Home & School News, September 2026
🍎 Watch for students on the road
A new school year means that children walk, cycle, or ride a bus to school or travel in their family cars. Passing school buses with red lights flashing is a persistent issue reported by bus drivers across the province. Drivers are reminded to focus on school bus safety as students return to class.
A new government campaign encourages parents and educators to talk to children about bus stop safety -arriving early, staying back from the road, looking both ways, and waiting for a signal from the driver before crossing the road. To learn more about school bus safety and the rules of the road, visit School Bus Safety.
🍎 Update Home and School Contacts
Attention Presidents: Use the Google Form to update this year’s current Home & School executive contact details by Oct. 1st. (https://forms.gle/TB4W9WJuUndDeLPd6)
Attention Treasurers: Submit 2026-2027 Membership fees to the Federation office by Oct. 15th.
E-transfers to: peihsf@gov.pe.ca or mail cheques to: PEIHSF PO Box 1012 Charlottetown PE C1A 7M4
🍎 Semi-Annual Meeting
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Place: Gulf Shore Consolidated School, 185 Hilltop Avenue, North Rustico, PEI
Topics: 1. Youth Health Survey 2025-26 Results = reported by nearly 8,000 PEI students
2. Home & School Networking
***Registration details to follow.
🍎 Executive/Volunteer Training
Experienced facilitators Vicki Bryanton and Stephen Gould will lead Volunteer Training Workshops. These will focus on equipping new and returning Home and School volunteers with the practical knowledge needed to collaborate effectively with school staff and support their school, benefiting all students. Details include:
Monday, Nov 2 Spring Park School, 6 – 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 3 Souris School, 6 – 8 p.m.
Nov. TBD Alberton School, 6 – 8 p.m.
***Registration details to follow.
🍎 What’s on your first Local Home and School Meeting’s Sept./Oct. agenda?
- Add details from this September Newsletter.
- Meet your principal = discuss setting goals for the 2026-2027 school year.
- Welcome new parents to meetings.
- Code of Conduct = Do you understand your responsibilities, your child’s, and your school's responsibilities regarding a code of conduct? Ask your principal for details.
- Cell Phone Use = Review Minister’s Directive
- Brainstorm = Find ways to support your child’s school.
- Fundraising = What is the purpose for raising funds this year? Develop a proposed budget for this school year's initiatives - ask for a motion to approve the budget, ask for a mover/seconder, and write it into the minutes. Your fundraising committee can now proceed with support from the local Home and School. Motions are required for all financial decisions.
- Next Meeting of the Public Schools Branch Board of Trustees: Thursday, September 10, 2026, 7:30 PM, Montague Intermediate School. More details at: https://psb.edu.pe.ca/about-us/board-of-trustees
🍎 Canada’s national tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children.
*Report *Child Sexual Abuse *Online Harms *Research *Campaigns & Media
Cybertip.ca offers a unique lens into new online risks for children and youth. Follow the link to sign up for important info about current trends and emerging technology concerns to help keep your family safe. Click here: Cybertip!.ca
🍎 Back-to-school vaccination reminder
Parents or guardians can contact a local Public Health Nursing office to have their child's immunization record reviewed and to schedule any missed vaccinations. Families are also encouraged to receive recommended seasonal vaccines, including influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, when they become available this fall. More information is available at Childhood Immunizations.
🍎 When parents and teachers communicate with each other, they can collaborate and share ideas from different perspectives in the best interest of the student’s development and success.
Other community news…
~~Dairy Farmers of Canada’s Registered Dietitians = For access to ready-to-use food and nutrition resources developed by Dairy Farmers of Canada’s Registered Dietitians, go to TeachNutrition.ca.
See a catalogue of free resources available in English and French for parents and educators.
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Shirley Smedley Jay
Executive Director
P.E.I. Home and School Federation
PO Box 1012 Charlottetown PEI C1A 7M4
(40 Enman Crescent Rm 121 Charlottetown PEI C1E 1E6)
902-620-3186 / 902-218-8916
https://www.facebook.com/peihsf