PAC-VSB-French-Language-Task-Force-May-2005

VSB French Language Instruction Review Task Force

The task force first met May 31st, 2005. A DPAC (District Parent Advisory Committee) representative and the CPF (Canadian Parents for French educational opportunities) Vancouver (then) Chair are part of the Task Force.

DPAC Representative report from and information following the May 31st meeting

DPAC Representative report from and information following the September 13th meeting

DPAC Representative information following the September 28th meeting

DPAC Representative information following the December 14th meeting

CPF Vancouver information following the May 31st meeting

CPF Vancouver information prior to the December 14th meeting

CPF Vancouver information prior to the January 3rd (revised from December 5th) meeting

VSB notes from the May 31st meeting

VSB notes from the June 9th meeting - edited for sending via e-mail

VSB notes from the June 9th meeting
http://faculty.arts.ubc.ca/menzies/june_9.doc

VSB PowerPoint presentation from the May 31st meeting
http://faculty.arts.ubc.ca/menzies/FI_VSBppt(1).ppt

VSB PowerPoint presentation from the June 9th meeting
http://faculty.arts.ubc.ca/menzies/FI_VSBppt(2).ppt

VSB Agenda for June 21, 2005 meeting

The Vancouver Sun newspaper of October 11, 2005 had an article titled 'French immersion expansion urged' by Dakah Hansen that included the following:

'In an interview Monday, trustee Jane Bouey said members of the education and student services committee, which she chairs, have yet to review the language reports
"We're just seeing them for the first time ourselves." she said. "It's likely they will remain on the (committee} table for discussion before going to the board, in order to get more input from stakeholders." '.

Vancouver School Board (VSB) meeting of Committee III October 12, 2005 – 5:30pm to make recommendations to Trustees from the VSB French language instruction review task force, begun May 2005.

The report from the VSB Task Force to Committee III
http://www.vsb.bc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/1D9273DB-D1B7-48EE-9FAD-84371DC4CC9D/0/agendamaterialsitem2.pdf

Presenting to Committee III were:

CPF Vancouver report - see request from CPF Vancouver Oct. 6, 2005 for parental support at this meeting of Oct. 12, 2005
- see request from CPF Vancouver Oct. 6, 2005 to PACs for support at this meeting of Oct. 12, 2005

Kitsilano PAC

Quilchena PAC

Note: Quilchena’s delegation included a September 2005 FI K waitlist parent who is driving her child to Steveston highway in Richmond to attend FI K.

Tue 10/25/2005

Hello Charles Menzies (DPAC) and Anne Trudel (CPF Vancouver),

Just writing you as the parent rep.s on the subject task force, as the task force will be on the CPF Vancouver November meeting agenda.

The reports (VSB task force, CPF Vancouver, Kitsilano PAC and Quilchena PAC) from the Oct. 12, 2005 Committee III meeting are online at:
http://members.shaw.ca/QPAC/PAC-VSB-French-Language-Task-Force-May-2005.html
scroll down to the October 12 information.

Just checking what you may have heard re further work by the task force, as:
-        The Vancouver Sun newspaper of October 11, 2005 had an article titled 'French immersion expansion urged' by Dakah Hansen that included the following:
'In an interview Monday, trustee Jane Bouey said members of the education and student services committee, which she chairs, have yet to review the language reports
"We're just seeing them for the first time ourselves." she said. "It's likely they will remain on the (committee} table for discussion before going to the board, in order to get more input from stakeholders." '.
-        The letter from the Quilchena PAC Chair presented at the Oct. 12th Committee III meeting included: “We realize that, should the report be approved this evening, there will be opportunities for parents, PAC’s and other stakeholders to have input into the decisions regarding the future of French Immersion (FI) in the Vancouver School District. However, we are concerned that some decisions will be precluded by then, and we wish to be on the record at this stage … We look forward to participating further in the weeks ahead.”
-        My recollection from attending the Oct. 12th Committee III meeting is one of the Committee III trustee members spoke at the meeting to confirm his understanding that the VSB task force report recommendations were to be considered as interim measures and there would be further work on the issues.

Thanks for your help,

Lesley Wright
CPF Vancouver Interim-chair

This message is from the discussion/notices list for parents involved in the French Immersion Instructional Review Task Force.

As there had not been a response to the above October 25, 2005 request, on October 27, 2005 Lesley Wright spoke with Charles Menzies, who reported that the VSB seemed unable to provide the information due to delays from the recent teacher job action.

