HELLO HOWARD!
Where: On the sidewalk outside the main school doors 30 Marmaduke Ave
When: Thursday, October 10, 2019, starting at 8:15 AM
Why: Because our kids and teachers matter!
Does public education matter to you? Do you want to show your support for our wonderful teachers and oppose further cuts to education?
This Thursday’s Walk-in is more important than ever! October 10th will be a powerful province-wide family day of action to pressure this government to reverse cuts to our schools. The Walk-in at Howard is one of nearly 700 taking place at schools across the province, including within our own neighbourhood at Fern Ave PS, Parkdale Jr. & Sr, Garden Ave PS, and Queen Victoria PS.
Families demonstrated their solidarity with CUPE and as a result, we saw cut funding restored, a strike averted and an infusion of new funding that will result in more supports for our students.
As the teachers’ union negotiate their contracts, we need to stand firm in our collective opposition to cuts to education. These proposed cuts include:
- Removing class caps for grades 1-3
- Removing teachers from kindergarten
- Removing sick days and short-term disability leave for teachers
At our own school, we’re hearing that SEA Claims are on hold, and class budgets will be shrunk, leaving our kids without sufficient materials to work with, like notebooks and pencils. Teachers urge parents and caregivers to start these conversations with them so that we all clearly understand the day-to-day effects.
How Can You Get Involved?
Leading up to October 10:
- Forward this email or write your own message to your child’s class list so that our full community knows about this!
- Donate sidewalk chalk and materials for signs.
- Share info across social media!
- Host a sign-making party with your kids and their classmates! Or just make a sign with your kids to bring to the Walk-in!
- Bake something (nut-free please) to share tomorrow morning.
- Leave sidewalk chalk messages of support across the length of Marmaduke this afternoon and evening.
On October 10th:
- Families will gather beginning around 8:15 AM outside the main entrance to Howard PS (30 Marmaduke Ave). (We will be mindful not to be on school property).
- We will have lots of sidewalk chalk, boards and markers for folks who want to add to their own messages.
- We welcome contributions of nut-free baked goods and/or coffee to share with the community.
- We will show our teachers in attendance that they’re supported by the Howard community.
- At 8:45 AM we will cheer the teachers into the school and then have kids lead a march and chant around the block with their signs. When the bell rings, families will cheer students into the school.
- We will video the sidewalk art and tweet with #walkinforeducation to the Ministry of Education and the Premier.
- Please use your social media presence on October 10 to amplify the event and its message. Use hashtags: #walkinforeducation #nocutstoeducation #cutshurtkids #ONpoli
- If you are a journalist, please consider covering the event for your outlet.
We can help make this Ontario-wide Walk-in a powerful united action to express our collective — and ongoing — support for public education!
Feel free to reach out directly with your questions and comments.
Thanks, friends!
Erin, Jenny, Mandy and Midori
midori.c.miyamoto@gmail.com
Howard Public School Council 