To All Junior High School Parents

We have had many parents express concern about the total removal of honours courses from the Grade 10 curriculum and the apparent removal of honours English from all grades in High School. This is a new Department of Education mandated policy, and if we are going to have any influence in reversing this policy, we will need to make the politicians aware of our concerns, and demand accountability from the Department of Education. We have enclosed copies of our letter to the Halifax Regional School Board, a letter to MLAs in the former City of Halifax, the provincial Interim Policy on Advanced Courses and the relevant pages from the Public Schools Policy Document. These should provide you with enough background material to gain a good understanding of the problem. As soon as we get information about a meeting with the Department of Education, we will let you know. In the meantime, here is a list of some of the things you might consider doing to make your concerns known:

1. Write the Halifax Regional School Board and express your concern. You can write from the PTA, but it is more effective for as many parents as possible to write. You are welcome to use our letter as a template.
2. Phone your School Board representative. We have attached a list.
3. Phone your MLA. We have attached a list.
4. Write to the Minister of Education, and send a copy to your MLA.
5. Attend the meeting requested with the Department of Education (once we have a date).
6. Request a meeting with the Minister yourself as an individual school or as a collection of schools.

We need all of the support we can get to reverse this decision. We know that parent pressure will help in this process. Essentially the Department of Education has totally disregarded the input it was given and has made a decision that is not consistent with their number one goal of providing appropriate and challenging opportunities for all students.

If you have any questions or want clarification, please call one of the co-chairs below.

Sincerely

Cheryl Kozey(425-3232) and Dick Tilley(429-8884), co-chairs