ATELIERS PORTE-CLS

1) Category:
Local program
2) Issues Behind the Program:
The ATELIERS PORTE-CLS is an initiative stemming from broad-based
joint action by local stakeholders (16 partners) around the need to
create school-family-community synergy conducive to the academic
success of children in vulnerable circumstances.
There was consensus that children who are struggling in school,
academically as much as socially, must, as soon as they begin
elementary school, receive effective special support so that their
difficulties do not become chronic. Joining forces with parents is the
key to success.
3) Objectives:
Parents
o Equip parents in terms of academic practices (introduce them to
different educational methods and the contextualization of their
childrens learning);
o Equip parents in terms of instrumental practices (establishing a
routine, creating the proper environment, planning tasks,
identifying motivational strategies);
o Foster parents feelings of competence and self-esteem;
o Foster parents involvement in their childrens academic success;
o Improve school team-parent communication.
Cycle One elementary school children

o Develop an interest in and motivation for reading and writing

and develop appropriate tools;
o Develop self-esteem, motivation and work methods that foster
success.
This factsheet was taken from the following website: www.coeureaction.qc.ca.

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 School environment and community

o Improve school teams knowledge of community resources;
o Strengthen community partnership and commitment with
respect to the academic success of elementary school children.
o Solidify the
community.

relationship

between

family,

school

and

4) Environment

Disadvantaged elementary schools (cole Ore-des-Cantons, Pavillon

Notre-Dame in Waterloo and cole Ave Maria in Granby) of the Val-desCerfs School Board.

Maison des familles de Granby et Rgion and Espace famille in Waterloo.

5) Target Group

Students whose profile corresponds to the following criteria:

o 1st and 2nd Grade students in vulnerable circumstances
o No support at home and inadequate conditions for academic
success;
o Do not do their homework, have trouble doing it, or are at risk of
failure. No homework assistance.

The parents of these children

The school environment and the community

6) Key words:

Ateliers Porte-Cls, coeuraction, school-family-community partnership,

local program, parent involvement, academic success, student
persistence.

This factsheet was taken from the following website: www.coeureaction.qc.ca.

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7) Description:

The program is designed for the parents of 1st and 2nd Grade students in
vulnerable circumstances. Its purpose is to develop parent involvement
by providing parents with support, equipping them to help their children
do homework and assignments, improving their supervisory skills and
giving them confidence in their parenting skills and in their childrens
learning skills.

For the children: after-school workshops on self-confidence, accepting

differences, self-respect and respect towards others, positive
communication, collaboration, self-esteem, love of learning, persistence,
the importance of reading, and management of emotions and stress.

For the parents: workshops with the parents and other workshops that
include their children. The themes explored during these workshops are:
communicating with the child and the school, parent-child games, selfesteem, psychomotor development, fun with books, and stress
management.

Different meetings and follow-up also take place between the

participants as well as with the school board, school principals, teachers
and other members of the school community in order to clarify
expectations and identify opportunities for collaboration.

8) Steps:

The steps are fairly similar from one school to another. Parent workshops
may vary according to the parents needs and level of knowledge.
However, there are certain general steps that should be followed in
creating the framework for the program:
I.

Meet with community partners to clarify expectations and identity

opportunities for collaboration.

II.

Meet with school principals to clarify program objectives and

requirements as to the target group.

III.

Present the program to school teams.

IV.

Meet with different community players to identify opportunities

for collaboration and possible referral mechanisms.

V.

Identify the children whose profiles match program criteria.

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VI.

Present the program to the parents of the targeted children to

obtain the parents consent and commitment.

VII.

Moderate 80 workshops (program prepared by the Maison des

familles) consisting of three 90-minute workshops per week with
the targeted children (8 to 10 children per group).

VIII.

Moderate six meetings with parents and two meetings with parents
and their children.

IX.

Ensure follow-up with the school principals every two weeks and,
if necessary, with the school team (social worker, psychoeducator,
etc.).

X.

Ensure follow-up with every teacher regarding academic and

behavioural progress and the childrens achievement of program
objectives.

XI.

Organize a festive activity for Christmas and the end of the school
year.

XII.

Poll the parents on their satisfaction.

XIII.

Obtain feedback from the teachers.

XIV.

Support the parents in their requests at school and/or at parentteacher meetings.

9) Activities/Actions:

Workshops with the children: After-school workshops. Eighty workshops

with the targeted children (three 90-minute workshops per week).
Themes explored: self-confidence, accepting differences, self-respect
and respect towards others, positive communication, collaboration, selfesteem, love of learning, persistence, the importance of reading, and
management of emotions and stress. The workshops are divided into four
parts: snack, motor skills, homework and assignments, games.

