to minimize friction (or drag) due to fluids, such as water and gases. By experimenting with different morphological structures (patterns at microscopic scale) of natural components, Harini was able to reduce drag significantly (around 83 percent) between springtail (a specific type of insect) and flat surface. “This concept of drag reduction, using biomimetics, could be applied in a wide range of real-world scenarios,” she said. “For instance, COVID-19 spread could be lowered by increasing the elevation of surface by a few micrometers.”
Held exclusively via web conference, the boot camp allowed participating students to meet virtually with fellow entrepreneurs, network with former BEST graduates and experience the process of transforming their science projects into a viable business, supported by BEST faculty and resources at York University from the Lassonde School of Engineering, Osgoode Hall Law School and the Schulich School of Business. "This boot camp has provided me an eye-opening opportunity for understanding the applications of my project in the real world and learning about the role of entrepreneurship in science,” said Harini. “I really enjoyed looking at the viable options for converting my project into a business with my teammates and getting suggestions from experts. All ribbon recipients from the 2020 YSC Online STEM Fair, and the 10 projects participating in the STEM Entrepreneurship Boot camp, can be viewed at makeprojects.com/ysc.
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| Claudia Amato and Jennifer Nozzolillo |
STAY SAFE LITTLE ONE: Mothers Claudia Amato and Jennifer Nozzolillo, both graduates of John Paul I Junior High School (now merged with Laurier Macdonald High School in St. Léonard), teamed up to publish Stay Safe Little One, a 12-page picture book told in rhyme about coping with a pandemic and how to look to the future with hope. The story was written by Claudia, a mother of three children aged five, eight and 10, who attend the EMSB’s East Hill Elementary School in Rivière-des-Prairies and illustrated by Jennifer Nozzolillo, also a mom of three aged two, five and seven, one who attends St. Paul Elementary School in Laval of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Ms. Amato describes the first months of sheltering at home back in March as challenging. She was concerned that her children were becoming fearful with all of the news and mixed messages they were hearing. To relieve the stress and make sense of the battery of information, Ms. Amato took pen to paper and scribbled down her thoughts. Her writing rested idly on her night table for some time until her husband discovered it. He was impressed. With his encouragement, Ms. Amato shared her story with their children. The result was so positive, she began sharing it with a wider circle of family and friends. For the full story see our website.
TROTTIBUS: The School Organization Department sent a survey with regards to bussing in July asking parents who are eligible for transportation if they will be requiring busing in September. Once all eligible students have received transportation, if there is any available space on the bus the EMSB will start looking at accommodation requests (younger to oldest). Almost all parents who are not getting accommodation bussing live less than 1.4 km from their homes. Trottibus could be a very good alternative. Parents share the responsibility of walking groups of students to school. With the help of Trottibus, they simply have to organize themselves to make it happen. This could be a very good community project that Governing Boards can take on! Log on to https://www.trottibus.ca/en/
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| Grad Brian Bronfman shared this photo on his Facebook page. |
WESTMOUNT HIGH GRAD EYES WHITE HOUSE: Could a former Westmount High School student be on her way to the White House? Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden selected California Senator Kamala Harris as his choice for U.S. vice-president in the Nov. 3 election. Harris, 55, is a former San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general. Born in Oakland, Calif., Harris moved here with her sister and mother at age 12, graduating from Westmount High School in 1981 before returning to the U.S. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a breast cancer specialist, had moved to Montreal to perform research work at the Jewish General Hospital and teach at McGill University. Upon arriving in Montreal, Harris and younger sister Maya attended the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges school on Côte-des-Neiges Rd. because their mother wanted them to learn French. The only French words the 12-year-old Harris knew when she first arrived came from her ballet class, the San Jose Mercury News reported in a May 2019 story. As Harris wrote in her book: “I used to joke that I felt like a duck, because all day long at our new school I’d be saying, ‘Quoi? Quoi? Quoi?’ ” Here is a video The Gazette did at Westmount High in February 2019.
SOUL ART PROGRAM: This September, in partnership with the EMSB and Agence Ometz, Friendship Circle (Montreal) will be launching the Soul Studio Art Program and the DeLamie Culinary Arts Program. These two innovative programs are designed to help young adults with special needs gain the necessary skills to earn income using their creative and culinary skills. In addition to vocational training, the programs aim to break stigmas and boundaries by showcasing the valuable abilities of individuals with special needs to the greater community. Created and delivered in partnership with the EMSB, both programs follow the Social Integration Services Program set by the Quebec Ministry of Education. The programs take a holistic approach designed to help students acquire skills that will enable them to integrate and participate in society to their fullest potential, such as problem solving and communication skills, along with personal, social, family and work skills. Batya Willmott, Director of Development for Friendship circles explains, “Our mission has always been about bridging the gap between young adults with special needs and the broader community. We are delighted to be collaborating with our generous and expert partners as they have allowed us to take our mission even further and help these young adults develop skills that can lead to fulfilling paid work that values their skills and talents. We also see this as a win for art lovers and patrons, as well employers who are recognizing the benefits of having a diverse and inclusive workplace.”
