Work. Family. Life.

Why I chose not to fly across Canada this week for a Tweetup

If you know me at all; then you will know that I have a love affair that has been going on with Prince Edward Island for about ten years now.  Over the years I have visited PEI, lived there, been part of a small business that operated in Summerside and have generally come to consider myself a Part Time Islander By Choice.  There is little doubt that PEI is my second home.  So when @peihouses and @aprilennis (in above picture) began to coordinate the PEI Tweetup events, it only seemed to make sense that I would hop on a plane from Vancouver to be there.  I enjoyed having the chance to connect with so many of the people that I know or consider to be friends on the Island and felt it was a worthwhile investment in building face to face relationships.

Fast forward to today, to this PEI Tweetup, and you'll find that I won't be there in person tonight.  Why?  Well, that is because life is full of hard choices; especially when you are the owner of a small business.  Having recently made the decision to shift the focus of much of my work and to truly dive into tasks that are necessary, I realized that I would be smarter to invest my time and energy directly in my new business goals and the related planning.  I actually calculated the number of hours that I would lose by flying, sitting in airports and then recovering from the whole travel whirlwind and came to understand that the smart move would be to say "No" for this time.  Not an easy decision due to my strong connection to the Island and to my colleagues and friends who are there.  No, not easy - but smart for me and my business.  So for tonight, I will be content to follow the #PEITweetup hashtag and feel good thatwww.aprilandjane.ca helped to sponsor the PEI Twitter Awards for 2011.  I will also feel content knowing that I made the right decision for me and my business.

Are you the owner of a small business?  What hard decisions have you faced when trying to manage your business?

Early Learning & Child Care Consultations - Really?

Last week (November 17) Minister Doug Currie announced in the PEI Legislature notice of the Early Learning and Child Care Consultations that are currently underway.  He made this announcement with less than one day's notice to the actual consultation meeting that was being held in Charlottetown.  Shortly after, on Twitter, Island parents began asking questions related to what the consultation was all about and why there was such short notice given by the Minister. Parents wondered how they could learn more about what was happening.

Here is an excerpt from the Hansard which outlines what the Minister said.

Is this the only public consultation that is happening with respect to this newly proposed Act? If you are interested in learning more about the proposed Act where do you get more information?  What experts are guiding this consultation process?  How long is the consultatation being held for....or was that it - one night?

Since I am a long time advocate regarding early learning issues on PEI, I decided that I had better check into these issues further.  So, I have tweeted @dougcurrie a number of questions related to the Act.  I am hopeful he will respond.  I also thought it best to see what the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development have posted on their website related to the consultation process. Upon visiting the government webpage for more information I have discovered that there is actually very little content available. A few fact sheets but nothing that explains the actual consultation process.  No timeline.  No guide regarding what to consider.  Not much. The link where one can make comments or suggestions related to the proposed Early Learning & Child Care Act actually takes you to a form where you can report problems related to the PEI government website - it actually has nothing to do with the actual consultation process. Wow...now that's reassuring.  I definately feel like my comments and feedback will make it to the right place.

So, while these consultations may be well intentioned they actually appear to lack information, substance, proper process or much else. This is truly disappointing as these proposed changes (whatever they actually are) will likely have serious impact on the Early Learning & Child Care field, parents and families on PEI.

Is this actually how proper public consultation is done?

Update: The Minister tweeted me this morning with a telephone number for me to call to request more details.  I will do this today.

UPEI - Increased Expectations

 

Kindergartners buckle up in P.E.I. buses

.E.I. kindergartners became part of the provincial school system this September, and it's also the first time school buses have had to accommodate these younger, smaller students.

Transport Canada recommends children under 40 pounds travel in booster seats.

About a third of school buses on the Island are equipped with eight built-in booster seats, complete with seatbelts, that are located at the front near the driver.

Schools have tried to match the kids who need them with the buses that have them. So most but not all children who need a booster seat have one.

While recommended, the special seats aren't legally required. Even without them, the school board said, the buses are safe for the smallest of children.

Kids are learning to buckle themselves

Dale Wilson says the kindergarten children he transports are learning to buckle themselves into the special booster seats. (CBC)But drivers are not supposed to help with the buckling in.

"When you start to bring an individual who is not the parent into that person's space, that close, there are certain concerns," said Grant Canfield, operations supervisor with the Eastern School District.

Canfield also said drivers shouldn't be buckling in the children because they're responsible for securing the vehicle and monitoring traffic among other tasks.

"To leave their seat and to park and delay the process, we've determined it's really not in best interest of the students," Canfield said.

Parents, teachers or older students help those children who need it, but most kids are learning to do it themselves.

