Parent information about early
French Immersion
Nov. 19, 2015
Welcome/Bienvenue
About our school – Russell D. Barber P. S.
- number of students in FI, English
- clubs, teams, extracurricular activities
- special events (Terry Fox, Hallowe’en Parade)
- school council
- student leadership opportunities
- opportunities for parent involvement
School Website – http:schools.peelschools.org/1434
Twitter Page - @rdbps
French Immersion
in Peel board
Early French
Immersion – starts
in grade 1
Extended French –
starts grade 7
Growth of French Immersion program
- 45 schools offer early French Immersion
- 25 per cent of grade 1 students in Peel will be offered
placement in Grade 1 French Immersion
- 17,000 Peel board students in French Immersion grades
1 to 12
- 225 French Immersion students currently at our school
Qualified French Immersion teachers
- proficient in speaking, reading and writing French
- additional training in teaching French as a Second Language
French as a
Second
Language
- no requirement of
previous French
experience
The aim is
fluency in French
Benefits of
French Immersion
- learn about the French culture
- gain understanding of Canada’s
bilingual and bicultural heritage
- appreciate value of learning
another language
- prepare for bilingual
employment opportunities
Grade 1 French
Immersion program
- 50 per cent in French
- 50 per cent in English
- FI students may have two
main teachers – 1 English
and 1 French
Grade 1 French
Immersion program
- same provincial curriculum
expectations as the English
program
By the end of grade 1:
- follow written and verbal instructions in French
- speak in French about familiar topics
- pronounce familiar French words correctly
- read short, simple materials in French
- follow simple written instructions
- produce short, simple pieces of writing in French
Immersion students read
and write English as well
as other students
Help your child
at home
- read provincial French Immersion curriculum
- talk to your child every day about school
- read with your child every day in English or
your first language
- listen to your child read in French
- regular time and place for homework
Help your child at home
- watch French version of favourite DVDs
- show your child that French exists outside the classroom
- watch French children’s shows—Caillou and Carmen à la campagne
- borrow French books, magazines and books on CD from public library
- French games and software
- enrol your child in French summer camp
- family vacation, exchange programs
WE ARE A NATIONWIDE, RESEARCH-INFORMED
VOLUNTEER ORGANZATION that champions the
opportunity to learn and use French for all those who
call Canada home.
Peel Chapters: Brampton, Caledon, Mississauga West
T: 905.366.1012
on.cpf.ca
- strong skills in first language
- likes to talk
Is French
Immersion
right for my
child?
- likes to work in groups
- imitates easily
- good memory
- demonstrates confidence
- risk-taker
- enjoys new challenges
- enjoys books
- successful transition from home to kindergarten
What if English is
not your child's
first language?
- strong skills in the child's first
language
- continue to speak first
language at home
Indications that French
Immersion might not be
the right choice now
- struggling with the transition to school
- pre-existing learning difficulties
- different opinions within the family about the program
- performing below average in their first language
- children who will be absent from school for extended
periods
Indicators that children are
successful in French Immersion
- happy
- enthusiastic about learning
- positive about school
- report card indicates progress
- feedback from teacher
Moving out of
French Immersion
- students return to their
neighbourhood school
- no flexible boundaries
French is part of every child's
school experience
- another immersion option—Extended French
starts in grade 7
- all students study French 40 minutes/day from
grades 4 to 8
- at least one high school French
credit
Application deadline
January 29, 2016
4 p.m.
Enrolment Cap
25% of all Peel grade 1 students
Random Selection Process System
- All students who apply by the deadline Jan. 29
2016 will be placed in a random selection process
and assigned a rank.
- Spots are not assigned on a first come, first
served basis.
- Once students have been assigned to all available
spots, remaining students will be placed, in rank
order, on the school’s waitlist.
Random selection process
– who’s exempt?
Students who currently (2015-16) have siblings in the
elementary FI program (in grades 4 to 7) would be placed into
the grade 1 FI program, provided they apply online by the Jan.
29, 2016 4 p.m. deadline.
Random selection process
– who’s exempt?
Students who are currently in a Kindergarten
French Immersion program in a publicly-funded
school board and apply online by the deadline will
be placed into the grade 1 French Immersion
program.
Waitlist
Students will be placed on a waitlist for grade 1 French
Immersion in the following order:
1. Students who applied by the deadline, but
weren’t selected during the random selection process.
2. Students who missed the application deadline
OR
Students who moved to the Peel board, but have not been
part of an existing French Immersion program and missed the
deadline
Students on waitlist
If students do not get placed into Grade
1 FI program from the waitlist, they
would continue to attend the regular
program at their home school.
How to apply
The application process for FI will be done through an online
form that will be available on Monday Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. at
www.peelschools.org/French
You must apply online by 4 p.m. on Friday Jan. 29, 2016.
Even if you have an older child currently in French Immersion in
grades 4 to 7, you must apply by the deadline to avoid being
placed on the waitlist.
If you do not get email confirmation that your application was
received, contact the school immediately.
How to apply
Keep your contact info up to date
After applying online, call the school if:
• You made an error in completing the online
application
• You no longer wish to enrol your child in FI
• Your phone number/email address changes
• Your home address changes
Result of random selection
process
By March 4, 2016, we will send confirmation by email of:
placement into the Grade 1 FI program
OR
placement on the waitlist
If you applied by the deadline, but did not receive confirmation
please call your school after March 4, 2016 to follow up.
Placing students from
the waitlist
If you are not told by the end of the first week of school in
September (i.e. Sept. 9, 2016), that your child has a spot in grade 1
French Immersion, he or she will not attend the program.
Busing
eligibility
- grade 1 – 1 km
- grades 2 to 4 – 1.6 km
- grades 5 to 6 – 2 km
- grades 7 to 8 – 3.2 km
To find out if your child
qualifies for busing, visit
www.stopr.ca.
Central bus stops
- bus does not pick up in front of
your home
- children walk up to 700m to bus stop
Questions?