RE - CPF Vancouver North Chapter - Kitsilano French Immersion Bursary

The direct appeal approach used in 2009-10 is on hold as there has not been much response for a few years, and in 2009-10 there were difficulties with CPF National transferring the donations to CPF Vancouver North. The bursary for 2009-10 was $300 and it is anticipated that the bursary for 2010-11 will be around $400. In 2006, before the CPF Vancouver French film festival source of funding ended, CPF donated three bursaries of $500 each for a total of $1500 to Kits. In October 2010 the Kitsilano CPF Representative asked the Kitsilano PAC Chair to look into the awarding of the PAC Student Award funds ($1060 for 2010-11) between the English stream and the French immersion stream in light of the decline in funds available for the CPF bursary since the discontinuation of the CPF French film festival.

Also, the past direct appeal for CPF has been re the FI bursary, if a direct appeal is done in the future, it would be general, to CPF for ie. both FI and FSL support, and for FI bursary support.


CPF Vancouver North Chapter

Kitsilano French Immersion Bursary needs supporting

September 2009

CPF is Canadian Parents for French second language learning, a non-profit, volunteer based organization. French immersion programs are not a legal right. CPF provides an important service as the only parent advocacy organization for French immersion.

CPF also advocates for excellence in the French immersion program. Toward that end, CPF produces 'The State of French-Second-Language Education in Canada' report. These annual reports are assessments of how well French-second-language (FSL) programs are functioning across Canada..

The new CPF Vancouver North chapter has been founded to support Kitsilano and its family of schools. In 2008 the long standing CPF Vancouver chapter moved to become three new chapters (one for each Vancouver School Board - French immersion secondary school) in an effort to better support growth in the French immersion program. CPF also supports extensive and core French, which is French as a subject in the English stream.

CPF is organized on three levels, the national, provincial and local. Information about each level is available on their web sites:

http://www.cpf.ca

http://www.cpf.bc.ca

http://cpf.bc.ca/vannorth/

http://www.geocities.com/cpfvancouver (East, North and South)

The work of CPF benefits you and your children directly.

That work includes:

Producing a national annual report, ‘The State of French-Second-Language Education in Canada which address issues like advocating for an adequate supply of qualified teachers.
Hosting an annual French second language public speaking competition, "CPF National Concours d'art oratoire ". For 2008 finalists will compete at the University of Ottawa where the grand prize for each of the first place winners is a $20,000 scholarship to the University of Ottawa. donated by the University of Ottawa.
Representation on the Vancouver School Board’s Modern Languages Advisory Committee

One of CPF Vancouver’s traditions has been the awarding of bursaries to recognize outstanding French immersion graduates. Until recently the main source of funding for the bursaries was revenue from an annual French film festival organized by CPF Vancouver. Increased challenges, like access to a venue and availability of volunteers, has resulted in the transfer of that organizing from CPF to a private interest.  CPF Vancouver (North) is now more dependant on membership fees and donations to continue the important tradition of bursaries.

CPF needs your support if it is to accomplish its goals.

Please consider becoming a member and/or making a donation.

The CPF BC & Yukon Branch returns eighty per cent (80%) of your membership fees directly to CPF Vancouver North chapter to help pay for socio-cultural activities, camps, resources, and other programs ( including bursaries) for your children.

Membership is an important way of supporting those who volunteer their time and energy to maintain an excellence in the French program. A strong membership base is essential for CPF to continue as a credible voice locally, provincially and nationally. Please join us, or renew your membership today. As a member you will receive informative quarterly newsletters from the National and Provincial levels.

Our students have the wonderful opportunity of French immersion thanks to parents who went before us, advocating for the program’s establishment. By joining CPF, parents not only help ensure a quality program for their own students, they return the favour of those who went before, by ensuring a quality program for future students.

Parents join CPF for answers and support while their children discover French. Educators join because they get access to the latest research-based information that they need in their professional lives, and organizations join to show their support of French-second language education.

Special publications and enhanced information about FSL programs are among the resources available only to members. CPF members also receive discounts and special offers.

Members receive a complimentary copy of CPF's new (in 2008) 30-page booklet for members: Helping Your Child Become Bilingual: A Toolkit for CPF Members - this booklet contains nine informative sections - from questions and answers on core French and immersion programs, to how to support your children through their educational journey and where to find more resources

We invite you to join CPF. Over 25,000 members have chosen to be a part of CPF.

An individual or family pays only $25 for one year or $60 for three years.
An organization pays just $60 for one year or $150 for three years. 

More information about benefits and membership forms are available online at:

http://www.cpf.ca/eng/about-join.html

Donations can be made by Phone - Visa/MasterCard payment only:

Phone (613) 235-1481, extension 21 between 8:30 and 4.30 PM EST any business day with your MasterCard or Visa card number and expiry date. You can specify ie. for CPF Vancouver North - Bursary Fund

CPF's charitable registration number is 118835131 RR0001. You will receive a receipt for your tax-deductible donation of $10.00 or more late in January.

Anyone who is interested in becoming more active in CPF, please contact me, your representative. There are many ways you can become involved.

Lesley Wright

CPF Representative, Kitsilano

grp98@shaw.ca