Education Minister Nancy Allan was joined by the presidents of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society and the Manitoba School Boards Association today to officially launch Education Week 2011.
“Being successful in school is one of the best ways to help children achieve happiness and success in life. It is very important for all of us to work with parents, families and communities to promote education during this dedicated week-long celebration,” Allan said. “We invite Manitobans to join us in acknowledging the contributions of teachers, administrators and trustees to making our school system responsive to the learning needs of children.
This year’s theme T Our Classrooms are the World showcases public education’s strength through diversity. Manitoba’s public schools welcome students from every corner of the globe to classrooms where their language and culture are valued and respected.
Education Week will officially begin with a special event at Dalhousie School in south Winnipeg. This school exemplifies Manitoba public schools’ strength through diversity. Located near the University of Manitoba, the Kindergarten to Grade 6 school serves students and families from around the world. This mini-United Nations believes in the motto, “Our Differences Make Us Strong”.
“Teachers know that public schools, unlike any other place in society, bring together the world,” said Manitoba Teachers’ Society President Pat Isaak. “We know that many people who come to Canada and Manitoba come here for their children. They know that we have diverse and dynamic schools that welcome students and their families.”
Building on the theme of this year’s Education Week, Manitoba School Boards Association President Robert Rivard noted that, “Our classrooms are not only a world of cultural and linguistic diversity. They are also a world of challenges and achievements for our students in academics, the arts and physical education. The partnerships we forge as governments, school boards, teachers and staff, families and communities, help us build a better world and brighter futures for all Manitobans. School boards are proud to be part of that collaboration.”
