Registration Booklet for Conference 2019 is out NOW!
When: Friday, April 5th, 2019 to Saturday, April 6th, 2019
Where: HWDSB EDUCATION CENTRE, 20 Education Court, Hamilton, ON
Why: Break down Barriers to Achieving ‘The Best for Each Student’
Each of us is an ADVOCATE for students
Parents are active partners with the EDUCATION system
Effective COMMUNICATION is critical
INVITE EVERYBODY
This is a community event, designed to welcome all parents, and learn to become an advocate in your community.
Our greatness comes when we appreciate each other’s strengths, when we learn from each other, when we lean on each other. Michele Obama
REGISTER NOW
IF you are interested in participating as a Displayer or Sponsor, click here for the application or email HWCouncil@gmail.com
Awards presented by OFHSA
Here is the newly developed award be presented in 2019!
The Ontario Federation of Home and School Associations Inc. wishes to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional qualities in Citizenship. This award is for a student who demonstrates a concern for the betterment of society at school and in the community. This concern should be shown by having a helpful and considerate attitude towards classmates, teachers, and staff and by being involved in extracurricular activities, training programs and/or community service.
CRITERIA:
- The Association must be in good standing
- Previous Citizenship Award winners are not eligible
- The student does not need to be the child of a Home and School member
- Students must attend a school where there is an active Home and School Association
To be nominated the student must demonstrate some or all of the following:
- A helpful and considerate, respectful attitude toward classmates, teachers and other staff.
- An involvement in extracurricular activities.
- An involvement in community activities and training programs.
In 1967, the Olive E. Glaubitz Awards were introduced. Nine citizenship awards of $50.00 each were presented, to one student in each Home & School area in Ontario. These awards were originally made possible through contributions from associations and councils in memory of Mrs. Glaubitz, a past-president of OFHSA, and they continued for a time through generous donations from her son.
The Citizenship Awards were reintroduced in 1981 and continue to be presented. Eight provincial awards of $100.00 each for Grade 5 through Grade 12 are presented annually to students chosen from nominations submitted by school staff, the Home and School association or the student council. These awards are supported by the funds received for Life Memberships presented by Associations and Home & School Councils.
Col. R. S. McLaughlin Memorial Award
This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding service to education by fostering co-operation between parents and teachers and by promoting understanding between the home and the school. This award is meant for Home & School members who have made a significant contribution to the Federation at the provincial level. The nominees must be serving or have served a full term on a minimum of two of: Home & School Association executive, Home & School Council executive, a Regional Board executive, or the OFHSA Board of Directors as either an executive or on a Board of Directors committee.
The award was named the Col. R.S. McLaughlin Memorial Award to recognize an endowment from the McLaughlin family. Mrs. McLaughlin served the Ontario Federation of Home and School Associations for many years, including as president from 1931 to 1936.
This award was introduced in 1989-90 and is presented to an educator who has demonstrated in an exceptional way her or his support for parental involvement in education through the Home & School organizations. Nominations may be submitted by Associations, Home & School Councils, Regional Boards, or the OFHSA Board of Directors.
Awards presented to Members
Volunteer Skills Portfolio (VSP)- Ada Courtice Certificate of Leadership and Learning and pin
Often Home and School members downplay the importance of the volunteer work they are doing and fail to recognize the skills that they are learning. This portfolio is meant to help individual Home and School members track their activities and earn recognition for their accomplishments. Through the Volunteer Skills Portfolio, members will recognize what they have achieved, appreciate an impressive skill set and use these talents to take on new challenges with confidence.
To complete the program, a member must participate in a minimum of 15 activities that combine communication, leadership, advocacy and community involvement. In order to receive the Ada Courtice Certificate of Leadership and Learning, the completed Record of Accomplishments must be submitted to OFHSA’s Awards Workgroup. Specific details are listed in the Volunteer Skills Portfolio.
Get started! Return a completed Registration Form to the OFHSA office. Once received, a Volunteer Skills Portfolio will be sent to the member.
Resources & Forms
Resources are available below or may be requested by contacting the Ontario Federation of Home and School Associations office.
