PUBLIC EDUCATION MEETING - ALL WELCOME Who: All parents and representatives of parent groups are invited to attend. What: A meeting to organize a new group that will represent all school parents in the Halifax Regional School Board (HRSB) on education issues. Where: Thomas Raddall Public Library 255 Lacewood Drive, Halifax (corner of Dunbrack and Lacewood) Clayton Professional Building across from Sobeys / Canadian Tire Call the library at 490-5738 for directions When: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 at 7:30 to 8:30 pm Why: To explore the formation of a new organization to represent the views and concerns of parents from all schools in the HRSB. This would include representatives of PTAs, School Advisory Councils (SACs) and other parental groups concerned about the education of our children. This meeting is to solicit input on how a new organization might function to best represent the interests of all parents who have children in the Halifax Regional School Board. The objective is to provide a more unified means of organizing and voicing parental concerns about educational issues. At the end of the meeting, a steering committee will be struck to draft a proposed structure for the new organization. Sponsored by: the Halifax District Parent Teacher Association (HDPTA) For information, please contact committee co-chairs: Ron Bulmer 445-5753 Lynn MacGregor 422-6235 or HDPTA co-chair: Dick Tilley 429-8884 * no scents, please * http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Education/HDPTA ****************************************************************************** * BACKGROUND * * The Current HDPTA * The current Halifax District PTA (HDPTA) is an umbrella group for the 35 schools in the former city of Halifax. The HDPTA has been an effective voice for parents on educational issues. It has lobbied the School Board and the Province on a variety of subjects of mutual interest. It has voiced the concerns of parents through special meetings, letters, newspaper articles and radio interviews, and by monitoring School Board meetings. The issues the HDPTA now addresses are primarily School Board policy issues (for example: Supplementary Funding, School Board budget, building environmental health & safety, primary day, transportation and high school honours programmes). The issues addressed are based on input from all members. * The Need for Change * In the past few years the implementation of School Advisory Councils (SACs) and the amalgamation of several smaller school boards into one larger Halifax Regional School Board have made it increasingly difficult for the HDPTA to function effectively. SACs have thinned our ranks and spread our voices in sometimes diverging directions. Amalgamation has meant that the HDPTA is no longer relevant to the whole School Board, further weakening our position. We need to adapt to these changes if we are to continue to be an effective unified voice for parents. The HDPTA has a solid foundation on which to base change. There is a strong commitment to explore options for restructuring and renaming the association to reflect an organization representing PTAs, SACs and other parental groups from all schools in the Halifax Regional School Board. Please come and share with us your ideas and concerns. We look forward to meeting you. Sponsored by: the Halifax District Parent Teacher Association (HDPTA) For information, please contact committee co-chairs: Ron Bulmer 445-5753 Lynn MacGregor 422-6235 or HDPTA co-chair: Dick Tilley 429-8884 * no scents, please *