Parents have offered mixed reactions to Upper Grand District School Board plans to determine the feasibility of a new French immersion program in Rockwood.
Many called the Feb. 20 public meeting a step in the right direction, while some, like Jen MacLeod, wondered aloud why the study appeared so “narrow” in scope, offering just three options and no obvious way of addressing the separation of older students.
About 50 people attended last week’s meeting to hear details about the feasibility study and also to offer their input for a parent survey the board will conduct as part of the process.
The meeting, organized by a seven-member committee composed of board and parent representatives, came about as a result of a controversial board decision to alter the boundary for Edward Johnson Public School in Guelph.
The decision effectively forces French immersion students living in Rockwood, Everton, Eden Mills and the surrounding rural areas to transfer from the Guelph school to Erin schools.
Reacting to the outrage of many affected parents, who say they have a strong connection to Guelph and none at all to Erin, the board agreed to grandfather students and their younger siblings for two years at King George Public School in Guelph and also to look into a French immersion program in Rockwood.
Former UGDSB superintendent Dave Walpole, who is co-chairing the committee, explained the committee is under tight deadlines to ensure study findings are returned to the board in time for its June 26 meeting.
“The clock is ticking … we need to get moving on it,” Walpole said, adding officials want a decision made in time to make possible changes for the 2014-15 school year.
He unveiled three options, all to take effect in September 2014, for a new French immersion program in Rockwood:
– offer all grades (JK to grade 6) at a new program at Rockwood Centennial Public School;
– offer kindergarten to grade 1 at either the Rockwood school or a new early learning centre (proposed in the area as part of the province’s new full-day kindergarten program) and grow the program by a grade each year as students advance; or
– start with kindergarten only (at either the Rockwood school or the new early learning centre) and grow the program by a grade each year.
But there is no guarantee any one of those will be chosen, Walpole said, citing an already “crowded” Rockwood school as well as the need to meet a certain level of local interest and a certain number of prospective students.
For example, when it comes to growing a program, Walpole explained at least 30% of new junior kindergarten students in the area will have to choose the French immersion program just to ensure there is a class of 25 for the first year – a figure much higher than the current volume choosing the French immersion stream.
However, Walpole agreed with several parents who suggested survey numbers could be misleading because there could be an influx of new French immersion students in the area once parents realize there is a stable, local program.
“There is that ‘build it and they will come’ mentality, and it actually has some validity,” said Walpole.
McLeod, who has a five-year-old at Edward Johnson, was one of several parents who said the board should reconsider separating French immersion students from their peers in grades 7, 8 and high school.
Even if the board approves one of the three Rockwood options, older east Wellington French immersion students will have to transfer to Erin schools, while regular stream students from the same area head to Guelph.
“I hope that’s reflected in the survey,” McLeod said.
She implored the committee to take advantage of “the tremendous opportunity” it has to collect information and ensure it gets the survey right.
Daryl LeBlanc, who said the public meeting was “positive” and “very informative,” agreed.
“If they address long-term concerns in the survey, they’ll have their data and they can make an informed decision from there,” LeBlanc told the Advertiser. “We need to look at all the factors.”
The parent survey will be available online at www.ugdsb.on.ca. Hard copies will be available at Rockwood Centennial and a few Guelph schools, in addition to other possible locations.
Surveys must be completed by March 30 to give the committee enough time to compile results by its final meeting on May 23 and then offer findings to the board’s director on June 4 and to its business/operations committee on June 12.
Trustees are expected to make a decision on June 26.
