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Queen’s Park Visit

News & Events, Oapce in action

On Tuesday, May 28, 2024 the Co-Executive Directors and Directors of the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE), representing different regions from across the province visited Queen’s Park in Toronto for an unforgettable day of advocacy for Catholic Education.   OAPCE members were seated in the packed gallery as visitors to the assembly. Upon arrival, they were immediately immersed in a momentous first of its kind event unfolding in the province. Indigenous communities from Sioux Lookout in Northern Ontario had gathered, with their MP, Sol Mamakwa.  He later delivered an address to Parliament in the Anishininiimowen (Oji-Cree) language. The heartfelt speech garnered standing ovations, with even Premier Ford extending congratulations and reaffirming commitments to address long-standing issues, notably the addition of 76 long-term care beds in the northern region.  Throughout the day, the OAPCE Directors were witness to debates and discussions on various topics. Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, addressed criticisms from Liberal members regarding limited and selective school reconstructions in the GTA. His response underlined the government’s unwavering support for educational infrastructure projects. Minister Lecce highlighted a recent announcement of a new French elementary school in Scarborough, emphasizing the government’s dedication to investing in education across party lines. OAPCE felt very privileged to observe the legislature in session and to witness first hand how Education is debated on the floor. Following the parliamentary proceedings, OAPCE Directors were invited to meet with Minister Lecce and Premier Ford. Minister Lecce spoke directly with individual OAPCE Directors, as he listened intently to their concerns and ideas. Directors were also greeted by MPP Christine Hogarth, MPP Aris Babikian and MPP Billy Pang.  Minister Lecce then led everyone to the Premier’s office where OAPCE members had an audience with Premier Doug Ford, Minister Lecce and MPP Michael Ford. During this interaction, they were commended for their tireless efforts in promoting Catholic education in Ontario. The Premier was also presented with an appreciation plaque dedicated to his support of OAPCE as the recognized parent association in the province of Ontario. He was very appreciative of the gesture, especially with the plaque. Despite his busy schedule, he extended warm hospitality to each one of the Directors and invited each one to take individual photos with him in his official Premier’s chair!   As we were leaving the Premier was very insistent of his support for our organization and offered his contact information to the Co-Executive Directors to “call on him for anything you need”, and to keep doing the work that we all do to advocate for parents in the province.  During lunch in the Queen’s Park Regional directors continued to network with local MPPs including Vic Fedeli. It was an exciting experience for all OAPCE Directors, the experience provided valuable insights into the workings of the provincial legislature, many of whom had never experienced a visit to Queen’s Park in the past.  Everyone left Queen’s Park feeling energized about the progress being made in support of Catholic Education in Ontario. 

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OAPCE Statement

News & Events

Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education Statement on Ministry of Education’s “Ontario Strengthening Restrictions on Cell Phones and Vape Devices in Schools”. April 27, 2024, Toronto, ON.As Parents we know that our children are the future, and their future begins in school. Currently there are many distractions taking place all around them outside and inside of the classroom. In keeping with the mission statement of going “Back to the Basics” or rather, getting “Back to the Fundamentals” of academic learning in the classroom, we are happy to support Minister Lecce’s call to restrict cell phone use during critical classroom learning hours. This limited access to the use of cell phones will allow our children to focus on their education which is the priority. We also support tougher measures to prevent the use of vape, tobacco, nicotine and cannabis among students in schools. Together, working with our Parents, Educators and Education Partners, we are confident that the future for our children will be a better and brighter one. Thank you for your continued support.The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education. Read More

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Be An OAPCE Ambassador

News & Events

Would you like to be more involved in Catholic Education? Are you an OAPCE Representative for your school and would like to contribute more to our association? How about being part of our team and representing your region, well then become an OAPCE Ambassador! We are currently looking for parents who can give some of their time who support our mission and vision and can help spread the word of OAPCE as well as help with Regional meetings, our conference and other initiatives – Please fill out the form below:

