Dear Parents and Friends,
First and foremost, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all our students for their incredible stamina and the efforts they are making with their educators to learn from a distance and in staying connected to our School. We also want to thank you, all our parents, our true courageous heroes during this crisis, for being there every step of the way as we all manage to do our best for the education of your children in this new reality. On behalf of everyone at Socrates-Démosthène and the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal, ‘BRAVO’ to you, parents and to our students.
Now that it’s clear that Montreal area schools will be closed until the end of August, our School will refocus its resources in teaching from a distance. Socrates-Démosthène is committed to providing a quality education to all children as they remain at home. Our extraordinary educators will make every effort to continue teaching and assure all our students receive the same education. It is important to note that because of the exceptional circumstances, MÉES has suspended the Régime pédagogique, which prescribes every aspect concerning educational services. In the process, our educators have been directed to focus on the core courses. At the same time we are re-organizing and upgrading our technical equipment in all our campuses to permit our educators to better reach and work with our students at home.
As for our student’s belongings, there will be further opportunities, by invitation, for parents to pick them up from school. More information will be provided by your campus administrators.
On the subject of school fees, since our School has continued to operate despite the closure, tuition fees will not be reimbursed. Credits (reimbursements for students leaving our School), will be offered for service de garde SÉP and transport during the period the School was closed. MÉES has recommended schools wait until the end of the school year before addressing this in order to have the complete portrait of this situation.
As for the school uniform for next year, fitting trials have been cancelled. Our new supplier, Maison d’Uniformes Lemira, is preparing on-line ordering forms that will be available soon.
In addition to the incredible efforts our teachers are making to educate your children from a distance, MÉES will continue to offer tools that could also supplement these efforts. They include:
– The École ouverte website, created by MÉES, where you can choose from thousands of resources to learn, create and have fun with your children.
– The trousses pédagogiques (educational kits) consist of a menu of fun learning activities allowing students to maintain their skills by school level (preschool, elementary and secondary). They will be personalized by Faculty before being transmitted to you.
– Télé-Québec en classe offers original contents to students from prekindergarten to high school on television and on the Web.
Socrates-Démosthène remains part of the radio show Ta Molivia Ston Aera on Mike FM 105.1. Thanks to the collaborative effort by HCGM officials, our Greek teachers, our students, their families and Mike FM, every Wednesday from 12:00-1:00 pm, we can all witness and hear first-hand what makes our School, and particularly our students, so special.
Lastly, please take note that our students’ final evaluation will be based on the first two completed terms. All ministerial exams have been cancelled for this year. MÉES has made it clear that there is no possibility of extending the school year.
We would like to thank our principals, teachers, support staff for their incredible work and dedication during this crisis and acknowledge the wonderful HCGM essential service staff working behind the scenes and express our gratitude to the Board of Directors for their precious support.
Together, we will get through this!
The Director General,
Chris Adamopoulos