The Soul Studio Art Program is a visual arts training opportunity for adult artists with special needs and unlike any other in Quebec. Tailored to the creative impulses of each artist, the program offers an environment where students can explore, express and develop their individual artistic vision while learning how to become entrepreneurs by monetizing their artwork in an online environment and how to take a lead role in planning and executing art exhibitions. This program benefits from the generosity of the Nova grant. The DeLamie Culinary Arts Program will prepare students who have mild intellectual and learning disabilities to integrate into employment in the catering industry. Using our onsite professional kitchens, students will gain practical experience in real-world settings, as well as benefit from the soft skills-training they need to secure paid employment. Participants will also have the opportunity to take a paid internship under the leadership of Executive Chef Jeff Finkelstein of Montreal’s Hof Kelsten. Chef Finkelstein is a valued member of the Friendship Circle community having provided his expertise in the design and construction of our new, state-of-the art bakery that will be launching later this Fall. “It’s been an extraordinary joy to share my passion for baking with such an enthusiastic community. I look forward to the delicious creations that we will make together.” says Finkelstein. This program benefits from the generosity of RBC. The programs are free and run from 9 am to 2pm Monday to Friday, from September 2020 until June 2021. Registration is limited to ensure ideal one-on-one attention and a supportive group dynamic.
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| Elizabeth Xu |
ÉDITION DU 1er SEPTEMBRE 2020 / BULLETIN DE LA CSEM
RENSEIGNEMENTS SUR LA COVID-19 : La CSEM a lancé une infolettre spéciale en lien avec la COVID-19. Nous en sommes déjà à notre troisième édition, et d’autres sont à venir. L’infolettre est publiée sur le site Web de la CSEM et envoyée à tous les intéressés via School Messenger. Elle renferme également une Foire aux questions exhaustive et actualisée quotidiennement.
Pour consulter la plus récente édition, cliquez ici.
MISE À JOUR QUOTIDIENNE DE LA FOIRE AUX QUESTIONS : En tant que parents, nous sommes conscients que vous avez de nombreuses questions/préoccupations en cette période d'incertitude. Nous tenons à vous assurer que nous nous préparons à rouvrir nos établissements et que nous faisons tout le nécessaire pour veiller à la sécurité de vos enfants à l’école. Bien que l'organisation de chaque école diffère en fonction de sa propre réalité, il n’en demeure pas moins que la planification et l'organisation générales doivent refléter les directives du ministère de l’Éducation. Nous vous invitons à consulter régulièrement notre section FAQ pour être bien renseignés.
RENTRÉE SCOLAIRE : Les élèves des écoles primaires et secondaires de la CSEM ont repris le chemin de l’école le lundi 31 août 2020. Les élèves de la maternelle doivent être âgés de 5 ans au plus tard le 30 septembre 2020, tandis que ceux de la 1re année (1er cycle) doivent avoir 6 ans au plus tard à cette même date. La CSEM compte un effectif de plus de 40 000 élèves répartis dans ses 34 écoles primaires, 15 écoles secondaires, 8 écoles secondaires innovatrices, 7 écoles des affaires sociales et 9 centres d’éducation des adultes et de formation professionnelle. Les parents qui inscrivent leur enfant pour la première fois doivent fournir son certificat de naissance et son carnet de vaccination à l’école qu’il fréquentera. De plus, ils devront remplir des formulaires afin de permettre à l’école en question de présenter une demande de déclaration d’admissibilité à l’enseignement en anglais. En vertu de la Charte de la langue française, une déclaration d’admissibilité est généralement accordée aux enfants qui ont reçu la majeure partie de leur enseignement primaire ou secondaire en anglais au Canada, dont la mère ou le père a reçu la majorité de son enseignement primaire en anglais au Canada ou ceux dont le frère ou la sœur a reçu la majorité de son enseignement primaire ou secondaire en anglais au Canada. Il est à noter qu’en raison de la législation québécoise, ce critère exclut les études complétées dans une école privée au Québec.
