Heather Latter
Students entering SK or Grade 1 this fall will have the option to register for the French Immersion program that’s set to be revived at St. Michael’s School for the 2015-16 school year.
Northwest Catholic District School Board trustees last night approved the recommendation from Superintendent of Education Brendan Hyatt that French Immersion be reintroduced at the SK and Grade 1 level here beginning in September.
Hyatt explained the board had been approached by members of the FF Parents for French group back in October requesting the board consider reviving the program.
Having provided more than 50 names of parents interested in enrolling their children in French Immersion, senior board staff committed to undertake a process to determine the viability of reintroducing the program.
They developed a communication strategy to provide information, answer questions, receive feedback, and determine interested.
Surveys were available at both St. Michael’s and St. Francis schools, as well as on the board’s website.
A parent meeting also was held Dec. 11 at St. Michael’s.
The board received 73 completed surveys, with 23 expressing interest to register a child for French Immersion in SK and 18 expressing interest to register a child for Grade 1.
Another 32, whose children were not yet eligible for the program, expressed interest for future years.
Hyatt noted program implementation requires a minimum enrolment of 16 students is necessary to introduce a new class.
“We are very happy,” enthused Aimee Matheson, a member of the FF Parents for French group that pushed for the initial consideration.
“I’m excited that they [the board] have been able to move so quickly on this,” she added, noting their goal was to see the French Immersion program class reintroduced this fall.
“It’s great that we met our goal,” Matheson said.
However, she hopes all the parents who indicated interest in the French Immersion program will follow through and register their children.
“We still risk the program not running if not enough kids sign up,” she stressed, noting the survey only was meant to determine interest and was not a formal registration.
Matheson said parents must register in person at St. Michael’s School from Jan. 26-Feb. 6 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
She added registration is necessary for any students who currently are enrolled at St. Michael’s in the JK or SK early-years program, or for any other families who are interested in enrolling their child in French Immersion.
Hyatt’s report to the board last night noted the potential impact to the budget to reintroduce the program is dependent on final registration.
But he added the recruitment of French Immersion teachers won’t be an issue as the board’s schools here continue to employ qualified ones.
Hyatt also said that once a French Immersion class has been started, it will be permitted to proceed to the end of Grade 8 irrespective of numbers.
“It may be necessary, in some circumstances, to consider combined classes,” he conceded.
Anyone with questions regarding the French Immersion program can contact St. Michael’s School.