OFHSA Resources and Recognition Pins list and order form
Staples Copy & Print Business Discount Program
Videos
Templates
Guidelines
- Association Guidelines
- OFHSA Guidelines for Electronic Voting
- Home & School E-mail Guidelines
- Brand and Visual Identity Standards- OFHSA
- Executive Skills
Finance
- Financial Practices for H&S Associations
- Financial Guidelines for H&S Councils
- Association Expense Reimbursement form
- About Charitable Donations
- Verification of Financial Statements
- Claiming HST Refunds
- Fundraising Guidelines
- Federation Finances
Membership
- Membership Cards
- Membership Envelopes
- Executive Contact Information form
- Association Membership List
- Association Membership Summary
- H&S Association Membership form
- Association Life Membership form
- Council Life Membership form
- OFHSA Membership
- Alumni Membership
- Recognizing Outstanding Service
- Membership Challenge
Brochures
- Advocacy: How OFHSA Members Make a Difference
- All About OFHSA
- OFHSA promotional brochure (full colour)
- Congratulations! You have a Home & School Association
- Parents, Teens and Parties
- Promote Parent Voice
- Safe Travel to School
- OFHSA Workgroups
- Federation Volunteer Form
Information Sheets
- OFHSA Liability Insurance Coverage
- EQAO Information Sheet
- OSR: Ontario Student Record
- Representing OFHSA on Committees
- Tips for Home & School Association Executives
- Home & School Webpages
- Home & School and CASL
- Personal Information
- H&S and Social Media
- The Home and School Song
- Teacher Labour Disputes
- Working Together & Conflict Management
- Engaging Parents at the School Level
- Leadership Planning and Training
- Conflict of Interest
Translated Documents
With the assistance of two Parents Reaching Out (PRO) grants from the Ministry of Education OFHSA was able to have documents translated into fourteen languages.
The documents: OFHSA Promotional brochure, You Asked about Membership, EQAO Information sheet and OSR Information sheet.
The languages: Arabic, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu and Vietnamese.
In addition, the Liability Insurance Coverage brochure was translated into Arabic, French, Korean, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Urdu and Vietnamese.
These documents are available in electronic format and hard copy. Please contact the office.
Home & School Pins
Use pins to show recognition for volunteer Home & School members!
OFHSA offers a selection of membership pins and awards to members. Descriptions and pictures are in the Recognizing Outstanding Service brochure.
Home & School Life Memberships
Application forms for H&S Association and H&S Council Life Memberships are available in the “Resources and Forms” section of the For Members page.
Home & School Association Life Membership – $50
- Includes certificate and 1/2” round pin (gold and blue)
- Purchased by a H&S Association to show appreciation for a member, principal, staff member or another individual who has made a significant contribution to the association
- The Life Member no longer has to pay the annual membership fee at that association and has full membership rights including voting and insurance privileges (this is an individual membership)
Home & School Council Life Membership – $50
- Includes certificate and oval pin ( 7/16″ x 3/4 “)
- Purchased by a H&S Council to show appreciation for an individual who has made a significant contribution to the council. This is a non-voting membership, but the individual may receive mailings as directed by the H&S Council.
To order pins and/or Life Memberships contact:
Ontario Federation of Home and School Associations
51 Stuart Street
Hamilton ON L8L 1B5
905-308-9563 or info@ofhsa.on.ca
The proceeds from the sale of Home & School Life Memberships and pins support the OFHSA Citizenship Awards program.
Other Recognition of Achievements
Ada Courtice Certificate of Leadership and Learning
- Presented to a Home & School member who has completed the requirements of the Volunteer Skills Portfolio program.
- Completed the minimum 15 activities (with at least 3 in each category).
- Verified by that member’s Association, H&S Council or Regional Board.
- The program is administered and certificates are issued by the OFHSA Awards Workgroup.
Trillium Service Pin
- Jeweler’s quality, white enameled trillium with an amethyst above.
- Used to show appreciation for efforts on the OFHSA Board of Directors.
