Impressive

It’s great to see French Immersion has been resurrected here after the Northwest Catholic School Board began phasing it out almost a decade ago.
Being bilingual in both official languages obviously is a tremendous asset in a country like Canada—opening doors to future employment opportunities and having a crucial leg up on those applicants who are not.
For the local Catholic board, at least in the short term, offering French Immersion again is a way to boost those all-important enrolment numbers by drawing away students who otherwise would have registered with the Rainy River District School Board.
In the long run, however, it’s the whole community that benefits. When the area’s job fortunes eventually turn around, having French Immersion available could prove very valuable in whether new families choose to relocate here.
Perhaps most impressive, though, is the fact the push to revive French Immersion was parent-driven. It was the “FF Parents for French,” made up of people who went through the initial program here, that asked the board to reinstate it.
By taking the bull by the horns, the group convinced the board a French Immersion program was viable. And other parents clearly agreed—which last week’s registration numbers bore out.
Again, another shining example of what people can accomplish if they put their minds to it.
Let’s hope future enrolment remains strong and French Immersion is offered to students here for many years to come.