Energized by their meetings on the day before, the parents met again for the second day of the conference and took part in discussions on the issues that are important to them.
The day began pleasantly with talking circles (inspired by the practices of Indigenous peoples), where some parents shared their thoughts on the question, “What difference does it make to get involved in our communities?”
This authentic sharing kicked off the morning’s events, which continued with a workshop inviting participants to delve deeper into parental involvement and its positive impacts within Francophone educational settings and the wider Francophone community. A second workshop also provided parents and community partners with an opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices to raise awareness of the work of parents’ associations.
The general meeting also provided an opportunity for the board members of the Fédération des parents to present the report for the past year and answer members’ questions, in addition to holding an election.
The newly elected members of the board of directors of the Fédération des parents are:
Jen Rubadeau, Member for the Northern B.C. Region
Born and raised in northern British Columbia, Jen is Métis and deeply attached to her region, as well as to the dynamism of the Francophone community.
Sabrina Van Themsche, Member for the Okanagan-Columbia Region
Sabrina is an engineer in the mining sector and also the mother of a little girl who attends the school in Kimberley.
Clémentine Uwineza, Member for the Metro Vancouver Region
Holding a degree in Education, and a diploma in Educational Sector Planning from IIEP-UNESCO, Clémentine is motivated by the promotion of French and the support of families.
Katherine Joly, Member for the Fraser Valley Region
Katherine, a mother of two students at l’École des Pionniers-de-Maillardville, has been president of the parents’ association (APÉ) for four years. Among other things, she is involved in providing children with an environment where French shines brightly on a daily basis.
To learn more about them, click here.
The participants warmly thanked the outgoing members :
- Laura Grefford, member of the Fraser Valley region and
- Marie-Hélène Hinse, member of the Northern BC region
for their exceptional commitment over the past years.
