By Cornelia Naylor

December 15, 2011

A delegation of local parents pushing for early French immersion (EFI) in the Chilliwack school district brought their case to the board of education Tuesday.

According to their research, Chiliwack is the largest district in B.C. without an EFI program and they want that to change before their kids get to kindergarten.

If it doesn't, some will be taking their kids elsewhere.

"I will be taking my daughter to Abbotsford when she starts school if it isn't in place here. I love this city, and I would rather my daughter truly feel like this is her community," said Jessica Becker, a local flight attendant whose daughter is three.

Becker said she uses the French she learned in early French immersion at work all the time, and she would like her daughter to have the same opportunity.

Some parents, like Ron Plowright whose daughter is also three, were surprised when they found out French immersion in Chilliwack doesn't start until Grade 6.

"Before we had kids, we assumed that every district offered EFI-so it was a bit of a shock to me when I realized that my daughter wouldn't have that opportunity," he said.

Plowright told trustees that starting immersion in kindergarten is crucial not just for French language acquisition but as a gateway to other languages as well because that's when children's brains are most receptive.

He held up his sister, who went through early French immersion in West Vancouver, as an example.

She now speaks Arabic and Farsi as well as French.

Plowright doesn't want his daughter to miss out.

"I'd like my daughter to have the same opportunity as more than 90 per cent of children living in this province have," he said.

Travis Forstbauer, another local parent with young children, told trustees the Chilliwack district is losing students and their perpupil funding to Abbotsford because there is no early immersion program here.

By putting a program in place, he said the district could retain its own students and attract students from Hope and Agassiz.

Forstbauer presented the board with research the parents have done and informed them of a French Immersion Growth Grant available from federal government for districts starting up immersion programs.

Forstbauer argued it's hard on kids to start French immersion in Grade 6 because it often means leaving a group of friends they've had since kindergarten.

He himself lasted for only a week in Chilliwack's late immersion program as a student before returning to his tight-knit peer group at East Chilliwack elementary.

"It was hard to be away from them," he said.

The ad hoc parent group represented by Becker, Plowright and Forstbauer formed after a public meeting in September when the district was gathering public input about proposed changes to its French immersion program.

At that meeting, staff said the school district would have to be sure there was enough interest before an EFI program could go ahead, but the parents are worried the online survey the district used to gauge interest doesn't accurately reflect how many parents in Chilliwack actually want early immersion.

"We're concerned about the reach of the survey," said Becker.

She called on the board to release the results of the survey and to conduct a more thorough assay of interest if the survey is found wanting.

She also called on the board to form a committee or assign staff to work with the parents to draw up a proposal for the program.

"We are willing to do what it takes to give our children the same opportunities as their peers have across Canada," said Becker.

School District No. 33 French helping teacher Kevin Sigaty wouldn't comment on the issue but could be seen giving enthusiastic thumbs up to the parent speakers from outside of the board room.

Superintendent Michael Audet, meanwhile, said he has already directed the parents to the school district's policies and regulations governing new programs.

"They have that information now, so we're going to start meeting to look at that admin reg and what the next steps are," he said.
He couldn't give a specific timeline for when meetings would start but said interest in the program will be a decisive factor.

"We need to have a critical mass of students to be able to offer a viable program," he said. "That's a very important consideration for us to move forward."

The presentation at the meeting Tuesday made it clear some parents at least are very supportive.

"It makes a difference when we see people come forward, when we hear their stories rather than a letter or a survey," said Audet. "When they come forward, I think people listen. I think people were listening tonight."

© Copyright (c) Chilliwack Times 

Source: The Chilliwack Times