Executive Council presents FI Program Review recommendations to Board

Rainbow District School Board Director of Education Norm Blaseg presented French Immersion Program Review recommendations to trustees at the regular Board meeting on Tuesday, September 27, 2011. The report on the Executive Council’s recommendations is available online at rainbowschools.ca.

“With this review, our goal is to continue to offer the best French Immersion Program possible so students have every opportunity to become bilingual and gain the skills to communicate effectively in both official languages,” said Director Blaseg. “The review will enable the Board to strengthen the program, ensuring that we continue to meet the needs of French Immersion students as they progress from Junior Kindergarten through to secondary school graduation.”

Recommendations:

In the secondary panel, Chelmsford Valley District Composite School, Confederation Secondary School, Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School, Lockerby Composite School and Lasalle Secondary School will continue to offer French Immersion. Sudbury Secondary School will continue to offer French Immersion if the school has an enrolment of 45 students in Grade 9 and Grade 10 on October 31, 2012. If enrolment is not maintained, no new students will be accepted in French Immersion in 2013-2014. Students currently enrolled in French Immersion at Sudbury Secondary School will graduate from Sudbury Secondary School.

In the elementary panel, the following elementary schools will continue to offer French Immersion:  Alexander Public School, Carl A. Nesbitt Public School, Chelmsford Public School, Chelmsford Valley District Composite School (Grade 7 and 8), Ernie Checkeris Public School, Levack Public School, Lively District Secondary School (Grade 7 and 8), Northeastern Elementary School, R.L. Beattie Public School, Valley View Public School, Walden Public School and Westmount Avenue Public School.

Lansdowne Public School will no longer offer French Immersion effective 2013-2014. French Immersion students will attend one of the following schools based on boundaries: Ernie Checkeris Public School, Carl A. Nesbitt Public School, Westmount Public School and Alexander Public School.

French Immersion programs in Valley North will be reviewed when the Accommodation Review Committee process is established. Valley North schools include Chelmsford Public School, Chelmsford Valley District Composite School, Larchwood Public School and Levack Public School. 

French Immersion students will continue to earn 10 of their 30 secondary credits in French. The following courses will be offered in the French language:

Grade 9:    Français, Géographie and Éducation Physique et Santé

Grade 10:  Français, Histoire, Éducation Physique et Santé,

Éducation à la Citoyenneté et Exploration de Carrière

Grade 11:  Français

Grade 12:  Français

There will also be Co-operative Education placements offered in French.  Secondary schools are encouraged to offer other courses in French to provide as much choice as possible for students. 

Opportunity for Public Input:

Members of the public will have an opportunity to provide input into the recommendations at the Board meeting on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 5:30 pm. This meeting will be held in the Lecture Theatre at Lasalle Secondary School, 1545 Kennedy Street, Sudbury.

Requests for presentations must be made in writing 10 days prior to the meeting by contacting the Office of the Director of Education at 705-674-3171, ext. 7254. Presentations will be limited to 10 minutes. Copies of the presentation must be submitted in advance of the meeting.

For those unable to attend the October Board meeting and wishing to provide further feedback, written input will be accepted until Friday, October 28, 2011.

Please send written submissions to:

Nicole Charette

Senior Advisor

Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning

Rainbow District School Board

Centre for Education, 408 Wembley Drive

Sudbury ON P3E 1P2

Fax: 705-674-3167

Email: [email protected]

Rainbow District School Board trustees approved a review of the Board’s French Immersion Program at the annual Accommodation Meeting held on January 24, 2011.

A French Immersion Program Committee, comprised of teachers and administrators in French Immersion, was established to lead the process and provide options.

Community consultation sessions were held on May 19 and June 14, 2011.

Executive Council will present its final recommendations to the Board on Tuesday, November 22, 2011.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,

Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,

Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.