LA DIRECTRICE GÉNÉRALE DE LA CSEM QUITTE SES FONCTIONS : L’administratrice de la CSEM, Marlene Jennings, a annoncé plus tôt ce mois-ci la démission de sa directrice générale, Ann Marie Matheson, avec prise d’effet le 13 août 2020. L’administratrice a également annoncé la nomination d'Evelyne Alfonsi, directrice générale adjointe - Éducation, qui compte 22 années de service à la CSEM, comme directrice générale par intérim. Pendant ce temps, Evelyne continuera également de remplir son rôle actuel et sera pleinement soutenue par ses collègues chevronnés de l'équipe de direction de la CSEM. Pour lire l’intégral de l’article : https://www.emsb.qc.ca/csem/nouvelles/la-commission-scolaire-english-montreal-annonce-la-demission-de-sa-directrice-generale-ann-marie-matheson
DÉMISSION DE LA PRÉSIDENTE : Marlene Jennings, administratrice de la tutelle à la CSEM, tient à exprimer ses remerciements et sa gratitude à Angela Mancini pour plus de 20 ans de service au conseil des commissaires, dont les 12 dernières années en tant que présidente. En juillet, Mme Jennings a reçu de la secrétaire générale une lettre de démission signée par Mme Mancini. Depuis novembre dernier, le conseil est sous tutelle partielle, mais il conserve le droit de se réunir pour des questions juridiques. « Angela Mancini a consacré plus de 20 ans de sa vie au système d’éducation publique », a souligné Mme Jennings. « Nous la remercions pour ses services et lui offrons nos meilleurs vœux de succès pour l’avenir. »
Mme Jennings ne pourvoira pas le poste vacant à la présidence. Par conséquent, conformément à l’article 158 de la Loi sur les élections scolaires, le vice-président Joe Ortona exercera les fonctions et pouvoirs de la présidence. Mme Mancini a été élue commissaire de la CSEM pour la première fois en 1998. En 2008, elle a été élue présidente.
DU NOUVEAU À L’ÉCOLE FACE: La CSEM a adopté une résolution approuvant la création d’un nouveau conseil d’établissement et instituant un nouveau poste de direction à l’école FACE (Formation Artistique au Cœur de l’Éducation), située au centre-ville de Montréal. Cette école est administrée conjointement par le Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) et la CSEM depuis 1998. À la suite de la résolution adoptée par la CSEM, les deux organisations travailleront conjointement à la révision du protocole d’entente établi entre la CSEM et le CSSDM dans le but d’assurer la continuité du projet éducatif unique de FACE. Il est important de souligner que cette décision se réalisera dans le maintien des services éducatifs offerts aux élèves, et dans le respect du régime pédagogique et de la Loi sur l’instruction publique. L'adoption de cette résolution permettrait également aux élus du conseil d’établissement CSEM de l’école FACE de solliciter un poste de membre du nouveau conseil d’administration d’un centre de services scolaire cet automne, dans l’éventualité où la Loi modifiant principalement la Loi sur l’instruction publique relativement à l’organisation et à la gouvernance scolaires (Loi 40) entrerait en vigueur à l’égard des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec. Info ici.
ÉCOLE ST. DOROTHY : La CSEM et le CSSDM ont annoncé la conclusion d’une entente de 24 mois pour la location des locaux de l’ancienne école primaire St. Dorothy, située au 8961, 6e Avenue dans le quartier Saint-Michel, dans le nord-est de Montréal. Au cours des deux dernières années, la CSEM a mené un exercice de planification à long terme et une vaste consultation portant notamment sur le seuil de fréquentation de ses écoles sur son territoire. Au terme de cette démarche, les élèves de la CSEM fréquentant l’école St. Dorothy ont été jumelés à ceux de l’école Our Lady of Pompei située à proximité, et ce, dès l’année scolaire 2020-2021. Dans ce contexte, les locaux de l’école St. Dorothy sont disponibles pour les deux prochaines années, période au terme de laquelle la CSEM prévoit implanter une nouvelle offre scolaire pour les élèves aux besoins particuliers. Le CSSDM a identifié que la disponibilité de l’école St. Dorothy répondait à son besoin temporaire de relocalisation d’une partie des activités de l’école Sophie-Barat en raison de travaux majeurs qui y sont prévus. Info ici.
STATUT DES ÉLECTIONS ET LOI 40 : L’Association des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec (ACSAQ) prend acte de la décision du juge Moore de la Cour d’appel du Québec de ne pas accorder pour le moment au gouvernement du Québec l’autorisation d’en appeler de la décision du 10 août rendue par le juge Lussier. Le juge Moore a reporté la décision sur l'autorisation d'interjeter appel à une audience de la Cour d'appel devant un minimum de trois juges, qu'il a fixée au 14 septembre. Dans la même décision, le juge Moore a de plus refusé de lever le sursis accordé par le juge Lussier, reportant également cette question à la date d'audience du 14 septembre. Le gouvernement du Québec avait déposé une demande d'autorisation d'appel du sursis de la loi 40 et, de plus, avait demandé que le juge annule immédiatement le jugement initial sur le sursis. Étant donné que l'application de la loi 40 continue d'être suspendue pour les commissions scolaires anglophones au moins jusqu'au 14 septembre, l'ACSAQ estime que la tenue d'élections scolaires le 1er novembre devient totalement irréalisable. Elle a demandé un report jusqu'en 2021 et la prolongation du mandat des commissaires actuels jusqu'à la tenue de ces élections.