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Celebrating 85 Years

News & Events, Oapce in action

Join Us in Celebrating 85 Years of Advocacy with OAPCE This 2024, we at the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE) are excited to celebrate a significant milestone – our 85th anniversary. As highlighted in a recent article by John Wilson in the Catholic Register, our journey since 1939 has been one of passionate advocacy and unwavering support for the rights of Catholic education in Ontario. Our upcoming conference, scheduled for April 12-13 at Toronto’s Msgr. Percy Johnson Catholic Secondary School, is more than just a celebration. It’s a pivotal event that honors our past achievements while looking forward to the future of Catholic education in our province. This gathering is a testament to our commitment to uniting parents, educators, and students in our shared goal of enhancing and preserving Catholic education. As Joe Perri and Annalisa Crudo-Perri, our co-executive directors, emphasize, the conference is a crucial platform for bringing together parents from across Ontario. It’s an opportunity to collectively celebrate our achievements and to reinforce our commitment to Catholic education. Our role extends beyond this event. We are dedicated to helping parents navigate the complexities of educational policies and advocating for the broader success of Catholic education in Ontario. We maintain a significant presence in key Ministry of Education initiatives, ensuring that the voice of Catholic education is heard. As we look to the future, our focus is on increasing direct engagement with parents. We understand the importance of personal connections and are eager to meet parents one-on-one, strengthening our community. We invite you to read more about our journey and the significance of our upcoming conference in the full article here. Join us in this celebration and contribute to shaping the future of Catholic education in Ontario. Your support and participation are crucial in continuing our legacy of advocacy and success.

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SAVE THE DATE

News & Events

SAVE THE DATE!  OAPCE 85: A CELEBRATION OF CHANGE, COMMITMENT & CATHOLIC EDUCATION WHEN: SATURDAY APRIL 13, 2024 WHERE: TORONTO WE ARE HONORED TO ANNOUNCE OUR FIRST GUEST WILL BE HIS GRACE ARCHBISHOP FRANCIS LEO WHO WILL LEAD US IN HOLY MASS.  MORE INFO TO COME MAKE SURE YOU SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DISTRIBUTION LIST TO RECEIVE MORE INFO WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH YOU IN 2024!

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Enhancing Catholic Education

News & Events

In November, we had the honor of attending a meeting with Most Rev. Archbishop Leo at the Head office of the Archdiocese of Toronto. The Archdiocese of Toronto includes the City of Toronto, as well as the surrounding regional municipalities of Peel, York, and Durham, and the northern section of Simcoe County. As advocates for Catholic Education, we had the opportunity to sit down with His Grace and discuss the many wonderful things happening in our school system. We also brought up ongoing issues and concerns that we, as parents in the system, face. We emphasized the importance of respecting our role as the first educators of our children and ensuring that this is valued in all aspects of Catholic Education. We also stressed the significance of being involved in any and all discussions regarding our children. We shared our belief in the importance of faith and explained why we choose to send our children to Catholic Schools – to provide them with an education that is centered around Christ and to seek academic success for all our children. We expressed our gratitude to Archbishop Leo for his unwavering support of parental roles and for his leadership in our faith community. We eagerly look forward to continuing our partnership and feel incredibly honored to foster it with grace and humility. The Archdiocese is currently seeking feedback from all members of the community to guide its pastoral plans. We encourage you to provide your input at the following link: Survey Additionally, we are delighted to share that Archbishop Leo will be leading us in mass and will be speaking at our 85th Anniversary conference in Toronto in April 2024! Further details will be announced soon.

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WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?

Blog, News & Events

WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?  A PARENT TO PARENT POST When Jesus asked the disciples who others said he was, they offered a variety of persons alive and dead. Jesus then asked the disciples directly, who they say He was. The teaching illustrated the importance of identification and mission. What did Jesus say about himself? Ultimately, who’s answer is most important? What’s in a name, a title? The answer to these questions illustrates how important it was, and remains so, to operate under a correct and proper name or title. It presents to others who you are and what you do. So much so, that to falsely represent ones’ self in our society can in certain cases lead to criminal charges. Therefore, as parents and guardians of our children’s wellbeing in school and society, who we and others say we are is critical to understanding the role we have. As parents, we may call ourselves advocates, activists, or lobbyists for our children’s wellbeing. Are these terms all the same, are they equal? When considering each of these, one can accept a degree of similarity while recognising differences exist. I find it useful to look at the very origin of these words to consider what label, or title, I wear on my hat. In my first meeting I heard the term lobbyist applied in a question related to what our function would be as Parent Reps. Unfortunately, I had been listening to some historical political commentary describing the original use of this term and how it was decided on. I also referenced online resources from Merriam-Webster, Britannica and Wikipedia. None of these had anything overly positive to say about lobbyists, except to agree that the parties involved generally aligned with ourselves and the organizations with whom we had intentions to work with. You could look it up yourself… Over the last ten years especially in my memory, the term activist has come into common usage. It seems everyone claims to be an activist on at least one, if not seven different causes. I’ve seen them in YouTube videos, news segments, on interview panels and seminars. Maybe you’re reading this right now!? I’m just joking, but chances are pretty good I’m right. You can be sure I looked up this word too. Unfortunately, what I found confirmed, yet disappointed me in black and white, right there on the page, uh, webpage what I thought about the term activist. You see, the definition specified that activists are willing to use extreme measures in pursuit of their cause. I’d seen this in old videos of the Greenpeace activists in inflatable zodiacs facing off against the whaling fleets of Russia and Japan in the great blue seas around the world. Not bad back then, had a sort of rebellious streak that no-one could resist, except for the corduroy flare-bottom jeans. You see though, I’m just not comfortable about the term “extreme measures”, particularly now in our world facing such turbulence. Finally, we come to the term advocate, and in this, I find peace and satisfaction. Let’s go straight to the good stuff. Like all good Catholics, I love Latin….is that just me? I don’t know a lick of it, but I sure am amazed at how much it has informed our English language. So, advocate comes from the Latin, “ad vocare” or ‘to be called to one’s aid’. Now, if Jesus asked me who I called him from these, I would, with my whole heart, mind, soul and strength, be comfortable to call him…my advocate. We find in this definition, a true purity in action and deed. We are called, invited to this vocation, we do not interject ourselves. We are legally sanctioned to perform this advocacy, we are not illicit in our intentions and methods. We are peaceful in our persuasion, not violent or forceful. The Bible begins with the Book of Genesis, which tells us we are created in the image of God. Towards the end of the Bible, recall how John opened his gospel, to describe the beginning of all time… “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” From these two passages then, I infer that we, created as we are in the image of God, have also the gift of creation from the spoken word, vocare, from ‘vox’, to speak. We then also have the power, in our humility and finite smallness compared to our all-loving God, to bring into existence something good, from our own voice. And so it is with us – what are we to say about ourselves, how are we to act on behalf of our beloved children? Perhaps I am best called an advocate. Who do you say I am? Andrew Scarry, OAPCE Liaison Representative, St. Brendan, Toronto