As there had not been a response to the above October 25, 2005 request, on October 31, 2005 a PAC Chair whose school PAC was meeting November 3, 2005 e-mailed Valerie Overgaard at the VSB and received the following response November 1, 2005.

Following that meeting (October 12, 2005), the Board approved the report for further consultation. The consultation is now beginning with an ad going into the Courier for tomorrow (Nov. 2, 2005) (and again Sunday, then the following Wednesday and Sunday) announcing three Open Houses (November 14, 15, and 16). This information is also being posted on the web and sent to schools, the CPF, and preschools. In addition schools suggested for expansion will be holding meetings for staff and parents in their communities and a survey will be posted for completion on the web.

The remaining steps are as follows:

Ø   The consultation process, with school meetings for staff and parents, Open Houses for all interested, and web based or print format survey completion will be completed on Friday November 25 at 4:30 pm.

Ø      Staff will collate all the information provided through the consultation and will prepare a report, initially for the French Immersion Task Force (week of November 28).

Ø      Information will be considered by members of the Task Force and recommendations will be developed at a meeting on December 5, 2005.

Ø      A summary of the input received and recommendations for expansion in September 2006 will be presented to the Education and Student Services Committee of the Board of Trustees on December 14 at 5:30 in Room 120 of the Education Centre. The public is welcome to attend this meeting.

Ø      The Board will subsequently meet in a regularly scheduled public meeting to formally approve recommendations on December 19, 2005 (revised from January 9, 2006, see below) at 7:00 in the Board Room of the Education Centre.

Ø      Following the Board Meeting, complete registration information (including expansion sites) will be available in the local newspapers and on the VSB website.

From: Valerie Overgaard
Sent: November 7, 2005 9:21 AM
To:
Subject: Correction to next steps in French Immersion Expansion

I had sent you an outline of the steps in the French Immersion Expansion process in my message lst week. There was an error in that outline. Please note that the Board Meeting where final approval for expansion of French Immersion Programs for September 2006 will be sought is December 19, 2005.

November 10, 2005 the following revised dates were received from the VSB.

Ø   The consultation process, with school meetings for staff and parents, Open Houses for all interested, and web based or print format survey completion will be completed on Friday December 16, 2005 (revised from November 25, 2005) at 4:30 pm.

Ø      Staff will collate all the information provided through the consultation and will prepare a report, initially for the French Immersion Task Force (starting week of December 19, 2005, revised from week of November 28).

Ø      Information will be considered by members of the Task Force and recommendations will be developed at a meeting on January 3, 2006 (revised from December 5, 2005).

Ø      A summary of the input received and recommendations for expansion in September 2006 will be presented to the Education and Student Services Committee of the Board of Trustees on January 11, 2006 (revised from December 14) at 5:30 in Room 120 of the Education Centre. The public is welcome to attend this meeting.

Ø      The Board will subsequently meet in a regularly scheduled public meeting to formally approve recommendations on January 16, 2006 (revised from December 19, 2005, which was revised from January 9, 2006) at 7:00 in the Board Room of the Education Centre.

CPF Vancouver notice re DPAC all VSB Trustee candidates meeting Nov. 6, 2005

CPF Vancouver notice re VSB Nov. 14, 15 & 16, 2005 FI open houses, web survey and meetings on their FI expansion plan

VSB FI expansion plan

Vancouver School Board (VSB) meeting of Committee III January 11 – 5:30pm to make recommendations to Trustees from the VSB French language instruction review task force report of Jan. 6, 2006.

The report from the VSB Task Force to Committee III
http://www.vsb.bc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/4571F835-6B40-4059-9C8C-FEAA9CBFDCE4/0/agendamaterialsitem1.pdf

Presenting to Committee III were:

CPF
- CPF BC presentation
- CPF Vancouver report

Queen Victoria Annex - several parents

Kitsilano PAC - PAC Co-chair made an oral presentation, in support of providing EFI to meet demand and parent representation on the proposed long range planning committee, to Committee III re the Jan. 7, 2006 VSB FI task force report.

Quilchena PAC - CPF Rep. made an oral presentation, in support of providing EFI to meet demand, parent representation on the proposed long range planning committee and their concerns about catchment waitlist inequities, to Committee III re the Jan. 7, 2006 VSB FI task force report.

