Over 50 families gather at the annual Association québécoise pour l'éducation à domicile “Not Back to School Picnic”

Jude Osmond

The Not Back to School Picnic is an annual event hosted by AQED (Association québécoise pour l'éducation à domicile) for parents new to home education. The picnic allows new homeschooling parents to socialize with experienced parents and get information and advice.

This year's edition took place on Thursday, September 3, at Lac Leamy beach and drew over 50 families, both new and experienced, who socialized and enjoyed food brought by the parents. Association members were open to donating used schoolbooks and other materials to help new homeschooling parents for their upcoming year.

“The objective of the picnic is to regroup after a long summer and welcome the new families,” said Émilie Salesse Gauthier, the Outaouais regional representative of AQED. “We have a nice social gathering before the school year starts.”

AQED is a non-profit association founded by homeschool parent educators who support each other by organizing activities and conferences to reach families in need of homeschooling support in Quebec.  AQED was founded in 1997 in support of and in defence of homeschooling and has since worked to inspire and inform parent educators across the province.

“The message we are extending to new parents is that we know it’s a challenging moment for them, but we are a tight community, here to support one another and to welcome them,” Gauthier said.

With the school year around the corner, ADEQ is always looking for new members and preparing for another active year of homeschooling.