re December 14,, 2005: French
Language Instruction Review Task Force meeting:
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca [mailto:owner-fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca]
On Behalf Of Anne Trudel
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 4:05 PM
To: Charles Menzies
Cc: CPF IRR; 'Barbara Anderson'; 'Andy Krawczyk'; 'Craig Sidjak'; 'David
Frost'; 'Dawn McMillan'; 'Henry Ahking'; 'Janet Stewart'; 'Jim Burnham';
'Katharine Shipley'; 'Les King'; 'Lori Phillips'; 'Max-Michel Adrien'; 'Nancy
Hawkins'; 'Valerie Overgaard'; fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca
Subject: VSB French Immersion Task Force: Re: December 14 taskforce meeting
notes
Charles,
Just wanted to clarify that relative to the surplus of the last two years,
the only NEW early FI spaces being created in the Kitsilano catchment with
the latest proposal are the 22 at Hudson. This is because the 11 spaces at
each of Trafalgar and Tennyson have been in existence for the last two years.
I do appreciate that adding these 'existing 22' permanently is an improvement.
However if one looks at these additional 22 spaces it is a far cry from meeting
about 50% of the excess early FI demand. This demand for the Kitsilano
catchment schools has been about 100 applicants for the last two years.
I appreciate the difficulties with the oveflow from housing at UBC creating
pressures on the area schools. However, it is important that we convey the
information accurately. The other point is that we should not lose
sight of the fact that the early FI demand does come from students int he
regular stream. It should not be seen as FI taking space away from
regular stream students, but rather accomodating the regular stream student
demand for FI.
Thanks for all your work.
Anne
From: owner-fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca [mailto:owner-fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca]
On Behalf Of Charles Menzies
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 8:57 AM
To: fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca; fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca; 'CPF
IRR'; 'Barbara Anderson'; 'Andy Krawczyk'; 'Anne Trudel'; 'Craig Sidjak';
'David Frost'; 'Dawn McMillan'; 'Henry Ahking'; 'Janet Stewart'; 'Jim Burnham';
'Katharine Shipley'; 'Les King'; 'Lori Phillips'; 'Max-Michel Adrien'; 'Nancy
Hawkins'; 'Valerie Overgaard'
Cc: fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca
Subject: RE: VSB French Immersion Task Force: December 14 taskforce meeting
notes
Importance: High
Dear All,
With respect to my notes and Q.M. The seismic point was an editing
error. Les K. mentioned that it wasn't an issue from facilities
perspective and I had meant to delete that line from my summary. It
had been briefly suggested (and then corrected) that seismic upgrading may
disrupt operations in the school and make adding additional classes difficult.
This was stated not to be the case. The real difficulty is more likely the
overflow students from UBC/UEL and any use of school classrooms at Q.M. for
fee paying international students which may have an enrollment a minor
to significant impact on space.
If by figures Lesley is referring to the typical enrollment numbers that
I listed in my summary notes, those aren't mine -they were the response to
a question I asked. Detailed data can be found on the VSB web page http://www.vsb.bc.ca/vsbprograms/kto12/FrenchImmersion/French+Immersion+Expansion+Options+2006.htm
and in previous taskforce reports, see: http://members.shaw.ca/QPAC/VSB-FI-Task-Force-May-31-2005-DPAC-Rep-Report.html
The rough numbers in my summary are useful for evaluating the ability of meeting
need or not french immersion needs.
Again, I would note that my summary is not comprehensive and therefore will
not contain everything that was said, mentioned, asked, or discussed.
Only those items that struck me as important in my capacity as the District
Parent appointee to this taskforce are listed and that I am sure each of us
on the task force will have a slightly different perspective on what is important
depending upon where we sit relative to this issue :).
I've attached my revised summary.
Please delete and replace the earlier version with the current one.
Thanks,
Bye for now,
Charles
At 08:28 AM 16/12/2005, W Family wrote:
Hello Charles, thanks for this. For those on the task force listserv, who
may not be aware, Anne Trudel, the CPF Rep. on the task force to date, was
unable to attend December 14th. Paul Cultum (CPF Treasurer) attended the first
hour and Lesley Wright (CPF Interim-chair) attended the second hour for CPF.
After a quick review of Charles notes, just three comments at this
point:
- re Queen Mary seismic
upgrading, my recollection is Les King, of VSB Facilities, commented that
the seismic upgrading at Queen Mary would inconvenience FI students the same
as English stream students, so need not be considered an obstacle.
- re Late FI demand in the
Kitsilano catchment, there was discussion that there is a real possibility
that Late FI demand will go down as there are students attending Late FI at
Gordon, who would have gone to a Late FI program in the Churchill catchment
had one been available, and now one will be available.
- Re the figures in your
report, I am not as familiar with them as Anne Trudel, the CPF Rep. on the
task force to date, so will consult with Anne before giving an opinion.
Lesley Wright
CPF Vancouver Interim-chair
From: owner-fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca [mailto:owner-fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca]
On Behalf Of Charles Menzies
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 7:19 AM
To: CPF IRR; 'Barbara Anderson'; 'Andy Krawczyk'; 'Anne Trudel'; 'Craig
Sidjak'; 'David Frost'; 'Dawn McMillan'; 'Henry Ahking'; 'Janet Stewart';
'Jim Burnham'; 'Katharine Shipley'; 'Les King'; 'Lori Phillips'; 'Max-Michel
Adrien'; 'Nancy Hawkins'; 'Valerie Overgaard'
Cc: fr-taskforce@interchange.ubc.ca
Subject: VSB French Immersion Task Force: December 14 taskforce meeting
notes
Importance: High
Dear All,
Please find attached my summary from the taskforce meeting of Dec. 14.
Please note that this is not a comprehensive record of the meeting, but rather
reflects the highlights as I understood them. If other task force members
note any errors of omission, please let me know.
Bye for now,
Charles Menzies
________________________________________
Charles R. Menzies, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Department of Anthropology and Sociology
University of British Columbia