Welcome back to the EMSB Community

Dear Member of the EMSB Community,

The beginning of every new school year is a time of excitement, wonder, anticipation, and trepidation for students of all ages, parents, and staff alike. Tomorrow will mark the first day of classes for our youth sector students. This year brings with it a unique set of circumstances, with many people experiencing a heightened level of apprehension. It is only natural and understandable in this context.

The EMSB has earned a solid reputation over the years for the academic success of our students and for the quality of our programs. While this will always remain a key focus area, our number one priority this school year is the safety and well-being of our students and personnel.

These past months, school teams have received health and safety training in their respective area of responsibility in compliance with the directives of the Ministry of Education and Quebec’s public health authorities. Additionally, we have acquired and distributed thousands of masks, visors, disposable gowns, cases of hand sanitizer and dispensers to our 77 facilities. This is but a small sample of the planning that has gone into this new reality.

Since the outset of the pandemic, everyone has been working to safeguard both the physical and mental well-being of our entire educational community. We will maintain the same level of care and attention to this priority throughout the entire school year and will not hesitate to make adjustments and to implement changes as the public health situation continues to evolve.

A critical need as we face these uncertain times is reliable communication. We have initiated COVID- 19 newsletters for parents and employees to keep everyone informed in a timely fashion. I encourage you to avail yourself of these publications as they provide resources, but more importantly, answer specific questions posed by parents. We will continue to publish newsletters through and beyond the COVID period. It is essential that you be attentive to these releases. A critical element is keeping our school/center communities aware of any new developments. We welcome your feedback and suggestions as to how these publications can best serve your needs.

These past weeks and months have been particularly trying for everyone: students who have been isolated from friends, parents dealing with varying opinions of what is best and having to make important decisions accordingly, teachers facing unique classroom expectations, administrators making certain that their buildings are set up to respect social distancing, and the list goes on and on. As unusual as the circumstances are, we can look at this as a challenge or as an opportunity. As parents, we play a critical role in providing our children with realistic reassurance as we navigate through these unprecedented times. I strongly encourage us all to find the positive in these unusual conditions and to continue to work in harmony for the overall well-being of our students and their future.

I sincerely thank everyone who has worked so diligently to ensure that we get off to a great start to the academic year, and to be ready for whatever might be around the corner. Under normal circumstances I would be wishing everyone a successful year. Today, I wish you a successful, safe, and healthy year and I look forward to your continued support and collaboration.

Sincerely,

Evelyne Alfonsi
Interim Director General, EMSB