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Halton public school board reviewing French education by Dominik Kurek Oakville Beaver Staff 5 | Wednesday, August 21, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Dual track elementary schools -- offering French Immersion as well as English education -- could become French Immersion-only if there aren't enough English-track students to fill classrooms. Or parents could see as many as three grades of students in one class. This is the scenario facing the Halton District School Board as it reviews its French Second Language Programs -- a review precipitated by steadily increasing French Immersion enrolment. The growth is leaving some dual-track schools with only a handful of English-track students. For example, last June, Kindergarten students heading to English-track Grade 1 at Burlington's Pineland School -- three pupils -- were re-directed to other schools for September. If there should be enough English students to make classes viable again, they could return to Pineland. Such decisions may become the norm, say board officials. Board-wide, 40.5 per cent of Grade 1 students opt for French Immersion, while that ranges from 40-90 per cent at dual-track schools. "We want kids to have really , really robust programs and we want them to have lots of variety in terms of kids, choices and the gender in classes," explained associate director Jeff Blackwell. "But when you only have three or four or five students opting for the Grade 1 English program, you might not get that gender balance or the composition of: `I have seven or eight buddies that I feel comfortable working with.'" The school board is currently looking at all aspects of French education -- core French, which starts in Grade 4; French Immersion, which begins in Grade 1; and, is considering a second entry point for French programming called Extended French, which already exists at Halton's Catholic board. Among the recommendations discussed is converting dual-track schools into single-track French Immersion schools, where English enroll- ment is currently too low for program viability. One group of concerned parents, called Halton Families for Inclusive Neighbourhood Schools (HFFINS) comprised of members in Burlington, Milton and Oakville, strongly objects to this recommendation, saying neighbourhood schools need to be protected. "The core English program should be offered at all schools within a publicly-funded English school board. The board is recommending that some dual-track schools become exclusive to the optional French Immersion program," said Milton mother of three Jennifer Wilson, a member of HFFINS. "We have a huge issue with this because that takes away choice from parents. People should be able to attend the school in their neighbourhood." The group formed near the end of the previous school year when the board's recommendations became public. Wilson said parents choose to buy their homes near schools their children can walk to and parents don't want to see their children being bused out of their community. "With the board's recommendations, like what they're doing at Pineland in Burlington, they're taking that away from the kids who are living in that neighbourhood, so those kids are getting bused out, meanwhile other kids, from other areas are getting bused in," she said. "This is just crazy , all this busing. The moving out of neighbourhood kids to make room for other kids. To me, this has just run amok." HFFINS wants all Halton public schools to offer the core English program and suggests the board considers capping the French Immersion program. It believes core French should start at the same time as French Immersion, in Grade 1. Some boards have capped French Immersion enrolment, but Blackwell said this has its own implications. "If we don't have strong numbers in English programs, do you cap French to build up those numbers? You're saying to your community , `We know you really value this program, but we're going to put a cap on it'," he said. The associate director admits the issue of con- verting dual-track schools to French Immersiononly is a hot topic for parents. "You certainly get that strong voice about community school and dual track and single track and all those things," he said. "Our hope, really , is to come up with recommendations that result in a really good education for our students and a good education for both English and French program students. That's what we're trying to do and that's what we've been working hard on." When a dual track school becomes converted into French Immersion only , the Grade 1 English students are sent elsewhere, while the remaining English-track students graduate out. Or, there could be split classes that have three grades in them -- as was the case for Milton's E.W . Foster Public School where enrolment prosee School on p.9 · Cleaning & Check-ups · White Fillings · Root Canals · Crown & Bridge FAMILY, COSMETIC & IMPLANT DENTISTRY New Patients & Emergencies Welcome · Implants · Braces/Invisalign · Dentures · Gum Treatment · Wisdom Teeth Removal · Laughing Gas/Sedation Trafalgar Rd. "Letourfamilytakecareofyours" Mon-Wed 10-7 Thursday 10-5 Friday 10-3 Saturday 9-3 330 Dundas St. East, Oakville Open Evenings & Saturdays Dundas St. E. 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