Memories from the 2024 Luncheon
The weather was beautiful on the last Saturday in May—and perfect for a celebration of the year’s exceptional volunteers. Close to 70 people gathered at the Novotel in Ville St. Laurent for the QFHSA’s annual awards event. Members of the QFHSA staff and board of directors welcomed Home and School members from schools on the island of Montreal and beyond along with a number of special guests.
The QFHSA is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s major awards:
Ginette Sauvé-Frankel, Leslie N. Buzzell Award
Ginette Sauvé-Frankel is a long-time QFHSA board member and advocate for our children.
Heidi Yetman, Gordon Paterson Award
Heidi Yetman is the President Designate of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.
Melanie Hogan, Lewis Peace Prize
Melanie Hogan is the principal of Poltimore Elementary.
Angel Johnson (Westwood High) and Tracy Witzke (St. Patrick Elementary),
Dual Recipients of the Home and School Volunteer of the Year Award
Editor Cris Baluch and her team at Forest Hill Elementary Home and School received the Newsletter Award for “The H&S Scoop,” a lively and engaging publication.
The excellent efforts of Membership Chair Anita Tso and the Westwood High Home and School team received the Membership Award for the remarkable success of their membership recruitment efforts.
This year, local Home and School Associations recognized 46 Golden Torch leaders as well as 72 Unsung Heroes.
Attendees at our ’24 Awards Luncheon listened in rapt attention to the lovely tributes and moving acceptance speeches. Parents often explain that they do all they do at their local Home and School for the benefit of the children and staff. However, there is clearly another group who benefits: the parents themselves. Deep and lasting friendships can be made, as was evidenced by the wonderful camaraderie on display at the awards luncheon.
The QFHSA extends its warmest congratulations to all and thanks all who attended this year’s event.
Memories from our 2023 Awards Banquet
Time for a Party… at Long Last!
The QFHSA’s 2023 Awards Banquet
Could we do it? Could we bring back a venerable tradition that was interrupted by the pandemic? We most certainly could!
On the evening of Friday, May 26th, an enthusiastic crowd of over 100 gathered for the 2023 edition of the Quebec Federation of Home and School Associations’ Awards Banquet. The event, which was held at the Novotel in Ville St-Laurent, united Home and School volunteers from the Eastern Townships, Laval, the Island of Montreal, and points farther west including St. Lazare and Gatineau.
The QFHSA was pleased to welcome some very special guests to the event. Noel Burke and Kate Le Maistre, the 2022 Gordon Paterson award winners, were present to finally receive their awards in person. Last year’s awards ceremony was a Zoom affair, of course.
It was great to welcome such a large contingent from the Lester B. Pearson School Board. Joining us were Commissioners Frank di Bello and Allison Saunders; Student Commissioner Kayleigh Paré; Parent Commissioners Alaina Charszan and Marium Hasanie; as well as Chair Judith Kelley. Also in attendance were a couple of alumni from the QFHSA board of directors, Liette Chamberland and Renate Sutherland. Renate is the current president of the Quebec Provincial Association of Retired School Educators. Other special guests included Cameron Gray of the Quebec Association of Geography Teachers and Global Educators and Katherine Korakakis, president of the English Parents’ Committee Association.
On the evening’s busy agenda were cocktails, dinner, an awards ceremony, and dancing! Our emcee as Board Member Leah Trineer, who took a break from her treasurer duties to welcome our guests and guide us through the evening’s activities.
The awards ceremony began with the presentation of this year’s major awards. Attendees heard about the impressive accomplishments of our prize winners:
Leslie N. Buzzell Award: QFHSA President Rosemary Murphy
Gordon Paterson Award: Jennifer Baltuonis, music teacher at St. Patrick’s Elementary
Volunteer of the Year: Nicole Fischer Gasser, Butler Elementary Home and School Association
Pat Lewis Environmental Award: Macdonald High School’s Bee Team
Newsletter Award: Cedarcrest Elementary Home and School Association (Nadia Piluso, Editor)
And then it was time to cheer the efforts of the Golden Torch leaders and Unsung Heroes from our local Home and School Associations. Several days after the event, the QFHSA got back in touch with our guests for their feedback. We learned that for most, a highlight of the evening was getting together in person with volunteers from their own Home and School and beyond. One attendee summed up the experience as follows: “Night out with amazing volunteers.” The other major highlight was the awards ceremony. Our guests enjoyed watching everyone receive their awards.
It was a night to remember.