February may be the shortest month, but it is one of the busiest! Here is an overview of some of the activities and events that took place in the Lester B. Pearson School Board over the last several weeks.

First, Black History Month began with a special edition of the Pearson News that came out on January 29th and previewed many of the celebrations and activities planned to recognize Black History Month. Many schools and centres have hosted presentations and assemblies with various speakers and community groups. A spotlight on the arts also saw performances by steel pan musicians, jazz bands, African drummers, dancers, and poets who visited with our students. A scroll through the social media pages of Lester B. schools and centres reveals a plethora of visual reminders of the importance of recognizing Black History Month in general and Black Canadians in particular. Many of our students have learned more about the contributions of Canadians such as Viola Desmond, Jean Augustine, Oliver Jones and Marie-Joseph Angelique to name a few.

Black History Month also figured in our board wide professional day for staff that took place on February 7th. This event was hosted at PCHS to a filled auditorium and was live streamed to all schools as well as the Head Office. Regional Director Debi Dixon animated the morning and paid tribute to BHM. We also had a spoken word presentation created and delivered by local artist and businessman Todd Smith who also happens to work with youth at Allion Elementary and LCCHS. His spoken word poetry was powerful, celebrating Black resilience but also reminding us of the importance of social justice work.

February is also a month when we recognize staff at the Lester B. Pearson School Board. During the week of the 10th, we had our Staff Appreciation Week. During the week, we thank our dedicated staff in various ways for the work that they do. One of the week’s highlights was the 25 years of service recognition ceremony held for approximately 90 staff members who have been with the Lester B. Pearson School Board for a quarter century. Congratulations to all celebrating this anniversary!

In my annual staff appreciation letter to all employees, I expressed gratitude for everyone’s efforts and contributions. It is the dedication of our personnel that helps to make our community resilient and strong. Despite the challenges we face in education, we take pride in the victories and accomplishments we see our students experience throughout the school year. We also make sure that our staff hear directly from the students and families we serve. Every year, we invite the community to share messages of gratitude with us which we then pass on to our staff so they can hear firsthand how they are making a positive difference for their students. Teamwork really does make the dream work, and I thank our teachers, integration aides, daycare educators, technicians, caretakers, support staff, consultants, professionals and administrators for all they do in service to public education.

Hooked on Schools week or les Journées de la Persévérance scolaire is another opportunity for us to renew our commitment to supporting youth and encouraging them on their educational journey. As President of the organization known as Réseau Réussite Montréal, I participated in the launch of the weeklong Persévérance scolaire celebrations held the morning of February 10th at the Centre Lasallien in St. Michel. I was honored to welcome Minister of Education Bernard Drainville, SPVM police chief Fady Dagher, and Montreal doctor and NFL Superbowl champion Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, as well other dignitaries. These role models interacted with students and community members, emphasizing the importance of fostering perseverance, grit, and resilience among youth. Events like these underscore the importance of the collective work needed to help students stay engaged in their learning. It was a very empowering morning.

Interacting with students is one of the highlights of my role as Director General. This month I was able to connect with students and find out how their school year is going. Some of our elementary schools offer a program known as Principal for a Day. They accompany the principal throughout the school day, helping with messages, making decisions, and finding out more about the important work done by a school principal. Often the Principal for a Day gets to visit us at Head Office. We recently welcomed student Principals of the Day from Sherbrooke Academy Senior and from Margaret Manson Elementary.

Last week I also had an opportunity to meet some grade 6 students at Clearpoint Elementary when I visited their annual IB exhibition. It was wonderful to see the efforts students had put into their group projects that tackled such important issues as diversity, environmental awareness, and mental health. What is impressive about these projects is that they must include ways to take action toward solving a societal problem. It was encouraging to see how earnest and committed the next generation is to make a positive difference in the world.

So that is where we find ourselves at the end of February. Term two is completed, and we are about to enjoy our semaine de relache as we get ready for the final term of the year. I want to wish our students, their families and our staff a marvelous and safe March break.