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Cornerstone expects to launch French immersion program soon

The COVID pandemic is not stopping the South East Cornerstone Public School Division (SECPSD) from moving forward with a bold plan to expand their French language immersion program in Estevan and introduce a program in Weyburn.
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The COVID pandemic is not stopping the South East Cornerstone Public School Division (SECPSD) from moving forward with a bold plan to expand their French language immersion program in Estevan and introduce a program in Weyburn.

Lynn Little, director of education and CEO of the public division informed the board members during their Jan. 20 online meeting that plans are unfolding and it is expected that a French immersion project in two elementary schools will be launched in the fall, at the start of the new school year.

The objective is to teach the participants to become functionally fluent in the French language.

“There have been more families asking for it,” said Little.

Currently, the only school in the division that offers French immersion is the Estevan Comprehensive School where students from Grades 9 to 12 can become engaged in the more complete program while others may work with Core French programming if desired.

In the past, families of elementary public school students in Estevan who wished to immerse their youngsters in French in the elementary system relied on the immersion program offered by Sacred Heart/Sacre Coeur School, a member of the Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division that are ongoing scholastic partners with SECPSD.

Having a school within the public-school scope that is willing to provide French immersion is now in the plan, said Little.

Pleasantdale School in Estevan has been selected as the location for French immersion in that city while Assiniboia Park Elementary School in Weyburn will handle those duties and French programming there.

Little explained that to maintain sustainability, registration at the beginning level, Kindergarten, Grades 1 and Grade 2 would have to be at least 15 students in the instructional unit. She said an earlier survey among parents indicated this was a realistic goal.

“We will then add grade levels as they (students) progress. The schools will be dual track,” offering all their regular programs and subject areas as before.

There will be no attendance boundary restrictions for French immersion students.

Registrations for the new program will begin Jan. 22, and further information and engagement sessions are planned which will include a question and answer template posted on the division’s website.

Little said about 16,500 Saskatchewan students are currently engaged in French immersion programs, so the signal was clear for the local public division to get further involved. She also noted that a French language consultant has been contracted to assist them with their start-up planning and implementation.