The changes to the bulletins scheduled for next year have startled the Federation of Parents’ Committees of Quebec, which is surprised that no mandatory meeting is scheduled between parents and teachers during the year.
In early May, the Minister of Education, Jean-François Roberge, announced changes to the bulletins for the start of the 2021 school year, modeled on the changes introduced during the school year which will end in the coming days.
Students will be entitled to two report cards rather than three, in February and June, which will each count for 40% and 60% of the final mark. Two written communications will be sent to parents at mid-stage, in November and April.
During a meeting with Quebec, the Federation had obtained the assurance that two meetings between parents and teachers would also be scheduled during the school year, indicates its president, Kévin Roy.
However, the draft regulation amending the basic school regulation, which was made public recently, makes no mention of meetings with parents, which are nevertheless “essential” to communication between families and the school, affirms Mr. Roy.
“The meetings with the parents are important, they allow to exchange with the teacher and to know really more about our child than generic comments transmitted in a written communication”, he adds.
In addition, the last written communication, scheduled for April 22, arrives “much too late” in his eyes. “What is important is not to wait before knowing how things are going with our youngster, especially in a post-pandemic context,” he said.
In the office of the Minister of Education, it is specified that the traditional meeting of parents, which generally accompanies the delivery of the first report, has never been compulsory and included in the basic school regulation.
“The parent, regardless of the student’s situation, can ask to meet the teacher at any time,” said the minister’s strategic director, Jean-François Del Torchio.
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