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85th Anniversary

News & Events

Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE) Unveils New Website and Commemorates 85th Anniversary Toronto, Ontario – October 10, 2023 The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE) is thrilled to introduce its freshly launched website, coinciding with a significant milestone – the celebration of its 85th anniversary. This newly revamped digital hub is designed to empower parents with a wealth of resources, essential information, and advocacy tools while emphasizing the critical role parents hold as the primary educators of their children. Our theme this year is: Celebrate OAPCE 85: A Yearlong Celebration of Change, Commitment and Catholic Education. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary of OAPCE, we recognize the importance of parent leadership in shaping the entire education landscape in Ontario. As part of our celebration, we are excited to unveil our new logo, symbolizing our unwavering dedication to families in Catholic Education. The focal point of this launch is an engaging blog series, featuring a recent article titled “Upholding Parental Rights and Values in Canadian Education.” This blog post delves into OAPCE’s commitment to safeguarding parental voice and authority in education, with a particular focus on parental involvement in family-related school matters. Blog Series Highlights: Upholding Parental Rights and Values in Canadian Education: This article underscores the significance of parental engagement and stresses the need to uphold parental rights, particularly in sensitive family matters. The Voice of Parents: Advocacy, Engagement, and Empowerment: Discover how OAPCE advocates for parental rights, encourages active involvement, and empowers parents to have a meaningful say in their children’s education. Love, Values, and Catholic Education: A Commitment to Holistic Growth: Explore OAPCE’s perspective on the role of Catholic schools in promoting love, values, and inclusivity, in accordance with Catholic teachings. Our New Website and Anniversary Logo: Celebrating Parents as First Educators: Get acquainted with the exciting features and resources available on OAPCE’s new website, along with a special anniversary logo that symbolizes the enduring partnership between parents, schools, and the community. Quotes from the Article: Preserving Parental Rights and Values in Canadian Education: “We will always be a voice of parents in Catholic schools, as we are mandated in the Education Act and engage, advocate and enhance the gift of Catholic education.” – Joe Perri, Co-Executive Director of OAPCE. As OAPCE, and in the spirit of the Catholic faith, we are committed to working in harmony with our partners in the Catholic School community. We stand by an open door policy and encourage meaningful dialogue and participation with educators, teachers and administrators alike. Together we can ensure the future is brighter and better for all our children. Your Role: OAPCE encourages parents, educators, and community members to share these blogs to ensure that every parent in the community has access to these valuable resources. By amplifying our collective voice, we can empower parents and emphasize the crucial role they play in their children’s education. Stay Connected: Visit the new OAPCE website to access the complete blog series and stay updated on advocacy initiatives, events, and resources. Join us in celebrating parents as the first educators, and let us work together to make a positive impact on our children’s education. About OAPCE: The Ontario Association of Parents In Catholic Education (OAPCE) is dedicated to advancing the role of parents as first educators. We work tirelessly to empower parents, foster collaboration between parents and schools, and advocate for parental rights in Catholic education. For media inquiries or further information, please contact: [email protected]

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