"I try to keep the same child in each seat, so it's already adjusted for him," said bus driver Dale Wilson. "Some are getting help, but more are catching on every day and getting better. It's a little harder to get out, but most get into them now."

All new buses that are bought for P.E.I will come equipped with the special seats.

via www.cbc.ca

Does this mean there will be more hungry kids on PEI?

Getting breakfast programs running is a challenge because the province has stopped paying program co-ordinators, some of P.E.I.'s larger schools say .

Forty-eight Island schools receive funding from the province to run breakfast programs. For the past number of years, nine of the larger schools in the Eastern School District have received extra money to hire program co-ordinators.

However, this year the committee that oversees the program decided to stop paying the coordinators.

"It was felt that it wasn't really fair to all programs in the province because only a handful of programs were receiving funds for an on-site co-ordinator," said Charmaine Campbell, co-ordinator of the P.E.I. Advisory Council for Breakfast for Learning.

"Right now, it's just going to be reallocated in a different format, so it'll be more equitable and be distributed to all programs across the province."

via www.cbc.ca

Your job, your bills, your boss, your back, your age, your mortgage, your mother-in-law

The ultimate question: "Why Can't the Government of PEI Consult with People?"

Rob asks the ultimate question: Why Can't the Government of PEI Consult with People?

The new Autism strategy is out - I have no idea whether it is good or bad but I do know that when confronted with this extremely complex issue, the bureaucrats have consulted 2 parents. Yes 2 only?

In spite of claims to have consulted 800 parents for the Preschool Initiative, they in fact only talked direct with 60. 

Again a very complex issue that any wise person would know that they would need to get immersed.

In contrast KETC (a client of mine and a public TV station in St Louis) is about to launch a major online and TV project on Immigration in the US. Like the Early Years and Autism, Immigration is  avery complex issue that is hard to understand without getting immersed. As we began we knew that we knew next to nothing. Starting as seeing ourselves as being ignorant is surely a healthy way to begin any complex work. Here is the scale of our pre project consultation so far:

• Number of people we've talked to:   846
• Number of groups we’ve talked to:  195
• Community organizations: 132
• Ethnic groups:  63

On average, team members speak with respective groups every two-three weeks depending on the group.

For community conversations there is typically an initial contact followed by a scheduled conversation and then follow-up communication

Communication is regularly maintained via e-mail, calls

In addition we are finding the natural leaders in these groups and are inviting them into to act as special advisors who will also have a role online.

This is a tiny station - the bureaucrats have no excuse. There is so much knowledge out there and a great willingness to help and to make a difference. Why is all of this energy excluded?

via smartpei.typepad.com

Join us for Caring Coast to Coast on May 6, 2010 @ Confed Centre of the Arts

 
A new project, focused on supporting employees who juggle work and caregiving responsibilities, launches on May 6, 2010 in Charlottetown. The project entitled, “Winning Strategies to Support Caregivers in the Workplace”, will be announced at the project’s first event, “Caring Coast to Coast”.  The event will be held at Confederation Centre of the Arts in Studio 1 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and will be opened by Verna Bruce, Past Associate Deputy Minister of Veteran Affairs Canada and recipient of the 2008 PEI  Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Administration.  The half day session will be held in an “open space” format allowing opportunities for participants to engage in open dialogue about the realities of managing the issues related to work and caregiving.

Last month, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility .  Using the perspective of not only supporting employees who have caregiving responsibilities outside of work but one of economic necessity, our neighbours to the south have placed a national priority around creating more flexibility within workplaces. John Berry, Director of Personnel Management for the federal government, said, “Flexibility is the new email.  There are those employers that have it, and there are those that will.”  The time has come to understand and address the realities of employees who are stressed and overloaded. The Canadian Caregiver Coalition estimates that 4-5 million Canadians struggle to balance work and caregiving for a family member who is in need of support because of age, disabling medical condition, chronic injury, long term illness or disability. “Winning Strategies to Support Caregivers in the Workplace” will view these issues through both an economic and humanitarian lens. When employees and employers work together to resolve work and life issues, there are significant improvements to customer satisfaction, employee engagement and the bottom line.

