1. French Immersion Program Parent Information Night
Principal slides 1 -
St. Joseph Aurora
December 1, 2014

2. Prayer We are all here tonight to support our students in the next stage of their lives. Let us pray for guidance as we prepare to make a pathway choice for our children and their education.
Lord, we give you thanks for having
given us children.
We accept them with serenity and all the
worries and fears we have.
They are our joy.
Give us the wisdom to guide them,
The patience to teach them and
The courage to set a good example.
They are our hope.
Help us to respect and nurture the
person you made them to be.
They are our love.
Amen

3. St. Joseph Aurora Principal Mrs. deHaas Staff 35 staff School Council
Co-Chair
21 Members – Ms. Wells and Ms. Gontier
Students
380 K-8
School Building
52 years old – 3 phases

4. School Activities/Events/Committees
Spirit Days – Halloween, Valentine’s Dance-a-thon
Luke 4:18
Annual Community BBQ
Christmas Sing-a-long
Carnaval
Celebrating Diversity Events
Lunch Clubs – Lego, Reading, Games
Luke 4:18 Social Justice Committee
Track and Field
Play Leaders
Oral Communication Presentations
Faith Day
June Play Day
Music Star / Choir
Terry Fox Run/Walk
Scientist-in-the- School
School Liturgies and Masses

5. School Activities/Events/Committees (continued)
Junior and Intermediate Girls and Boys Basketball
Author Visits
Bullying Prevention Plays
Cross Country
Book Fair
Catholic Education Week
Advent Community Mass
Clothing and Food Drives
Lenten Outreach Initiatives
Intermediate and Junior Boys and Girls Volleyball
Jamboree
Talent Show
Sharelife and St. Vincent de Paul Activities
You’re the Chef
Catholic School Council
Eco School Initiatives
Welcome to Kindergarten
Yearbook
Committee

6. Community Partnerships
Catholic School Council
Our Lady of Grace Parish – St. Vincent de Paul
York Region Public Health – Healthy Schools
Music Star of York Region
Aurora Fire Department
Aurora Food Bank
Share Life
Aurora Senior Retirement Home
York Region Police – Grade 5, 6, 7, 8 VIP Program, Community Safety
Kinark Family Services – SNAP
Girls Inc – Girls Circle
York Centre – Bullying Prevention

7. St. Joseph, Aurora CES French Immersion Boundary Feeder Schools

8. Transportation Transportation will be provided to:
Grade FDK – 3 students residing 1.2 km beyond the school
Grade 4 – 8 students who live beyond 1.6 km but within French Immersion (FI) boundary
Students are required to walk a short distance to and from these centralized bus stops
Siblings of students registered in the FI program, for as long as one child remains in the FI program

9. Rationale French is one of Canada’s two official languages
French is one of Ontario’s two official languages of instruction
Knowledge of a second language strengthens first-language skills
Ability to speak two or more languages generally enhances reasoning and problem-solving, as well as creative-thinking skills
Research shows children educated in content subjects (like science and geography) in two languages develop higher reasoning and analytical skills
Knowledge of French provides students with an advantage in a number of careers, both in Canada and internationally

10. French as a Second Language Programs Core French Immersion
French language instruction
Minutes per week:
Grades = 160
Grades = 200
Grades = 160
French is the language of instruction
% of total instructional time:
Grades = 85%
Grades = 50%
Early entry: grade 1
Available in both elementary
and secondary
Available in elementary with a
secondary pathway in place

11. French Immersion Classroom Program Delivery
Grade
French
English
1 - 3
Language
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Arts
Religion
Physical Education
4 – 8
(Health/Dance)
Family Life
Math
Music

12. Curriculum: For Subjects Taught in French
Students will be taught the Ontario Curriculum
Expectations in each grade are as outlined in the English- language subject curriculum documents
Learning resources provided in French align with the Ontario English language curriculum.
Students will be expected to achieve the English language curriculum expectations before the end of Grade 8
Assessment and Evaluation of students is consistent with Board procedures and practices for all students

13. Is the French Immersion Program right for my child?
Research suggests that children who are
successful in French Immersion are:
Risk takers
Interested in learning
Attending school regularly
Positive in their attitude toward school
Able to communicate well verbally in their first language
Able to read at grade level or beyond
Effective listeners
Capable of good memory skills

14. Application Process
All students interested in the French Immersion program must apply online by completing and submitting the YCDSB French Immersion on-line application form at by February 4th, If you are experiencing any difficulty accessing the on-line application, please contact the school.
2. In the placement process, student applications will be prioritized as follows:
Siblings of students presently in the French Immersion program
SK students presently attending St. Joseph CES
Students within the school’s French Immersion boundary
Students outside of the French Immersion boundary but within the York Region.

15. Application Process
If the number of applications exceeds the number of available openings, a public lottery process will be conducted here at 5:00 p.m. on February 10th,
Approved applicants will be notified by the school between
February 13th – 17th, 2015.
5. Approved applicants must register at the school no later than February 24th, 2015, to confirm their child’s placement.

16. Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions
YORK CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOLBOARD :: Collaborative Learning Inspired By Jesus

17. Why Early French Immersion (EFI)?
Research shows that Early Immersion leads to the highest fluency in French
How does the French Immersion program impact student achievement in other subjects such as mathematics?
Research indicates that the performance of French Immersion students in other subjects is equal to the performance of students in the English program.

18. grades 1-3, specifically spelling skills in English.
How do students perform on standard provincial assessments (EQAO) in grades 3 and 6? French Immersion schools exempt students from writing the grade 3 EQAO test in English and write only the mathematics section in French. Across the province, results show that schools with French Immersion Programs tend to exceed the provincial and board average on the grade 6 EQAO test in English.
Will my child’s English skills suffer ? There is a certain lag in English Language Arts in
grades 1-3, specifically spelling skills in English.
However, the gap is minimized with the introduction of
English in grade 4.

19. 5. What type of French will my child be learning
5. What type of French will my child be learning? Standard French vocabulary and structures are taught A variety of accents exists in all languages; during a school career a child will probably be exposed to teachers from various parts of the world who are models of well-spoken, standardized French Will my child be bilingual after grade 8? No. A young person who has completed an elementary French Immersion Program often appears quite comfortable and competent in the French language. While this is expected, students are not considered to be functionally bilingual until the end of grade 12.

20. 7. Is it important for someone at home to speak French
7. Is it important for someone at home to speak French? The program is designed for children of non-French speaking families. All communication from the school to parents will be in English, including report cards How may I help my child with homework when I do not speak French? While it may be helpful, it is not necessary, for parents to speak French. Research studies confirm that children achieve greater academic success when parents read daily to their child in the child’s first language Currently, all FSL students and parents in YCDSB have free access to Voila’ Learning, an online French homework help site.

21. 9. What will happen if my child experiences difficulties in French Immersion? The classroom teacher will provide additional assistance to the student. If this does not address the difficulties, then the classroom teacher will consult with the special education teacher, principal, and parent to discuss a plan of support If special education intervention is recommended, then the support will be delivered in English.

22. 10. How can I learn more about French Immersion research
10. How can I learn more about French Immersion research? The following website links provide information on French Immersion research studies: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto (OISE) Immersion Education for the Millennium: What We Have Learned from 30 Years of Research on Second Language Immersion by Jim Cummings CUMMINS/cummins.pdf University of Michigan: immersion_programs