Quilchena - parent

Related information

Re retaining FI teachers, the problem has been in recent years the spring brought teacher layoffs according to union seniority and FI and English stream teachers were not on separate seniority lists. The VSB did not hire for September until September – then when hiring FI teachers back, the English stream teachers ahead of FI teachers in union seniority do not qualify for the FI teaching positions. Neighboring school jurisdictions like West Vancouver, Richmond and New Westminster were doing their offering of September positions in the spring when the VSB was doing layoff notices. Vancouver was at risk to lose FI teachers to neighboring school jurisdictions where jobs seemed more stable. There was risk Vancouver FI teachers from Québec would return to Quebec when they received layoff notices. So, CPF Vancouver requested the VSB send a letter with lay off notices to FI teachers explaining there was some likelihood they would be rehired. CPF Vancouver also explored the possibility of the union agreeing to separate seniority lists for English stream and FI teachers. CPF Vancouver encouraged CPF school rep.s to attend a VSB meeting on this subject. This was a couple of years ago. There may have been changes since then.
Note: spring 2005 there have been no teacher layoffs.

At the Jan. 3, 2006 VSB FI task force meeting, a staff member from a late FI school raised the concern that some FI teachers from out of province are frustrated by the process to re-qualify (to obtain a TQS certificate), to the point they consider leaving the province. Apparently the FI teachers receive notices saying they must take a certain course to re-qualify and the FI teachers view the course as not necessary. For example, the course might be one to qualify them to teach English, when they are teaching 100% French in a primary grade. Apparently, the VSB has negotiated some allowances so exceptions can be made in such cases. There is concern that many FI teachers in this situation are not aware of this, or are aware, but find the forms that need to be completed, complicated. The Modern Languages consultant advised that he has organized a session at the next teacher's union meeting to improve awareness on this issue, including letting teachers know the VSB will assist them with the forms.

CPF Vancouver letter of Nov. 14, 2005 reminding of the need to provide adequate TOCs:
http://www.geocities.com/cpfvancouver/cpf-vancouver-letter-nov-14-2005-re-TOC.html

At the Jan. 3 meeting, there was a review of efforts being made to ensure adequate French speaking TOCs (Teachers on Call) are available. Churchill Principal: Mr. A. Krawczyk confirmed the Churchill issue as reported in the CPF Vancouver letter of Nov. 14, 2005 reminding of the need to provide adequate TOCs.

At the Jan. 3 meeting a representative from Human Resources reported that they are optimistic they will be able to find the new FI teachers (with the VSB high fluency standards) required for the proposed FI expansion Sep. 2006. The HR representative also reported on the need to offer continuing full time, not TOC, positions when recruiting in Ontario, as the schools in Ontario offer continuing full time.

Re finding new FI teachers, CPF National produce an annual report “The State of French Second Language Education in Canada” which addresses this subject,

See: http://www.cpf.ca/english/Resources/FSL2004/2004%20Index.htm

More CPF reports on FI teacher shortage are at: http://www.cpf.ca/english/Resources/FSL%20Report%20Index.htm

A related tool from CPF that may be of interest re the VSB French immersion task force is the school self assessment tool, see;
http://www.cpf.ca/english/Educators/SAT.htm

Related information

Re French immersion boundaries: they were introduced in September 2001 at the same time as newly revised English boundaries. Boundaries were introduced for French immersion because CPF Vancouver had lobbied the VSB to remove the cap on FI K, and the VSB had agreed, saying they needed to introduce boundaries in French immersion to help them manage the system without a cap. Since the French immersion boundaries were introduced there have been significant waitlist problems, so in effect the cap was not lifted. Although there have been some increases in FI K intake since the introduction of boundaries, September 2005 there was a significant shortfall in FI K spaces.

Related information

Re Plan 2013, the views of Sally Rehorick of UNBF, who will be speaking at the CPF BC conference Oct. 21-3, 2005,
http://www.cpf.bc.ca/bc_html/Travel/FramePages/f_agminfo.shtml
regarding the federal government's goal of doubling bilingual graduates by 2013.are online at
http://www.unb.ca/perspectives/view.php?id=233

Related information

Re early French immersion, information about the program is online at:
http://www.geocities.com/cpfvancouver/cpf-vancouver-about-early-french-immersion.html

Post VSB Jan. 16, 2006 Board meeting, web log begun by the DPAC rep. on the VSB task force, for those interested in the VSB's new FI spaces issue.
http://weblogs.elearning.ubc.ca/newproposals/