Lester B. Pearson School Board Wins QESBA’s Excellence in Education Award
by Darren Becker
The Lester B. Pearson School Board is extremely proud to receive the Quebec English School Boards Association’s (QESBA) Excellence in Education Award in the Community Engagement category for its commitment to promoting Equity, Diversity, Dignity and Inclusion in its schools and centres.
“We are truly honoured to receive QESBA’s Award. It’s concrete recognition of our school board community’s ongoing journey and commitment to create an environment where each member of the LBPSB is respected,” said LBPSB Director General Cindy Finn.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, the LBPSB published a document titled “Commitment to Equity, Diversi- ty, Dignity and Inclusion (EDDI)”. The document was created as a blueprint for future work in EDDI and outlines the LBPSB’s areas of focus. They are:
1. Professional development
2. Educational Resources
3. Regulation and policy
4. Infrastructure
Defining these four pillars was designed to help the school board reach its objective of providing students and staff with opportunities for education/reflection within an environment that is considerate and inclusive to all its members.
As well, the school board’s ongoing commitment to EDDI is designed to help community members become more aware of certain unconscious biases that may exist and develop a better awareness and understanding of the lived reality of others while being more intentionally inclusive and reflective.
“The LBPSB will continue focusing on playing a key role in the fight to combat all forms of injustice, racism and discrimination, whether it is based on sexual orientation, gender, ability, ethnicity or religion both inside and outside of our classrooms and centres,” said Cindy Finn.
“This EDDI document will help serve as a road map to ensure our school board continues its journey to ad- dress issues of inequity and marginalization that have negative consequences for students and staff. The lead- ership team at the school board continues its excellent work to identify and implement different measures that are aimed at improving the learning and social environments for students and employees,” said Judy Kelley, Chairperson of the LBPSB’s Council of Commissioners.
QESBA’s 6th annual Excellence in Education Awards were presented at QESBA-AAESQ Spring Conference that took place in Mont Saint Sauveur. Category winners receive a commemorative citation and a $500.00 bur- sary in the name of the school board they represent.
The Board of Directors of QESBA created these awards in 2014 with a view to celebrating the excellence, dedication and innovation demonstrated by teachers, administrators, parents, professionals and school board members at the nine English School Boards across Quebec.
