LRSD PACs helped us stop Bill 64
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/09/2021 (615 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Last year, I highlighted the time, effort, and support that parent advisory council (PAC) groups gave to enhance educational experiences within their community. This September, I would like to recognize their efforts in bringing support to keep parents/guardians informed about Bill 64.
Many PAC groups held virtual meetings with their communities to explain the ramifications of Bill 64. They contacted the Louis Riel School Division board of trustees for assistance, and Sandy Nemeth and Pamela Kolochuk were presenters at most events.
Louise Johnston, as chair of the board, worked with LRSD superintendent Christian Michalik and the division’s senior leadership team to organize a large virtual meeting with presentations that included parent voices, several Grade 9 students from Windsor Park Collegiate, and special guest Dr. John Wiens, who was able to bring his valuable knowledge as a principal, superintendent, and as a former dean of education at the University of Manitoba.
These events combined to create a community that understood the negative aspects of Bill 64. The steady flow of information passed on by the division, your PAC groups, and many individuals who used social media to spread their concerns about the bill eventually became a community effort to stop Bill 64.
Thank you to all who requested signs for their lawns and to those who contacted their local MLAs to inform them of their concerns. I have never seen a group of school communities come together and have such a major affect on the provincial government. We witnessed the power of people working toward a common goal in LRSD and throughout Manitoba.
I’d also like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Manitoba School Boards Association and Alan Campbell, president of the association.
We are now a couple of weeks into the 2021-2022 school year and are thankful to all LRSD office staff for working so hard to prepare for a safe return to school.
Members of the LRSD board of trustees recently had a virtual meeting with Soutdale MLA Audrey Gordon, the provincial health minister and Riel MLA Rochelle Squires, MLA and Minister of Families, the families minister, and we appreciate their willingness to meet with us and discuss pressing issues in our division.
I am feeling hopeful that this school year will be a positive experience for our students, staff, and families. We need to continue working together to stay safe and keep students in school this year
Tom Parker is a Ward 4 trustee for the Louis Riel School Division.
Tom Parker
Louis Riel School Division trustee report
Tom Parker is a Ward 4 trustee for the Louis Riel School Division.