News & Events

Tips for Parents to Get Involved: OAPCE recognizes that some parents might find it daunting to get involved in their child’s education due to a lack of support or direction. Here are a few tips for parents to actively engage and support their child’s success in Catholic education: 1. Attend OAPCE Events and Workshops: OAPCE regularly organizes events, workshops, and webinars on various educational topics. These events offer a platform for parents to learn, ask questions, and gain insights from experts in the field. “I attended an OAPCE Conference and it provided me with practical strategies to enhance my child’s learning at home. I highly recommend attending these events as they are informative and inspiring!” – OAPCE Niagara Representative  2. Establish Open Communication: Foster open and regular communication with your child’s teachers and school administration. Actively seek feedback on your child’s progress and discuss any concerns or questions you may have. “Open communication between parents and educators is key to fostering a supportive and successful learning environment for our children. By actively seeking feedback and voicing our concerns or questions, we can work together with teachers and school administration to ensure our children’s academic and personal growth.” – R. Takawy, OAPCE Dufferin Peel, Director. 3. Volunteer Opportunities: Look for volunteer opportunities at your child’s school or within the broader Catholic education community. Volunteer work allows you to connect with educators, parents, and students, creating a sense of community and shared responsibility. 4. Stay Informed: Keep updated with educational policies and changes within the Catholic education system. Attend information sessions, read OAPCE newsletters, and connect with other parents to stay abreast of important developments. “As parents, it is essential to stay informed about educational policies and changes within the Catholic education system. By staying updated, we can effectively advocate for our children’s needs and ensure they receive the best possible education.” – J. Perri, Co-Executive Director, OAPCE. As a Ministry of Education recognized organization, the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE) serves as the voice of parents and guardians in supporting and enhancing Catholic education in Ontario. By providing information, resources, and advocacy opportunities, OAPCE empowers parents to actively engage in their child’s education, leading to improved student success. By partnering with other stakeholders, engaging with media, and organizing annual conferences, OAPCE further supports the continuation and preservation of publicly funded Catholic education for generations to come.

Walking in Faith: A New School Year Reflection for Parents September is a season of fresh starts. New teachers, new classrooms, and new routines often leave families juggling homework, schedules, pizza days, school sports, and fundraising forms. In the middle of all this busyness, we are reminded that our journey as Catholic parents is more than just managing the calendar — it’s a pilgrimage of faith. This year’s theme for Catholic Education Week is “On the Path to Holiness.” It reminds us that in our Catholic schools we are not only students and teachers, but pilgrims, walking together in faith toward holiness. That theme inspired me to pause and reflect on what this means in daily family life — especially in the ordinary but sometimes stressful moments of parenting. Parents are often reminded of life lessons in these small, everyday moments. For example, picture a parent helping a grade 8 child work through multiplication of decimals. The numbers don’t line up, the answers are wrong, and frustration builds. At 9 p.m., the night before the quiz, trying to explain why zero is an important place holder can stretch anyone’s patience. It is in these moments that the depth of patience required of parents is revealed — not only in guiding homework, but in every role they play. Sometimes, parents need to pray for patience. As a priest often reminds us, prayer is most powerful when it is specific. We can ask God for patience with schoolwork, patience in the middle of busy schedules, and patience with ourselves and our children. When parents turn to prayer in these ordinary struggles, they are teaching their children what faith looks like in action. Parents are the first teachers of faith. Our children learn from the way we pray, the way we forgive, and the way we serve. When we remain in God’s love, we give them the anchor that grounds their lives and helps them walk their own path to holiness. This is exactly why OAPCE exists — to walk alongside parents in this sacred role. OAPCE’s mission to Engage, Advocate, and Enhance keeps parents connected, supported, and encouraged in Catholic education. We Engage when we join parent councils, volunteer, and strengthen school communities. We Advocate when we connect with trustees and leaders, ensuring Catholic voices are heard. We Enhance when we build strong parish–school–home partnerships that help children see faith lived out daily. By working together, OAPCE reminds parents that we are not alone on this journey. Just as prayer gives us patience in homework struggles, OAPCE gives parents the voice and support needed to guide our children’s education in faith. Ideas for Parents: What You Can Do Choose a Gospel verse together and make it a screen saver or sticky note to spark conversation. Share a favourite worship song on the way to school or at bedtime as a prayerful moment We Enhance when we build strong parish–school–home partnerships that help children see faith lived out daily. Revisit the sacraments — it’s never too late for Baptism, First Communion, Reconciliation, or Confirmation, for our children or even for ourselves. Look for ways to connect with parish and school events to strengthen the bond between home, school, and Church. Holiness doesn’t mean perfection — it means remaining in God’s love, step by step, in the ordinary moments. Even in late-night homework struggles, we are pilgrims walking with our children, guided by faith, patience, and love. And with OAPCE, we walk this path together as a community of Catholic parents.

Parents are the first educators of their children.  What we do in a school is to build on the foundation of that education as we encourage children to grow intellectually, socially, emotionally and spiritually.  As a result, we expect that parents continue to support their children in this process.  They often do this by assisting their children with homework, supporting their children in extra-curricular events and encouraging them in their relationships with others.  Moreover, our parents make a commitment to nourish the spiritual dimension of their children’s growth by assuring that what schools accomplish for seven hours out of a day is reiterated at home. Religious instruction in our schools is only valuable when our students have a time and a place to live out their religion.  The teaching of Gospel values is only understood when our students have the opportunity to serve in the community, attend worship services on the weekend and witness positive behavior in their homes and in their neighborhoods.  So when parents choose a Catholic education they are choosing more than a school.  They are choosing a way of life for their children and their family and they are making a commitment to raise their children in homes that reinforce the lessons that are taught at school. We are most grateful to parents who make these choices every single day.  Yet the real value of a Catholic education does not lay only in name.  Instead, the value of a Catholic education is measured in the character of the children that we have educated together.  Some say teaching is a thankless job.  Others say parenting is a thankless job.  We have come to realize that both statements are false.  Neither are jobs.  They are vocations to which we have all been called.   We are confident that the end result for all of us is to help nurture young children into young men and women  who exhibit academic achievement and spiritual growth so as to become active participants in building the Kingdom of God.