Hooked on School Days
For the past 14 years Hooked on School Days (HSD), held during the third week of February, has mobilized Quebecers around the educational success of young people. This year’s edition takes place from February 11 to 15, 2019.
This event reminds students, parents, school staff, employers, and all provincial and regional stakeholders that they play a vital role in encouraging young Quebecers to stay in school. EMSB Director General Ann Marie Matheson is the chairman of the program. She spoke at the February 11 launch in Verdun. On hand were Minister of Education Jean-François Roberge and football star Laurent Duvernay Tardif, an offensive lineman with the NFL’s Kansas City Chief and a graduate of McGill University’s Medical School, this year’s spokesperson.
Every year, thousands of HSD activities and events take place in schools and municipalities across Québec. Hooked on School Days are held and organized by Québec’s regional consulting authorities (Instances régionales de concertation–IRCs) on student retention and educational success. These IRCs mobilize hundreds of organizations in all regions of Québec around the importance of taking tangible measures to improve the educational success of youth.
This year, the campaign aims to illustrate the power of small gestures – actions anyone can take. When they’re all added up, they can make a real difference in the success of young people, from pre-schoolers to young adults. Whether you’re a parent; a family member; a friend; an early childhood educator; a child care worker; a teacher; a community, school, or employability counsellor; a professional or manager; an employer; or a municipal or provincial elected official, we can all take tangible actions and make commitments that encourage our young people to stay in school and support their educational success.