Project Coordinator, Jane Boyd, couldn’t be more pleased with the team she has put in place for this project. She states that, “Collectively, our team has over 50 years of experience related to work life issues traversing across family, childcare, eldercare, health and human resources.”  Boyd has been actively involved in the early learning field and family related policy on the Island since 2007.  She is particularly pleased to have Rob Paterson, a leading advisor on social networks and on how human culture operates, serving as a project advisor. Based in PEI, his work flows between organizational design, research and the web 2.0 world. Paterson is pleased to be involved in this innovative project. He says, “The stage is set to utilize social networks and technology in gaining a national perspective around the issues and solutions for Canadian’s juggling work and caregiving responsibilities.” Paterson goes on to state, “Our hope is that we engage the hearts and minds of employers and employees as we venture on this journey of discovery. This journey will encompass the value of social media, collaborative stories and action.” In addition, the project's research partner, University of Guelph’s Centre for Families Work and Wellbeing, will be pivotal in ensuring that the discoveries are solid and useful in creating a less stressful experience for Canadian’s who provide care while employed. The Centre for Families Work and Wellbeing has already conducted extensive research in this area. In addition, they are very familiar with international best practice around this issue.

Members of the Project Team Include:

Jane Boyd - Project Co-ordinator

Dr. Carol Matusicky - Engagement Co-ordinator

   Wendy Creelman - Marketing Co-ordinator

   Robert Paterson - Social Media Advisor

Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program, this three year project will aim to support employers in becoming best practice employers around the dual roles faced by many Canadian’s. By engaging employers, employees and service providers, the hope is that the resulting conversation will create innovative workplace supports, tools and resources that will assist employees who face the dual role of work and caring for their children, elders and other family members.

To register or for more information, please e-mail caringcoasttocoast@gmail.com by May 3, 2010. Space is limited.  You can also learn more at our Caring Coast to Coast Facebook Page.

Happy to be heading to the Gentle Island in one week!

Minister Introduces Amendments to Child Protection Act - PEI

New amendments to the Child Protection Act will ensure the legislation remains current and responsive to the needs of children who are in need of protection said Honourable Janice Sherry, Minister of Community Services, Seniors and Labour.

“There was an overwhelming response of Islanders who came forward to participate in the review and we would like to thank the many individuals and groups who made presentations, wrote submissions, and took part in the public and private consultations,” said Minister Sherry. “ I am confident the proposed amendments will help strengthen our ability to protect Island children from abuse and neglect.”

Comprehensive public consultations were held across the province by the Prince Edward Island Child Protection Act Review Advisory Committee. In addition, individuals and groups were invited to participate through written submissions either on-line, by email or mail. The report from the Advisory Committee highlighted the voices of many parents, families, professionals, community organizations, the aboriginal community, and child and family services staff.

The proposed amendments for the Child Protection Act include:

• clarifying the definition of a child to persons under 18 years or age;

• reordering the sections of the Act to follow service delivery;

• replacing the term “child welfare” with “child protection”;

• notifying a designated band representative for all child protection interventions with aboriginal children;

• including the involvement in, or exposure to, child pornography as a condition for a child to be in need of child protection; and

• lengthening the period of time between mandated reviews of the Act from three to five years.

The Child Protection Act provides the Department of Community Services, Seniors and Labour the legal authority to intervene for the protection of Island children from abuse and neglect.

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via www.gov.pe.ca

Parents for Choice & Quality file FOIPP Request regarding autism issues on PEI

The following Freedom of Information (FOIPP) Request  was submitted to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development by Parents for Choice & Quality Society.

Parents for Choice and Quality Society
Re: Autism FOIPP Request
April 16, 2010

About the information you want to access:
1. What records do you want to access?

a. Please provide a copy of the review of provincial autism services performed for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development by HRA Associates, along with the original RFP request.

b. Please provide a breakdown of the costs incurred in the development of this review (item A).

c. Please provide a copy of all correspondence (including electronic) between the Province of Prince Edward Island and HRA Associates regarding the autism services review/development of a provincial autism strategy.

d. Please provide a copy of the current autism strategy used by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and any policies flowing from the strategy document.

e. Please provide a summary of expenditures on autism services broken down by client age group (preschool, school age, adult) by the Province of Prince Edward Island for the fiscal years 2004/2005 through to 2009/2010.

via choiceandquality.wordpress.com

PEI Kindergarten transition into public school system

April 16, 2010

MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT EXCITED TO WELCOME KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Kindergarten teachers have been welcomed into the public school system by their future coworkers with an overwhelmingly positive response as demonstrated by last night’s vote by the members of the PEI Teachers Federation (PEITF), said Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Doug Currie.

