May 20, 2021
Province Announces Parent Engagement Task Force Members as It Advances Better Education Starts Today
– – –Telephone Town Halls and Regional Meetings Planned to Give Manitobans a Voice: Cullen
The province has established a Parent Engagement Task Force to guide public input and provide advice to the government on how to move forward with parent engagement as a key component of education reform in Manitoba, Education Minister Cliff Cullen announced today.
“The Parent Engagement Task Force will help shape the roles and responsibilities of the new School Community Councils and identify strategies to increase parental participation in shaping the future of education in Manitoba,” said Cullen. “We want to improve outcomes so we are involving parents, teachers and principals who know where our children excel and where more support is needed.”
The task force consists of parents, community and school leaders, and members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Scott Johnston, legislative assistant to the minister of education, will chair the task force. Others members include Ian Wishart and Janice Morley-Lecomte (MLA vice-chairs), parents and caregivers, and school leaders including principals and assistant superintendents.
The Parent Engagement Task Force will engage directly with Manitoba parents and caregivers through a series of 15 regional meetings scheduled for later this month and in June to explore the potential role of school community councils, how parent engagement can be strengthened and the resources they need to be successful. The province is also hosting four telephone town halls later this month and in June. The first will be held the evening of May 27 for the Winnipeg area.
Additional virtual town halls will be held for the northern region, rural areas and a second for the Winnipeg area in June. More information on these sessions can be found on https://engageMB.ca. Targeted workshops are also planned with parent advisory councils, school leaders and a variety of stakeholder organizations and experts to ensure a wide range of input and perspectives. Following this engagement with Manitobans, the task force will make recommendations to the minister of education.
Manitoba is committed to ongoing engagement to inform the priority actions outlined in the Better Education Starts Today (BEST) strategy. Through the BEST engagement plan, the province is inviting residents, community organizations, parents, teachers, principals, staff, school community members, education stakeholders and students to get involved and help shape Manitoba’s education system.
“The government has already launched extensive engagement covering all aspects of education and improving the classroom experience for students as we roll out the Better Education Starts Today strategy,” said Cullen. “Education stakeholders, school leaders and educators, parents, post-secondary institutions, members of Manitoba’s First Nations School System, other indigenous organizations, Manitoba’s francophone community, community groups, municipalities, Hutterian colonies and the larger business community all have input into our plans.”
For more information, visit www.bettereducationmb.ca.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
Backgrounder
Task Force Members - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2021/05/BG-Parent_Task_Force_Engagement-ED.pdf