PORTRAIT OF A PARENT
Danica, volunteer parent of Vancouver
To show Parenthèse readers how parents from across the province contribute to their school community, we’re publishing “portraits” of parents who commit themselves in various ways to the community.
My name is Danica Denommé. I have two children, Soleilla Rose and Declyne Selassie, who attend l’école Anne-Hébert in Vancouver, and I also have two stepchildren.
What I do for the school community: I’ve been the President of the parents' association (APÉ) of l’école Anne-Hébert since September 2014. My priority is to continue to foster an environment where each parent and family feels welcome and comfortable in participating in the school community and in sharing their diverse experiences and abilities. I work with a strong team to support our school staff, to ensure that our children have access to activities that help their development. We also ensure the proper functioning of the activities of the parents' association, including events, special projects, and the non-profit after-school daycare called Parasol, which provides the children with a Francophone environment and funds several of our activities.
Why I decided to get involved: When my first child was in kindergarten I was very shy about participating at the school. As a young mother, I had experienced a lot of societal judgment, and I wasn’t confident that the school was a place where I could offer my skills as a volunteer. Despite that, I started helping with social events right away. I wanted to help strengthen the sense of community among families at the school. This is especially important in our Francophone community at l’école Anne-Hébert because families live far away from each other, in separate cities such as Vancouver, Burnaby, and New Westminster. Finally, as President I can help continue the success of previous parents and contribute to our children's education.
What I love the most about our Francophone school: I love the spirit at l’école Anne-Hébert! The building is small, but we have big hearts. Families come from different backgrounds, but we are united by our desire to support one another and foster our children's cultural development. I also value the fact that a large number of our families speak mostly French and are multilingual as well, which adds a richness to the culture of the school. Finally, I admire all the talented people, including the school's staff and the parents.
A proud achievement: In 2015 I started, along with three other parents, a First Nations parents' committee with the support of the First Nations Schools Association of BC, and in June 2016 we hosted the first cultural evening for Aboriginal and Indigenous families, where we shared a meal and learned a local powwow dance.
