Canadian Parents for French Alberta (CPF Alberta) is disappointed in the decision by Rocky View School Division (RVS) not to offer French Immersion to students and families that choose online learning this fall.
RVS needs to make the success of the students a priority and offer more opportunities for French immersion students.
Updates:
We are happy to announce that we have recently learned that Rocky View School Division will support High School French Immersion (FI) students that need online FI courses who cannot take them in person.
With the Alberta Distance Learning Centre closing, this will be beneficial for many students. Thank you for supporting these students!
We are also happy to announce that St. Isodore, Calgary Catholic online school, will accept students outside of their school division to join the French Immersion online program. If this might be of interest, please reach out to them. You do not have to be of Catholic faith to attend.
For more information:
Phone: 519-578-3660|info@wcdsb.ca
St. Isidore School – Home (cssd.ab.ca)
We encourage all parents to send a letter or call Rocky View School Division to share their concerns. Here you will find a sample letter that you can use. Please insert your own personal comments where it’s indicated.
Letters of concern can be sent to:
Greg Luterbach: gluterbach@rockyview.ab.ca (Superintendent of Schools)
Murray Besenski: mbesenski@rockyview.ab.ca (Associate Superintendent of Schools)
Lori Meyer: lmeyer@rockyview.ab.ca (Associate Superintendent of Learning)
Garry Bell: gbell@rockyview.ab.ca (Area Director of Chestermere Area)
John Murphy: jmurphy@rockyview.ab.ca (Area Director of Airdrie Area)
Sandy McDuffe: smcfuffe@rockyview.ab.ca ( Area Director of Cochrane Area)
Or call their office directly:
Rocky View Schools
Interviews & News Articles:
Radio-Canada Le Café Show interview (at 07:14 time mark)
Original Post:
Cochrane, May 19, 2021 – Canadian Parents for French Alberta (CPF Alberta) is disappointed in the decision by Rocky View School Division (RVS) not to offer French Immersion to students and families that choose online learning this fall.
Last night, May 18, 2021, CPF Alberta staff and RVS parents with students in French Immersion programs joined in an online discussion to voice concerns that their district will not be offering French Immersion programs online for the 2021/22 school year. CPF Alberta has been receiving significant feedback from parents in regards to this decision. Their major concerns include:
- RVS did not consult or provide any opportunities for parents to provide feedback on this plan prior to making their decision.
- The time frame for parents to decide on the learning context for their children next year was extremely limited and must be made by May 31, 2021.
- With the closure of the Alberta Distance Learning Centre this June, there will be no options for French immersion students to take courses via distance education within RVS.
This decision forces parents to choose between allowing their children to continue in French Immersion or having them learn in an environment in which the health and safety of their family comes first.
All of these students have been in French Immersion since kindergarten and it would be heart breaking for them not to be able to continue. “The students in Online French Immersion classes have been very successful this year and I am not sure why online learning in FI will not continue?” commented parents with children currently in online French Immersion. “We want them to be safe but still get to continue French immersion.” Parents have until May 31, 2021 to make this very difficult decision.
As of the 2019/2020 school year, 46, 636 Alberta students were in French immersion, or 6.3% of the total student population. French second language programs in Alberta have 147, 766 students, or 19.9% of the total student population.
Canadian Parents for French is the national network of volunteers which values French as an integral part of Canada and which is dedicated to the promotion and creation of French-second-language learning opportunities for young Canadians.
Information/Renseignements:
Michael Tryon, Executive Director/Directeur Général, Canadian Parents for French
Alberta & NWT Branches
Tel/Tél: 780-860-1248
Email/Courriel: mtryon@ab.cpf.ca