Workshops with the parents: Six two-hour meetings with the parents.
Themes explored: communicating with their children and the school,
parent-child games, self-esteem, psychomotricity, fun with books, and
stress management.

This factsheet was taken from the following website: www.coeureaction.qc.ca.

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Workshops with parents and their children: Two two-hour parent-child

workshops, one on the importance of having fun with your child and the
other on parental difficulties.

Follow-up with school principals (and, if necessary, with the special

education technician and psychoeducator): follow-up twice a month
between the MFGR workers and the principals.

Follow-up with teachers: follow-up with the teachers regarding the

childrens academic and behavioural progress and achievement of
program objectives.

10) Resources Required:

Human resources:
o Maison des familles de Granby et Rgion (MFGR) program
coordinator
o Social worker (MFGR)
o MFGRs executive director
o CIUSSS: Technical and professional support in the field of
vulnerablity
o Interns (Cgep de Granby Haute-Yamaska)
o Support for the targeted children from non-teaching
professionals in school
Infrastructure:
o Rooms (Maison des familles de Granby et Rgion)
o Rooms in the targeted schools
Financial and material resources:
o Photocopies (schools)
o Fonds Russite ducative (CR Montrgie Est for most of the
funding)
o Fonds PARSIS (in 2014) CR Montrgie Est for most of the
funding)
o 5% of total revenues (Commission scolaire du Val-des-Cerfs)
o Worker training (Val-des-Cerfs School board and Maison des
familles)
11) Roles of the Participants:

Maison des familles de Granby et Rgion (MFGR) social workers

o See to program coordination and pedagogical follow-up.

This factsheet was taken from the following website: www.coeureaction.qc.ca.

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o Moderate the workshops.

o Meet, train and follow-up with the CGEP interns.
o Offer individualized support tailored to the needs of the children
and the parents.
o Participate in the childrens PSI (individual follow-up plan).

MFGRs executive director

o Ensure the overall management of the program and financial
oversight.

Monitoring and evaluation committee

o Monitor program progress and validate all the tools produced as
part of the evaluation process.

Interns
o Support the family workers and learn to work using a positive
approach.

School team
o Participate in selecting the children who are struggling

School principals
o Ensure follow-up and arrange for bimonthly meetings with the
MFGR social workers.

School community partners

o Facilitate monitoring of the children in difficulty as they move
through the service network.
o Work together to promote student persistence and the success of
the program.
o Facilitate community networking to create ties conductive to
family-school-community success.

Scientific Basis of Validity:

An evaluation report, available online, was produced by Diane Daviau,

Planning, Management and Evaluation Consultant at Soutien Gestion
OBNL.

The targeted outcomes are based on the determinants of student

persistence. These determinants are documented and acknowledged by
researchers and experts who use varied and complementary approaches.
These determinants were also chosen and documented by Runir Russir
(R2) taking into account that they have undergone rigorous evaluation

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and have yielded the most significant measurable outcomes in terms of

countering dropping-out or fostering student persistence.1

Effects on personal factors conducive to academic and social success:

o Parents have observed very substantial and positive changes in
their children, especially in their ability to express themselves
adequately with adults and with other children.
o The children also have better control of their emotions and more
self-confidence, and are better organized in their schoolwork.
o The children have also made great strides academically (reading,
writing and mathematics).

Effects on family factors conducive to academic and social success:

o The workshops have had sizable positive impacts on parents
patience, on their ability to motivate their children, on how much
they know their children, and on their confidence in their
parenting skills.

Effects on school factors conducive to academic and social success:

o The workshops have had largely positive impacts on parents
knowledge of how the school works and of the resources that can
help them.
o School staff are also more aware of other communication
approaches to apply with vulnerable parents.

Effects on social factors conducive to academic and social success:

o Partner involvement provided easier and quicker access to family
services.

12) Protective Factors or Determinants of Success:

Family: Parent attitudes, parent-teacher-school communication.

Child/Student: Academic success in reading, writing and mathematics,

social and affective skills.

Community: Mobilization around academic success.

Pour agir efficacement sur les dterminants de la persvrance scolaire et de la russite ducative.
Reference document. Runir Russir, page 9.

This factsheet was taken from the following website: www.coeureaction.qc.ca.

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13) Program Material:

Maison des Familles de Granby et Rgion website: www.mfgr.org.

Espace Ateliers Porte-cls http://mfgr.org/ateliers-porte-cles/

14) Additional Information:

The information in this factsheet was taken in part from the evaluation
report, available online.

15) Contact:

Maison des Familles de Granby et Rgion

162, rue St-Charles Sud, Granby (Qubec) J2G 7A4
info@mfgr.org
(450) 776-2232
Line Lambert, Executive Director l.lambert@mfgr.org

This factsheet was taken from the following website: www.coeureaction.qc.ca.

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