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French Immersion Program Accommodation in Grand Erie

Update (September 12, 2016): Grand Erie requested in a motion that Senior Administration bring forward a report on French Immersion Kindergarten capping by the November, 2016, Committee of the Whole Meeting.

Update (September 9, 2016): The Board has recognized accommodation pressures from the growth in French Immersion program enrolment and completed a consultation through the Elementary French Immersion Consultation Ad Hoc Committee in the spring of 2016. The results of the consultation were reported to the Board in June 2016 which included a number of options for consideration.

Update (June 13, 2016):

 

Elementary French Immersion Consultation Committee Report: The Elementary French Immersion Consultation Ad Hoc Committee was established to allow for targeted consultation around French Immersion enrolment pressures in Grand Erie. At each meeting the committee members shared input from their communities. Input and options are included in this report and will be taken into consideration as the Senior Administration team develops a French Immersion accommodation plan for Trustee approval in the fall of 2016.

Background

The French Immersion Program Accommodating Enrolment Growth and the North Brant Elementary Accommodation Review are two processes taking place. Both are connected in that French Immersion is part of the conversation, but the process is different for each discussion.

French Immersion Kindergarten Registration Update (December 17): A letter is available to all French Immersion parents, sent home with their child on December 17, to share information about French Immersion Kindergarten Registration and the decision-making process before the Board of Trustees starting at the Committee of the Meeting No. 1 on Monday, January 11, 2016.

French Immersion in Grand Erie Update (November 24): Trustees approved the implementation of an additional secondary French Immersion Program at North Park Collegiate & Vocational School starting in September, 2016. Brantford Collegiate Institute will continue to offer its program.

In addition, Trustees approved recommendations that would continue entry into French Immersion for Junior/Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1, place an enrolment cap on French Immersion and establish a long-term plan to consult on the French Immersion Accommodation plans in Grand Erie.

North Brant Elementary Accommodation Review (November 24): The Grand Erie District School Board approved a motion to include Burford District Elementary School into the North Brant Elementary Accommodation Review Committee.

Click on the section below to learn more.

The Future of French Immersion Overview

Background

Grand Erie District School Board Trustees received a Quality Accommodations Committee Report on April 20, 2015 that detailed a number of options to address pupil accommodation pressures and growth related to the French Immersion Program. On June 22, 2015, the Board approved a number of recommendations that will have an impact on schools and program delivery throughout the 2015-16 school year.

The Future of French Immersion initiative was launched on September 29, 2015, after the approval of the French Immersion Accommodation – Community Consultations Report - September 21 at the Regular Board on September 28, with a public announcement to communicate the two community consultations - a consultation in the City of Brantford on October 13, 2015 at Joseph Brant Learning Centre and in the County of Brant on November 3, 2015 at Paris Central Public School. The community consultation in Paris was guided by the mandate of the Pupil Accommodation Review Process.

Feedback was considered at both meetings and a new plan and report was submitted to the Committee of the Whole Meeting No. 2 on November 9, 2015 with a new motion that would delay entry to Grade 1 for all French Immersion schools in Grand Erie, including the dual-track schools in Haldimand, Norfolk and Brant. The motion would also phase out JK and SK in the single-track schools in Brantford.

The Ministry of Education contacted Grand Erie to inform us that our plan to delay French Immersion entry until Grade 1, as recommended in the motion on November 9, 2015, is not an option due to regulatory changes as of September 1, 2014.

A French Immersion Accommodation Update report went to the Board on November 23, 2015 with a new recommendation to cap French Immersion and a plan to consult moving forward. For more, visit, French Immersion Program Accommodating Enrolment Growth.

The North Brant Elementary Accommodation Review remains in progress with a delegation meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, 2015.

A South East Norfolk Elementary Accommodation Review will be initiated in January, 2016 to discuss accommodation options, which will include options to address the French Immersion enrolment pressures at Walsh Public School.

Reports to Board

Communications, Consultation and Timelines

  • French Immersion Accommodation in Grand Erie: February, 2016: A working committee will begin to meet discuss the French Immersion accommodation plan; June, 2016: A report on the work of the Committee will be presented to the Board; and Fall, 2016: The plan for French Immersion accommodation will be presented to the Board for approval.
  • North Brant Elementary Accommodation Review (County of Brant French Immersion) - Next meeting: Wednesday, December 2, 2015 | Time: 7:00 p.m. | Cobblestone Elementary School
  • South East Norfolk Elementary Accommodation Review: A date will be determined in January, 2016 to proceed with the South East Norfolk Accommodation Review

Contact

Inquiries can be made through your child’s Principal or email info@granderie.ca

Media inquiries can be done through the Manager of Communications and Community Relations, 519-756-6301 ext. 281147.