       “This is an important step forward in our kindergarten transition process,” said Minister Currie.  “This means that we will be able to answer a number of questions that have been on the minds of many parents, kindergarten teachers and school board officials. I am very pleased that this step in the process is complete and we can move forward to continue to strengthen our educational system, which will support our one island community and one island future.”
       This agreement means that school boards can now issue offer letters to successful kindergarten teacher candidates. These kindergarten teachers will be able to provide letters to the UPEI Registrar’s Office in order to be officially accepted into the new B.Ed. Program.
       School boards will assign kindergarten teachers to schools based on the needs of the students; the skills and experience of the team in the school; and, as much as possible, the school preferences provided by the candidate.  Once kindergarten teachers are assigned to schools, they will be contacted by their principal as soon as possible to begin preparing for the arrival of students in September. That preparation includes scheduling the Welcome to Kindergarten sessions, which will give parents and kindergarten students the opportunity to meet their teacher.
       “I am excited about bringing kindergarten into the public school system.  This is the largest educational initiative in the modern history of our province and I am proud to be a part of it,” said Minister Currie.  “I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new kindergarten teachers.  I know their expertise and experience in early learning will be a terrific asset to our Island’s public school system.”

       Some terms of the agreement with the PEITF include:
•       The new kindergarten teachers will operate under a letter of authority from the Certification and Standards Board until they complete their B.Ed. and receive teacher certification.
•       Kindergarten educators will have limited mobility.  They will be restricted to transfer solely to other kindergarten positions for a minimum of three years and those who do not have a B.Ed. will not be eligible to teach other grades until they become a certified teacher.
•       Kindergarten educators who currently have a B.Ed. will not be able to teach outside of kindergarten until 2013/14.  During this time, they will receive first consideration for any positions that are going to be open to the public.
•       Bilingual early childhood educators  will have an opportunity to compete for French and French immersion kindergarten teacher positions.
•       During the next three years, any kindergarten position not filled by the kindergarten educators will be open to transfer for teachers in Grades 1 through 12.

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For more information, contact Maureen Flanagan-LeClair, Education and Early Childhood Development by email at mxflanagan-leclair@gov.pe.ca or phone (902) 368-6449.

CBC News - Prince Edward Island - Childcare needs urgent, says Opposition

While the P.E.I. government has been focused on moving kindergarten into the school system, the province's early childhood education system is in danger of coming to pieces, says the Opposition.

The Progressive Conservatives focused on daycare in question period as the legislature returned for the spring session Wednesday. Since 2000, when kindergarten was first publicly funded on the Island, daycares have received government subsidies for teaching kindergarten. In September, those children are moving into the schools, and many businesses say they will miss that revenue.

"It's a huge concern. There's right now a risk of 30 to 35 centres that may be closed as early as June," said Opposition leader Olive Crane.

"We've been trying to get attention - for the parents, for the facility owners, for the staff across P.E.I. - for the last two years, and this government seems to not understand the crisis that's facing them."

No money has yet been set aside to help early childhood centers, but Minister of Education Doug Currie said there is some coming.

"There will have to be an investment. I don't have an exact figure," said Currie.

"Right now there's a volume of work that's being done, the impact analysis on the [money from five-year-olds being] taken out of the sector."

Currie said the government is also aware there is a need to look at somehow increasing wages for early childhood educators.

Crane said she is surprised by what she calls a lack of planning in early childhood education, and said it should be part of government 's whole prosperity strategy. Quality daycare, she said, is an essential component of getting people to work.

"We've seen a number of glossy documents," she said.

"Islanders, especially parents, employers have come to us as well, [and said] we need affordable, accessible childcare."

Currie said he can't make any commitment right now because the budget, which will not be delivered until later in the month, is still being written.

via www.cbc.ca

Spring sitting of PEI Legislature

Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island

The Spring 2010 sitting of the Third Session of the 63rd General Assembly will open at 2:00pm on April 7, 2010.

April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day

April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day and a time to reflect on the many challenges and opportunities faced by individuals living with Autism.

World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is an annual day of awareness set aside by the United Nations to recognize the reality of Autism Spectrum Disorder faced daily by millions of people all over the world.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder affected by genetic and environmental factors, characterized by problems in communication, social development and behaviour. Over 200,000 Canadians and more than 35 million people worldwide are directly affected by Autism. New research by the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates the rate of prevalence of Autism in children as low as 1 in 110.

On Prince Edward Island today there are hundreds of families living with Autism ranging in age from preschoolers to seniors. Some have been diagnosed and are accessing supports while others still are waiting for diagnosis or have not been diagnosed at all and are accessing no supports.

“Autism is a life long condition found in people of all ages and backgrounds from children to adults to seniors,” says Nathalie Walsh, Executive Director of the Autism Society of Prince Edward Island. “One of the many challenges presented by Autism is ensuring that the proper supports are in place to help people living with Autism to reach their full potential as individuals with dignity regardless of their age. As awareness and education about Autism grows there are more opportunities for families, governments and the community to partner on ways to improve the tools available to achieve these goals,” said Walsh.