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The summer break afforded many of us the opportunity to more fully experience the things that could garner only a fleeting attention during the rest of the year. These can range from the breathtaking beauty of a summer day’s sunset, to the sheer delight of experiencing street music during Montreal’s International Jazz Festival. This past summer also allowed us to reflect on world events and occasionally on personal dramas.
Allow me to share my thoughts on a couple of such examples.
The profound and prolonged recession being experienced by our neighbours to the south has been recently punctuated by economic crises successively being felt in Greece, Spain, Italy and England. Every week, we are reminded of the human toll that is being extracted in the United States as millions of talented, hard-working individuals adjust to the reality of being unemployed or under-employed for up to two or three years. Governments adjust to new fiscal realities imposed by international money-lenders whereby citizens are asked to retire later, pay more taxes and new user fees, and receive fewer services.
With the violent demonstrations that occurred in inner-city sections of London, government policy-makers now question whether the rapid pace of adopting austerity measures has created a significant number of disenfranchised youth. In reviewing government expenditures, education is not spared. In the United States, non- core programs have been slashed, in one jurisdiction collective agreements have been unilaterally set aside, and in another, the school week has been compressed from five to four days in order to reduce pupil transportation costs.
While we have felt similar pressures on education sector funding in Quebec, it has not yet attained the levels found in many other developed countries. All of this to say that, sometimes, we need to look at the other side of the fence to appreciate the significant efforts that are being made to limit cuts to funding of our own education sector.
In terms of personal dramatic event, this past summer unfolded in an unexpected fashion when my wife was suddenly admitted to a hospital for what proved to be a lengthy stay. During that time, I came to observe many similarities between the health system and the education sector.
Despite shrinking funding, a demanding clientele, overburdened staff and increasing needs, employees in both sectors are – for the most part- devoted, committed to providing the best services that they can, and care deeply about their customers. In addition, there is a significant degree of co-ordination, collaboration and communication required between many players in order to assure positive outcomes. Action plans are adjusted and re-adjusted as new evaluations of the recipient are obtained.
I also have a new appreciation of the impassioned, and insistent parent advocates that many of us must deal with. As a patient advocate, I realized that I did not endear myself with the many nurses and physicians who I held accountable in a variety of ways for the diagnosis and treatment of my spouse’s condition. Rather, my focus was of a singular purpose – a positive outcome for my spouse. At the same time, I realized that I had to rely on the expertise and collaboration of all the individuals to whom her care was entrusted.
In that light, we have that same responsibility towards our students – namely, to use our expertise, and to mutually collaborate to ensure success for each and every one of them.
Our recurring challenges remain largely unchanged from those I expressed a year ago, upon assuming the position of Director General:
- We will continue our work on the MESA’s (the Management and Educational Success Agreements between the school board and its schools and centres.) in order to meet the five objectives contained in our Partnership Agreement with the MELS, and in our 2009-14 Strategic Plan.
- We shall pursue the Action Plan on the CFC Consulting Group report to improve departmental process and outcomes with a view to maximizing the time that school and centre administrators can be pedagogical leaders.
- We shall re-assess the programme offerings in our AEVS sector.
- The Organization Chart of Central Office departments shall be re-evaluated.
- We shall complete our consultation process on the consolidation of our network of schools in January 2012.
Of course, none of these initiatives will occur spontaneously. They require dedicated leaders sharing the same institutional values.
Many of our activities are geared to invest in our employees’ leadership – underlining their potential, and promoting the sharing of best practices. In this regard, over the course of the year that lies ahead I am convinced that we shall be successful.
Robert. A. Stocker
Director General Aug. 16, 2011
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