PORTES OUVERTES VIRTUELLES : Restez à l’affût et consultez notre site Web (www.emsbopenhouses.com) pour tout savoir sur le déroulement des portes ouvertes au primaire et au secondaire, en mode virtuel.
LA FOIRE DE L’ÉDUCATION À LA CSEM EN MODE VIRTUEL : En raison de la pandémie de COVID-19, la 20e édition annuelle de la Foire de l’éducation à la CSEM (anciennement la Foire des carrières) se tiendra virtuellement cette année, vers la fin du mois d'octobre. Jack Dym de Pipe and Piling Supplies Ltd. et la Banque Royale RBC sont une fois de plus les commanditaires en titre de l'événement. La Foire de l'éducation est une excellente occasion qui permet aux parents et élèves de se renseigner sur les options postsecondaires. Coordonnée par les Services de l'éducation des adultes et de la formation professionnelle en collaboration avec les Services aux élèves de la CSEM, cette foire vise principalement à sensibiliser les élèves aux divers programmes d’enseignement qui s’offrent à eux. Restez à l'affût et rendez-vous sur le www.emsb.qc.ca/educationfair pour tout savoir sur la programmation. Les élèves auront l’occasion de visiter en mode virtuel les divers kiosques d’information d’établissements anglophones, notamment des centres de formation professionnelle, des cégeps, universités et certains collèges privés. Une vidéo présentera la marche à suivre pour faire une demande au cégep, et une autre mettra en vedette des élèves actuels à la formation professionnelle qui partageront leur expérience positive.
TROTTIBUS : Le Service de l'organisation scolaire a fait parvenir en juillet un sondage concernant le transport scolaire dans lequel on demandait aux parents dont les enfants sont admissibles au transport s'ils souhaitaient se prévaloir de ce service en septembre. Une fois que tous les élèves admissibles auront obtenu une place, s'il reste des places à combler dans l’autobus, la CSEM examinera les demandes de transport de courtoisie (du plus jeune au plus âgé). Presque tous les élèves qui ne se voient pas offrir le transport de courtoisie habitent à moins de 1,4 km de leur domicile. Par conséquent, le Trottibus pourrait s’avérer une très bonne option. Avec Trottibus, les parents partagent la responsabilité d'accompagner des groupes d'élèves à pied à l'école. De plus, ils sont bien encadrés pour démarrer leur Trottibus. Il pourrait s’agir là d’un excellent projet communautaire que les conseils d'établissement pourraient prendre en charge! Visitez le https://www.trottibus.ca/.
UNE DIPLÔMÉE DE L’ÉCOLE SECONDAIRE WESTMOUNT VISE LA MAISON BLANCHE : Une ancienne élève de l’école secondaire Westmount pourrait-elle être en route pour la Maison Blanche? Le candidat démocrate à la présidence Joe Biden a choisi la sénatrice californienne Kamala Harris comme colistière à la vice-présidence des États-Unis en vue de l'élection du 3 novembre. Âgée de 55 ans, Mme Harris a été procureure de San Francisco, puis procureure générale de la Californie. Née à Oakland, en Californie, elle s'est installée ici avec sa sœur et sa mère à l'âge de 12 ans. Elle a obtenu son diplôme de l’école secondaire Westmount en 1981 avant de retourner aux États-Unis. Sa mère, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, spécialiste du cancer du sein, était venue à Montréal pour faire de la recherche à l'Hôpital général juif et enseigner à l'Université McGill. À leur arrivée dans la métropole, Kamala et sa jeune sœur Maya ont fréquenté l'école Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, sur le chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, parce que leur mère voulait qu'elles apprennent le français. Les seuls mots de français que la jeune fille de 12 ans connaissait à son arrivée provenaient de son cours de ballet, rapporte le San Jose Mercury News, dans un article publié en mai 2019. Comme Mme Harris l’a écrit dans son livre : « Je disais en plaisantant que j’avais l’impression d’être comme un canard, parce qu’à longueur de journée, dans notre nouvelle école, je répétais sans cesse : « Quoi? Quoi? Quoi? »
The next Focus Newsletter will be published on September 30. Deadline for submissions is September 25.