Association Mailings
February 2019 Association Mailing
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- Letter to Members from the President
- Recognizing Outstanding Service brochure
- OFHSA Resources and Recognition
- Representing Your Association at the OFHSA Conference & Annual Meeting
Annual Meeting Documents
- Draft Annual Meeting Agenda
- Notice of Motion- OFHSA Fees
- Annual Meeting Package 2019
- OFHSA’s Book of Annual Reports
- Draft Annual Meeting Minutes 2018
January 2019 Association Mailing
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- Federation Awards
- OFHSA Workgroups
- Federation Volunteer Form
- Conference Registration Package
- Online Registration for Attendees
- Online Association Summary Form
December 2018 Association Mailing
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- OFHSA Citizenship Award nomination forms
- Working Together & Conflict Management
- Conflict of Interest
- Teacher,Staff Appreciation
- Engaging parents at the School Level
- Alumni Membership Brochure
November 2018 Association Mailing
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- OFHSA Conference 2019 Flyer
- Association Bylaws (Templates)
- Council Bylaws (Templates)
- Association Guidelines
- H&S Webpages
- H&S Associations and Email Guidelines
- H&S Social Media
- Personal Information
- H&S CASL
October 2018 Association Mailing
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- OFHSA Educator Award
- Col. R. S. McLaughlin Memorial Award
- Volunteer Skills Portfolio
- Executive Contact form
- Membership List
- Association Membership Summary
- Association Financial Verification
- OFHSA Year in Review Annual Report
- Executive Skills
- About Municipal Elections
- Safe Travel to School
- OFHSA Liability Insurance Coverage
- Fresh from the Farm
August 2018 Association Mailing
Membership Kit
- Letter to Membership Chair
- Association Membership List form
- Association Membership Summary form
- Executive Contact Information form
- Home & School Association Membership form
- Association Insurance form
- Membership Challenge
- Updates to the OFHSA Policy Document
- Policy Flyer
- Special Announcement
July 2018 Association Mailing
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- Membership Challenge
- Promote Parent Voice
- Recognizing Outstanding Service
- Special Announcement
June 2018 Association Mailing
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- Special Announcement
- Executive Contact Information form
- Draft Annual Meeting Minutes
- The OFHSA Bulletin– June Conference Edition
May 2018 Association Mailing
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- Strategic Plan Forums Events
- OFHSA Announces Elected Officers 2018-19
- Safe Travel to School
- Leadership Planning and Training
April 2018 Association Mailing
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- Conference Flyer
- Parent Engagement Month
- Booster Awards
- Anniversaries
- Interested in being a Board of Director
March 2018 Association Mailing
- Table of Contents
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- From the Desk of the President
- Conference Registration
- Interest in Board of Directors
- OFHSA Workgroups
- Federation Volunteer Form
Annual Meeting Documents
- Draft Annual Meeting Agenda
- Notice of Motion- OFHSA Fees
- Annual Meeting Package 2018
- OFHSA’s Book of Annual Reports
- Draft Annual Meeting Minutes 2017
February 2018 Association Mailing
- Table of Contents
- Join OFHSA Mailing List
- Conference Registration
- Membership Survey, response due February 21st
- Association Guidelines
- Working Together & Conflict Management
- Engaging Parents at the School Level
- H&S and Social Media
- Letter from the Minister
January 2018 Association Mailing
Meeting Dates 2017-2018
- Executive Committee- May 2018
- Annual Meeting- April 2018
- Executive Committee- April 2018 (Conference)
- Board of Directors- April 2018 (Conference)
- Executive Committee- March 2018
- Board of Directors Special Meeting- February 2018
- Board of Directors- January 2018
- Executive Committee – December 2017
- Board of Directors – October 2017
- Executive Committee- September 2017
- Board of Mangers- August 2017
Meeting Minutes 2016-2017
- Board of Directors- June 2017
- Executive Committee- May 2017
- Annual Meeting- Draft April 2017
- Executive Committee- April 2017 (Conference)
- Board of Directors- April 2017 (Conference)
- Executive Committee- March 2017
- Board of Directors- January 2017
- Board of Directors Special Meeting- January 2017
- Executive Committee – December 2016
- Board of Directors – October 2016
- Executive Committee- September 2016