French Immersion Program Accommodating Enrolment Growth
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): 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.
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.
At the November 9, 2015 Committee of the Whole No. 2 meeting, Trustees recommended that a motion delaying entry to Grade 1 at all French Immersion schools. Since that time we have been made aware by the Ministry of Education of a regulatory change as of September 1, 2014 that would prohibit the Board from moving in this direction.
For this reason, French Immersion programs currently in place, single-track programs at École Dufferin and the new Coronation site, dual-track programs at Burford District, Walsh Public, and Caledonia Centennial Public School, will continue in September, 2016 with JK/SK/Grade 1 as the entry level.
A new plan to move forward decision making for French Immersion accommodation was approved by the Board of Trustees at the Regular Board Meeting on November 23, 2015.
Enrolment Cap on French Immersion in Grand Erie
In order to manage enrolment in the short-term, there will be an enrolment cap at our existing French Immersion schools for the 2016-17 school year:
- A process will be put in place to manage the cap - registration will take place in January as usual, and further information will come to the Board in January regarding a process to be set up whereby families with children currently attending an FI program will declare the number of siblings of existing FI students planning to enter Kindergarten in September 2016.
- Once the sibling numbers are factored into the spaces available, it will be determined how many spaces are available for new registrations.
- A process will be put in place to manage new registrations within the capped number and once the spaces are full, no more French Immersion registrations will be allowed.
Elementary French Immersion Consultation Committee
In order to develop a French Immersion accommodation plan that includes greater consultation with families and staff, a committee consisting of Board staff, including the Director, trustees, principals, school council representatives, staff representatives and representatives from the local branch of Canadian Parents for French and any other group that may be deemed appropriate will meet beginning in February 2016 to consult about the options to address French Immersion enrolment growth into the future.
Next Steps:
- 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
- Fall, 2016: The plan for French Immersion accommodation will be presented to the Board for approval
Additional Resources
French Immersion Consultation Meeting in Brantford held October 13, 2015:
- French Immersion Program Accommodating Enrolment Growth and Secondary School Considerations - Presented at the French Immersion Consultation meeting in Brantford (October 13, 2015)
- Meeting Notes from the Community Consultation Meeting held on October 13, 2015
Website Resources: