French school info session garners interest

Local parents definitely have shown interest in having their children educated in French as a first language, at least judging by the response at Monday night’s public information session here by the Thunder Bay- based Conseil Scolaire de District Catholique des Aurores Boreales.
“We may have a half-dozen students who will be enrolled as of [Monday] night,” said Alain Godin, local trustee for the school board. “There’s definitely interest.”
According to an agreement with the English Catholic school boards in the region, the French-language board is permitted to open two classrooms in Fort Frances if enough parents choose to enroll their children.
“We’re seeing if there’s people interested in enrolling their kids, and would like to share information for those who may be undecided,” Godin said.
Director of Education Joanne Thibotout-Debnam also was on hand Monday night to field questions and gather data concerning local interest of having French education offered here.
Although optimistic such programming could come here, it ultimately depended on the commitment of parents to apply for their children’s admission.
The minimum number needed is 10 students.
Thibotout-Debnam noted the ideal scenario would be to have 18-20 students, divided into two classrooms.
“This way, we could have two adults, a teacher, and a language monitor for every 10 kids, and have a great variety of programming,” she remarked.
The schooling most likely would take place at St. Michael’s or St. Francis School here, she added.
More than a replacement for English-only or French immersion education, most of the parents at Monday’s meeting tended to view the French program as an alternative that seemed right for them.
“I’m interested in my children having a Francophone education like I had,” said Mary Ellen Kennedy. “I think I benefited from the tradition.”
“I think they need something to bridge between English instruction and French immersion,” noted Garet Frenette. “They need to expand what is offered in the schools–to give students a broader basis of what they can learn in French.”
“My children are in immersion programs and have flourished in them,” said Godin. “But with classrooms being set up here, they would have a chance to receive instruction completely in French.”
But a major factor parents must consider before they commit is whether their child has the constitutional right to attend the French school.
Board guidelines state students must be children of French-speaking parents, parents who attended French as a first language schooling, or have siblings who attended French as a first language schooling.
Children currently enrolled in French immersion programs may get special consideration and be admitted by the board.
“It’s not a closed club,” stressed Godin. “If parents show a level of commitment to it, the admission’s committee may very well let them through it.
“It could have a big impact if it takes off this year but if you don’t have the dollars to pull it off right, I guess we can wait,” he added.
“It has to be viable for the board,” agreed Thibotout-Debnam. “We want to be able to provide any students we have with a quality education.”
She returned to Thunder Bay yesterday to work out the feasibility of opening classrooms here based on the handful of students that may be enrolled.
A decision will be made in the next few weeks.
So-called “dual-track” schools already operate in Geraldton, Marathon, Terrace Bay, Red Lake, and Ignace.